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Abby Young with the Nu Deco Ensemble

Photo credit: Alex Markow Photography

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6 Classical Music Live Streaming Experiences To Ease Quarantine Anxiety

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From Andrea Bocelli's "Music for Hope" to Yo Yo Ma's "Songs of Comfort," here are six anxiety-reducing classical-music experiences to help you through the ongoing quarantine
Crystal A. Frost
GRAMMYs
Apr 16, 2020 - 11:10 am

Classical music has been proven to ease anxiety. Several studies can attest to the genre's ability to lower blood pressure and stress, both of which are on the rise as society tries to adapt to the uncertainty and isolation brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. Thankfully, the classical community is hard at work trying to combat the negative effects of self-quarantine. Despite the hardships that musicians are facing during this time of social distancing, only seven percent of musicians are social distancing from their instruments as well, according to a poll conducted by violinist.com. Choral societies, opera companies and gig musicians alike are all making efforts to provide comfort to fans and listeners through live streams, podcasts, music lessons and more. Read on for six anxiety-melting classical music stories and experiences that you can immerse yourself in today.

1. Iconic opera singer Andrea Bocelli brings us "Music for Hope" from Milan

On Easter Sunday, renowned opera singer Andrea Bocelli gave a performance in the empty Milan Cathedral, Duomo di Milano. Bocelli's intent was to bring peace to those spending the holiday weekend alone and a sense of community to the world wherein 90 percent of people are engaged in social distancing—a third of which are under some level of government-enforced lockdown. The five-time GRAMMY-nominated vocalist called this 30-minute Concert "Music for Hope," as it included uplifting favorites like "Amazing Grace" and Bach's "Ave Maria." The performance, which received 17 million streams within the first four hours of being posted, can be watched in full on YouTube. 

2. Yo Yo Ma expresses gratitude to healthcare heroes with "Songs of Comfort" series

Last month, GRAMMY-winning cellist Yo Yo Ma performed the heartwarming Sarabande from Bach's Cello Suite No. 3, dedicating the concert to healthcare workers on the frontlines. "Your ability to balance human connection and scientific truth in service of us all gives me hope," he wrote in a tweet. The Paris-born virtuoso continues this series of online performances entitled "Songs of Comfort" in hopes of bringing peace to those crippled with anxiety during these hard times. To experience more, follow #songsofcomfort on Twitter and Facebook.

3. Nu Deco Ensemble continues to pay its musicians and lead educational programs

Miami’s eclectic and genre-bending Nu Deco Ensemble (NDE), which has collaborated with GRAMMY-winning artists like Macy Gray and Jacob Collier, maintains its grind during these challenging times. In fact, they seem to know a secret that no one else does when it comes to keeping audiences connected and putting musicians first. We reached out to NDE Personnel Manager and violinist Abby Young, who spoke with us about the efforts behind NDE's continued perseverance amidst the hardships they face. 

"When our performances were cancelled, our leadership asked patrons to donate the cost of their tickets instead of taking the refund, which we've turned around and used to pay our musicians," Young explains. The ensemble showed its gratitude by conducting live interviews over Instagram, giving their patrons an opportunity to interact with NDE conductor Jacomo Bairos and arranger Sam Hyken directly. "We wanted to give patrons an opportunity to learn more about them and their creative processes."

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Nu Deco's musicians also participate in an educational program entitled Nu Deco NXT, which is committed to teaching and coaching high school students from the community. The program’s week-long spring break intensive was cancelled, but according to Young, the NXT leadership team quickly regrouped and arranged an alternative for the students: Saturday morning guided meditations over Zoom, followed by a different music lesson each week. Individual music instruction also continues through Zoom private lessons. "I am so proud of the steps Nu Deco has taken to protect our musicians and strengthen our organization, all while keeping our patrong and students engaged through these trying times," Young shares.

NDE is holding virtual "watch parties" to premiere newly released videos of past performances as a fun way for audience members and new fans to engage in a shared experience. To join in the fun, visit their Facebook or Instagram.

