 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: tucker ★2017
Date: 2021-06-13 18:01
One of the concert bands I play in announced the return to live rehearsals next week. This is great news and is creating a lot of excitement. Proof of vaccinations is required. They have installed HEPA filters in the HAVC system and are requiring hand towels, or other absorbent material, for folks who have to eliminate water (spit valves, bass clarinet necks, etc) rather dumping it on the floor. Hopefully the other band I play in will resume for the fall semester since it's affiliated with a college.
Anyone else returning?
Post Edited (2021-06-13 21:43)
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Author: McDonalds Eater
Date: 2021-06-13 19:47
That is very good to hear!
Here in Atlanta, the Atlanta symphony is starting to mobilize again. They’ve been doing recording sessions, chamber group concerts around the area, and they’ll have a “legit” season again starting in August (legit meaning full-scale Tchaikovsky and Mahler works).
A few days ago I got invited to attend an ASO mini-concert: it was a Tchaikovsky 5 recording session but they turned it into a concert open to donors/supporters and close connections of the orchestra. There were a good 150-200 of us there so it wasn’t like there were 5 of us there. We were their first live audience since the pandemic began. All of us could tell the musicians were happy to play for an audience again, and we the audience erupted after they finished. Right there it really made me realize how much we took for granted getting together and playing together.
The youth groups here also got to play quite a bit. I went to three concerts by two different youth bands/orchestras since January; always felt safe and the people around me felt it too. And man could the kids play! They played as if there was never a pandemic and a lot of them are pursuing music in college so the pandemic (at least here in my area) was more of a small wrinkle for them. Most importantly in my opinion was their resilience and love for music that kept them going.
At my university, they’re lifting almost all restrictions starting August. They’re requiring proof of vaccination. My professor sent me the audition list for ensembles, meaning we will have auditions like normal and ensembles like normal.
Things everywhere are finally starting to come back.
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Author: kdk ★2017
Date: 2021-06-13 20:52
One of the paid orchestras I play in, Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey in Trenton, is back to full orchestra outdoor concerts and is planning for our regular season starting in October. The recreational reading orchestra I play in rehearses in Temple's Boyer College of Music and Dance building, and we're waiting to hear from Temple about when we can come back.
A school's opening for its students and staff may be a different thing from its opening for outside groups who want to use the school's facilities.
Karl
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Author: tucker ★2017
Date: 2021-06-13 21:19
I guess I shouldn't have used the word "POST" in the heading, implying it's somehow "over".
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2021-06-13 21:32
The band in NY where I play principal will have at least some concerts this summer series. Unfortunately it will be the first season I miss since 1986. The Canada-US border remains closed to land travel, so I can't drive the trailer there for my usual 7 weeks. As well, I don't get my 2nd Pfizer shot 'til Aug.5 (could push it up 2 weeks now, but what's the point?). Reason is Canada ceased being able to produce vaccines since the 1980s when the govt. sold off the facility to private business, so we are about 2 months behind the U.S. Oh, well, another 12 months to the 2022 season for me.
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
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Author: BethGraham
Date: 2021-06-13 21:40
Sadly, my region in Ontario has become a Covid "hot spot" over the last few days, so it doesn't look like group playing will return any time soon.
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Author: SunnyDaze
Date: 2021-06-13 22:34
That's really interesting that vaccination is mandatory for the musicians. There is great debate here whether it is reasonable to exclude people who may be unable to have a vaccination for medical reasons. I can see that apart from that it makes a huge amount of sense though.
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2021-06-13 22:43
I agree with SunnyDaze. It is a problem as to what the tiny number of people that really can't take the vaccine can do. It's not like those who are allergic to peanuts just keeping clear of them. Someone without being vaccinated can affect other people much more than vaccinated ones can.
Other than that problem, I see no reason why people should be excluded from some places/jobs/activities such as musicians performing, etc. if they simply don't want to get vaccinated. Either for "personal freedoms" reasons or fear that there may be side effects from the vaccines down the road.
You take your chances with the virus (possible death) if not vaccinated. You take your chances with any of the vaccines that you won't have bad side affects (death, I suppose in rare cases). I'll play the percentages and take my chances with the vaccine.
There is no 3rd option like "Take this pill and it guarantees to protect you from Covid and definately no bad side effects".
