A COVID 19 LETTER TO YOU AND WHAT WE MIGHT DO. It is LONG. Sit with a beverage, and cozy up to read and reflect.
Hello Everyone:
We’re holding on to the feeling of late summer knowing that in a blink of an eye we will have frosty days coming. We should be rehearsing for an upcoming performance, or 2, or 3, or 4. But……………..we’re still in a world pandemic that seemingly has its hold on us. I am DONE with this, as I’m sure you are. I look forward to a world, country, state, community where we can gather for pursuing what we have lost – artistic expression for the greater good, and for our parched souls. From March to August, I didn’t even read anythiing, something I did everyday to ‘escape’ the duties of my life prior to COVID. There were NO duties; I stopped reading. But, now I’m reading again, at my neighborhood Subway, but the reasons are different. I’m escaping the thoughts of boredom, world suffering, injustice, tumult, disease, death, and intolerance, the news cycles of today. There is a light, fairly small, but a light nonetheless at the end of the rainbow however. Keep reading.
Over the last few weeks and months, I have done some Facebook live greetings for our private BCAS group. Many joined. Not all, but many. I enjoyed them and I hope you did too. More recently, I bought a Zoom account specifically to hold sessions with BCAS singers to see where you are in your lives now. We’re into our 9th Covid month. I have done 2 of those so far, and during the last one last Wednesday night, members shared their musical activities of late. A couple singers related that they had joined one or two Virtual choirs which required individual recordings, and other techie type stuff. Some members, who are in other choirs, have done virtual rehearsals. And a couple others were allowed to sing at their churches. But the majority has not done any of those things at all. I miss you. You miss each other. We all miss singing and the music making. That’s a lot to deal with, isn’t it? Along with the personal stories, we did some brainstorming to share suggestions about what we might try to do as BCAS. Anything goes in a brainstorming session. And it did. The two ideas that got the most discussion are as follows and I’ll try to describe each and their viability for us.
The Virtual Choir, and/or performance possibility with BCAS.
I have heard, a bit subtly from 2 or 3 of you, requests that BCAS sing virtually each week to prepare a concert. The truth is and the facts bear this out, that many members would find this activity daunting. The vast majority of our membership would find the singing of their individual parts alone a task not in their comfort zone. And……………from a Technologically point of view, this is realistically not possible for the majority. I have several other thoughts regarding this possibility: 1. Even if we could somehow miraculously get equipment to all members, we stated last June that BCAS is in a ‘pause’ for the 2020-2021 concert year. And because of that declaration members lives have taken on different responsibilities, different time commitments; 2. During my tenure as conductor/music director we have tried a few times to have a smaller number of singers for a particular endeavor. In my humble opinion those decisions were met with divisive feelings. If all of us can sing to prepare a Virtual performance, I’m in. If some are left out for one reason or another, I’m OUT. Realistically, and in all fairness, that can not occur with this membership. I do not want any of our efforts to be divisive.
Singing for the sake of singing as an activity to pass the ‘pause’ or ‘intermission’ we’re in. An idea to keep singing.
Here is another idea I put forth that is hopefully more realistic. Those singers who log in could sing with a BCAS archival recording, singing from scores that will be provided from our own library, (no cost to anyone). This could be a possibility for anyone who wishes to join this type of singing activity. The majority of singers who joined me last Wednesday seemed to express the same enthusiasm for trying this. Actually, I am working on the ‘how to’ now. But, there are legal questions about how we can accomplish this. First and foremost, I have been in contact with Mark Morette of Mark Records, the same Mark who records our performances, and asked him if he thought we would be violating any copyright laws if we simply sang along with music we own, in a private Zoom session or any other platform, with a recording of ourselves for which we have already paid fees to ASCAP? His answer was positive. No Problem!!!! He saw no issue with this type of activity as long as we don’t record those sessions, that we don’t make money off of that activity or bring in other folks. This would be strictly for ourselves!!! Therefore, I will pursue this with our techies who I know can make this happen.
Here’s what we need to do. I need to know what songs you would like to sing. Would you be kind enough to send me your musical performance preferences, but keeping to shorter pieces due the posting of a score from which we can sing? I need lists of songs. Send those to mgiambrone2@verizon.net at your earliest convenience. Another thing which is VERY important. There are some members who do not have the equipment, either smart phone, tablet, or computer that has the capability to download the Zoom APP, or whatever other platform we choose to use. (Our teachers have much more experience for this type of LARGE group activities). We need to reach out those who want to participate to help them if they don’t have the equipment. I’d really hate to exclude anyone who wants to sing. Ideas on how to do that???????
OK, you’re done with your beverage. My brain hurts. Please, please share your thoughts with me. The next Zoom gathering is Wednesday, October 21st, 7:00PM. Maybe and hopefully we’ll be up and running by then, or at the very least you will share your favorite songs with me. Again, I need your thoughts.
Happy Fall,
Marcia
