At the moment we are only allowed a cantor at Mass, but other churches have choirs and so our members are singing in other places.

I suspect we will be able to sing in as a choir in church by September,

Anyway we are singing Vespers and Compline in my house every Sunday, and we re-started choir practise a few weeks ago, we meet in my house so we have no Health and safety hoops to jump through... We have plenty of alcohol available to reduce transmission!

Claire,

Other issues aside, wouldn't a shield significantly change the quality of the sound?

Charles,

Leaving aside silly options, though, wouldn't the composition of the shield make a difference? Glass, for example, versus plastic.

Our diocese is particularly restricted. We are not even permitted to have a single cantor sing from within the church unless a special isolation booth is constructed. We haven't had any choir since March (February?) and I've had to do solo cantoring from within our cry room through a mic. Our county is hit particularly hard at the moment—to the point that the CDC sent out a team to investigate why it's so bad here relative to the size of our population. We have many immigrants, Amish, and open factory floors in this area, and it seems these could be potential contributing factors. As a result, I wouldn't even be surprised if we have to end up closing back down again. Recently our county even had to implement a mandated universal face mask policy (although we had been requiring them at church from the beginning). We haven't heard anything from the diocese in weeks and I don't expect to have choir in the fall—at least not in the beginning. I'm hoping we might be able to gather in time to prepare for Christmas. Hopefully the Good Lord, in His mercy, will prove me wrong.

Right now I'm simply preparing as if I'm going to resume in September and then adjust as necessary. Being in the current Corona Capital of the World (i.e. Florida), though, I imagine we'll be doing what we've been doing for some time yet - single cantor and organist; chanted Introit, Offertory, and Communion; sometimes a solo song or hymn after the Communion proper; and the ordinary from the Roman Missal. My choir loft doesn't allow for much in terms of "social distancing," and the majority of people in my choir are higher-risk due to age and/or compromised immune systems. I'm a bit angry because many colleagues in my diocese say even that is too much and we shouldn't be singing at all - it's like they want to sabotage our livelihoods in the name of being "pastoral."

Due to diocesan policy, however, we can't force the choir to wear masks to rehearsal or to Mass.

I'm a bit angry because many colleagues in my [Florida] diocese say even that is too much and we shouldn't be singing at all - it's like they want to sabotage our livelihoods in the name of being "pastoral."

Speechless.

@sergeantedward
The spread is only one part of the puzzle, we have all? seen the various scientific papers that have shown how we spread droplets of water (with other things dissolved therein) The following quotes are from a science blog,

The fundamental challenge of dealing with this pandemic is uncertainty. There are just too many important things that we don’t know – and what’s more, they aren’t easy to find out, either. We’ve seen that with the waves of optimism and pessimism about various therapies, just to pick one. As everyone has been learning (if they didn’t know it before!), getting solid clinical data is not easy. The good numbers don’t come quickly and they don’t come cheaply, and data that are fast and cheap tend not to be any good.

But it’s also important to realize that this report, as with so many reports of viral shedding, it looking at it by detection of viral RNA. That does not mean that there is infectious virus present.

https://blogs.sciencemag.org/pipeline/archives/2020/06/22/thoughts-on-antibody-persistence-and-the-pandemic

The writer of this blog and especially the commentators (some former colleagues of mine) are on the scientific front line. I should also point out that it is part of the scientific method to doubt and test our results. Just because an experiment shows something does not create a fact.

Now my question that is being looked at by professional musicians in the U.K. is this,
IF singing is such a dangerous occupation, we would see increased levels of respiratory diseases and deaths among those that sing in choirs. With the level of risk of spreading is so high we must see this in the statistics. If not why is this increased risk invisible?

As Dr Lowe states "That does not mean that there is infectious virus present." So if these particles are not infectious the risk will be low. The big problem is to test to see the percentage of infectious pathogens in the droplet spread, while this is not impossible it is a long and costly experiment to run.

Lastly, please don't look for scientific advice on this forum. Not only is this not a forum of scientists, an anti-science attitude is noticeably present.

Indeed, we shouldn't look for scientific advice on this forum, for, as you point out, this is not a forum of scientists. There are, however, a fair number of scientifically capable people hereabouts. They have scientific backgrounds, even if none of them are epidemiologists.

There is not, however, an anti-science attitude.

are air'conditioners' part of the problem in Florida and Texas?

They would be part of the explanation in Arizona, too, where an air conditioner malfunction is considered an emergency, which a landlord must address immediately.

I'm very pleased (for you) that your choir has started rehearsals with no precautions of any kind. May you use the time to tune your instruments well, to learn some new repertoire, to strengthen the camaraderie of the group, and to present a scientific anecdote.

Sing something for those of us who aren't permitted to meet with our fellow choirmembers.

Has it started to rain? I have family in Arizona, and they haven't mentioned actual rain, only that monsoon season is starting soon.

We are planning to start choir activities in the second half of august. The official rules from government by July 1st, and church by July 11th (finally!) are identical and require 5ft distances, preferably in zigzag geometry.
See on another thread: forum.musicasacra.com/forum/discussion/comment/219088 and below.

We have one seating plan ready (15, maybe 18 behind the altar - horribile dictu), in the other two churches they have to be made yet - either in the nave at the expense of the congregation, or in the loft with no more than ten).

So our country will be kind of a large epidemiologic experimmet concerning singing in choirs. If we get an infection surge in churches (God forbid!) in fall, we'll see at least whether there are significantly more infections in the choirs than in other parts of the congregation.

>> in the nave at the expense of the congregation

Not to worry. They will be enriched by your presence. God bless!

You're right of course, I should have written experiment!

