Our Artistic Staff and members of our Board have spent many hours participating in many webinars provincially, nationally and internationally to stay up to date on the scientific studies and safety protocols being suggested for singers in BC and the Lower mainland in particular.

These are the protocols we are putting in place to ensure the safety and well-being of our singers and staff during this pandemic. We recognize the need for our members to connect with each other and continue to foster good friendship and encourage each other, lifting each others spirits and voicing hope. We want to contribute to the well-being of the children and youth by providing a physically as well as emotionally healthy and safe environment to connect,
nurture their musical talents, and sing. Using the guidelines that have been outlined for us by our BC government, these are the protocols we have in place.

  1. We will be having in person live rehearsals outdoors whenever possible and only move inside if and when the weather dictates this.
  2. There will be a health check-in station for each rehearsal that includes hand sanitizing, temperature check and confirmation. (Anyone with a fever or experiencing symptoms is asked to remain at home and participate through zoom.
  3. We will have a minimum of 8 feet between singers even when singing outdoors.
  4. The choirs will be put into pods of no more than 10 singers. Each week a pod of 10 will be live in rehearsal and the other pods (depending on registration how many more pods  there will be) will participate through zoom. Each week the pods will rotate through for the live rehearsal. Members may opt to participate only through zoom if they wish.
  5. We will be singing with specially designed singers masks, even though they will be physically distanced.
  6. When weather requires us to rehearse indoors, members will enter through an exterior sanctuary door. Parents must wait outside. There will be a 30 minute break between choirs to allow for further ventilation in the sanctuary.
  7. Attendance will always be taken with contact info so that contact tracing can happen quickly if necessary.
  8. There is an agreement letter that all families must sign to report any required testing for Covid with someone in the family and any positive results.  If this happens, we will immediately inform all members and return to exclusively online rehearsals for at least 2 weeks of isolation.  We would also inform the rehearsal space of the reports.
  9. Members will need to bring their own chairs to outdoor rehearsals.
  10. There will be no sharing of supplies at rehearsal.
  11. Performances will be shared online until such time that live performances are safe to do.

We expect that these guidelines will be amended as this is an evolving situation and that the protocols will have to evolve with the situation. We are prepared to move all rehearsals to strictly on-line at any time.

We are adding an extra online support for personal rehearsal at home using the Musico platform. Members will have personal access to recordings and other support materials to practice at home on their own. We are excited about the learning we can focusing on during this time that we sometimes don’t have time for when we are pressed to prepare for so many concerts!