As students know, COVID-19 has affected almost everything making up a “normal” school year. Learning was the school’s number one priority when kicking off the year. Now that the school has made a good, safe plan to continue learning, the focus has shifted to extracurricular activities, such as sports, clubs, band, and choir. 

To perform in band or choir, you are transmitting aerosols either into the air, or into an instrument. COVID-19 is transmitted through air which makes performing band and choir potentially very dangerous and difficult. 

The best alternative for the two groups has been to continue practicing outside, six feet apart, and wearing a mask when not in the midst of performing. 

“We only take our masks off to play and when we aren’t playing, our masks are on” Drum Major Rotem Andegko ‘22 said. 

At band camp this past summer, the school also used these protocols along with taking students temperatures, and using a symptom tracker each day. 

Choir and band both rely on going outside each day, to sing or play, “Now that it is getting colder we won’t be able to go outside and sing as much” choir member Allison Alguire ‘23 said

On days where the weather doesn’t allow for the choir outside, they stay inside and continue to sing with their masks on. “It is so much harder to sing with a mask on when we have stayed inside because you feel like you are choking on your mask,” Alguire mentioned. 

Due to social distancing, the choir does not have concerts planned for this year. In addition to this, the band isn’t partaking in their usual Friday night football game performance. Instead, they have their own performances on Wednesday nights where they play their halftime music for a virtual audience. 

“The hardest part about playing this year is being able to keep having fun while we play. Usually the marching and whole togetherness of the band is what makes us want to continue and succeed, but that’s really hard to do now. We can’t march or have any bonding time with our sections and the band as a whole and that is just as important as the actual playing,”Andegeko said. 

Overall, the band and choir are making the best of their current situation, although as the season changes, both groups will need to find a new alternative to carry on with practicing in a safe manner