Singing at sea

With restrictions on the size of gatherings easing, but with awareness that choirs might be at higher risk of spreading the coronavirus amongst their singers, the TSOChorus has been continuing online rehearsals, but also starting to have some small outdoor gatherings of people, in spaces big enough to keep a reasonable distance between choristers. As yet, however, we don’t know when we might gather as a full choir, let alone when our next performance might be. Nevertheless, our music director, June Tyzack, and the chorus committee have come up with a bigger project nicknamed “The Sunrise Project” in which as many members of the choir who felt able have recorded themselves singing (and filmed themselves). Initially I think this was done with thoughts of doing a montage choir video of the sort that have become quite popular around the world in these isolation times, but now that we can gather outside the plans are to be more creative in what we might be able to do visually. With the sound already recorded, we can go ahead and film ourselves singing in various groups and locations.

Thus it was that one cool Saturday morning in July about 30 or so of the Chorus gathered at one of Hobart’s yacht clubs, and boarded four yachts and headed out onto the Derwent. We lined ourselves up along the rails, and, cued by the broadcast recording coming through various radios, sang several times through the song we are doing.

As we sang, bits of footage were taken, although the planned drone shots didn’t go according to plan when the drone ended up in the drink (retrievably, but in need of attention).

It was great to be singing with a group again, with the unusual circumstances making it more fun.

A few more locations/events are planned … and then, once all the footage is compiled, hopefully there’ll be something cool to show at the end of it.