As soon as the quarantine was announced we knew we had to do something to keep our members engaged and their heads up. We moved all rehearsals online as soon as we could and got hooked up to new meeting software that we had never really had a need for before. Within the first week we had groups of our choirs meeting for an 11am zoom chat.
Online became our new rehearsal space and office. On our main Sing in the City facebook page Kirsty and Annette (formally know as the Directors or Hanley and the Baird) went live with an hour set every Monday and Friday and they threw an extra one in for a members 21st. Privately on our members page we held rehearsals so that members could keep singing, keep up with their learning but more importantly just connect with people, talk and share.
We brought other members in to do specialised classes. Carol Baines one of our coaches, an Aw Black and also a very talented drawer took a Go Live Art class. Amy Drummond Santer who is also an Aw Black held a Go Live movement rehearsal. Kirsty and Annette provided singing lessons and tips and Elaine Dove provided all the rehearsals.
We watched members who had initially feared the isolation more than the virus and started to get more technical. They were getting themselves online and also helping others do the same things. We had a very long post with people’s hobbies and artwork. Members were starting to make friends on the zoom chats with people they had never met before. It was in short beautiful.
This inspired the writing of the new Hanley and the Baird song Follow the Rainbows. We asked members how they felt and we used some of their words and phrased in the lyrics. It will be available for download on the 24/04/20 and all the proceeds will go towards 2 mental health charities SAMH and MIND. There will be Video Premier at 19.00 on Friday 24th followed by the 13th Girls GO Live It’s uncertain how life will be after the Corona Virus but everyone is likely to be affected by this event in our life, some worse than others. The Follow the Rainbows story is one that will be reflected across the world. ‘Lets hope the world can change or at least rearrange.’
