Members of Chorale haven’t sung together since March 11, thirteen months ago. Since that time, we have met virtually, on Wednesday evenings, to vocalize, greet one another, share news, and altogether maintain the social contract that is a choir. After a hesitant start, we began to produce virtual videos. The first, Bogoroditse
Dyevo, was completed and posted on May 4, and we have been producing and posting them regularly since then. That’s eight of them, with another due out within the next couple of weeks. That’s a lot of singing by yourself, for those who have participated regularly. It has gotten old. But it has been the activity available to us, given the pandemic and the facilities at our disposal.
In the meantime, scientists have developed several vaccines at lightning speed, and Chorale members are getting themselves jabbed. One of our members, Fred Behlen, suggest we move to the Coro Vaccinio stage— that we find a way to rehearse together, in person, for those who are vaccinated (assuming most members would fall into this category), with other members joining us as their own vaccinations are accomplished. We set to work to locate an outdoor space with an acoustically reflective backdrop and protection from rain, with enough standing space to accommodate social distancing, bathrooms, a keyboard for pitches, and some privacy. Turns out the Lutheran School of Theology, right here in our neighborhood, has a suitable courtyard and can provide for our other needs as well. Fortunately, the days are getting longer, so we can get together in the early evening without artificial light.
A couple of weeks from now, when the air might be warmer, the light better, and more of our membership vaccinated, we’ll give it a try.
In the meantime, Alex is putting the finishing touches on our next virtual video, Wondrous Love, in a beautiful arrangement by Robert Shaw and Alice Parker, and I am planning the Sausage video that will follow it. If all goes well, both with the pandemic and with our outdoor rehearsals, that will mark the end of this virtual year. We are already planning dates, venues, and repertoire for our 2021-22 concert season, though nothing is set in stone— the key word is flexibility. We will roll with what comes.