Choir Directors urge government to rethink singing restrictions

[Resurgam]

A possible chink of light in an otherwise very dark tunnel? Revised government guidance states the following:

Small groups of professional or non-professional singers will be able to sing in front of worshippers both outdoors and indoors from 15 August. Singing in groups should be limited to a small set group of people and should not include audience participation

Source:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-the-safe-use-of-places-of-worship-during-the-pandemic-from-4-july/covid-19-guidance-for-the-safe-use-of-places-of-worship-during-the-pandemic-from-4-july

Sorry if this has already been posted - haven't seen it.

Westminster Abbey sang a Choral Eucharist with 6 men only recently no congregation. Picture in the paper.

[Rolmill]

A possible chink of light in an otherwise very dark tunnel? Revised government guidance states the following:

Small groups of professional or non-professional singers will be able to sing in front of worshippers both outdoors and indoors from 15 August. Singing in groups should be limited to a small set group of people and should not include audience participation

No guidance regarding what "small" means, though, presumably because it will always depend on the context. Should this therefore simply be based on distancing requirements (is it 3m for singers currently)?

[Cockney Sparrow]

For a symphonic chorus of 120 or so (on the roll) then it means rehearsing in groups of 30 (info given out by my chorus, having looked at the guidance). So 1 in 4 rehearsals attended or the costs of 4 rehearsals?

We currently rehearse in a church - others rehearse in schools. Will they be willing to have a group of individuals from hither and thither using their hall and WCs, needing significant cleaning - in the case of schools before the students come in next morning?

Sorry to see problems. I really am sorry, I'd love to be singing but I think my best hope is an effective vaccine regime (boosters?). I'm not confident of survival if I contract Covid 19, so I will need to wait in any case. Said choir had later reported 22 "with symptoms consistent with...", 5 hospitalisations and one mortality after our last rehearsal in the early days of March. Its not possible to claim the rehearsal was the vector - we have commuters to London, medics, school staff etc etc.

For professional singers it might be more workable - I certainly hope that is the case, so they can work again.....

[Pulcinella]

Our Choir Director (there's about 30 of us in the choir) has just sent out some guidelines by a group called abcd: The Association of British Choral Directors.

The abcd document mentions (amongst others) the Making Music site (which we've been referring to it a lot).
We have a Zoom Committee meeting planned for Sunday, at which we hope to see how/when/if we can get up and running again, even in a limited form.
A lot might depend on the church hall we rehearse in.

PS
I found the documents easily enough, so assume that they are not restricted/copyright (but I've messaged our director to check).

https://www.abcd.org.uk/news/2020/08/Revised_guidelines_allow_nonprofessional_singing_again

https://www.abcd.org.uk/storage/COVID19_resources/Getting_your_choir_back_-_practical_considerations_for_choirs_and_conductors.pdf

[oddoneout]

Our Choir Director (there's about 30 of us in the choir) has just sent out some guidelines by a group called abcd: The Association of British Choral Directors.

The abcd document mentions (amongst others) the Making Music site (which we've been referring to it a lot).
We have a Zoom Committee meeting planned for Sunday, at which we hope to see how/when/if we can get up and running again, even in a limited form.
A lot might depend on the church hall we rehearse in.

PS
I found the documents easily enough, so assume that they are not restricted/copyright (but I've messaged our director to check).

https://www.abcd.org.uk/news/2020/08/Revised_guidelines_allow_nonprofessional_singing_again

https://www.abcd.org.uk/storage/COVI...conductors.pdf

This may well be the biggest problem for many 'ordinary' choirs. The choral group I sing with has had to change venue twice in recent years due to numbers increasing beyond the fire safety regulations in one case and space for enough chairs in the other. The current hall is only just big enough to seat us safely and has poor ventilation for normal purposes - germs are freely shared in the peak lurgy season, so totally out of the question for these conditions.
A local High School nearby would provide much better spacing and ventilation options, but even if they would consider it there are as Cockney Sparrow says implications for cleaning, and it would have to be done at an unsocial(after 9-30pm) and therefore expensive time.

[cloughie]

This may well be the biggest problem for many 'ordinary' choirs. The choral group I sing with has had to change venue twice in recent years due to numbers increasing beyond the fire safety regulations in one case and space for enough chairs in the other. The current hall is only just big enough to seat us safely and has poor ventilation for normal purposes - germs are freely shared in the peak lurgy season, so totally out of the question for these conditions.
A local High School nearby would provide much better spacing and ventilation options, but even if they would consider it there are as Cockney Sparrow says implications for cleaning, and it would have to be done at an unsocial(after 9-30pm) and therefore expensive time.

Absolutely - one choir and one large singing group normal venues are nowhere near the social distance spacing and our small group rehearses in the pub! Maybe will be a little longer waitvto recommence!

[Wolsey]

Westminster Abbey sang a Choral Eucharist with 6 men only recently no congregation. Picture in the paper.

That's not correct. The Abbey's website says that six lay vicars sang in the Lantern at the east end of the Abbey while the congregation gathered in the nave.

[Rolmill]

Restrictions are starting to be lifted since the end of last week. Here is the RSCM advice updated on Friday, based on this research carried out by Declan Costello and Jonathan Reid. Now we are just waiting for updated guidance to churches from the C of E, which will hopefully allow small groups of singers to lead the music (albeit no doubt without congregational participation).

[cloughie]

Restrictions are starting to be lifted since the end of last week. Here is the RSCM advice updated on Friday, based on this research carried out by Declan Costello and Jonathan Reid. Now we are just waiting for updated guidance to churches from the C of E, which will hopefully allow small groups of singers to lead the music (albeit no doubt without congregational participation).

How many congregations nowadays are big enough in many large churches not to be socially distanced enough to allow congregational participation - and the same applies to allowing choir rehearsals under the same conditions - surely not rocket science for our many talented government scientists ( those who haven’t been sacked yet!) to work out!

[Pulcinella]

One Voice Campaign talking to Making Music CEO Barbara Eifler here:

https://www.onevoicecampaign.org/video

Lots of good advice, clearly presented.

[cloughie]

One Voice Campaign talking to Making Music CEO Barbara Eifler here:

https://www.onevoicecampaign.org/video

Lots of good advice, clearly presented.

Thanks Pulc - maybe a chink of light there for we choristers who are champing at the bit to harmonise with others!

[Rolmill]

One Voice Campaign talking to Making Music CEO Barbara Eifler here:

https://www.onevoicecampaign.org/video

Lots of good advice, clearly presented.

Thanks - yes, that's a very helpful interview and I have forwarded it to a couple of my local choir directors.

Cloughie, the ban on congregational singing remains, irrespective of social distancing opportunities, as it's governed by the C of E instructions/guidance which still clearly states: "Congregations are still at this time not permitted to sing as part of worship."

[cloughie]

Had our first sing for 5.5 months this afternoon, socially distanced,outdoors with 30 of our singing group - great to sing some harmonies again and great to see them all again!

[Old Grumpy]

Had our first sing for 5.5 months this afternoon, socially distanced,outdoors with 30 of our singing group - great to sing some harmonies again and great to see them all again!

Good news, Cloughie. No group hugs or sharing of refreshments, I hope!


OG

[cloughie]

Good news, Cloughie. No group hugs or sharing of refreshments, I hope!


OG

No hugs. Limited sharing of refreshments, but some exchange of garden produce!