Education
Keep the Faith! A message of hope from Master Director of A Cappella West Chorus
I
’m the director of A Cappella West, an 80+ voiced chorus based in Perth, Western Australia. My chorus is in the enviable position of having come through lockdown and out the other side. We have no community cases of COVID and are now rehearsing face to face (with extra distancing and hygiene measures, without risers) and performing to 60% capacity audiences inside, unrestricted outside. This is what we learned in the process.
What We Did in Isolation Like many of you, our chorus met over Zoom to replace our regular weekly rehearsal. We did virtual projects that enabled us to “hear” ourselves sing together. Since it was impossible to work on ensemble skills, we focused on individual skills that would benefit the chorus in the long term. We also reassured our members that it’s ok to accept that things are different and that our capacity to engage may not be the same. Whatever each member could give was enough.
Recognize the Good Stuff Towards the end of lockdown, we brainstormed what we loved and didn’t love about Zoom rehearsals. The things we didn’t like
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| April 2021
were the same across the different breakout groups, but the list of positives was longer and more varied. Here are some of the good things that came out of those breakouts: • Time saved on travel • Get to wear PJs • Can eat and drink and sit when we want • Can see faces more than when we are on the risers • Easier to learn at our own pace — less pressure to get things right instantly • Liked seeing the technical stuff on screen and having rehearsals as videos • Can practice the techniques we don’t always have enough time for in a live rehearsal
Isolation forces us to develop our independent singing abilities. How is this impacting you? Now and in the future?
