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Apple Music Launches $50 Million COVID-19 Fund apple-music-launches-50-million-covid-19-royalty-fund-indie-labels

Apple Music Launches $50 Million COVID-19 Royalty Fund For Indie Labels

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The streaming giant is looking to create stability via advanced payments for independent labels and artists during times of uncertainty
Onaje McDowelle
GRAMMYs
Apr 8, 2020 - 1:18 pm

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to propose a ripple effect of financial woes and future questions for artists, musicians and the music industry altogether, Apple Music is taking major strides to offer a semblance of relief.

On Tuesday, the streaming platform officially announced the launch of a $50 million advance royalty fund, set in place to ensure that independent labels and their artists can continue operating and getting paid during this time.

In a letter issued to various independent labels, obtained by Rolling Stone, the streaming giant wrote "These are difficult times for the music industry globally. Livelihoods are at risk, with multiple sources of income that our industry relies on vanishing overnight. Apple has a deep, decades-long history with music, and we are proud to be in close partnership with the best labels and artists in the world. We want to help."

The statement continues, "Today Apple Music is announcing the creation of a $50 million-plus fund available as advances on future royalties to independent labels, to help them pay artists and maintain operations."

According to stipulations, labels with existing distribution deals on the platform who are earning a minimum of $10,000 in Apple Music royalties quarterly are eligible for royalty advances. To receive an advance, labels will need to accept the agreement and be under Apple Music’s latest distribution deal by a May 8, 11:59 p.m. PDT deadline.

In recent events, social distancing and quarantining measures have caused a series of tour and festival cancellations, music release pushbacks and streaming activity has effectively declined. With its new initiative, Apple Music looks to support often overlooked independent artists and labels whose wellbeing doesn’t necessarily depend on the security of major label or industry backing. Advanced royalty payments will help sustain stability for those artists, even while things are rocky.

For more information on how you can directly support musicians and artist communities during the COVID-19 crisis, visit MusiCares COVID-19 Relief Fund and consider donating here.

Quarantine Diaries: PJ Is Making TikToks, Covering Roddy Ricch's "High Fashion" & Binging "Ozark" On Netflix

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Bandcamp

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Musicians Earn $4.3 Million From Bandcamp musicians-earn-43-million-bandcamp-nearly-800000-items-sold-friday

Musicians Earn $4.3 Million From Bandcamp With Nearly 800,000 Items Sold On Friday

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"On a typical Friday, fans buy about 47,000 items on Bandcamp, but this past Friday, fans bought nearly 800,000, or $4.3 million worth of music and merch"
Rachel Brodsky
GRAMMYs
Mar 23, 2020 - 12:34 pm

Last Friday, March 20, in an effort to help artists impacted by coronavirus-related concert cancelations, music discovery and streaming platform Bandcamp waived its revenue shares for 24 hours, with a number of independent record labels following suit. 

Now, according to a statement from Bandcamp co-founder Ethan Diamond, the streaming platform has reportedly had its biggest sales day ever, with nearly 800,000 items sold. 

Last Friday, fans spent $4.3 million—15x a normal day of sales—in support of artists on Bandcamp https://t.co/ElpCIN3s4f

— bandcamp (@Bandcamp) March 23, 2020

"The numbers tell a remarkable story," Diamond wrote today (Monday, March 23). "On a typical Friday, fans buy about 47,000 items on Bandcamp, but this past Friday, fans bought nearly 800,000, or $4.3 million worth of music and merch. That’s more than 15 times our normal Friday, and at the peak, fans were buying 11 items per second.

"We don’t yet know the long-term impact of Covid-19, but we know that we all need music—to uplift and inspire us, to heal us, and to give us hope,” the message continues. “We’ll continue working to make Bandcamp the best place for fans and artists to come together and sustain each other in the challenging times ahead. Thank you again, and we wish you all good health!”

