Joint Statement on Continued Safety Measures During the Holiday Season

December 8, 2021

Chorus America, American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), Barbershop Harmony Society (BHS), and the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) have collaborated since the beginning of the pandemic to provide our members with the best and most current guidance from the CDC, as well as the latest research on singing and COVID-19. As we convene this winter to share cheer through song, it is crucial that health and safety continue to be at the forefront of organizing. We urge individuals and groups to appropriately assess the personal and organizational risk factors of operating in various settings so that we can all rehearse and perform in a safe manner, while continuing to reduce the impact of COVID-19 on our lives and our field.

Joint Statement on Continued Safety Measures During the Holiday Season

As we enter this season of joy and celebration, it is thrilling to see and hear singers, choruses, choirs, and singing groups of all types along with their collaborative artists rehearsing, performing, and sharing beauty and community with live audiences again.

The hard work and determination it takes to gather together safely is recognized by Chorus America; the National Association of Teachers of Singing; the American Choral Directors Association; the Barbershop Harmony Society; the Performing Arts Medicine Association; the Pan American Vocology Association; the National Opera Association; Sweet Adelines International; Harmony, Incorporated; and the National Collegiate Choral Organization. We are grateful for this extraordinary effort that is helping to keep singers and audiences safe and our field on track as it rebuilds from the pandemic’s drastic effects.

Collectively, we urge continued vigilance and encourage everyone to stay informed as new variants are identified and communities see cases rising. We strongly support continued efforts to promote best practices in combatting the pandemic, including COVID-19 vaccines. In addition, we recommend that choral groups and their leaders, institutions, and private studios continue to review and implement mitigation practices that have been shown to be successful, such as masking, physical distancing, testing, and increased ventilation. As conditions evolve, our community should remain nimble and respond to potential increased risk by increasing the rigor of these mitigation strategies as needed based upon local community level data. Working together, we will continue to find ways for our community to gather safely.

Thank you for giving our communities the gift of singing together safely. We wish all of you a joyful and music-filled holiday season.