By Dalton Johnson, Staff Writer
As the school year begins at Iowa Lakes Community College, students have encountered many changes due to Covid 19. Some of those changes are the way music classes are being conducted. According to Iowa Lakes Community College band director Carol Ayres, it took a lot of time and research for music educators to find out what to do.
“There were 91 professional (international) organizations that got together and raised $900,000 to do three scientific experiments,” said Ayres. “One was done at the University of Colorado. “ The two other experiments were held at the University of Maryland and at a University in Berlin. Thanks to the scientific experiments, music educators were able to get recommendations about how to hold classes and what precautions that needed to be taken.
“The precautions that they come up with were that you are supposed to mask up even when you are playing your instruments,” said Ayres. According to Ayres, playing instruments is to only happen for 30 minutes so that the room does not get filled with recycled air. Through these recommendations, Ayres has made some changes to rehearsals for her music ensembles.
“We are going to have masks on our instruments, (in the jazz band), so we are going to have masks on the end of our trumpets, trombones, and saxophones,” said Ayres. Not only will the instruments be masked, but students are not allowed to share music stands, folders, and instruments. Because band members have to be six feet apart, Ayres made the decision to have the jazz band ensemble play on the stage of the performing arts center while the hand bell ensemble will rehearse in the band room. She also had new masks made for her jazz band players.
“We had news masks made and I am handing them out as I audition people,” said Ayres “We have two different kinds, one with more of an opening going horizontally and the other one going vertically.” These masks will be used by the students to cover their faces while they play.
Despite the changes, Ayres says that the students have cooperated wonderfully.
“Everybody has been really cooperative,” said Ayres.
The instrumental music program is not the only one facing changes, the vocal music department is also facing changes.
“There have been many research studies done,” said Iowa Lakes’ vocal music director Brett Fuelberth. Fuelberth said that thanks to the research studies, precautions have been put in place for vocal music students.
“Singing in masks is what is the safest,” said Fuelberth. Fuelberth said that his wife created singers masks for the vocal music students at Iowa Lakes. These masks are larger than your average masks. Another change that was made was to rearrange the seating in the choir room.
“Six feet apart between people so you can’t sit right next to the people in your part,” said Fuelberth. “Sitting in straight rows is one of the things that they considered was safer.”
Just like playing an instrument inside, students are only allowed to sing indoors for 30 minutes and then they must clear the room to allow the air to filter out. Fuelberth commented how well the students have adapted to the changes.
“So far so good, I mean it’s just in general the students have done a great job adjusting to life in masks,” said Fuelberth.
As for performances this year for both instrumental and vocal music, that is something that Ayres and Fuelberth are still deciding about how to hold them.
“Well, I’m planning performances because I think it’s important for us to perform,” said Ayres. “It’s kind of disappointing to practice and not get to play.”
“I can say that we will perform,” said Fuelberth. “I don’t know what that may look like. It might be a livestream performance where we sing on our new stage, or if will be able to being in an audience,” said Fuelberth.
Covid has changed the way we conduct out lives. One thing however will not change, music making by students and teachers.
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