The coronavirus pandemic has deprived us of a lot of things we took for granted a few months ago, but fun is still very much in the plan for North Shore youth organizations that are getting ready to welcome children back this fall.
There will be physical distancing, there will be Zooms, there will be extra cleaning, but bands and dance studios and music schools across the North Shore are gearing up to get kids back in action doing some of their favourite activities while taking measures to limit the spread of COVID-19.
In recent days provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry has spoken frequently about the return to school and other social activities for children, acknowledging that it is normal and natural to have anxieties as the province continues to open up.
“We all have anxieties,” she said at a recent press briefing. “We’re learning as we go with this virus.”
Henry, however, has also stressed the importance of getting children involved in social activities and back interacting with their peers in a safe manner. She also said that so far, data from around the world has indicated children are less likely to contract and spread the coronavirus than adults. There were no COVID-19 cases associated with the voluntary reopening of B.C. schools in June.
Summer camps and sports programs have also been up and running for months; for instance, the North Shore’s baseball fields have been humming the past two weeks as local teams have been allowed to start playing games against other North Shore squads.
With all that in mind, we checked in with some longstanding North Shore youth programs to see what challenges they are facing heading into the fall season, what they are hearing from their participant families, and what their programs will look like over the next few months.
West Vancouver Youth Band
The West Van Youth Band is gearing up for its 90th season and it will certainly be one they won’t soon forget, said principal conductor and executive director Douglas Macaulay.
“Being the longest standing community youth band in Canada and the official band of West Vancouver, we are determined to carry on through this challenging time,” he said.
The band went to exclusively online rehearsals from March through June, but the majority of band families are excited about getting back into in-person rehearsals this fall. The band will be rehearsing in much smaller groups than normal to allow physical distancing in their practice space.
“For those who are uncomfortable attending in-person, we will also have the option of interactive online attendance at each rehearsal,” said Macaulay. “Along with that, we have the usual cleaning protocols, separate entry and exit points, masks required during entry and exit and cloth covers for wind instruments.”
One thing that will likely be missing this season is in-person concerts, as the group won’t be allowed to gather as a whole and play for an audience. They’ll be replacing their live shows with recordings and videos that they will share online.
“We will change and adapt as needed, but it is not going to be the same,” said Macaulay. “Perhaps concerts will be possible by spring, but the rest of our season will be significantly changed with recording and video projects replacing concerts.”
North Shore Celtic Ensemble
Few things provide the communal joy of watching a group like the North Shore Celtic Ensemble hit the stage with their high-spirited show that is bursting with energy. That energy just wasn’t the same for the crew when they went to online sessions in the spring, so the ensemble is doing everything they can to safely recreate the in-person experience this fall, said executive artistic director Claude Giguère.
“For the young musicians who join our programs, playing music with other kindred spirits and socializing in a fun and inspiring environment are probably the top incentives,” he said. “Playing music is a sensory experience. Coming together in a physical space to explore, play and experience music is the very essence of our programming.”
To safely bring back in-person programming, the ensemble has moved to a new, bigger location at Highlands United Church.
“The sanctuary being such a big space, it will help us keep a safe physical distance between all participants,” said Giguère. “There are also three doors to the space which means we can have a dedicated entrance and exit. Of course, we will provide hand sanitizers, as well as clean the areas where we’ll work. We are adapting to our new reality and will establish strict COVID-19 protocols, and still find ways to play together.”
The ensemble will be monitoring the situation in B.C. and heeding all advice from provincial health authorities in the hopes that they’ll be able to continue making sweet music together, said Giguère.
“It has been a challenging time for musicians, performers, and arts in general. We are looking forward to finding ways to do what we love most – explore and create music!”
Accent Music Studios
Teaching music during a pandemic provides very unique challenges, says Julie Begg, the owner of North Vancouver’s Accent Music Studios – you can’t wear a mask while singing or playing a wind instrument. Uncertainty around the spread of the virus forced the immediate shutdown of all group musical sessions in March, said Begg, but since then they have followed closely as more research has been done about how to play safely.
“We are now aware that with adequate spacing between teacher and student, airing each room in between lessons and proper care and attention to personal hygiene and studio sanitation, individual lessons can resume,” said Begg, adding that her studio will be restricting lessons to one student at a time at the start of the fall season, and strict cleaning and distancing protocols will be followed.
Accent has been providing online lessons throughout the pandemic, and the option will still be offered for those students who do not wish to come in person. Things aren’t the same as they were last year, but this also provides a unique opportunity for students of all ages to focus on improving their skills, said Begg.
“These times are opportune for people to really master their instrument, learn new technique, improve their reading skills and learn some incredible new repertoire,” she said. “It is also a great time to learn an instrument and, as the old adage says, it’s never too late.”
The music industry was one of the hardest hit by the pandemic, said Begg, and she’s hoping that the province’s COVID-19 numbers will stay low and spirits will remain high with music in the air again.
“Music is a stress reliever,” she said. “It is a creative outlet and an immensely enjoyable experience. … Losing the social aspect of playing in a band, orchestra or singing in a choir has negatively affected so many people and to a great degree. As things improve, we will all be able to make music together again. We must all stay motivated, stimulated and not allow these events to take away what brings joy and fulfills us.”
North Shore Music Academy
Although the pandemic has posed challenges, most families who send their kids to North Shore Music Academy have chosen to stay with them, whether online or in-person, according to Ju Dee Ang, a teacher at the academy.
“Like most music schools in Metro Vancouver, we had already instituted sanitizing procedures by March but then moved all our lessons online after that. When B.C. entered Phase 2, some of our teachers returned to teaching in person, with the usual recommended precautions, but others have chosen to remain online,” she said.
In-person instruction has included social distancing of two-metres within the studio, disinfecting all high-touch surfaces between students, such as pianos and keyboards, and leaving time in between sessions to carry out the necessary cleaning.
“We greatly appreciate their support. We have also been receiving a number of new inquiries, which is normal for this time of year as we approach the fall semester,” says Ang.