4. Houston Chamber Choir brings a sense of community with their biweekly podcast

As is the case for ensembles all across the nation, the distinguished Houston Chamber Choir was forced to cancel all concerts for the remainder of the season. Despite this misfortune, they are one of several choirs still seeking to provide people with the comfort and sense of community that comes from listening to choir voices singing in unison. The ensemble, which earned the GRAMMY for Best Choral Performance this year, is offering a podcast every Monday and Friday at noon CT entitled "With One Accord." Hosted by their artistic director Robert Simpson, the biweekly podcast presents favorite moments from past performances that are, as described on the choir’s website, "selected especially to bridge the isolation we are all feeling and to offer a moment of peace and comfort during these anxious days."

Other choirs taking part in the widespread effort to bring choral music to the ears of the isolated include GRAMMY-nominated ensemble Conspirare in their "All of Us" Virtual Choir Project and Monteverdi’s Choir & Orchestra.

5. Tarisio auctions off rare Instruments to raise money for struggling musicians

Tarisio Fine Instruments & Bows has launched an initiative called GiveBack, which is a benefit auction wherein all commissions will be donated to musicians around the world who have been affected by COVID-19. The total commissions of approximately $100,000 will be divided and distributed in the form of grants at $600 each, and any musician is welcome to apply. "As we navigate these unprecedented times, supporting our communities is essential," Tarisio Auctions Founder Jason Price states on the organization’s website. "Orchestras have been furloughed, contracts have been canceled, freelancers are left without work. We will do what we can to help." The catalog for this special sale will be posted online on April 15 and the auction will end on May 1. If you wish to contribute or participate, you can contact Tarisio directly or visit their website’s GiveBack page.

6. Manchester Collective invites us to their intimate "Live From Isolation" series

The Manchester Collective is dedicated to immersing viewers in unique live listening experiences, and it is clear that nothing—not even a pandemic—is enough to stop them. "Whether on the road or under lockdown, Manchester Collective are staying firmly committed to our mission to create unforgettable musical experiences for audiences all over the world," their website states. The U.K.-based ensemble remains hard at work producing exciting and ever-changing live online events in a series called "Live From Isolation" in which the ensemble’s musicians are performing intimate solo concerts from their living rooms to yours. Light a candle, grab a blanket and enjoy the sonic escape.

For those longing for more classical music escapes, visit Classic FM, New York Classical Review, or Livingroom Live. If you are a full-time musician whose career has been placed on hold as a result of COVID-19, organizations like Equal Sound and MusiCares have Coronavirus relief funds that you can apply for today.

WATCH LIST: Livestreaming Concerts From BTS To SOFI TUKKER To Catch During Coronavirus Quarantine

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Miley Cyrus performs during the Global Goal: Unite For Our Future - Summit & Concert

Miley Cyrus performs during the Global Goal: Unite For Our Future - Summit & Concert

Photo: Vijat Mohindra/Getty Images

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Global Goal 2020: Watch Performances From Miley Cyrus, Shakira, J Balvin, Jennifer Hudson, Usher And More

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The globally televised and digitally streamed concert special featured intimate and grandiose performances from some of music's biggest stars including Lin-Manuel Miranda with the "Hamilton" cast, Coldplay, Christine and the Queens, Chloe x Halle and many
John Ochoa
GRAMMYs
Jun 28, 2020 - 10:39 am

The international music and entertainment communities united together Saturday (June 27) for the star-studded "Global Goal: Unite for Our Future - The Concert," a globally televised and digitally streamed concert special. Presented by international advocacy organization Global Citizen and the European Commission, the event aimed to highlight the "disproportionate impact COVID-19 has on marginalized communities," according to a press release announcing the event, and to advance the development of and access to coronavirus tests, treatments and vaccines.

Global Goal featured both intimate and grandiose performances from some of music's biggest stars, including: Jennifer Hudson, who opened the show with a cover of Gladys Knight & The Pips' 1973 hit "Where Peaceful Waters Flow" while floating atop a boat on the Chicago River; Miley Cyrus, who performed a cover of The Beatles classic "Help!" in an empty Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena, Calif.; and Lin-Manuel Miranda who reunited with the original Broadway cast of "Hamilton," alongside late-night host Jimmy Fallon and "The Tonight Show" house band The Roots, for a rare performance of musical number "Helpless."

Hosted by Hollywood superstar Dwayne Johnson, Global Goal also included appearances and video messages from TV and film icons including Hugh Jackman, Kerry Washington, Charlize Theron, Chris Rock, Billy Porter, Ken Jeong, Salma Hayek Pinault and several more. 

