Sadly, many of us in education have lived at the epicenter of the Covid Wars. Possibly the biggest political football during the pandemic has been what to do with the kids, and what to do with schools. For those of us in choral music, we lived at that intersection along with a hysteria created at first by our very own professional organizations. This contributed to a perfect storm of lost positions, cut programs, recruiting problems and a laundry list of misplaced apprehensions about singing. Facts that I am still not sure we have all come to terms with. Of course, it is important to remember that in this cross fire were students and community members displaced from life affirming and often life saving educational and humanizing opportunities. While it is always reasonable to weigh new risks against old norms, it is not reasonable to present our preferred policies as if they have no downsides worthy of heavy consideration. In this episode I speak with Pediatrician, and Covid Policy Advocate Dr. Nikki Johnson about the “Harm Reduction” approach to Covid Policy, the political blinders we all wore or still wear, and many errors in reasoning to which this contributed. One of the big errors singers have made is the role masks play in our safety.
We also discuss the difference between a high quality signers mask designed to STAY ON while you sing… (Like the new Resonance 95 from MyMusicFolders.com Don’t forget to use your promo code!) and just wearing any old mask for any amount of time, flopping your jaw around willy nilly. Finally, we do a bit of prognosticating about ways to process in a more healthy way in the next wave.
A look back to this audience’s appeal to ACDA about Covid Messaging signed by over 250 colleagues. Episode 108A rational approach to Covid policy for our schools and institutions is forward looking, measured and responsive to the most recent information and community health outcomes.
Episode 200: Expanding the Boundaries of Choral Music with Katerina Gimon
Episode 199: Singing Alone, “The Boogey Man in the Closet”
Episode 198: Beating the Odds Through Choral Music with Steven Hankle
Episode 197: Ripping off the Band-Aid Volume 2
Episode 196: Educating the Anxious Generation
Episode 195: Elementary Choirs-Our Manhattan Project with Bruce Rockwell
Episode 194: A Round Peg Voice in a Square Hole Choir with Timothy Mount
Episode 193: The Aeolian Way with Jeremy Sovoy Jordan
Ep 192: Music Literacy for All: Debunking Myths and Embracing Diversity by Odell Zeigler
Episode 191: Rise Up and Sing with Shanan Estreicher
Episode 190: Girls Voices Change Too! With Dr. Bridget Sweet
Episode 189: Can We Meet Kids Where They Are Without Lowering Standards? With Jonathan Talberg
Episode 188: Why Don’t Boys Want to Sing? With Martin Ashley
Episode 187: Five Years of Changing and Expanding the Conversation and
Episode 186: It’s Time for Anti-Racism with Love, with Chloé Valdary
Episode 185: Bringing the Wisdom of Hebrew Texts into the Choral Canon with Nicholas Weininger
Episode 184: Should We Stop Assessing Sight Reading at All State Choir? With Drs. Marshaun Hymon and Chantae Pittman
Episode 183: At a Crossroads in Higher Ed with Lynn Atkins
Episode 182: Getting off on the Right Foot with a Young Teacher Panel
Episode 181: Finding Equilibrium in the Teacher Life with Jimmy Robertson
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