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
Post Edited (2021-06-13 22:44)
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2021-06-14 00:04
One band I play in resumed rehearsals just over three weeks ago, so it's good to get back out playing again and I've already got some concert dates in my diary for late July and early August.
Fingers crossed it will all be business as usual provided people don't do anything stupid to put things back how they were.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: hans
Date: 2021-06-14 00:17
The biggest mistakes made related to covid have been underestimating it so that continuing to be cautious would be prudent.
Among the small number of things that we can do to protect ourselves is one that I don't see mentioned often; i.e., get a pulse oximeter and check our blood oxygen frequently.
Hans (had my second Pfizer shot a week ago)
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Author: Slowoldman
Date: 2021-06-14 04:04
Unfortunately, all the temperature checks and pulse oximetry are rather insensitive measures for screening. They look good, and show that a group or facility is "doing something proactive", but they are really "low yield" in terms of finding people with disease. And absence of fever or abnormality on pulse oximetry doesn't exclude Covid infection, so it can be false reassurance.
On a separate note, recognizing that there's no such thing as "No Risk", our group is considering taking an anonymous poll of our musicians in order to determine the percentage of us who are vaccinated. Having that knowledge would allow each individual, vaccinated or not, to make his/her own assessment of risk and decide whether to participate when we resume.
Have others used anything like this concept? (We're hesitant to unilaterally impose a mandatory vaccine policy for a variety of reasons.)
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Author: kilo
Date: 2021-06-14 15:37
The concert band I play in hasn't played together since the Xmas concert we did in '19 but has been asked to play for the Fourth of July. The director has decided not to have the full band play but has selected musicians to perform in a few smaller groups – a brass quintet (they're really good), a flute trio, a harp and recorder group...and a clarinet trio. We clarinets will be meeting for our first rehearsal this Thursday and I'm really looking forward to it. We'll do selections from Mozart, Bouffil, and Joplin.
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Author: super20dan
Date: 2021-06-14 16:12
my concert band is starting end of august. cant wait. restrictions unkown but i guess will find out
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Author: Mojo
Date: 2021-06-14 16:46
I played two NJ outdoor concerts in early June. Both were pick-up groups that rehearsed the same day and played. It felt so good. One required vaccinations but allowed medical and religious exceptions and did not require proof.
We have been rehearsing with a community college based band for the past 6 weeks. It started outside but has been in a gym since it got hot. We were supposed to space out but the director gets away with being lax about enforcing it. They have their normal 4-5 summer outside concerts lined up.
MojoMP.com
Mojo Mouthpiece Work LLC
MojoMouthpieceWork@yahoo.com
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Author: LFabian
Date: 2021-06-14 17:23
I have two adult bands. One is relegated to outdoor rehearsals in a parking lot close to the church trash bins and not far from Lake Merced. It can get cold and windy but far worse in the fog. Practice is every other week. I don’t bring out my r13 or Expensive wood. Band two: The rehearsals are outdoors in a junior high school grounds across the bay. The traffic time is at least an hour going over Golden Gate Bridge (tourists) via Ocean avenue onto 19th ave entering Golden Gate park. This is not for the meek. I have a pending cataract surgery too. A third band: deleted from adult school curriculum.
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2021-06-14 19:21
Tom H wrote:
> I agree with SunnyDaze. It is a problem as to what the tiny
> number of people that really can't take the vaccine can do.
> It's not like those who are allergic to peanuts just keeping
> clear of them. Someone without being vaccinated can affect
> other people much more than vaccinated ones can.
>
> Other than that problem, I see no reason why people should be
> excluded from some places/jobs/activities such as musicians
> performing, etc. if they simply don't want to get vaccinated.
> Either for "personal freedoms" reasons or fear that there may
> be side effects from the vaccines down the road.
>
> You take your chances with the virus (possible death) if not
> vaccinated. You take your chances with any of the vaccines that
> you won't have bad side affects (death, I suppose in rare
> cases). I'll play the percentages and take my chances with the
> vaccine.
> There is no 3rd option like "Take this pill and it guarantees
> to protect you from Covid and definately no bad side effects".
