Today is April 2nd, and before the coronavirus crisis was upon us, I would have been packing my suitcase and getting ready to get on an airplane to Atlanta, and then to St. Petersburg and Moscow, Russia. Now, my tour has been rescheduled to 2021, and I’m trying hard not to feel badly about spending so much money on a Russian visa which will not carry over to next year. (Nobody told me that a 3 year visa was the same price as a 1 year visa, and I’m out $720. Ouch!)
Alas, we are living in a new reality of social distancing, and the cancellation of schools, church services, concerts and other cultural activities have tremendously impacted our every day lives.
Yes, I feel much like I did in 2008 when I was recovering from a craniotomy, an operation to remove a benign brain tumor. I spent 3-1/2 weeks basically laying around in my apartment, eating, sleeping, and watching TV—and not much else. Back then I could feel each day getting better—nowadays, every day brings news of more infections, and more deaths, with an indefinite stay at home a new reality.
I just got off my computer on a Zoom conference with chapter deans of the American Guild of Organists, and on one hand, it was fun to see everyone from Utah to Hawaii in one visual space. The National AGO plans to contact every single member by telephone, to check in, and to find out how everyone is doing, with the notion that “One call can make a difference” … from despair to hopefulness.
But it was sad, though, that our communication has come down to seeing everyone in little tiny boxes. We in fact had our first Hawaii Chapter AGO Executive Board meeting a couple of days ago via Zoom.
I do have to admit that I have talked to more friends and family in the last couple of weeks than I have ever done. Some people I had not talked or corresponded with in DECADES!
A number of churches have begun livestreaming their (non-Communion) services, and what is alarming was an article that appeared in today’s Science News: “Just breathing or talking may be enough to spread COVID-19 after all.” That means that somebody doesn’t need to sneeze or cough on you, droplets may remain in the air long afterward.
By now most everyone has heard of the calamity that befell the Skagit Valley Chorale (“2 dead from coronavirus, 45 ill after March choir rehearsal“), and in spite of people not appearing to be ill, and there was no touching or hugging, two-thirds of the people attending the rehearsal got sick, three are hospitalized and two have died.
Another version of the account appears here. They even distributed hand sanitizer, no one shared sheet music, they all stood comfortably apart, and no one remembers any coughs or sneezes during the rehearsal. Yet so many people got sick, and even died.
Experts surmised that the virus was transmitted through the air, as a chorister, Carolyn Comstock, said: “So now we know, oh hm, maybe it’s transmitted not just by droplets and sneezes or coughs; maybe it’s transmitted just by people talking, just by people being around each other,” Comstock said. “And then of course, if you’re singing there’s more volume to the talking, deep breathing and more volume.”
What is scary is that you don’t have to exhibit symptoms to spread the virus.
Which has brought up the possible danger of livestreaming church services, especially when even a few choir members show up to give life to the spoken word. There has been a discussion on the Episcopal Church musicians Facebook page brought about by one member writing:
Just adding my voice to the chorus of folks warning *not* to gather to livestream.
Last Sunday (after I, coincidentally, had unsuccessfully argued that we should do a pre-recorded service from our homes), we did a live-streamed Eucharist. There were 5 of us in the church (asst. Rector, me, singer, reader, and camera person). Last night, our Asst. Rector started experiencing COVID-like symptoms. Because 3 members of my family are high risk, I am now self-quarantined for two weeks. No contact with the rest of family. No access to my piano in the living room.
Just be careful, everyone.
Another person added: Same thing happened at our church. Six of us gathered to live-stream a service: rector, deacon, sacristan, organist (me), singer, and cameraman. We kept the required social distance. No one exhibited any symptoms. A couple days later the rector was diagnosed positive for COVID-19. We’re all quarantined now, understandably.
Yet another person wrote: Don’t gather together to do this. It is too dangerous. Let your parishioners do this at home on their own. Give them the text with instructions. Show them how to create a worship space in their homes to do this service. Teach our people how to worship at home!
So, continue to share by posting solo performances. Here’s one by Joey Fala, my former student, on the Duke University carillon, and his rendition of “Be thou my vision,” arranged by Geert D’Hollander.