Going back to Band?

[mbrooke]

My community band (which is actually part of Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA)) is starting up rehearsals at the end of August. I was looking forward to getting back to it, but given the increasing number of cases of the delta variant, the unknown vaccination status of the other players, the fact that the NOVA has no requirement for proof of vaccination, and the fact that we may have 80+ people in the band, I am a bit leery, even thought I am vaccinated and have no underlying health issues. The school will provide a musicians mask, but this seems a bit useless, since cutting a hole in a mask kind of defeats the purpose of a mask. Is anyone else facing the decisions? I'd be interested in what anyone else thinks.

Thanks,

Mike

[RickF]

I feel your pain Mike. Our band shut down March 2020. Started up briefly late April 2021 with bell covers and drop cloths required. This was just for rehearsals with no plans to play concerts then. About half went back but I did not. Even though I got vaccinated I was sure a number of players hadn’t gotten vaccinated yet. Our band is planning to start up again mid August. I was planning to go back but the COVID cases here in FL are really climbing. Also some break-thru infections occurring with those fully vaccinated. I too am concerned.

[ann reid]

We’d played as long as we could outdoors in 2020 until late October, then starting in early May 2021 outdoors and I think 4 recent rehearsals in our indoor site.

I’m the only one I know who has actually had Covid, and there aren’t many who are older than I. We began outdoor concerts in early May and have very good attendance at everything. My own attendance has been more sporadic than I prefer because of some Covid related fatigue, but improving.

Some of us mask when entering rehearsals, but no masks while playing that I’ve seen. I don’t see ANY consensus about precautions anywhere, here in the hotspot. Some of our members who work in a local medical center, mask more than others. No idea who, if any, are not vaccinated.

Our next performance is at the beginning of August, outside.

[RickF]

We haven’t played outdoor concerts in over 20 years. We mostly have two venues at two colleges nearby (10 to 12 concerts per season - Oct thru May). Another concern is we need to fill half the seats to break even since theatre rental is about $1700 each concert. We’re not sure if the colleges are going to minimize attendance for social distancing. Lots to consider.

[John Morgan]

Our New Horizons Band started back in mid April for a month (indoor rehearsals in our normal place - a gym like space). Then at the start of June our New Horizons Band is back for the summer in weekly rehearsals and a couple concerts in July. The Rapid City Municipal Band is doing their normal 8 rehearsals (on Mondays) and eight concerts (on Wednesdays) in June and July. Rehearsals are indoors, concerts are outdoors in our bandshell with the audience in lawn chairs. We do not wear masks. Almost all members have been vaccinated, but there are a few who have not been vaccinated. No issues to date or any cases of COVID as far as I know.

A few did not return to the New Horizons Band in April, most have for the summer. Same with the Municipal Band, a few decided to stay out, about 95% or more returned.

[euphlight]

Its hard to say if my Community Band will be rehearsing for both students and the Community (adult) members this Fall. We're at the mercy of what the school division and the province public health orders say about it. My city has a good covid vaccine uptake. The big issue will be the social distancing factor as its a bit crowded with 50 people in The Band room. I am guessing the school updated its air ventilation system by now, something precovid needed to be done. Atleast covid numbers are down.

Its quite possible that I still won't playing anywhere until atleast January.

[dsurkin]

I'm in two local community bands. All rehearsals and performances are outdoors. I've spoken to the other euphonium players, the trombone players, and tuba players (the ones who sit closest to me) and everyone's vaccinated. Here in Westchester County, NY, we have a pretty high rate of vaccination (both dosages, where applicable). The community orchestra (in which I play trombone) hasn't yet resumed rehearsals. It uses a local Ethical Culture Society room (i.e., indoors), and that organization is not yet permitting community groups to resume operations. Considering that the orchestra typically played a lot of concerts at nursing homes and libraries, I don't know when it will resume performances.

My wife wants to resume attending Broadway shows in the Fall (we have a subscription to Roundabout Theater in NYC), and I remain leery of that.

[highpitch]

My community band will start up again in late August.

Nope for me, and for the other euph player either.

Covid has to be gone for me & family before going back to playing.

Dennis

[RickF]

I hear you Dennis. We lost two members of the band to COVID about two months after the band shutdown March 2020. Plus a spouse of another band member did not survive. One member was helping her granddaughter move into college along with her father. All three got the virus but the grandfather did not survive. Don't know the circumstances of the other member. It's worrisome for sure.

[tonewheeler]

My Trombone Ensemble and tuba quartet both started up recently. Band is supposed to start again very soon.

[MikeS]

My brass band started up six weeks ago with outdoor rehearsals. The conductor is a university marching band director who has been dealing with Covid since the beginning. He is very well informed about best practices and I trust his judgement on what is safe and what isn’t.

My concert band did an online poll about starting back. The majority voted to start back up like the pandemic is over. They are rehearsing with 70+ people in a crowded band room with no Covid mitigation measures. I wish them well but I will not be joining them.

[dsurkin]

[snip]My concert band did an online poll about starting back. The majority voted to start back up like the pandemic is over. They are rehearsing with 70+ people in a crowded band room with no Covid mitigation measures. I wish them well but I will not be joining them.

I agree with Mike. I wouldn't be comfortable with indoor rehearsals just yet.

Last night before the Westchester Band performance, one of the administrators asked me to fill out an updated contact information form. One of the questions was whether or not I was vaccinated. I think it's a good idea to include that question, and well within the rights of the band to take reasonable methods to protect the members.

[John Morgan]

I am sure I will get a lot of disagreement, based on what I have read here so far.

When COVID happened early last year, all of Linda's and my music ensembles completely shut down by March. Linda and I have been very careful since then, wearing masks, staying home, only going to places we needed to out of necessity. Both of us got vaccinated in March. I have mild emphysema, and I also had a mild heart attack a few years back. So, I have some conditions that would probably not sit well with COVID. And Linda and I both did things to stay as safe as we could.

With the vaccination, Linda and I feel quite safe, and we choose to continue with our lives in as normal a manner as possible. Virtually everyone in our New Horizons Band are older folks, probably about all of them are vaccinated (we aren't asking), and they have all mostly come back to playing in mid-April, after all had a chance to be vaccinated. Same for the Rapid City Municipal Band. We are back in full swing with virtually all of the members (60-70). We rehearse indoors and play outdoors in a bandshell. No problems since April that I know of.

My own personal opinion is that I am vaccinated, I am fairly well protected from getting COVID, and in the slim case that I do get it, it should be mild. That is what I believe, and Linda and I have chosen to get back to our lives. My goodness, if the vaccination doesn't work, then what is the sense of it at all?

[Shawn]

If you are vaccinated, you have minimised your risk.

Some food for thought:
https://www.classicfm.com/artists/al...wind-droplets/

[John Morgan]

If you are vaccinated, you have minimised your risk.

Some food for thought:
https://www.classicfm.com/artists/al...wind-droplets/

Yes, we (Linda and I) have seen and read similar/many aerosol studies over the past year and a half, one even sponsored in part by our own New Horizons International Music Organization (study out of Colorado). Most of those that we have seen dealt with how to play (or not) and what safeguards to incorporate, prior to the vaccination being available. We have also seen some setups that to us border on child abuse, with children inside of individual "tents" with a clear zippered front playing in a band room, each child completely isolated from any other child. You sort of had to see it to believe it. And someone thought that was a good idea!!

Yes, we feel our risk is minimised to the point that we are satisfied to be returning to what we have enjoyed doing for so long. And 95% or more of our band mates here feel exactly the same.