>
>
> Post Edited (2021-06-13 22:44)
Hey Tom:
I want you to know that I completely appreciate your frustration and respect it. It's not like your unwilling to get completely vaccinated, but rather, are dealing with issues outside your control as it concerns Canada being somewhat lagging in their disbursement schedule compared to the States, in addition to border crossing issues outside your control.
But where I take respectful issue with your arguments regarding choice and the individual is in the simple fact that the operative word in "public health" is "public," and that the inoculations that one individual doesn't take, either out of necessity or choice, is the potential for them to not simply get sick, but spread the illness to others, particularly those who may be contraindicated for inoculation.
Put another way, one of the reasons we, as responsible members of society get vaccinated is to safeguard others who may have conditions that contraindicate them for vaccination. As such, it's not just our choice. It's a choice we make to protect the same society that we ask protect us should the "tables be turned."
I would completely respect this argument if a man chose to not get, say, a prostate biopsy, as such cancers it seeks to detect aren't communicative.
Post Edited (2021-06-15 02:38)
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Author: Tony F
Date: 2021-06-14 20:17
In our part of Oz we thought we had a handle on the Covid pandemic and both bands in which I play started rehearsals in March. Unfortunately it turned out that we didn't really have a handle on it, and it all flared up again about 5 weeks ago, so everything has ground to a halt. Hopefully we'll be back by the end of June.
Tony F.
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Author: davyd
Date: 2021-06-14 21:27
"Proof of vaccinations is required."
How will this be enforced, and by whom?
The concert band that I'm in had been rehearsing in the parking lot of a church, but will have to stop: too many complaints from neighbors. The school building where we used to meet was recently demolished. Hopefully we can resume in the new school building, but that's still being negotiated.
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Author: tucker ★2017
Date: 2021-06-15 03:35
Davyd, I'm not sure where you are, but we are issued vaccination cards. We have to provide those cards to the director of the band. Part of the guidelines we are having to follow come from our host (a church fellowship hall) which is requiring everyone to be vaccinated since we can't be socially distanced (over 90 members).
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Author: Tom H
Date: 2021-06-15 05:17
SecondTry-- Agree completely!
The Most Advanced Clarinet Book--
tomheimer.ampbk.com/ Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001315, Musicnotes product no. MB0000649.
Boreal Ballad for unaccompanied clarinet-Sheet Music Plus item A0.1001314.
Musicnotes product no. MNO287475
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Author: Roxann
Date: 2021-06-16 05:07
Our summer band started up three weeks ago. Our chairs are a bit further apart than normal, but that is the ONLY security measure we've taken. So far, so good. Keeping our fingers crossed.
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Author: davyd
Date: 2021-06-17 05:05
Tucker, we have vax cards here (VA, USA). I keep a copy of mine in my wallet.
I'm wondering: how do you handle the case of someone forgetting their card, or the case of someone refusing to display their card, if they even have one. Is the player barred from rehearsal, even if they are a guest soloist, or a section leader, or someone otherwise not a rank-and-file player.
I should think that the conductor of a band of 90 would be able to delegate this screening task to someone.
I'm hoping to learn from your ensemble's example in the event that one or more of my ensembles imposes a similar requirement when they resume indoor operations.
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Author: SecondTry
Date: 2021-06-17 05:20
davyd wrote:
> Tucker, we have vax cards here (VA, USA). I keep a copy of mine
> in my wallet.
>
> I'm wondering: how do you handle the case of someone forgetting
> their card, or the case of someone refusing to display their
> card, if they even have one. Is the player barred from
> rehearsal, even if they are a guest soloist, or a section
> leader, or someone otherwise not a rank-and-file player.
>
> I should think that the conductor of a band of 90 would be able
> to delegate this screening task to someone.
>
> I'm hoping to learn from your ensemble's example in the event
> that one or more of my ensembles imposes a similar requirement
> when they resume indoor operations.
David:
Software applications have and will continue to streamline this. While I'm to understand that NY State was the first with its Excelsior App, its thought that many public and private institutions are, and will begin to develop and use applications that monitor this stuff.
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Author: tucker ★2017
Date: 2021-06-17 06:47
Hi davyd, we were asked to scan and email a copy of our card to one of the directors. I'm not sure how it will be handled if someone shows up who hasn't furnished a copy of their card. We don't start back until Monday evening. I'll keep you posted.
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