1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,025 I'm James Pope Joy, 2 00:00:02,025 --> 00:00:03,660 Director of Bands and a professor of 3 00:00:03,660 --> 00:00:05,775 music here at the University of North Dakota. 4 00:00:05,775 --> 00:00:08,340 This is my 22nd year teaching at 5 00:00:08,340 --> 00:00:11,415 UND and my 41st year as a music educator. 6 00:00:11,415 --> 00:00:14,340 Tell us how COVID has 7 00:00:14,340 --> 00:00:16,080 affected how you go 8 00:00:16,080 --> 00:00:18,615 about your work here at the university? 9 00:00:18,615 --> 00:00:21,810 Well, my work here at the university includes directing, 10 00:00:21,810 --> 00:00:23,880 conducting ensembles, as well as teaching 11 00:00:23,880 --> 00:00:27,085 academic courses in music education track. 12 00:00:27,085 --> 00:00:28,670 The biggest change and 13 00:00:28,670 --> 00:00:30,710 the biggest adjustments we had to make were in 14 00:00:30,710 --> 00:00:31,940 the large ensemble and 15 00:00:31,940 --> 00:00:35,300 small ensemble rehearsals, especially last year. 16 00:00:35,300 --> 00:00:37,370 It took a lot of time and planning and 17 00:00:37,370 --> 00:00:39,290 effort to get it to a point where we 18 00:00:39,290 --> 00:00:41,780 were able to continue to try to meet as best we 19 00:00:41,780 --> 00:00:44,735 could to make music together, which is what we do. 20 00:00:44,735 --> 00:00:47,025 We teach music through performance as a lot, 21 00:00:47,025 --> 00:00:48,920 a lot of what we do and the students 22 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:50,449 have to have that opportunity. 23 00:00:50,449 --> 00:00:54,140 So the summer before we started in the fall 24 00:00:54,140 --> 00:00:59,825 of 2019 or 2020-2022. 25 00:00:59,825 --> 00:01:03,875 We spent a lot of time prepping the students. 26 00:01:03,875 --> 00:01:06,619 Reading national survey is going onto websites, 27 00:01:06,619 --> 00:01:07,880 talking to colleagues across 28 00:01:07,880 --> 00:01:09,320 the country trying to figure out what was 29 00:01:09,320 --> 00:01:10,760 the best thing we could do in 30 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:12,695 the safe thing we could do with our students. 31 00:01:12,695 --> 00:01:14,120 Why did it evolve to 32 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:17,060 was that our campus had a mask mandate. 33 00:01:17,060 --> 00:01:18,230 So we had to figure out a way 34 00:01:18,230 --> 00:01:20,300 to have them play with mask on, 35 00:01:20,300 --> 00:01:22,550 which meant that we had to have special mask made 36 00:01:22,550 --> 00:01:25,985 with slits in it for them to put mouthpieces through. 37 00:01:25,985 --> 00:01:28,910 We had to have bell covers for the end of the horns, 38 00:01:28,910 --> 00:01:30,560 whether it was a flute or oboe, 39 00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:31,970 or whether it was a French order to, 40 00:01:31,970 --> 00:01:34,790 but we had to 41 00:01:34,790 --> 00:01:37,340 develop a way to rehearse with them sitting apart, 42 00:01:37,340 --> 00:01:39,380 especially at that time. 43 00:01:39,380 --> 00:01:41,960 We were really concerned about how close they 44 00:01:41,960 --> 00:01:44,345 might be together in the same environment. 