Tuesday, March 2, 2021, was the first time in over a year that Robert Blue Middle School vocal and instrumental students were allowed to perform their music live and on stage since the pandemic hit. It was an exciting night for everyone. Vocal Director Sandy Muzzey and Band Director Luke Snyder were happy to finally be in front of a live audience. The kids were happy to perform for their family members. Parents were anxious to see their kids enjoying themselves on stage, performing with their peers, and showing off their musical talents.
Special adjustments did have to be made so the show could go on. For starters, they divided up the program. The fifth and sixth graders went first with a 6 p.m. show. It was complete by about 6:4o p.m., leaving plenty of time for the guests and students to leave the auditorium before the seventh and eighth graders and their families arrived for the 7 p.m. show. All guests were required to wear a face mask throughout the duration of the show. Although there were no seats blocked off, the audience was asked to sit in family clusters and social distance accordingly. They did a very good job.
Students had protocols to follow as well. You might be wondering how you can wear a mask and play a wind or brass instrument? Well, the answer is, you can’t. Instead, they wore masks when they entered the stage, took them off at the beginning of a song, and put them on again immediately after the song was finished. Percussion, violin, and guitar players left their masks on. The director left his mask on the entire time.
Snyder took advantage of the opportunity to talk a little bit to the band parents about how despite the fact that instrumental lessons were cut short last year due to COVID, the students had still made good progress – especially this year’s sixth graders who were last year’s first-year instrument players. He said it did take them a little bit of extra work in the beginning of the year to catch them up to speed, but by the sounds of the concert, they have come a long way.
The vocal students also wore their masks while entering the stage and between songs. However, each student was allowed to make their own individual choice as to whether they sang with their mask on or off.
Director Muzzey also took some time to address the parents of her students. She explained how they had prepared a holiday season selection of songs, hoping for the best to be able to perform them in person this past December. When COVID counts were still too high in Wright County to allow the gathering, they had intended to do a livestream presentation. Both band and choir kids came to the school and performed in small groups for loved ones to watch on their computers. Unfortunately, there were technical difficulties. The good news is, according to what she told the crowd last night, was those performances are now available for viewing through their child’s Google Classroom account.
Different times call for different measures, but Robert Blue Middle School music teachers and students are willing to do whatever it takes to let the show go on.
