Some Things that Choir Teachers Should Ponder during the Pandemic

Some thoughts from a public choir teacher of 28 years:

Do we aspirate when we speak?

Do children speak when they are in school?

Will our students sometimes talk loudly? In the halls? In the classrooms? Over the top of each other? 

Will they aspirate when they do those things? 

Does Covid-19 exist at the grocery store, Walmart, Costco? 

Or only at schools or restaurants or hair salons?

Does Covid-19 exist in the Math Classroom?

Or only in the band or chorus room?

Has the information about this disease changed almost daily?

Did the CDC say "Wear masks only if you are sick?"   And then pivot?  

This is from the newspaper on May 22, 2020.  

A few weeks ago, we were wiping our groceries down once we brought them home.  

Do students aspirate on the bus on the way to school and on the way from school?

As I’ve said before, let’s stop.

Let's use common sense.

Let the info continue to come in. Stop reacting and insisting that choral singing should be any more impacted than science classes, math classes, moving from class to class between class periods and on and on because they aspirate in those classes and in those parts of the school building too.

I've taught choral music in public schools in three states for 28 years.  

If we look for choral singing to stop, then certainly we can achieve that if we keep doing and saying what some of us...some of our major choral music organizations.... are doing and saying. 

I'm all about listening to the experts, but I want to listen to them on Monday....Tuesday...Wednesday...Thursday....and Friday....when their message changes as they get more information.

...Because it's going to change.

It already has.  It will continue to do so.  

And then, based on the science of that moment, we will all listen, and we will all modify in the temporary ways that are needed.

Until then...and after the vaccine...after the treatments that we don't even know about yet...Let's stay focused on choral singing and what it is going to feel like when we get to do it again the way it was intended and the way that brings the magic.

Choral music been around for thousands of years.

It isn't going anywhere permanently because we are in a panic at the moment.

This isn't the first time there has been a pandemic over the last 100-150 years.

Choral Music survived.  

When our top organizations put on webinars reacting to information that is going to change tomorrow, it is not responsible. 

When they lead that way, they are hurting this important, iconic and spiritual cultural art form....One that has been here longer than we have.

Here is a reminder. Thank you Robert Shaw and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus