“One in six Americans over age 18 sings in a chorus … and if any of them were looking for a glimmer of good news in a recent webinar assembled by [Chorus America] and others, their hopes were likely dashed,” writes Peter Dobrin in Monday’s (5/18) Philadelphia Inquirer. “The ability for choirs to safely gather could be as far off as two years, experts said early this month in ‘A Conversation: What Do Science and Data Say About the Near-Term Future of Singing?’ [After] a Washington State choir [rehearsal] in March attended by 61 choristers, including a single symptomatic member, 87% of the group developed COVID-19, according to a CDC report released Tuesday. Two members died. The problem stems from the proximity of singers, and the fact that the very act of singing propels viral droplets…. Webinar … participants included a laryngologist and specialist in performing arts medicine and an expert in respiratory epidemiology…. Safe resumption of voice lessons and group singing hinges on the arrival and deployment of an accurate rapid diagnostic test, vaccines, and effective drug treatments…. Nearly three quarters of singers say that choral participation makes them feel less alone or lonely, according to a 2019 [Chorus America] survey.”
Change font size
