Orchestra students utilize online resources for COVID safe performances

Tuning up in orchestra this year has taken a little longer than year’s past. “To be honest, this year has been tough. Half of the orchestra students are virtual, so we are really missing our teammates,” orchestra director Kim Tura said. Tura and her students have been facing many new challenges this year including concerts, lessons and overall grasping this year.

With many extracurricular activities looking different, they all have been taking advantage of online resources. “Students are recording using an online program provided by the schools called Smartmusic and submitting their audio recordings to me,” Tura said.

At this point, there are no in-person concerts for the orchestra. The students will use the program Smartmusic to record and have director Tura compile the recordings into a virtual performance. “It’s going to be really awesome to hear and see the final product. I am hoping to start releasing these mid-November,” Tura said.

Tura has looked at this in a different perspective, seeing this as an opportunity to prepare her students for their music future. “I am excited because recording is common practice in the music industry, so I think this is a good opportunity for students to experience what it’s like,” Tura said.

Freshman Annabel Anderson and Edward Lin are students at Peet who have been in orchestra previous years. They aren’t too fond of the online aspect of this year as much as Tura is. 

“The problem with the recordings is sometimes they can be inaccurate. I also usually listen to other sections to know if I’m in the right spot or playing at the right speed. Without the other sections in the orchestra, it’s harder to play the piece,” Lin said. 

“I personally prefer not using technology as I am not the best at doing the recordings. I find it easier to play with people and perform with them,” Anderson said.

Despite the downside of online usage, Anderson and Lin are trying to see the best of things this year and take what they can to their advantage.

“With so many people online, it is easier to social distance, and with fewer people it allows other players who may not have been able to be heard as much as others to play out a little more and give everyone more of a chance,” Lin said. 

Anderson has also looked at social distancing to be a positive because sitting farther apart from her teammates encourages them to play louder as playing louder helps increase their skill. 

At this point, there are no in-person concerts for the orchestra. The students will use the program Smartmusic to record and have director Tura compile the recordings into a virtual performance. “It’s going to be really awesome to hear and see the final product. I am hoping to start releasing these mid-November,” Tura said.

Orchestra lessons on the other hand have not been a huge difference from previous years. The students still have individual in-person lessons and virtual students have Zoom lessons.

“One-on-one lessons do work fine, but to play as an orchestra, it just doesn’t work out well. Especially when there are several people in a Zoom meeting at once. The lag increases and audio is sometimes cut off. Online orchestra just isn’t the same,” Lin said.

This year may be full of changes, but Lin and Anderson are trying to accept it and adjust. “I have been dealing with things by just trying to make the best of things and look on the bright side. I am grateful to even be playing,” Lin said.

“Although we can not have concerts, this year I am looking forward to learning new music even if I can not perform it live,” Anderson said.

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