In support of keeping the music community alive and thriving, you can also donate to the MusiCares COVID-19 relief fund here.

MORE RESOURCES FOR MUSIC CREATORS & PROFESSIONALS:

Resources For Music Creators & Professionals Affected By COVID-19: West Region
Resources For Music Creators & Professionals Affected By COVID-19: East Region
Resources For Music Creators & Professionals Affected By COVID-19: South Region

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Election 2020: The Issues Affecting Musicians election-2020-artists-speak-out-issues-impacting-musicians-voting-season

Election 2020: Artists Speak Out On The Importance Of Copyright, Musicians' Rights And Relief Efforts This Voting Season

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GRAMMY.com spoke to a number of artists and musicians about some of the most pressing issues impacting the music community this election cycle
Crystal A. Frost
GRAMMYs
Nov 2, 2020 - 9:53 pm

This week, Americans will decide on the next president of the United States, and musicians across the country are among the hundreds of millions of lives that will be impacted by the outcome. In a recent article, which cited industry executives on both sides of the aisle, Billboard broke down what's at stake for musicians in this upcoming election cycle, underscoring copyright as the most important policy issue in the music business right now. Since the copyright industries collectively contribute more than $1 trillion dollars annually to the Gross Domestic Product, many members of the music community might therefore assume this to be the big-ticket issue that could help them decide between candidates. Unfortunately, though, it's not that simple. 

"While there is no shortage of issues that differentiate Trump and Biden, music is generally not one of them," Daryl Friedman, the Recording Academy's Chief Advocacy Officer, told Billboard. The fact is, both Joe Biden and Donald Trump share very similar views on copyright and have pro-music policies on their records, making it very difficult for undecided voters in the music community to choose a candidate based on copyright policy alone. 

Ahead of the 2020 Election, GRAMMY.com spoke to a number of artists and musicians about some of the most pressing issues impacting the music community this voting season.

https://twitter.com/GRAMMYAdvocacy/status/1308478685503258624

🗓 Early voting?
📬 Mail-in ballots?
📍Polling locations?

📲 Register, get your ballot, and learn more about #MusicVotes: https://t.co/NyyQsII7qD #VoteReady pic.twitter.com/amp0dhxCD5

— GRAMMY Advocacy (@GRAMMYAdvocacy) September 22, 2020

Pandemic Music Rights

Many musicians and industry professionals show tremendous concern over the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has directly impacted the music industry in drastic ways. In fact, when Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris took to Instagram Live with artists Miley Cyrus, Billie Eilish and Selena Gomez in October, the pandemic was central to their conversations. The inability to tour has proven particularly devastating for the careers of indie musicians, and the same goes for indie music venues, which are struggling to survive

Read: Sacred Spaces: Rufus Wainwright, YUNGBLUD, Keb' Mo' And Others Reflect On The Independent Venues And Clubs That Changed Their Lives

"The lack of a national strategy has not just meant live music venues across the country being shut down, but many having to shut their doors permanently," one Los Angeles music venue manager tells GRAMMY.com. "Many big venues will be fine, but what does that mean for small businesses?"

Tour Stop(ped): Honest Talk With Touring Artists

The Recording Academy has worked closely with lawmakers and policy makers, including in the Trump Administration, on relief efforts to support the music ecosystem, and it continues to advocate for a substantial relief package—inclusive of funding for musicians, venues, studios and other music small businesses affected by the pandemic.

According to Ruth Vitale, CEO of CreativeFuture, piracy has also worsened since the pandemic, as Americans find it increasingly more difficult to pay for streaming services. "In a time when few can work, piracy cuts into the already reduced legitimate revenue streams from our creations, exacerbating our economic challenges," she explains in a letter to Joe Biden last month.

Indie pop duo Flora Cash expresses similar concerns for the music industry amid the pandemic. "The music industry as a whole is in a really tough spot right now due to the situation around COVID-19, and some real help is going to be needed, especially for live music venues that have not been able to open for almost the entirety of 2020," they told GRAMMY.com in a joint statement. 

