Update 1
It has been a year since the WHO declared a pandemic. A year ago the severity of COVID-19 had not quite sunk in. We were hearing reports of cases in large centres and conflicting reports as to details. We ended up cancelling travel plans and less than a week the first series of lockdown would begin in earnest. On March 15, I worked from home, thinking that in a few weeks everything would be back to normal. and yet here I am, a year later, working from home and safe at home.
Music
This has been a really tough year for musicians. Friends and acquaintances who freelance, or even those who are members of orchestras, theatre troupes, anyone who relies on performances to make a living have been slammed by this event. Theatres are closed and there are no live performances. This has also effected amateur music making too. We know the social and health benefits of collective music making. they are well-documented. Different groups that I play in purely for enjoyment have come up with different solutions to help us muddle through a pandemic.
The first response was to cancel rehearsals and performances. This group was excited to be making to make its Wolf Hall Debut, but alas we will have postpone that until sometime in the future. (insert jazzabelles poster) In the beginning folks sent around thoughtful and motivating messages. “hang in there!” Mine was Euph got this” because I play the Euphonium. c’mon who doesn’t love a good pun. One enterprising soul created a video montage, collected images of band folks encouraging remarks. here was my contribution (insert image here) But as there seemed to be no end in sight, as the understanding that aerosols carried the virus, we discovered that we could play out doors, socially distanced. a few groups tried this. The massed NHB bands played through some pieces in the parking lot on Western’s Campus. Insert image A big band I played in also rehearsed out of doors and performed in the parking lot of (a home) as well as at the church. we stayed 9 feet apart and wore masks until set up and in our spots. AT worst, it was difficult to hear those around you, there was a lot of street noise, and wind blew over music stands, and music s fluttering across the pavement, but for those of us who participated, we thoroughly enjoyed it as it was collective music making.