COVID-19

In this recording of our guest speaker webinar (original event 18 June 2021), we look at the latest medical evidence around Covid-19 and what it means for music groups.

We welcome Professor Jackie Cassell (back by popular demand), public health specialist and amateur musician.

Topics covered include: 

• how and why the pandemic might end
• the science on new variants
• vaccines

Laura Mackay and Frank Althaus of Petros Singers tell us how they livestreamed their Covid-secure in-person rehearsals to members who were unable to attend in person.

Musical director of St Helens Ladies’ Choir, Patricia Lewis, describes her journey from having very little technological knowledge to running her choral group on Zoom during the pandemic.

Background

After early retirement from running a busy school music department and working with operatic societies, in 2011 I started a daytime weekly ladies’ choir in St Helens where I live. Many of our members do not read music and were technically inexperienced. From within the big choir we have a smaller choral group which also performs separately.

Alison Martin, chair of Crieff Choral Group, outlines how choir members got to grips with a new conductor during the first Covid lockdown. 

Background

Last year, all choir members attended our penultimate pre-lockdown rehearsal for our spring concert scheduled for 29 March 2020. It was going to be our last performance with our retiring conductor of 18 years, Peter Rutterford, and retiring chairman, John Drummond, who had served on the committee for 20 years.