The event also included a summit, which featured panel discussions and interviews with global leaders, experts and thought-leaders like Angelique Kidjo, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Melinda Gates, Dr. Vin Gupta, NAACP President Derrick Johnson, Executive Director of UN Women Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and others.

Airing in more than 180 countries and streaming globally online, Global Goal raised a total of $6.9 billion in pledges, according to a press release from Global Citizen.

Watch some of the musical highlights from "Global Goal: Unite for Our Future - The Concert" below, and learn more about Global Citizen's COVID-19 campaign.

Recording Academy And MusiCares Establish COVID-19 Relief Fund

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The Chicago Symphony Orchestra 

Photo by Todd Rosenberg

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"Nothing Like This Has Ever Happened": How Orchestra Musicians Are Faring In The Pandemic

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Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic open up to the Recording Academy about the unprecedented shutdown that forced them out of the concert hall indefinitely
Crystal A. Frost
GRAMMYs
Jun 17, 2020 - 10:50 am

Beginning in March of 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic placed the U.S. in lockdown, the lives of musicians all around the world drastically changed. International tours were postponed, longstanding music festivals were canceled, and the era of the virtual concert began as indie and Top 40 artists alike took to Instagram Live and YouTube to continue bringing live music to the ears of their beloved fans. But what about the musicians whose careers revolve around being a part of something much larger than themselves, and whose voices ring purest when surrounded by an ensemble of 100 or more players? 

Orchestra musicians all across the country have had their lives upended in drastic ways, many of which the music community is unaware. The Recording Academy reached out to three of the nation’s most influential orchestras in order to get a closer look at how the musicians themselves are fairing during this challenging time. Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO), New York Philharmonic (NY Phil), and Los Angeles Philharmonic (LA Phil) opened up to us about the experiences, fears, coping mechanisms and hidden gems surrounding the unprecedented shutdown that forced them out of the concert hall indefinitely.

Shocked By Lockdown

When the lockdown began, Stephen Williamson, principal Clarinet player for CSO, was on his way to a concert when he learned the news. "I was [driving] to CSO for a performance of Rhapsody in Blue when I got a call that the concert was canceled," he shares. CSO's Associate Concertmaster Stephanie Jeong, the youngest member of the orchestra ever to hold this prestigious title, was in Kansas City visiting her boyfriend when she learned of the Shelter in Place order going into effect in Chicago. "I ended up staying in Kansas City, and I’m still here."

What was hoped to be a temporary shutdown soon turned into a stay-at-home order with no end in sight, and the shattered economy that accompanied it was something many musicians didn’t anticipate in the United States. "In my almost 30-year tenure with the orchestra, nothing like this has ever happened," explains CSO bass player Robert Kassinger. "Maybe once every 10 years a concert had to be canceled because of weather conditions, sure, but nothing like this." 

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Chicago Symphony Orchestra Associate Concertmaster Stephanie Jeong
Photo by Todd Rosenberg

Rebecca Reale, violinist for LA Phil, had a similar reaction. "I think I just convinced myself that it wouldn't happen over here like it happened in China and Europe," she recalls. "But then it very quickly turned into reality that we will be off work for the foreseeable future."

The entire concert season was canceled for all three of these renowned orchestras. Forced out of the job indefinitely, the ensembles' more than 300 musicians have collectively been coping with both job insecurity and musical deprivation. "I [needed to] regroup and recover from the shock of all concerts being canceled," shares Anthony McGill, Principal Clarinetist for NY Phil, adding that the orchestra is used to playing four concerts per week. "It's tough for any musician who's used to [making] music together, in a group." Kassinger explains. "We communicate with each other and we communicate with the audience. When you take that away, it's very hard to know how to proceed." Furthermore, Kassinger has the added challenge of being a bass player. "The bass is a very social instrument, you know. It works best when combined with others."

For full-time orchestra musicians, listening and feeling are just as important as playing, regardless of which instrument they play. Relying on the conductor and the community of instrumentalists around them, orchestra players are a unique breed of musician in that they do not rely on a spotlight to feel fulfilled as an artist. Quite the contrary, the one common thread that ran through each of the interviews was the shared longing to be a part of an ensemble once again. "It’s always better to be a part of something much bigger than myself, and that’s why we are orchestral musicians. We want to share our gift, not only with our fellow musicians on stage but with an audience," Williamson points out. Wesley Sumpter, percussionist for LA Phil, expresses the same sense of longing. "I miss it. Way too much. More than I thought I would," he says with a sad chuckle. "You practice differently when you’re getting ready to perform for an audience. Right now, we are all trying to…find the motivation and inspiration to continue to play music."

