Virtual choir

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For Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir founded in 2009, see Virtual Choir.

A virtual choir, online choir or home choir is a choir whose members do not meet physically but who work together online from separate places. Some choirs just sing for the joy of the shared experience, while others record their parts alone and send their digital recordings, sometimes including video, to be collated into a choral performance. There may be a series of rehearsals which singers can watch online, and their performance recordings may be made while watching a video of the conductor, and in some cases listening to a backing track, to ensure unanimity of timing. The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 inspired a large growth in the number of virtual choirs, although the idea was not new.

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir[]

American composer and conductor Eric Whitacre has led six iterations of his Virtual Choir, starting in 2009. He was inspired by a young singer Britlin Losee who contacted him after posting a YouTube recording of herself singing the soprano part of his work 'Sleep. In his first version, 185 singers from 12 countries sang his Lux Aurumque, watching a video of him conducting.[1][2] By 2020, over 20,000 singers from 124 countries had participated in the choir, and Whitacre launched his Virtual Choir 6 to sing a new work "Sing Gently".[3] 17,572 people in 129 countries had contributed their recordings by the closing date in May 2020.[4]

Virtual choirs during COVID-19 "lockdown"[]

Many virtual choirs were set up during the "lockdown" caused by the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, when people could not meet to sing together.[5]

In the United Kingdom, The Collective Virtual Choir was setup, in March 2020, by Simon Lubkowski a Director of Music at a College in England. A prominent Barbershop singer and leader of several community based choirs in Leicestershire, Simon leads the choir from his garden shed studio along with his entirely voluntary Music Team who are based in the UK, Europe and USA. The choir stages daily rehearsals with sessions timed to suit different time zones, since the choir has almost 4,000 registered participants from 66 countries, alongside providing technical support and social events and activities via the medium of Zoom. The Collective produced its first song, White Cliffs of Dover, on 17th April 2020. Since then it has produced 23 further songs and a 27 song Christmas Show (The Collective and Friends at Christmas). The Collective is free to join and participate in. It runs daily rehearsals and, in addition, offers full technical support to its singers as well as social events/activities all via the medium of Zoom. The Collective Virtual Choir plans a Harmony College weekend (Free for registered singers), a Double CD Album and a Collective Live event in 2022.

In Australia Couch Choir evolved from the pre-existing face-to-face Pub Choir with an "ongoing mission to bring strangers together for a sing-song", according to The Canberra Times.[6] Since inception in March 2020, Couch Choir has chalked up millions of views with over 10,000 singers lending their voices to songs by Stevie Wonder, The Carpenters and David Bowie. Their July 2020 video of The Killers "All These Things That I've Done" included 1,534 contributions from people in 40 countries.,[6] and was shared by The Killers across social media. Couch Choir's videos have been featured on BBC News, Australian Story and Today.[citation needed]

The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra's virtual choir recorded "Waltzing Matilda" for the annual Anzac Day commemoration at which the MSO Chorus would normally have performed.[7][8]

In the UK, Gareth Malone launched The Great British Home Chorus on Monday 23 March 2020 and conducted 50 half-hour rehearsals (Monday-Friday with a "half term" break) up to Friday 12 June, moving thereafter to weekly rehearsals. He worked from his garden studio, with technical assistance from Decca Record.[9] The choir produced a CD including the voices of 11,000 singers, featuring the songs "You Are My Sunshine", Duran Duran's "Ordinary World", Keane's "Somewhere Only We Know" and Elton John's "I'm Still Standing", accompanied by members of the London Symphony Orchestra.[10]

The Self-Isolation Choir (now SIC - Choir of the Earth) was launched in March 2020 by Mark Strachan with Musical Director Ben England and initially worked towards a performance of Handel’s Messiah. The production included 3,600 voices, 4 professional soloists, and a 9-member baroque orchestra, who all recorded their parts in isolation, and the final, studio-mixed performance was broadcast on Sunday 31 May 2020.[11] Within its first year, the choir ran 30 courses, covering a wide range of classical and contemporary choral works.[12] As at July 2021, the choir had more than 6,000 members.[13] In February 2021, Ben England conducted a "world tour" of Mendelssohn's Elijah, performing the choir's concert performance three times in one day for different time zones.[14] In 29 April 2021, more than 1,000 SIC members performed in All Things Bright and Virtual, a celebration of hymns directed by Ralph Allwood and featuring Stephen Fry, Bryn Terfel, Libby Purves, John Rutter, Alexander Armstrong, Katherine Jenkins, Wynne Evans, and Harry Christophers.[15][16] On 31 May 2021, SIC celebrated the anniversary of its first performance with a completely new recording of Handel's Messiah, dubbing it "Hallelujah Day". On 9 April 2021, SIC released its first single, Miserere, directed by Nigel Short, and donated all profits to The Duke of Edinburgh's Award in honour of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, who died on that day.[17] The choir later recorded Prince Philip's favourite hymn, "Eternal Father, Strong to Save", and presented its performance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on 10 June 2021 to commemorate what would have been her late husband's 100th birthday.[18]