Music Rights

When asked what issues matter most to her this voting season, GRAMMY-nominated songwriter and R&B artist Victoria Monét addressed musicians' rights. "There are [policies in place] that don't reflect the way today's music is consumed or accurately accommodate creatives in general," she tells GRAMMY.com. "Among many other political issues, fair and equal pay for songwriters is very important to me." 

Monét's point is supported by many musicians who argue that the payout to artists, songwriters and producers from streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music is too low, especially given the significant role the copyright industry plays in our economy. 

"The core copyright industries are an important economic driver for our country, employing 5.7 million Americans and contributing more than $1.3 trillion to the Gross Domestic Product," CreativeFuture's Vitale shares in her October letter to Biden. "[This is] more than aerospace, agriculture, or pharmaceuticals."

Read: How ONE Musicfest Is Engaging Voters In 2020: "The Underlying Message Is To Get Folks To The Polls"

Musicians' rights are a hallmark of the Recording Academy's advocacy efforts. Just recently, Academy Trustee Yolanda Adams testified in front of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and earlier in 2020, the Academy's Chair and Interim President/CEO Harvey Mason jr. spoke to the same committee about the importance of establishing a terrestrial radio performance right for artists. The Academy will continue to advocate for fair pay for artists and creators in a more inclusive and modern copyright system.

Fortunately, both candidates have expressed similarly strong views on the issue of copyright. In 2018, President Trump signed into law the Music Modernization Act (MMA)—the most significant update to music licensing in a generation, with significant support from the Recording Academy and its members. President Trump also recently signed the USMCA, which included a number of substantial pro-copyright modifications.  

And as Billboard recently reported, Vice President Biden has a long and verifiable track record in supporting pro-copyright policies, citing his eight years as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. "Look, piracy is outright theft," Biden said in 2011. "People are out there blatantly stealing from Americans - stealing their ideas and robbing us of America's creative energies. There's no reason why we should treat intellectual property any different than tangible property." (The Recording Academy honored Biden at the 2011 GRAMMYs on the Hill Awards in Washington, D.C.)

Delving further into the candidate's track records reveals that Joe Biden was behind the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, which was responsible for millions of dollars going back into the pockets of musicians and arts organizations that were impacted by the economic crash of 2009. "ARRA supplemented my income so that I could continue Chorus America," GRAMMY-winning choral conductor Peter Rutenberg tells GRAMMY.com. 

Despite widespread criticism of the Trump Administration's handling of the pandemic, they haven't left musicians completely empty-handed either. At the urging of the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act of 2020 , which was signed by President Trump, took steps to help musicians combat the economic challenges spurred by the pandemic by temporarily allowing gig workers to apply for unemployment assistance.

Funding The Arts

As for the classical community, one of the primary concerns for voters is the funding of the arts. "I am deeply concerned for the arts in America," Stephen Williamson, principal clarinetist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, tells GRAMMY.com. "We are usually the first genre to be cut from schools and/or underfunded by the government."  "I sincerely hope that our country sees the need for the arts in the enrichment of the human spirit ... something that all people are truly craving in light of this pandemic." 

The Recording Academy annually submits testimony to the House of Representatives and Senate in support of additional funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). As part of Congress' response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Academy successfully advocated for the establishment of a $75 million supplemental fund for the NEA to help struggling creators as part of the CARES Act.

Your Voice Matters

From Black Lives Matter to the environment, the list of issues that matter to the music community is vast. Ultimately, Americans must decide for themselves what issues matter most and why. No matter who you support, musicians and music-lovers alike are encouraged to get to the polls on Election Day (Tuesday, Nov. 3) if you haven't yet cast your ballot via the #MusicVotes campaign. You can visit the Recording Academy's election page for voting resources and additional information to make your vote matter.

