Healing and Finding Hope as Musicians in the Times of COVID-19 Closures

It’s difficult to explain to people who aren’t musicians (or at least involved in the performing arts) just what it is that we have lost during the COVID-19 lockdown.

I remember the first ACDA/NATS webinar back in early May as we all sat wide-eyed and open-eared trying to discover as much as we could about the science and safety of singing during the pandemic. I felt such appreciation for Tim Sharp when he dared to voice on behalf of us all, “I am grieving.” Yeah, I get it Tim!

My last in-person rehearsal was on March 10th. Between the three organizations that I serve as Music Director, I lost 25 performances through the end of this past season, and 53 performances that were scheduled for this upcoming season.

This hurts on so many levels. The sheer joy and energy that comes from conducting and making music is our life’s blood. It is what feeds us and defines us. So, whenever the inevitable well-meaning question comes up, “How has your work been impacted?” Where does one even begin? I grieve for my lost community of fellow musicians and for all of the rich experiences that we did not and will not share. I miss working together with the singular focus and passion to bring this glorious art to life. Missing from my daily experience is the spirit of connection on a deep human level with my artistic collaborators and our audience.

And one final grievance, if I may, after forty happy years in this career everything is suddenly upended and I find myself back in virtual “grad school” studying aerosols and droplets, internet latency, and remote learning pedagogy and curriculum. I’m sure I speak for most of us when I say, we are all so determined to stay in the game that we’ll do whatever it takes.

There is catharsis in expressing these things and I think that is an important part of this experience. Thanks for listening.

Where then do we find the healing and the hope?

The challenge, and the cure, is in finding ways to stay creative, engaged, and productive. We must also seek new ways to remain connected to our community of singers and audience. I would also offer that this moment provides us with the opportunity to reassess our social relevance in the choral arts, and to strategize for readjustments where needed.

Here are a few of the initiatives that the North Carolina Master Chorale is working on:

• “Healing Music for Open Spaces” – inspirational, accessible rep. performed in public, safely spaced open air spaces
• “Choral Music Through the Ages (Home Edition)” – short educational online videos discussing seminal choral works and genres in partnership with local educators and the county libraries
• Virtual Choir productions: You Do Not Walk Alone , Because All Men Are Brothers
• Video performances of well-spaced octets or other small ensembles
• “Dr. Al’s Choral Care” – a weekly email sent to singers with thematic guided listening YouTube links
• Zoom sectional rehearsals
• Increased social media presence (videos from staff, accompanist and individual singers)

Each time that I am able to engage with colleagues and singers I feel better. Whenever I take the time to reconnect with the repertoire, or to look at performances online it encourages me to imagine future performance opportunities. I feel reinvigorated, comforted and hopeful.

We are fortunate to have such a creative and vibrant community of colleagues who so graciously share ideas and strategies. I am especially thankful for the leadership and support provided by ACDA and Chorus America during these times of desperate reinvention.

We will get through this and we will be back!