The Stay at Home Choir was founded by conductor Tori Longdon and baritone Jamie Wright and has run 9+ projects recording pieces with professional musicians including The Swingle Singers, The King's Singers and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Their largest project to date was Karl Jenkins's 'The Armed Man' which premiered on YouTube in August 2020. The choir holds interactive rehearsals and technical webinars using Zoom which are recorded and archived to its private website for members. As of November 2020, it has amassed 20,000 members, averaging 4,000 singers per project. Finished project recordings are published on YouTube.[19]

ChoirCast was set up by Bristol-based singing teacher Eliza Fyfe, kick-starting with their debut "Bohemian Rhapsody" which was released on April 2, 2020 and featured Gareth Malone. ChoirCast have been producing monthly videos ever since, edited by Martin Elsbury, editor of Netflix documentary David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet. They usually feature a band, with the sound mixed by music producers Daniel Edney, Kristian Bressington and Charles Grimsdale and popular song arrangements written by Eliza. This particular choir focuses on smaller numbers to enable singers to stand out more, even including soloists, yet still featuring people from all around the world.[20]

Quarantine Choir (now Homechoir) was launched in March 2020 by Ben England, a choral director, conductor and music teacher from Bristol, with the original intention of keeping his face-to-face choir members singing during lockdown.[21] The choir has since attracted thousands of singers from around the world, and Ben was awarded a British Empire Medal in the 2020 Birthday Honours for services to the community during COVID-19.[22] Homechoir broadcasts sessions live on YouTube four days a week, teaching a wide range of music, including traditional choral and classical, folk, gospel, sea shanties, children’s songs and silly songs.[23] Ben also teaches a series of short 'Deep Dive' lectures on topics such as music theory, history and composing.[24] Homechoir's singers have recorded several video and audio performances from home, mixed by Ben and streamed on the channel.[25]

In March 2020, U.S. music student Harrison Sheckler organized 300 singers and musicians from 15 countries and created a music video of the show tune “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” from the 1945 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel. It was viewed more than 1.5 million times on Youtube.[26]

Virtual choral activities by existing choirs during the pandemic[]

During the COVID-19 pandemic some existing choirs developed innovative ways to rehearse or perform together remotely.

The Rexburg Children's Choir in Rexburg, Idaho, United States, featured on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt with their virtual performance of For Unto Us a Child is Born. Each of the 100 singers, aged 10 to 17, came individually to a central location to sing, conducted by director Ben Watson, in front of a green screen, and these films were combined to show the whole choir apparently singing together. Inside Edition highlighted the virtual choral performance as part of their national broadcast the following day.[27][28][29][30]

Software was developed aimed specifically at school choirs, so that pupils isolated at home could sing together.[31][32]

Virtual choirs after the pandemic[]

Several online choirs established during the COVID-19 pandemic have announced their intentions to continue to deliver online choral singing after lockdown and restrictions have ended.

On 16 July 2021, The Self-Isolation Choir's Founder, Mark Strachan, announced the choir's rebranding as SIC - Choir of the Earth - a name intended to reflect its post-pandemic future, global presence and commitment to environmentally-friendly singing.[33] He also announced the choir's first online Festival of Choral Music, due to take place in early November 2021, featuring teaching and conversations with John Warner, Ralph Allwood, Harry Bradford, Ellie Slorach, Nigel Short, Joanna Forbes L’Estrange, Ben England, Donald Palumbo, Ashley Riches, Helen Charlston, Patrick Hawes, Marina Mahler, and more.[33] A series of lectures on Ludwig van Beethoven will also be led by John Suchet in November 2021.