"It's important for everyone, not just musicians, to get out and vote," GRAMMY-nominated film composer Bruce Broughton tells GRAMMY.com. Broughton, who is known for such film scores as Tombstone, Young Sherlock Holmes and Moonwalker, believes there is more at stake in this election than ever before. "This year, the choice is big, and the repercussions of that choice will be bigger. I don't see anyone not being [affected] by whichever side wins this year."

Are You Ready To Vote? Design Your Voting Plan With #MusicVotes Campaign

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#ChangeMusic Summit

 

 
 
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Watch The Recording Academy's #ChangeMusic Summit diversity-equity-inclusion-watch-recording-academys-inspiring-change-music

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion: Watch The Recording Academy's Inspiring "Change Music" Summit In Full

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Alongside Color Of Change, The Recording Academy hosted the virtual industrywide #ChangeMusic Summit, which welcomed leaders in music and media for panels on shifting culture, amplifying diverse voices, driving systemic change and more
Recording Academy
Oct 2, 2020 - 11:38 am

On Thursday (Oct. 1), the Recording Academy joined Color Of Change, the nation's largest online racial justice organization, to host a virtual industrywide #ChangeMusic Summit with leaders in music and media. The digital event is part of an ongoing series of initiatives facilitated by the Recording Academy to help accelerate equity and diverse representation within the organization and to further support inclusion outcomes across the wider music industry. 

Watch the #ChangeMusic Summit in full below. 

ChangeMusic: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Summit

The four-hour event brought together leaders, executives and experts for panels on shifting culture, amplifying diverse voices, putting leadership in action and driving systemic change throughout the music community. As well, prominent culture trailblazers and music business leaders openly discussed best practices and strategies to encourage systemic change and elevate women, Black and Latinx, as well as all underrepresented music creators and professionals.

Some of the event's participants included singer-songwriters Ledisi and Maimouna "Mumu Fresh" Youssef; television personalities Rocsi Diaz and Jeff Johnson; music culture influencer Karen Civil; award-winning poet and president of the Recording Academy's Chicago Chapter J. Ivy; and prominent executives and industry professionals including Tuma Basa (YouTube), Ingrid Best (Combs Enterprises), Binta Brown (omalilly projects; Black Music Action Coalition), Shari Bryant (Roc Nation), Jeff Burroughs (Def Jam Recordings), Ryan Butler (Recording Academy), Valeisha Butterfield Jones (Recording Academy), Harvey Mason jr. (Recording Academy), Rashad Robinson (Color Of Change) and many others. See the full list of participants below.

As part of the summit, the Recording Academy and Color Of Change announced the forthcoming #ChangeMusic Roadmap, a tool to help people at all levels of the music industry take action to enact racial and social justice within the industry. The full roadmap will be released before the end of the year, however, the first aspect of the roadmap discussed was a needed commitment to transparent reporting on Black representation. 

Read: The Recording Academy & Color Of Change Team Up To Promote Positive Change In The Music Industry

"This is a crucial moment in our world, our nation and our society and it is now more important than ever that we bring people together to make progress on justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion," Recording Academy Chair and Interim President/CEO Harvey Mason jr. said. "As leaders in the music industry, we have an opportunity as role models to lead by example and set a progressive tone for culture and society. We are honored that so many from the industry joined this important conversation and we're committed to the work ahead."

"Black artists' rich contributions have undeniably shaped the music industry into what it is today. The industry must tear down the systems that silence, harm and pigeonhole Black artists for profitable gains," President of Color Of Change Rashad Robinson said. "Everyone has the responsibility to work towards progress. The #ChangeMusic Roadmap will begin the process of giving the industry the tools to challenge injustice and enact tangible change now. The Recording Academy is setting a strong example for the industry from the inside, holding those in power accountable to change. Together, we can propel music into the equitable future Black artists have earned, and always deserved."

