A Further Letter of Encouragement
Author: Mary Moore
[email protected]
Date: January 13, 2021
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Ottawa Jazz Happenings or of JazzWorks Canada.
A Further Letter of Encouragement - or How I'm Continuing to Deal with the COVID Crisis as a Jazz Learner
JazzWorks editor David Miller offered me the opportunity to write a second article, a follow-up to one I wrote a few months ago (September 2, 2020), relaying my further musical activities during this pandemic – and I am happy to comply.
What is foremost on my mind, and I am sure is shared by all the JazzWorks community, is … I miss you all. Performing in person, enjoying the excitement and energy of live music, is the heartbeat of being a musician. Preparing for a performance gig sets the bar and, as you know, a lot of energy goes to meeting that self-set standard.
As a performer, one is encouraged to explore new repertoire and plan a show that will excite and entertain. Composers may busily craft original material, buoyed by the prospect of introducing new music to a listening audience. Vocalists will work hard to keep their voices well-tuned and in good physical shape. Scales are practised by instrumentalists and singers alike. Not to mention the musical alliances formed, especially in our JazzWorks community, which is especially fluid in our ability to intermingle.
But how are we coping in these isolating times? In nice weather, driveway shows have been popular. Online live or taped performances are popping up everywhere. Virtual choirs, virtual bands.
For me, my musical checklist includes all of the above. While band leader John Wilson will write in more detail about Cuppa Joe (a cappella jazz quartet) in a separate article, suffice for me to report that we have performed with masks in less dangerous periods, and online. We continuously strive to learn and to improve and have used Zoom, recording, and in-person rehearsals.
Here in Spencerville where I live and where I am a member of a couple of choirs (Village Voyces Chamber Choir and Malala Women’s Choir), I organized an outdoor event on December 5, advertised only to our small community, to celebrate the Christmas tree and decorations at our little clock corner. Village Voyces members stood on the balcony of Joe’s Bar and Grill (the old Spencerville Hotel) and sang and played carols for the people below – masked and safely distanced the whole time. What joy to see children dancing to the music! Anyone who wanted to sing along was asked to mask up. Free hot chocolate was provided by our four food and beverage vendors on the ‘strip’, and the street was partially shut down to enable social distancing. We had about 125 in attendance.
While there is light at the end of the tunnel, we are currently enduring another tough period of isolation, with the fear, concern, and loneliness this brings. For myself, I am finding that virtual lessons (especially one on one) are great way to move forward in your craft in a supportive way, in preparation for that time when we can once again share our music in person. There are many good YouTube lessons, vocal warmups etc. out there as well – I use many of them myself. Once the lockdown is lifted, singers can consider bundling up and singing, masked, outside nursing homes or even in public places (our Village Voyces have done that a few times).
As the song says, ‘The beat goes on’… so be sure you are holding a drumstick. We’ve got this!
Mary Moore
[email protected]
JazzWorks editor David Miller offered me the opportunity to write a second article, a follow-up to one I wrote a few months ago (September 2, 2020), relaying my further musical activities during this pandemic – and I am happy to comply.
What is foremost on my mind, and I am sure is shared by all the JazzWorks community, is … I miss you all. Performing in person, enjoying the excitement and energy of live music, is the heartbeat of being a musician. Preparing for a performance gig sets the bar and, as you know, a lot of energy goes to meeting that self-set standard.
As a performer, one is encouraged to explore new repertoire and plan a show that will excite and entertain. Composers may busily craft original material, buoyed by the prospect of introducing new music to a listening audience. Vocalists will work hard to keep their voices well-tuned and in good physical shape. Scales are practised by instrumentalists and singers alike. Not to mention the musical alliances formed, especially in our JazzWorks community, which is especially fluid in our ability to intermingle.
But how are we coping in these isolating times? In nice weather, driveway shows have been popular. Online live or taped performances are popping up everywhere. Virtual choirs, virtual bands.
For me, my musical checklist includes all of the above. While band leader John Wilson will write in more detail about Cuppa Joe (a cappella jazz quartet) in a separate article, suffice for me to report that we have performed with masks in less dangerous periods, and online. We continuously strive to learn and to improve and have used Zoom, recording, and in-person rehearsals.
Here in Spencerville where I live and where I am a member of a couple of choirs (Village Voyces Chamber Choir and Malala Women’s Choir), I organized an outdoor event on December 5, advertised only to our small community, to celebrate the Christmas tree and decorations at our little clock corner. Village Voyces members stood on the balcony of Joe’s Bar and Grill (the old Spencerville Hotel) and sang and played carols for the people below – masked and safely distanced the whole time. What joy to see children dancing to the music! Anyone who wanted to sing along was asked to mask up. Free hot chocolate was provided by our four food and beverage vendors on the ‘strip’, and the street was partially shut down to enable social distancing. We had about 125 in attendance.
While there is light at the end of the tunnel, we are currently enduring another tough period of isolation, with the fear, concern, and loneliness this brings. For myself, I am finding that virtual lessons (especially one on one) are great way to move forward in your craft in a supportive way, in preparation for that time when we can once again share our music in person. There are many good YouTube lessons, vocal warmups etc. out there as well – I use many of them myself. Once the lockdown is lifted, singers can consider bundling up and singing, masked, outside nursing homes or even in public places (our Village Voyces have done that a few times).
As the song says, ‘The beat goes on’… so be sure you are holding a drumstick. We’ve got this!
Mary Moore
[email protected]