The last week or so has marked the anniversary of choirs moving from their rehearsal rooms and into their living rooms as group singing found it’s new home on Zoom.
I have to admit that when this all started, I thought a ‘Zoom’ was a handheld recording device and was rather confused when someone suggested I use it to move my rehearsals online! How quickly I learnt how wrong I was.
Each and every choir leader and choir member has jumped on this steep learning curve at various points. Some have felt that it’s not for them or their singers; some have bought microphones and cameras and other bits and bobs to replicate as close as possible their ‘normal’ rehearsal experience. We’ve seen the rise of the end of rehearsal quiz, treasure hunts and other games to keep our singers engaged and enhance the social side of choir.
All that said, not one person I have spoken to has suggested that ‘actually we might stay on Zoom when all this is over!’ There is a palpable sense now that the finishing line is in sight and that what we remember and love about singing together in just a stretch away.
There remain some hurdles to cross. Every date laid in front of us is preceded with the caveat ‘no sooner than…’, and we watch with one eye closed as countries across the channel move into new lockdowns.
We continue to be supported though by the organisations that make it their business to ensure that not only can singing and wider music making return to our lives in person, but guide us through how to make this as safe and enjoyable as possible. This has become the mission of ‘Project Get Singing’, and our ‘One Stop Shop’ of links to all the relevant websites remains well and truly open.