Participants in the #ChangeMusic Summit included: singer/songwriters Ledisi, Rico Love and Maimouna "Mumu Fresh" Youssef; television personalities Rocsi Diaz and Jeff Johnson; music culture influencer Karen Civil; poet J. Ivy; and prominent executives and industry professionals including Tuma Basa (YouTube), Ingrid Best (Combs Enterprises), Binta Brown (omalilly projects; Black Music Action Coalition), Shari Bryant (Roc Nation), Jeff Burroughs (Def Jam Recordings), Ryan Butler (Recording Academy), Valeisha Butterfield Jones (Recording Academy), Qiana Conley (Recording Academy), Caroline "Baroline" Diaz (Interscope Records), Michelle Edgar (Epic Records; Music Unites; XX Project), Ethiopia Habtemariam (Motown Records; Capitol Music Group), Erin Hall Harris (Combs Enterprises), Tammy Hurt (Recording Academy), Jeriel Johnson (Recording Academy), Debra Lee (formerly BET Networks), Harvey Mason jr. (Recording Academy), Adam McFarland (Blacksmith Recordings; #TheShowMustBePaused), Riggs Morales (Atlantic Records), Jessica Rivera (YouTube), Rashad Robinson (Color Of Change), Travis Robinson (Universal Music Group), Lenny Santiago (Roc Nation), Rashid Shabazz (Color Of Change), Dr. Maurice Stinnett (Warner Music Group), Tiffany R. Warren (Omnicom Group; ADCOLOR), and Roe Williams (KWL Enterprises).

The Recording Academy's strategic alliance with Color Of Change and solidarity with ongoing social justice movements, such as #TheShowMustBePaused, was also a highly prioritized conversation topic among attendees. 

Learn more about the progress and future announcements regarding the Recording Academy's Diversity & Inclusion efforts.

The Recording Academy Establishes Black Music Collective

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Chorus practices outdoors this year at Countryside High School in Pinellas County, Florida.
Photo courtesy of Christy King

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How COVID Changed The Look Of Music Education puppy-pads-and-slit-masks-how-covid-changed-look-music-education

Puppy Pads And Slit Masks: How COVID Changed The Look Of Music Education

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COVID-era problems put pressure on teachers to work creatively, while fearing for the future
Emilee Lindner
GRAMMYs
Sep 21, 2020 - 9:01 am

Those living in Kingsman, Arizona, shouldn’t be surprised if they hear 30 kids yelling simultaneously from Lee Williams High School. That’s just Shannon Bascombe’s marching band letting out their COVID-19 frustrations.

"The kids were like, ‘Hey, Ms. B, can we, like, scream into the void for 10 seconds at the beginning of practice?'" Bascombe recalled. "'Yeah, sure, I’ll give you guys 10 seconds to just yell it out.' … Then they’ll start learning drill."

The coronavirus pandemic has made returning to school this fall a touchy debate. With each district whipping up its own tentative plan, students are either attending school armed with masks, learning virtually from home or doing a half-and-half schedule. They’ve pushed start dates, altered schedules and introduced new technology. Several schools GRAMMY.com contacted for this story set a date in September or October to reassess and adjust, aiming for in-person instruction by 2021. Needless to say, a little scream therapy is warranted—not just for students, but for teachers, parents and administrators as well.

So how does music education fit into the new school plans? Unlike math or history, which can rely on individual study, collaborative ensembles like band, chorus and orchestra cannot. With social distancing measures in place, getting a band of 50 students placed six feet apart in one room is, well, impossible. Not to mention the whole aerosol concern with kids blowing on their horns. Online group rehearsal doesn’t work either, due to latency issues.

With those difficulties in mind, districts across the country have already cut arts programs. And those teachers who still have their jobs are feeling the pressure to keep them by proving their worth.

