Bring Back the Singing!

 

Since the pandemic hit in March 2020, singing has been an activity “non grata." On March 29, 2020, the LA Times reported: “A choir decided to go ahead with rehearsal. Now dozens of members have COVID-19 and two are dead.” After that headline received international attention, the activities of choral ensembles around the world ground to an abrupt halt.

Singing in masks (there are special masks for singers), singing outdoors with much ventilation and even zoom rehearsals helped some groups to stay active. But unless you have access to exceptionally advanced recording and editing software, doing a public performance was tough.

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Once the vaccines were readily available, choruses started to consider meeting again. We met and sang masked – have you tried this? It’s truly a pain… And we limited our singers to those who were vaccinated for a while. Everyone felt safer that way.

Finally, those of us who just love to sing have decided to just get back to it in full force. COVID (in some variation or other) seems to be here to stay. What is important now is how – or if – we decide to let it manage our lives. And our singing.

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I am currently the director of two choral groups in the area: The Pleasant Valley Chorale, which I have conducted for over twenty years, and the Champlain Valley Chorus of Sweet Adelines, a more recent “acquisition” (I’m their interim director and honestly, prefer to sing rather than wave my arms). Both groups, after many months of no rehearsing, are back to enjoying evening rehearsals together. Both have taken a serious hit in terms of participants, but those who truly love to sing are back at it.

On Tuesday, June 28th, these two ensembles plan to join forces to present an outdoor concert at the Elizabethtown Social Center. We plan to celebrate song and “Bring Back the Singing!”

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The choral part of the concert will begin at 7 pm with special performances by Boquet Valley Central School students beginning at 6 pm. All of us are proud to be the kick-off event to the Elizabethtown Social Center’s summer “Concerts on the Lawn” series. We truly hope that you will consider coming to listen, maybe sing along if the spirit moves you. And if you’ve ever considered joining a community chorus, now would be a great time to do so.

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Susan Forney Hughes