"When we’re on stage we feel the presence of the audience. Missing that is definitely a big part of this. It plays a big part in how we feel." — Wesley Sumpter, LA Philharmonic

The country has lost over 20 million jobs since the pandemic hit in mid-March, bringing about a record unemployment rate of 14.7% not seen since the Great Depression. Fortunately, endowments are keeping these musicians afloat for now, though at a lesser rate. "We are lucky to be getting paid at all, but it’s scary not knowing how long they’ll be able to afford to keep it up," one orchestra musician pointed out.

Making The Most Of It

Thankfully, there are hidden gems to be found amidst every misfortune if we make a point to look for them, and these musicians are an excellent testament to that. For CSO's Stephen Williamson, this happened almost immediately with the help of his family. "My family is very musical. We’re really lucky. There’s five of us, and each is a musician," Williamson shares of his brass-playing wife and three sons, one who attends Julliard for French Horn Performance. When Williamson called up his family to inform them that the Rhapsody in Blue concert was canceled, his son went online and found a Brass Quintet arrangement of the Gershwin masterpiece for them to record as a family. The video went viral on Facebook, instilling in Williamson a sense of hope that he would in fact be able to find fulfillment during the quarantine. 

For book-loving Wesley Sumpter of LA Phil, there is no such thing as boredom—especially when the books you choose teach adaptability. "Right now I’m reading Thinking Fast And Slow by Daniel Kahneman. It’s about how we think in two systems… System 1 being our innate response to anything, and System 2 being our more deliberate, slow process." Sumpter goes on to explain how your System 2 ultimately informs your System 1. "It’s a wonderful book. It’s allowed me to really think about how to use this time to practice, and what I’m practicing for. How to map out goals based off of being able to have this time to use my System 2 and… slowly do things."

During her extended visit to Kansas City, CSO's Stephanie Jeong and her boyfriend ended up getting a new dog named Jasper. LA Phil's Rebecca Reale began participating in neighborhood chamber concerts in Pasadena, and CSO’s Robert Kassinger poured his energy into teaching and watched as his DePaul University students thrived. As for NY Phil’s Anthony McGill, he sparked a movement on Instagram three weeks ago that swept through the classical community in an unforgettable way.

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NY Phil Clarinetist Anthony McGill
Photo by Chris Lee

As the U.S. copes with national protests in response to the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer, McGill found himself in a unique position. As the first African American to serve as a principal instrumentalist in the New York Philharmonic—and the third African American ever to join the ensemble—McGill saw it as his responsibility to encourage the classical community to participate in the protests in their own unique ways. "It’s almost like a protest challenge for musicians, and artists, and anyone else who wants to participate, and it’s called #taketwoknees," McGill explains. The decision to take two knees was inspired by the fact that taking one knee didn’t go over so well, as society seemed to miss the point of what a peaceful protest means. "As a musician whose voice has been silenced the past few months, I wanted to do my part to continue to talk about this problem."

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The problem McGill speaks of is not only police brutality and racial injustice, but also the stigma surrounding peaceful protests. In order to articulate this, McGill wrote a statement about the different ways people protest and why. Then, he got on two knees as he played "America The Beautiful," going into a minor key and eliminating the final note, sending the message that America is beautiful but broken and in need of mending. "It’s important as musicians, [and] as people, that you engage in peaceful protests however you feel you can without reservations," he tells us. For McGill, that happens to be with his clarinet. "This is my only voice in the world that I can touch people with," he shares.

If you wish to donate to these non-profit orchestras as they combat the new challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the New York Philharmonic, LA Philharmonic, and Chicago Symphony Orchestra, have provided these links to their donation pages for your consideration.