"[Parents are] OK with the core teachers being at home and being able to give assignments," says Jake Olimpi, marching band and orchestra director at Marple Newtown High School in Pennsylvania. "But what is the art teacher doing, what is the music teacher doing? They’re getting paid and where’s the result?"

That pressure, atop the duty to keep students safe, healthy and engaged has become the new challenge for teachers, who are also haunted by the pandemic’s long lasting effects on music education.

Masks On Instruments And Puppy Pads

The spread of aerosols, a.k.a. air and saliva, forced the Centers for Disease Control to recommend the six-feet social distancing rule months ago. But when it came to the performing arts, there was little scientific evidence on how singing and instrument playing contributed to aerosol spread. A study from the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), published without peer review in July, gave music teachers some answers.

Conducted by the University of Colorado Boulder, the study found that instruments released fewer aerosols if they were masked at the bell. They found even fewer aerosols when the player wore a slitted mask. In order to return to in-person ensembles, authors of the study also suggested these points:

  • Musicians must stay six feet apart (nine feet for trombonists)
  • Bell covers should have a Minimum Efficiency Reporting Value (MERV) of 13 (although any covering is better than none)
  • Spit valves should empty into absorbent sheets like puppy pads
  • Rehearsal times should be limited to 30 minutes
  • Instructors should wait one HVAC air change between classes
  • HEPA filters should be in rehearsal spaces
  • Outdoor rehearsals are recommended over indoor ones

With the scientific guidance, teachers got to work crafting what fall 2020 would look like… and now that school’s back in session, music classes certainly don’t look like they did before. At Bascombe’s school in Arizona, they’re following the NFHS guidelines nearly to a T.

GRAMMYs

The students at Tarpon Springs Leadership Conservatory for the Arts stick to their cones and try out their new bell covers.
Credit: Anna Ottens

"When they come into the room, they have to wash their hands, drop their stuff off," Bascombe says. "We go through the symptom checker from the Mayo Clinic every day when they walk into the room… All of the doors are propped open so the kids have minimal touch. There's hand sanitizer everywhere. Mouthpiece cleaner everywhere."

Bascombe's woodwinds, brass, percussion and colorguard all get their own room. Every Friday, she spends an additional hour and a half disinfecting each room, including the bathroom her students use.

At the Southern Nevada Homeschool Performing Arts, program director Bonnie Buhler-Tanouye says brass players wear slitted masks, akin to "boys' underwear," and flute players wear shields. She says parents are willing to do even more in order to get their nearly shutdown Las Vegas music scene rolling again.

GRAMMYs

The students at Southern Nevada Homeschool Performing Arts wear face shields and slitted masks on the first day of band practice. 
Courtesy: Bonnie Buhler-Tanouye

"One of the parents I was talking to the other day, because I was reminding her of masks for her trumpet player, she said, ‘You know what, put me in a hazmat suit, if you have to. Whatever we have to do to get back to playing music together,'" Buhler-Tanouye recalled.

The NFHS study deemed outdoor rehearsal better for dispersing aerosols. Summer band camps served as positive test runs for the rest of the school year, with students respectively keeping their distance. Water and sunscreen breaks are frequent and essential. In Pinellas County Schools in Florida, humidity plagues practices, but kids are happy to endure sweating for a chance to play together, says Jeanne Reynolds, performing arts specialist for the district.

"If you teach in Florida and you're a band teacher, you become a meteorologist," Jeanne said. "'Cause it’s not just hurricanes; we’ve got pretty good thunderstorms, so you have to know when to get out of harm’s way. Which we all do."

What happens when the temperature drops? When playing outside is no longer an option, bands will be forced to limit the size of their ensembles, based on dimensions of their rooms and state guidelines. Some schools have already taken band class off the schedule completely, exchanging it for smaller groups, broken up alphabetically or by instrument.

