On March 12, 2020, Crockett Choir performed at UIL Concert & Sightreading Evaluation. Though we had heard about COVID-19 and the possibility of temporary shutdowns, we had no idea that that day would be our last chance to sing all together in person for the rest of 2020.

I have been singing in choirs regularly since the year 2000. I have missed singing together with others in person (without restrictions or limitations) as much as anyone, but the safety and health of Crockett students, families, and staff is and will continue to be the number one priority.

Donating to this fundraiser will support the safety and health of the students of Crockett Choir and help them find inspriation in the midst of a very challenging time. The resources we will be able to purchase will support both virtual and in-person learning in Spring 2021, AND will continue to benefit students beyond the end of the pandemic. Here are two resources that are top priorities:

In-person

With high-quality air purifiers like the Coway AP-1512HH Mighty (currently running around $200-250 each), singing indoors at school would be safer.

Starting in November, there were up to 6-7 students attending choir on any given day. We have followed the top recommendations that came out of an important scientific study this summer – Always wear masks, stay at least 6 feet apart, limit singing to 30 minutes or less, and sing outside rather than inside when possible. Thanks to nice weather, we were able to go outside several times to one of our courtyards to sing. As you know, though, weather in Texas is unpredictable, and it won’t always be possible or comfortable to sing outside.

Singing indoors requires more precautions. With air purifiers in the main choir room and several (or all) of our side rooms (7 rooms total), we could more safely sing, either individually (students practicing and recording on their own) or as a group (spaced out as much as possible). These air purifiers have been shown to be very effective in removing viruses like the coronavirus from the air. They can run quietly while we are singing, and then be turned up to maximum to clear the air quickly and effectively.

The air quality in the Crockett choir room(s) has been a concern since (before) I began working here. In the future, having air purifiers in every one of our rooms would continue to support the health of our students and myself.

Virtual

With high-quality USB microphones like the Samson Q2U (currently running around $70 each), students could have a much improved experience recording and singing at home (and at school).

Frustrations that students have experienced making recordings include: poor audio quality from their headphone/earbud microphones or built-in Chromebook microphones, background noise (pets, road noise, family members who are working/learning from home), and inability to hear themselves as they sing. These microphones produce high quality audio, effectively isolate the singer’s voice from background noise, and allow for live monitoring (with headphones) so singers can hear themselves clearly while they are singing. 

While we’re still in the pandemic, students who are learning from home could check out a microphone to use for a few days, and then return it so that other students could use them. Students attending school in-person could use them to record at school.

In the future, students could use these microphones at home or at school to record demos, auditions, and future recording projects for class. These microphones can also be used with live audio equipment, so we could use them for live in-person performances.

Our goal is $2021. This amount would allow us to purchase 5-7 air purifiers and 5-7 USB microphones. If we surpass this goal, here are some of the stretch opportunities that would raise us up even further:

• Outdoor rehearsal/performance

  • Challenges = acoustics (hard to hear or be heard without amplification), outdoor elements (mosquitoes, weather), lack of classroom instructional equipment

  • Solutions = personal voice amplifiers (~$30 each), protection from the elements (mosquito repellent, pop-up canopies), rolling whiteboard with musical staffs (~$400), live audio equipment (PA system, mixer, cables/stands/other accessories)

• Virtual rehearsal/performance/recording

  • Futher challenges = students don’t have access to headphones that are suitable for recording, not enough microphones for all students, lack of editing software, time, and expertise to produce high-quality recording projects

  • Solutions = in-ear monitors (~$10-50 each) or studio-quality headphones (Sony MDR-7506, ~$99 each), more USB microphones, professional audio and video editing software, hiring A/V professionals to produce recording projects

• Indoor rehearsal/performance: 

  • Further challenges = masks make it difficult to sing with proper vocal technique, lack of proper equipment to record or amplify while students are safely distanced 6ft apart

  • Solutions = singer’s masks (~$10 each), audio equipment (USB audio interface, condenser choir microphones)

• Bonus – guest artists:

  • Communicating, connecting, and learning at a distance has never been more accessible. Additional funds could be used to bring musicians and educators from places beyond Austin to our virtual classroom, sharing their wisdom, expertise, and musical gifts with our students.