Marching Six Feet Apart: How High School Marching Bands Are Coping With The Pandemic

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Recording And Monetizing Music In The COVID-19 Era best-apps-tools-recording-and-monetizing-music-covid-19-era

The Best Apps & Tools For Recording And Monetizing Music In The COVID-19 Era

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Here's a rundown of some easy-to-use apps and tools for recording and monetizing your music in the COVID-19 era
GRAMMYs
Jun 9, 2020 - 3:04 pm

We are currently living in an unprecedented era around music creation and touring. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, all business has been forced to become remote, making it difficult for artists to maintain their usual level of activity. Of course, though the music landscape looks totally different right now, artists are finding new and innovative ways to get their music heard, be it through livestreams, engaging with fans via social media or launching subscription models that offer exclusive content to fans. To that end, here's a rundown of some exciting new apps and tools for recording and monetizing your music in the COVID-19 era. 

Recording Tools

There are plenty of social media options for getting your work out there: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and Twitch are just some of the possible platforms you can use to capture your recording. 

There's also a new all-in-one app called RMusic, which allows songwriters to collaboratively write music on the go. Not only does RMusic let you to record ideas directly onto a virtual project file, but you can punch in new lines, edit takes, invite other collaborators from your address book, type lyrics, undo takes and communicate with project members from within the app.

Live Broadcast & Streaming Channels

Facebook: According to a new Remote Musicians Handbook put together by the Berklee College of Music, Facebook is the best venue for livestreaming if your audience skews a little older. 

Instagram: Meanwhile, Instagram, which has a feature that allows other people to join your live stream as guests, is ideal for younger audiences. "Based on your social media engagement on each platform, you can make an informed decision about which platform will be best for your fans," the handbook writes. "Both of these are well-suited for unannounced livestreams as notifications will go out to engaged fans, as well as letting your fans know ahead of time when you will be streaming."

YouTube: Then there's YouTube, which offers a number of monetization options and scheduling tools, such as pre-stream and in-stream ads, donations and merch sales. YouTube will even notify your followers when you go live and will allow you to schedule a live stream ahead of time. And as the stream takes place, YouTube lets viewers ask questions and interact with the streamer. 

TikTok: If you're on the super music-friendly app TikTok, did you know that you can activate a live stream if you have more than 1,000 followers? Once watching your livestream, viewers can purchase stickers, and a portion of the money is donated to the streamer. According to the aforementioned handbook, on TikTok these purchases are made using "coins." Coins start at $0.99 for 65 coins and go up to $99.99 for 6,697 coins. In turn, users can buy stickers, called "Virtual Gifts," for anywhere from 1 to 100 coins.
     
Twitch: The video game streaming platform can be useful for engaging new fans. Because this app hosts as many as 4 million viewers at once (according to TwitchTracker) actively encourages discovering new streamers, artists can show up under Twitch's "Music & Performing Arts" section (with 2.3 million followers). Here, according to the handbook, "the music ranges from metal to violin covers to singer-songwriters, and is generally more diverse genre-wise than more mainstream platforms."

If you want to monetize your work on Twitch, know that streamers get paid when new subscribers follow them and viewers donate to the streamer. Some streamers use new followers and donations as mechanisms to unlock new content or segments. Some will take requests at certain follower count or donation levels, others run merch giveaways, or give followers access to exclusive content.

OBS Software: OBS (Open Broadcaster Software) is free and open source software for video recording and live streaming. Stream to Twitch, YouTube and many other providers.

Nugs.net: Get live music on demand. Nugs.net offers a collection of more than 15,000 full-length concert recordings from the likes of Pearl Jam, Widespread Panic, Umphrey’s McGee, Dead & Company and more. Try it free with a 30-day trial.

Houseparty: This social networking service enables group video chatting through mobile and desktop apps. Users receive a notification when friends are online and available to group video chat. 

StageIt: Founded in 2009, Stageit is a web-based performance venue that hosts paid livestreamed performances. Artists choose when they want to perform, for how long, and how much they want to charge. 

Crowdcast: This video platform hosts live video Q&As, interviews, summits, webinars and more.

Streamlabs: This streaming platform can stream audio to Twitch, YouTube and Facebook. 

BandsInTown: Use BandsInTown to promote your live stream shows. You can even engage new fans and monetize shows through BandsInTown's Twitch partnership.

Fan & Membership Platforms

Patreon: Patreon gives fans access to exclusive artist content for a monthly fee, might be the first option that comes to mind when it comes to fan and membership platforms. But Patreon is only the beginning. Gumroad lets creators offer digital and physical products for sale, while its dashboard provides insight into how your sales are doing and how fans are consuming your content.

