Note to Orchestra — School of Music

Dear Orchestra

I hope that this note finds you healthy and anticipating a great, if not completely different (in a creative way!), fall 2020. I am so looking forward to seeing everyone and have been working out a plan for us to make music in safe and enjoyable way.

To that end, I have decided that we will have a predominantly strings-only semester with the exception of the Halloween concert (more about that later!). Our performance schedule will include our usual September concert and the Halloween concert. Both performances will be a combination of live performance (we can put 34 on-stage in Comstock), videotaped performance, live interviews/commentary and hopefully cool graphics! I am anticipating wonderful performances plus an opportunity for anyone who is interested to take part in the production aspect of these two concerts. I am also anticipating producing a virtual string orchestra for the High School String Saturday, which will be delivered virtually.

In the interest of safety, I have decided to have string players submit videotapes for seating auditions. Your videotape will need to include all of the excerpts assigned and will be due to me by noon on August 15^th. I am currently deciding how and where I want you to deposit these recordings, I will be in touch no later than Aug. 7 with that information. Most probably I will have a google drive set-up for you to deposit the recordings. I believe that the cellos and basses have had or will be having a session on the excerpts with string faculty and I look forward to seeing the violins and violas in the audition masterclass with Ms. Ross and MacWilliams on August 3^rd at 5pm on Zoom!

I am sure that you are wondering how rehearsals will happen. Here is what we know with regard to our rehearsal spaces and Comstock. All the room capacities across the university have been recalculated given physical distancing requirements and HVAC. You should know that the HVAC in the School of Music is quite good. The air is exchanged with outside air six times every hour. As the Dean stated in her most recent email, you should not open windows as that inhibits the HVAC. Additionally, all of the ensemble directors have been engaged in various virtual meetings with regard to a couple of scientific studies on aerosol emission specifically for musicians. Here is what we know. First, everyone must wear a mask and be six feet apart – all of the rehearsal rooms will have the floor marked by the time you return to campus. You will need to provide your own stand – with everyone using their own stand page turns will be very interesting! We will provide paper copies of the music and/or, depending on the work, you may use a tablet to view it if you have one. String players are more or less the same as someone talking with regard to aerosol emission, so our rehearsing is seemingly the safest of any of the ensembles. Given our HVAC, we will rehearse in 40-45-minute increments and then will have to clear the room for 20-30 minutes. I am working on a schedule that will involve sectionals and full groups. For anyone who is concerned for their health or quarantined, rehearsals will be live-streamed (format to be determined) so that you may participate by listening and providing criticism, as well as recorded so that you, in turn, may record your part with us. This will be required for you to get credit for orchestra. Again, more about that when we are face-to-face😊 Given the size of the performance space, we will probably never have more than 34 people together at any given time, unless, when the weather cools, we find a place to have an outside rehearsal!

I want you all to know that I have been very active in all of the discussions internationally with regard to getting back to orchestra and I am confident of the safety in how we will rehearse and perform. My first priority is your safety, my second priority is creating a meaningful musical experience in orchestra during this unprecedented time. I am perusing standard string orchestra repertoire as well as string repertoire by African American composers. I am still open to suggestions should anyone have any great ideas – we are all in this together! It is my hope that we will be in a position to invite winds/brass/percussion to our ranks for the Spring 2021 semester (fingers crossed!)

I believe that is all for now – it is my plan that we will meet as a whole the first day of orchestra to discuss how the semester will go, answer questions etc. That meeting will have to be outside, so I will be in touch! After that, we will get to music making!

Please be in touch with any questions.

Kimcherie Lloyd, Professor
President – CODA
Director of Orchestral Studies
Director of Opera Theater
Director of Undergraduate Studies
School of Music
University of Louisville
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