“Jean Hall, executive director of the Wichita Falls Youth Symphony Orchestra, found herself in a difficult position earlier this year, because of Covid-19,” writes Richard Carter in Wednesday’s (9/16) Times Record News (Wichita Falls, TX). “How could the WFYSO’s two youth orchestras and two youth ensembles be able to safely gather, rehearse and then perform? When the National Federation of State High School Associations released its aerosol spread study that said all performing artists needed to wear a mask, she said percussion and strings were no problem…. ‘But the woodwinds and the brass were a different situation,’ said Hall, an amateur seamstress who made over 700 masks this summer to donate, [and is] a French horn player…. Her sister is a professional seamstress who also plays clarinet. ‘I asked her to design a mask for a woodwinds and I designed one for brass. I then called my musician friends [and medical professionals] … to help test the masks out.… They gave me feedback…. The kids responded well” to the masks, which have openings for mouthpieces. “The groups began rehearsing August 23 for their Fall Concert, which will be held outdoors … Nov. 1.”
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