Squarespace: Offers subscription products in their store, integrating directly with your website and can be sold alongside your other merch products. 

Shopify: For $40/month, Shopify offers apps that allow you to offer subscriptions from your Shopify ecommerce store, which is helpful if you are offering physical goods as part of your subscription. 

Bandzoogle: Sell music, merch, downloads  and tickets, commission-free. Once you add a store, you can start selling music, downloads, tickets and band merch. Monthly fees start at $8.29.

Ghost: With Ghost, which is free to join, you can publish content online, grow an audience with email newsletters and make money from premium memberships.

Memberful: Memberful helps independent publishers, educators, and creators sell memberships to their audience and build sustainable businesses. You can integrate with Wordpress, send email newsletters, create private podcasts and more. Pricing is free to start and goes up to $25 or $100 per month.

Digital Production Marketplaces, including licensing and sell music, samples, and custom sounds:

Splice: Splice Studio gives you access to millions of royalty-free samples, MIDI and presets on mobile, web and desktop for $7.99/mo. 

ScoreAScore: This music production, licensing and supervision company puts producers in need of original music directly in contact with the composers who create it.

Beatstars: Beatstars is an online marketplace to buy and sell beats.

Putting The Plan Into Action

Now that you have the tools, all you need is to put a plan into action. The Remote Musicians Handbook suggests that you first analyze your audience to get a sense of their social media profiles. Then, you may want to run an unnanounced test live stream, just to get a sense of who's showing up. Then, schedule a series of announced live streams on the platform(s) of your choice. Once livestreams are part of your routine, consider partnering with artist friends on YouTube where you can cross-promote each other's work. From there, consider monetizing your work on Patreon with exclusive content. All the while, to engage new fans, hop on music-discovery tools TikTok and Twitch.

Now that you have the resources to build a fully functional music online platform from the safety and comfort of your home, the rest is up to you. Good luck!   

How Musicians Are Staying Positive & Productive Amidst A Pandemic

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Marching Six Feet Apart: How High School Marching Bands Are Coping With The Pandemic

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As districts consider when students can return to school safely, band directors wonder if they should shelve their entire 2020 show. But what would that mean for students?
Emilee Lindner
GRAMMYs
May 26, 2020 - 11:54 am

A few months ago, the band hall at Loveland High School would be packed at lunchtime. After hauling their meals from the cafeteria or bringing their bagged lunch, students would plop down on the floor, leaning against the walls of instrument lockers. It was a break from the day to just talk, eat, play games and listen to music. Simpler times.

Lunch period may seem like a distant memory now that families have been isolating in their homes due to the coronavirus pandemic. Schools across the U.S. have resorted to online learning for their students. But don’t worry, Loveland’s band students have found another place to hang out.

Twice a week, 30 to 40 kids log into Mr. Freesen’s "office hours" on Google Meet to chat, play trivia, share a digital crossword puzzle—one kid even showed off their pet duck. Kyle Freesen heads up the band program at Loveland. And lately, there have been a lot of questions.

"One of the big questions is, 'Is there going to be marching band?'" Freesen says. He doesn’t have an answer for that.

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The Loveland clarinets practicing in 2019

As school districts ponder if and when students can return safely, for marching bands, practice for next season was scheduled to start as early as June. Without official word from state governments, summer rehearsal time is at stake. It could mean huge changes for their September shows. As time ticks on, band directors wonder if they should shelve their entire show and just wait until 2021. But what would that mean for students?

"She's going to be incredibly disappointed," says Janis Gregoire, whose 15-year-old daughter Emma found her identity with the marching band at Loveland High School.

"She’s generally quiet and shy, and I was a little concerned that she'd get lost in high school," Gregoire says, explaining how Emma had gotten a head start as a freshman by participating in summer band camp. "She started her first day of high school with 200 best friends of all different grades that she knew from band."

At the risk of disappointing everyone in the class, the predicament has put band directors in a pickle. Stay home or start practicing to keep up with their competition?

"You want these kids to have this experience because they love it, but at the same time, you don’t want to get any kids sick," James Shuman, band director at Rocky Hill High School in Connecticut, says. Connecticut is nearing 40,000 COVID-19 cases, as of this writing.

With the marching band community at risk, what can schools do to make sure kids stay safe but don’t miss out?

