September approaches and with it the normal start of the choral season. Three choirs I sing in have indicated that they are making moves to resume rehearsing around the middle of the month. In each case, it’s not clear yet quite how it will work. Who will be there? How will we be arranged? What repertoire will we be doing? How long will we rehearse for? When are we likely to perform, and under what conditions?
It is clear that we will have to stand at some distance from one another. For singers used to standing close together in rows of their part, this will be quite a departure from the norm. With my chamber choir background, I am more used to not relying on my neighbour for notes and leads. The Exultate Singers in particular sometimes sang in a widely spaced circle surrounding their audience. Even Bristol and Gloucester Choral Societies have been known to rehearse familiar pieces ‘scrambled’ with the parts mixed up. Singing spaced out will nevertheless be a test for all of us, although hearing your neighbour at a distance is better than not hearing them at all in a Zoom rehearsal. Other forms of reliance, such as getting a page number you have missed, will also not be possible. I’m thinking of it as an opportunity to learn new skills or improve those I already have.
One advantage though: I won’t have to worry about whether I’m wearing any perfume at choir. If another singer is near enough to be bothered by it, they are too near me!