JUST two weeks after suspending rehearsals due to the coronavirus pandemic, members of Warrington Male Voice Choir got ‘together’ without leaving their homes, for the choir’s first virtual practice.
With the help of the Zoom app, thirty members took part, overcoming all sorts of techno-phobia – many describing it afterwards, quite simply, as brilliant.
Since the last formal rehearsal on 12 March, Warrington Male Voice Choir Musical Director Russell Paterson has been putting together rehearsal tracks – singing all four parts – and sending them via WhatsApp for members to use in their own home. Using this material, bringing members together ‘virtually’ was the natural next step.
It seems that the Warrington choir’s success, in developing this virtual activity, is in stark contrast to comments from some within the male voice choir community, playing down the usefulness of on-line choir rehearsals.
Commenting, Russell said: “After two weeks without meeting, it was fantastic to have thirty members joining in our inaugural on-line rehearsal. Not only did we do some breathing exercises, a bit of technique work and then sing a couple of pieces ‘together’, I was also delighted that rehearsal discipline was better than it is in person! Was it as good as a real rehearsal? No, of course not. Was it worth doing? Without a doubt! Singing is so important for all-round well-being, and it is such a big part in the lives of all our members that any chance to get together whether in person, or on-line, is always a delight.”
From the reaction of the members who took part, along with others who couldn’t take part on Monday, it’s clear they are really looking forward to further on-line, virtual get-togethers on their regular rehearsal nights of Monday and Thursday.