Marching Six Feet Apart

Social distancing measures are likely whenever school returns, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but getting a band together to expel air doesn't exactly sound like the safest thing to do. Certainly, schools don’t want a repeat of March's infamous choir practice in Mount Vernon, Washington, where 87 percent of the group contracted COVID-19 from one person. The choir quickly became one of the first examples for social distancing.

However, could it be easier for marching bands to social distance, given they practice outdoors where kids can space out and air isn't so stagnant?

Sure, formations can adjust for the CDC’s six-feet-apart recommendation, but that’s about it, says Shuman.

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Rocky Hill High School's marching band at a championship competition in 2019

"If anyone’s seen any kids in marching band, as soon as you stop rehearsing, they’ll clump together and they’re all over each other," Shuman says. "They’re gonna be kids. They're gonna be holding hands and pushing each other and playing."

Of course, there's travel, too, which would be pretty costly. "It would take five, maybe six buses to actually have six feet of social distancing," says Carl Wylie, who leads the Travelers Rest High School band in South Carolina. Wylie reports that one day-long outing could set them back nearly a thousand dollars per bus.

Masks aren't an option for students while  playing, but there has been some non-scientific talk of devices that could minimize the spread of droplets. One company in Maryland has started to market their bell coverings for brass instruments—usually used for decorative purposes—as "Corona Virus Bell Covers" with the tagline "It’s a face mask for your bell." Scientific tests on these products are either ongoing or haven't started.

So far, only Texas schools are projected to start practice on June 8.

Teaching Music From Afar

Since you can't really conduct band from a laptop, teachers are getting creative. We're talking practice journals, music theory worksheets, listening assignments and music history readings. Shuman even created a bracket for students to battle out which song from Star Wars is the best. Anything to keep the kids stimulated. But it's a struggle. Band has lost the essence of collaboration; instead, it’s mutated into individual study.

"It can feel that even our music classes are becoming more and more a class to sit and observe instead of participate in," says Sarah Wake, an 11th grader who was actively involved in band at Delaware Academy in New York before lockdown. 

The collaboration problem can be patched up, but not fixed. Wylie instructs his students to write music for their friends to play. Shuman's seniors even edited together a performance of "Pomp and Circumstance" to play at their own virtual graduation. But those assignments don't fill the void of band practice.

"I miss the chaos that we all complain about, the corny jokes told by our band director that we all roll our eyes at," Wake says. "I miss complaining about playing a scale other than concert Bb, quietly laughing with my section when we should be listening."

And not every kid thrives with distance learning—there are too many outside forces at play.

"I don’t know what’s happening in their homes," Wylie says. "I don’t know what their internet is. I don’t know what their family lives are. I don’t know what their other struggles are… It’s hard to teach like this."

From a kid’s perspective, it’s just as bleak.

"It is really easy to fall into the dark place of this doesn’t matter, grades don’t matter, my teacher won’t notice or care if I don't turn something in, which can quickly become my teachers don’t notice me, I don’t matter," Wake says.

Online Marching Band

Teaching marching band, specifically, is something completely different. It’s like holding football practice online. It just doesn’t work.

First, there’s recruiting and auditions—both nearly impossible if students accidentally left their equipment at school.

"A lot of the percussionists are like, 'I'm tired of playing on the floor. I can't. I'm not getting any better,'" Freesen says.

Freesen linked up with a "band dad" to hitch up a trailer and distribute instruments—because even though percussionists can practice with pots and pans (some students even drew cardboard keyboards of their marimbas), it’s clearly not the same.

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Incoming Loveland High School freshman, Konnor S. doesn't have a marimba at home so he built a practice keyboard

Even getting the word out about color guard has been difficult for Freesen.

"There’s no kid that's picked up a flag before," Freesen says, adding that he’s depending on band members to recruit their friends. "'Hey, we’ll drop a flag off at your house and send you videos on how to do color guard.' It’s just so weird.'"

After online auditions comes online rehearsal, or "marching band prep," as Freesen calls it. The visual staff makes choreography videos for students, and when the kids learn each phrase, they send back a video for scrutiny.

"The staff go on and say, 'Great job, Hannah, make sure you watch your left hand,'" Freesen says. 

One such staff member is Kelci Hartz, a recent music education graduate from Colorado State University, who works part-time at Loveland High School teaching choreography. Hartz believes there's actually a positive to this way of learning.