The Stay At Home Choir has called itself "a virtual choir for all time" and announced a project to record its first album, due to be released in mid-November 2021.[34][35]

Homechoir's Founder and Musical Director, Ben England, has confirmed it will continue beyond lockdown, with work already underway on a new website with enhanced features, and future plans for in-person come-and-sing sessions supported by online teaching.[36]

Mental health effects[]

Researchers from University College London investigated the effect of virtual choirs on mental health and it is reported that "participants not only felt happier and experienced a noticeable boost in their self-esteem, but also reduced feelings of social isolation".[37][38]

References[]

  1. ^ Lunden, Jeff (6 April 2011). "They've Never Met, But 2,051 Singers Perform Together". NPR.org. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  2. ^ Niccum, Jon (9 April 2010). "Net Worth: Viral choral video traces roots to Lawrence encounter". Lawrence Journal World. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  3. ^ "Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir 6: Sing Gently". Eric Whitacre. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  4. ^ Beale, Rachael (25 June 2020). "Singing Together, Apart". London Review of Books: LRB Blog. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  5. ^ Strick, Kate (31 March 2020). "The virtual choirs keeping the music alive". Evening Standard. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b Wallace, Jess (15 July 2020). "Forty countries, 1500 people: Watch this killer Couch Choir in action". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  7. ^ "ANZAC Day Virtual Choir". Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  8. ^ "The MSO to perform special three-day event to commemorate Anzac Day". Beat Magazine. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  9. ^ "Gareth Malone brings together self-isolating singers with 'at home' choir project". Classic FM. 22 April 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  10. ^ "Gareth Malone's Great British Home Chorus - Signed CD". Decca Records. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  11. ^ "Messiah at Home". Self-Isolation Choir. Archived from the original on 2 June 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2020.
  12. ^ "The Self-Isolation Choir". www.theselfisolationchoir.com. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  13. ^ SIC: LIVE Announcement from Mark Strachan - starts at 21:03 so please spin forward., retrieved 2021-07-24
  14. ^ Bishop, Kathryn. "Leadership lessons from an online choir". Saïd Business School. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Self-Isolation Choir - All Things Bright and Virtual". Rhinegold. Retrieved 2021-07-24.
  16. ^ Graham, Ysenda Maxtone. "Let hymn in: the silencing of indoor singing is senseless | The Spectator". www.spectator.co.uk. Retrieved 2021-07-25.
  17. ^ "Allegri's Miserere MP3 single performed by The Self-Isolation Choir". SIC - Choir of the Earth. Retrieved 2021-07-24.
  18. ^ The Self-Isolation Choir presents: Eternal Father, Strong to Save, retrieved 2021-07-24
  19. ^ "Stay at Home Choir". new.stayathomechoir.com. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  20. ^ "ChoirCast". Retrieved 2021-01-09.
  21. ^ Pickstock, Heather (2020-03-21). "Bristol conductor launches 'Quarantine Choir' to get people singing". BristolLive. Retrieved 2021-07-25.
  22. ^ "Honours list celebrates the sector's Covid heroes". ArtsProfessional. Retrieved 2021-07-25.
  23. ^ "Homechoir.uk – Free singing for all – the home of the Deep Dives, Quarantine Choir and Sacred Sing Sunday!". Retrieved 2021-07-25.
  24. ^ "Deep Dives - Music Harmony, Theory and History all taught by Ben! - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2021-07-25.
  25. ^ "Group performances - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2021-07-25.
  26. ^ Alec Snyder. "A music student united more than 300 musicians to create a virtual choir to perform during the pandemic". CNN. Retrieved 2021-02-21.
  27. ^ Eaton, Nate; EastIdahoNews.com (2020-12-14). "Rexburg Children's Choir featured on national news broadcast". East Idaho News. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
  28. ^ "The show must go on during a holiday season like no other". NBC News. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
  29. ^ lsmith@uvsj.com, By Lisa Smith. "NBC's 'There's Good News' features East Idaho children's choir". Idaho State Journal. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
  30. ^ "In the News". RexburgChildrenChoir. Retrieved 2020-12-20.
  31. ^ "Virtual Choir". www.seascaleschool.co.uk. Seascale Primary School. Retrieved 25 July 2020. An example of a school choir
  32. ^ "Sing Up at Home". www.singup.org. Sing Up. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  33. ^ Jump up to: a b SIC: LIVE Announcement from Mark Strachan - starts at 21:03 so please spin forward., retrieved 2021-07-25
  34. ^ "What happens to the Stay At Home Choir when we no longer have to 'Stay At Home'?". Stay at Home Choir. 2021-05-15. Retrieved 2021-07-25.
  35. ^ "Stay at Home Choir". new.stayathomechoir.com. Retrieved 2021-07-25.
  36. ^ Homechoir's SACRED SING SUNDAY 11 July 2021, retrieved 2021-07-25
  37. ^ Asprou, Helena (29 May 2019). "Could singing in a virtual choir be the answer for boosting your mental health?". Classic FM. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  38. ^ Fancourt, Daisy; Steptoe, Andrew (10 April 2019). "Present in Body or Just in Mind: Differences in Social Presence and Emotion Regulation in Live vs. Virtual Singing Experiences". Frontiers in Psychology. 10: 778. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00778. PMC 6469439. PMID 31024405.

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