Choir Conquers Covid — The Crescent

By: Ashleigh Scheuneman

Photographed by: Bree Maciel

Covid-19 has taken an emotional toll on George Fox University (GFU) choir students, who have not been able to sing together as a group.

GFU’s choir will be performing together and will be available to watch via Zoom on April 10 and April 17 after a semester of restrictions on singing due to Covid-19.

“The GFU choir was a requirement for my major, but I would’ve joined anyway,” said Marin Donohue, a performing arts major. “I love singing as a soloist, but there is something about the community that is built with singing in a group. I’ve even heard that choir singers synchronize their heartbeats.”

A similar experience is shared by vocal performance major Gabriela Rodas Meda, who said, “Being in community, as Dr. Warner says, ‘makes delicious music.’ This means that with everyone involved, beautiful music is created.”

According to Donohue, choir has the ability to make a large impact on a students’ life through a shared bond with the other singers. “I think that choir will make me a stronger vocalist and a more versatile vocalist as well,” said Donohue. “Choir overall strengthens musicianship, and the community that is formed both encourages and supports. Community of any sort helps overall, even from a nonmusician standpoint.”

Covid-19 presented choir with additional obstacles to this community, such as mask requirements, Zoom classes, and restrictions on singing together in person.

“It was very isolating,” said Donohue. “This semester it has been incredible to be able to sing. Those were definitely some hard rehearsals because we so desperately wanted to be together.”

Gabriela Rodas Meda, a choir student, said: “Covid has really cut down our numbers, and has taken away the love present when we are all together. Covid has also affected our ability to sing and tune together. Singing in the practice rooms on mics is so much different than when we could sing all together.”

After all of the restrictions, live choir performances are an exciting step towards normalcy.

“We were able to perform in the Good Friday service,” said Donohue. “It was so beautiful to be able to sing with other people.”

With all the changes to the performing arts majors and programs, choir is being opened up to everybody.

“We are opening the choir up for anyone who wants to join. So please join! Anyone who wants to, any experience. Being in choir is a wonderful experience and we all support each other no matter what,” said Rodas Meda.

Choir concerts will be available to view over Zoom via the GFU concert schedule link.