By Skye Llewelyn
Photographer
The Pacific Lutheran University Music Department, and the School of Arts and Communications in general, probably took one of the hardest hits on campus when COVID-19 arrived. A department where nearly every course objective culminated in rehearsal and performance, rendered suddenly unable to meet.
In Spring, the department’s activities were forced to stop, moving everything that could be moved online, but ultimately cancelling all performances. Choir Of The West published a digital choir video, but not much else was seen from the department.
So what does that mean for Fall? The music department went into the semester with a plan. Students have the choice of participating in either blended or fully virtual ensembles. Blended ensembles meet once a week, with wind instruments meeting outdoors, and string instruments and vocal ensembles indoors, in a big enough space to allow for social distancing and proper aerosol disposal and airflow.
Virtual ensembles are taking a different approach. In choirs, virtual ensembles are creating a video similar to the Choir Of The West video. Wind ensembles are collaborating with Alex Shapiro and other composition artists to create a project based in more experimental sounds, as compared to a traditional ensemble experience.
This project, Making Music — At A Distance, was created at University of Washington in Spring 2020, as their bands director worked to find a way for the ensembles to stay an ensemble, even though they were not able to meet. You can read more here.
In general, there will be no in-person performances. All performances will be pre-recorded or live-streamed, if the performers are able to wear masks and be distanced. Practice rooms are available by appointment only, with space between appointments to allow for airflow, as well as sanitizing of spaces before and after use.