Taking into account though that there are several thousend choirs in the country (church + secular) which are about to start this way, at least there should emerge some statistical indication concerning the question: does singing together lead to strongly enhanced virus transmission compared to other communal activity?
(like going to church without congregational singing, which is still forbidden, and hundreds of different things, all being done with the same 5ft distancing rules)

It's a bit like the re-opening of primary schools and kindergartens mid-May, without(!) distancing between children. The idea was that we'll see (until summer holiday) whether we get 'mysterious' clusters of infected parents all over the country. We didn't.
The next experiment will be secondary schools after holiday ('as long as it lasts'), schools are required to make up a plan B, in case this experiment has to be stopped suddenly.

Trial and error is very popular in Holland, it's the way they developed water defence systems over centuries in the pre-science era, and much of modern water management is still the 'arts' of engineering. same for Dutch 'trial and error' theology & liturgy

Our choir at my home chapel is back to singing, but there is one new regulation in place since Coronacation: choir members must attend rehearsal, or they won't be allowed to sing at Mass. Simply draconian.

This may imply that drinking in a bar may be of greater risk than singing

Interesting comment. Our numbers have spiked up since bars and pubs were re-opened. The age group has changed as well to people in their 20s and 30s. It could also be the riots, though.

My state (CO) governor has just issued an executive order requiring all people indoors in public spaces to wear masks. Places of worship are not exempt, except for those officiating. Bishop has directed all Catholic parishes to comply. Given the attitudes of much of the populace here, I fully expect some Catholics to show up for Mass without a mask and to remain in the pews if asked to leave. I'm wondering whether there will be showdowns in any businesses, churches or restaurants over this, as some people will choose not to comply.

Does anyone have recommendations about masks that are the most comfortable to wear while singing, that permit easy breathing and don't muffle or distort the sound of the voice as much as other masks? Maybe I should ask which masks are least effective for their intended purpose.

I have only been allowed to sing inside the church proper once since March for a wedding. I had a molded n95 on and as I took large breaths during the psalm, it collapsed over my mouth and severely restricted my breathing. Kinda frightening in the moment, actually. I'd imagine that if masks need to be required, nothing more than a loose surgical or better still: cloth masks could be reasonably demanded.

I've heard whisperings that a small schola may be permitted soon in our diocese, however nothing official yet. I have a hard time believing this, since at the moment we can't even have a cantor inside the church proper.

I'm working under the assumption that there will never be a choir again, until somebody tells me otherwise; it hurts less that way. I'm researching solo literature. I've commissioned an up-and-coming Catholic composer to write me something. If all goes well, I'll be leaving the day gig at the end of the month, and will have more time to write more solo stuff.

I'm blessed to be singing weekly. Yet, there's my Schola who are not singing, and as people, they're hurting. I need to throw them a party.

A few notes on the French situation : here we are permitted congregational singing since public religious were allowed by the end of may (it depends on the diocese though, but the situation seems to be mostly the same everywhere). However, in here, orders are to "make it short" : no more than one verse per hymn, no full Gloria... The parish just north to mine chose to do only ordinaries and a sending forth hymn, to limit as much as possible the singing.

Masks are compulsory whenever you enter a place of worship since the end of May, and places of worship must indicate social distancing (basically you can only sit on the seats marked, or unmarked depending of the marking). The priest and cantor can be unmasked but are required to stay as far away from the faithful as possible - priests are required to put on masks to give communion.

Hymnaries are prohibited. I understand that was an element in the decisions of the northern parish, because everyone knows the ordinaries and the sending forth hymns were chosen from those everyone knows by rote (Ave Maria from Lourdes, Chez nous soyez Reine...)

Even though we sing congregationally since six weeks, clusters here are often talked about in the media and I haven't yet heard of a Mass cluster.

As far as masks are concerned, working with masks since May 11th and going to Mass (and singing congregationnaly with masks) since Whitsunday, I'd recommand surgical masks. Best respirability, best protection for your neighbours.

As much as I hate to state it again publicly (knock on wood) we have had congregational singing since we reopened in Sioux Falls on May 16th (hymns, ordinary, responses). Social distancing yes, masks optional but encouraged (e.g. we have them available at all entrances). Crowds feel pretty normal for summer, which is to say 150-250 in a 700 seat cathedral. A couple of small scholae for ordinations, weddings so far. No problems as of yet, after more than two months. Our scholae have not been masked as of yet, partly because it wasn't such a divisive issue back in late May when we had ordinations.

Yes, we will have choir in the fall. I'm thinking of various contingencies right now, all the way from just having it with whoever is comfortable, to a more managed and detailed split into octets. Masks in choir will likely depend on peoples' comfort level. I can even imagine having the "masked eight" and the "unmasked eight" if that's what people want.

It is not my place as a choir director to provide a "zero-risk" environment - partly because this is physically impossible, covid or no covid. It is my place, as with all other voluntary human activities, to work with my participants to mitigate risk in way that is respectful to them and to their concerns.

IdeK,

Do you mean "registrations" or "applications", rather than "inscriptions"?

Madame,

My data base only goes to 3a. I didn't know about 3b, and I figured that (since IdeK's not a native English speaker) he might have grabbed the wrong word. There is precedent.

CGZ, please do not nitpick non-English speakers (or anyone, really) about language. It is unhelpful.

The Forum Guidelines address this:

We're not all native English speakers
There are cross-cultural aspects to being a Forum user. 30% of visits to the web site are from outside the U.S., and even some of our U.S. users weren't born speaking English. So if someone's use of English is a little odd, try to be understanding about any strange-sounding questions.

And of course Ide is a ladies' name. The form "Ida" used to be well-known in this country.

FWIW, I am going back to singing in the fall. My adults will return in Sept and my boys and girls choirs will begin after we return to in-person school in late August.

Its time to get back to work.