"It definitely isn't the same as teaching in person, but I do think there's benefit in the students having a video that they can slow down and replay as many times as they need to," Hartz says. "This helps them to self-differentiate based on the way they learn best."

Kelci Hartz breaks down choreography for marching band students at Loveland High School

As deadlines near, band directors are sketching out "plan A through E," Freesen says. Will they have enough time to learn their show? Will their routines be cut? Will competition hosts be friendly to them considering the circumstances?

The answer to the latter is, well, yes. A representative at Bands of America, an organization that runs major regional marching band competitions in the midwest, told the Recording Academy that they are loosening up their guidelines for shows, like time requirements. BOA is also considering alternatives to live competitions. Perhaps they will delve into the virtual world as well.

Needless to say, when bands are finally able to reunite, they’ve got work to do.

"When we get back together to make music, I expect it to be pretty wonderful no matter how it sounds," Wylie says. "'Cause we’ll be back doing what we do."

The Money Problem

While Bands of America is making it easier for bands to march on, there’s still one big question mark lingering over schools across the nation: money.

"I assume most districts are going to be slashed quite a bit," Shuman says. "You have so many people out of work. Tax money drives what we do. So without that money there, can you fund a season? Will we be allowed to?"

Marching band isn’t a cheap extracurricular, as budgets of top division bands rival those of athletic programs. There's uniforms, uniform cleaning, music copyright, staff (arrangers, drum line coaches, show designers, etc.), meals and travel—not only for the kids, but for their massive amount of equipment. Fees for a single BOA competition range from $300 to $975. One blogger proclaimed marching band “The Most Expensive Sport In America."

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One of Loveland High School's impression formations

Some bands require individual fees to join, and those could run quite high. At Loveland High School, it costs $585 (which is on the high end in Colorado, low end for marching band-obsessed states like Indiana and Texas, Freesen says).

"What if we have kids who say, ‘I want to be in marching band but my parents can’t afford $600'?" Freesen says. "We have to figure out how to make that work. We still have to pay our staff."

Sponsors are crucial, but getting a local business to contribute in the middle of an economic crisis—the latest unemployment report shows 36.5 million Americans out of work—doesn’t seem like an easy task.

Essential fundraisers have already been canceled as well. Freesen hopes that they can carry on with contact-less fundraisers, like the fireworks sales they do every summer. But performance-based fundraisers are less likely. At the end of the May, Rocky Hill lost out on the usual $2,000 they normally would make at their jazz band dinner. For Travelers Rest High School, fundraisers account for 70 percent of their revenue, Wylie says. But without fundraisers, bands will have to pare down drastically.

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A Rocky Hill High School fundraiser in 2017
Photo credit: Annie Cerpa

"We're going to have to do this low budget," Wylie says. "We’re going to have to keep the cost of bussing down. We’re going to have to not do as many props as I want. I’m buying inexpensive stock productions. I’m not paying thousands of dollars to an arranger or a drill writer. We do a lot of stuff in-house. We keep our staff down. I've known bands to walk onto the field with $150,000 they've spent on their shows."

But cutting down a show poses a problem too. With arrangers, drill, drum teachers and choreographers all depending on part-time work across multiple schools, they could be out of a job. Drum Corps. International, which hosts a tour and competition over the summer, has already canceled their events until 2021, resulting in layoffs. BOA's parent organization Music For All also had to furlough 38 percent of their full-time staff.

With money in question for music programs, bands will have to rely on school budget—a.k.a. the money they get from taxpayers. When it comes down to it, Freesen hopes taxpayers realize how much the music program means to students. School is so much more than the classroom, and he hopes future voting reflects that.

"We’re giving them a place to be that's warm and safe, with adults that are safe and care about them," Freesen says. "Not every kid has that."

School also provides kids with meals, which Freesen sees firsthand when his students gather in his band room—and he worries for the student who told him that they hate breaks because there's no food at home.

"I can’t fully understand what it’s like to go, 'I'm bummed to have spring break' when the kid who sits next to you is going to Hawaii for spring break and you’re worried you’re not going to have enough food," Freesen says. 

Until school opens up again, Freesen’s office hours remain hoppin' with kids aching to get back on the field… or at least back into the band room for a lunchtime hang.

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