The Newburyport Choral Society (NCS) is will return to in-person rehearsals, kicking off a fall semester program that starts on September 14.
Online registration for singers opened on August 27 and runs through September 12. Rehearsals will take place at the Belleville Congregational Church in Newburyport.
“After a year spent practicing our choral singing skills at home on Zoom, we are looking forward to being back home in Belleville,” said NCS President John Moreland.
Under the leadership of NCS Music Director Ryan Turner, NCS will offer a fall season of innovative music-making, carefully designed to prioritize the health and safety of singers. In addition to selections from Handel’s Messiah, the musical program will feature The Ballad of the Brown King by 20th century African American composer Margaret Bonds.
“I’m thrilled beyond words to rehearse in person again,” said Turner. “Being apart for so long has made us all realize what a privilege it is to be able to make music together.” A critical part of NCS’s return to in-person rehearsals will be implementing precautions to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. These will include requiring all singers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and to wear masks at all times during the rehearsal. There will be social distancing between singers, as well as air exchange purification using HEPA filters.
“With these and other protocols in place, we feel confident that we can welcome our singers back for an exciting semester learning some extraordinary music,” Moreland added. For those who may be unable or uncomfortable returning to in-person singing at any point during the semester, there will be a number of virtual options in addition to in-person rehearsals. These will include Zoom links to enable singers to participate in the live rehearsals from home, and a link to a video recording of each rehearsal for all members. Online rehearsal aids will also be available.
NCS plans to present their winter concert at Belleville Congregational Church on December 11 and 12.
New singers, whether in-person or virtual, are always welcome. For more information about singer registration, visit www.newburyportchoralsociety.org.
