In March of 2020, the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic began to quickly and dramatically immobilize the country and the world. Worship was interrupted. Life was no longer life as we knew it especially in the realm of worship, music and the arts. Even today, all of us have had to adapt our musical gifts to the challenges of living in a COVID environment. As the principal organist and Director of Music at a major Catholic seminary, I immediately began to live through this pandemic in unusual ways: Firstly, it started out by having my choirs and liturgies cancelled, and secondly) our students abruptly were sent home to their dioceses around the United States. But like all of you, I had to find ways to creatively play and teach music despite these challenges. My first challenge was during April lockdown, when I tried to teach choir online and discovered to my dismay that 7 people singing at the same time sounds like a cacophony instead of in beautiful harmony with each other…I quickly shifted to Lenten prayer, music appreciation, but ultimately talk therapy is what the students needed the most. Even thou I missed the joy of performing together, I felt I made a positive difference helping the students navigate their isolation and sadness.
The second big challenge came in the Fall Semester when students returned to campus and were thrown into the world of hand sanitizer, face masks, social distancing and no singing during the liturgy. What was I to do? How can I make music relevant when it was now sidelined! Luckily, we were permitted to have 1 cantor and 1 accompanist at our daily worship now occurring in 2 locations simultaneously. Although the community felt disheartened by not being able to sing together, and the individual cantors were terrified singing alone, we experienced some unexpected blessings as well. A greater number of organ repertoire was used and has engendered prayerful contemplation in new ways. Some listeners became aware of technical intricacies and colors of the Skinner pipe organ for the first time. Planning and recording my first ever virtual concert felt like competing in a triathlon in which I barely survived, but miraculously sounded beautiful anyway!
I especially appreciated reading our AGO chapter newsletter and meeting on ZOOM for our board meetings. I enjoyed hearing about all of you which made me feel like all of us have been in this together! Thank you all for your support, humorous anecdotes, your recital clips and photos of everyone’s instruments. I can’t wait until COVID is over and we all share stories together in person…preferably with cocktails as diverse as our musical gifts!