Smaller ensembles introduce two problems, though. First, smaller groups equate to more classes, meaning teachers' course loads have increased. Music programs like the one at Bergenfield High School in New Jersey rely on a large staff, which allows them to assign one teacher each to virtual and in-person classes for all of their ensembles. Bergenfield’s band director, Brian Timmons, considers his program lucky; not all schools have the resources.

Second, teachers must find music for a ragtag chamber ensemble. For example, if groups were split numerically by students' names, a director might end up with a flute, three trombones, five bass clarinets and a french horn in a class, and music for a combo like that is rare. Thankfully, publishers like Alfred, Hal Leonard and RWS Music Company have flexible arrangements that can be split into a few basic parts, and have become more available during COVID.

GRAMMYs

The supply of cleaning materials Shannon Bascombe uses to disinfect the band rooms at Lee Williams High School. 
Courtesy: Shannon Bascombe

But will the music ever get performed? State guidelines vary, but indoor maximum capacity has been limited to as few as 25 people per room. Gathering an audience would be infeasible.

Perhaps concerts aren’t even necessary. According to Timmons, it’s time to shake up the dusty format anyway.

"Music education has been so performance-driven all the time," Timmons says. "And we never take time to explore the other things like the chamber playing or the composition or just ear training in and of itself or theory."

Students taking virtual band obviously don’t have to deal with these new precautions and guidelines, but they also don’t get to play together. As Timmons says, they’re working on individual assignments, like learning music production, which allows them to sew together an ensemble, piece by piece. Timmons' students will work on a shared online workspace to record music. It gives students the power to collaborate remotely, he says.

"They can listen to each other’s part and say, ‘OK, our articulation is not punching there. We’re going to have to rerecord this section,'" Timmons says. "I have three teenagers of my own. I watch them killing it on TikTok. If you can do that, there’s no reason why I can’t teach you how to do this."

And then there’s the fact that some schools are taking little to no precaution. Music teacher Nathan Smith says he was fired from Oakdale Academy in Michigan after expressing his concern over the safety of students and staff. The private Christian high school is not requiring masks this fall, per a letter sent home to parents.

"I had so many plans for this school year," Smith said. "I certainly wasn't ready to leave without seeing any of my kids again."

The Lost Generation And Long-Term Effects

It’s a struggle to keep current music students engaged, but it’s a completely new challenge to get more kids involved. Recruitment requires getting instruments into the hands of fourth graders and presenting the allure of a polished, performing ensemble—hurdles made higher by COVID.

Lackluster recruitment will have damaging effects on the future of music education, says Robert W. Smith, a composer, arranger and professor at Troy University, who has written hundreds of works for high school-level ensembles.

"We cannot have a lost generation of musicians, and we’re about to have it," Smith says.

If too few young musicians join band, orchestra and choir programs, the ensembles will see dwindling numbers in each subsequent year, all the way up to college groups.

"This is like aftershocks of an earthquake or second and third waves of a tsunami," Smith says.

Current music students also face the loss of competition and adjudication—third-party feedback that lends itself toward improvement. Many in-person music competitions have been canceled for the fall. On the upside, some organizations have offered virtual adjudication, where students and ensembles can send in their performances for assessment.

But the long-term effects aren’t all bad. Timmons insists that it’s only shifting focus for COVID-era students to prepare for a more viable music career—one that isn’t totally based on performance (though still valuable), but digital skills.

"If you’re going to be successful in music, you have to have a basic understanding of how digital audio works, even if you’re a classical-style player," Timmons says. "You gotta have an understanding. If we can teach them how to use a digital audio workstation, even if it’s some kind of cloud-based thing, recording themselves and then as a chamber ensemble recording their own product, we’re kind of unlocking skills."

All of this means that music educators are getting even more creative than before, out of necessity.

"Music teachers by nature are problems solvers. It’s what we do," Timmons says. "Listen, troubleshoot, feedback, adjustment, listen, troubleshoot, does that sound good? This is just another problem to solve. It’s just a little more problematic than fixing the intonation of a chord."

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

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