45 00:01:44,345 --> 00:01:47,465 And so we worked out a plan with 46 00:01:47,465 --> 00:01:48,860 the Chester Fritz auditorium and 47 00:01:48,860 --> 00:01:50,570 the university was supportive of that. 48 00:01:50,570 --> 00:01:52,170 And the College of Arts and Sciences, 49 00:01:52,170 --> 00:01:53,920 where we were able to rehearse at 50 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:56,755 the Chester Fritz auditorium for the entire year. 51 00:01:56,755 --> 00:01:58,300 And by doing that, 52 00:01:58,300 --> 00:02:01,000 we were able to by taking out the sound shell, 53 00:02:01,000 --> 00:02:02,230 we can spread the band to 54 00:02:02,230 --> 00:02:04,510 seven or eight rows and set them 55 00:02:04,510 --> 00:02:08,515 6 ft apart with bell covers and mask on. 56 00:02:08,515 --> 00:02:10,450 And then we disinfected the chairs 57 00:02:10,450 --> 00:02:13,150 before and after every rehearsal and we passed out, 58 00:02:13,150 --> 00:02:15,595 copied music so that they wouldn't be sharing music. 59 00:02:15,595 --> 00:02:17,350 Each person has their own folder. 60 00:02:17,350 --> 00:02:21,100 And that's how we maintained our rehearsal perhaps 61 00:02:21,100 --> 00:02:22,240 for the year I were 62 00:02:22,240 --> 00:02:23,440 microphone so the students 63 00:02:23,440 --> 00:02:24,580 can hear me at the back of the room, 64 00:02:24,580 --> 00:02:26,095 we had some kids actually sitting 65 00:02:26,095 --> 00:02:29,230 offstage that you couldn't see in the audience. 66 00:02:29,230 --> 00:02:31,840 But the number one factor was that students 67 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:32,950 really wanted to make music 68 00:02:32,950 --> 00:02:34,740 together and to keep working together. 69 00:02:34,740 --> 00:02:36,170 And as I told them, 70 00:02:36,170 --> 00:02:37,190 I knew from talking to 71 00:02:37,190 --> 00:02:39,500 my colleagues across the nation that there were many, 72 00:02:39,500 --> 00:02:41,750 many schools and universities and 73 00:02:41,750 --> 00:02:44,615 college's who were not getting a chance to do that at all. 74 00:02:44,615 --> 00:02:47,435 They were maybe doing some small chamber pieces 75 00:02:47,435 --> 00:02:49,130 from their large groups or 76 00:02:49,130 --> 00:02:51,695 sectionals are just not playing. 77 00:02:51,695 --> 00:02:53,990 As long as we can keep making music. 78 00:02:53,990 --> 00:02:55,430 The students were willing to do whatever 79 00:02:55,430 --> 00:02:57,260 it took to do that, make that happen. 80 00:02:57,260 --> 00:02:59,930 How did the students respond to? 81 00:02:59,930 --> 00:03:01,940 They responded fabulously. 82 00:03:01,940 --> 00:03:04,580 These are both music majors and non majors. 83 00:03:04,580 --> 00:03:07,250 So our top wind ensemble is about half to 84 00:03:07,250 --> 00:03:08,720 two-thirds music majors and 85 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:10,700 the rest non majors or second band, 86 00:03:10,700 --> 00:03:13,730 the university band is 95% calm music majors. 87 00:03:13,730 --> 00:03:15,830 They come from all walks of life on campus. 88 00:03:15,830 --> 00:03:16,970 And for some of them actually it 89 00:03:16,970 --> 00:03:18,140 was the only class that was 90 00:03:18,140 --> 00:03:20,900 really meeting in person in any way, shape, or form. 91 00:03:20,900 --> 00:03:23,330 So many of them had to move to some sort of 92 00:03:23,330 --> 00:03:26,194 zoom capacity or online capacity. 93 00:03:26,194 --> 00:03:28,535 So they were very appreciative of getting together with 94 00:03:28,535 --> 00:03:30,950 their colleagues and friends and peers and working. 95 00:03:30,950 --> 00:03:32,825 But the students were great. 96 00:03:32,825 --> 00:03:34,850 We didn't, not onetime throughout 97 00:03:34,850 --> 00:03:35,960 the entire academic year 98 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:38,300 last year that I have to chastise of students. 99 00:03:38,300 --> 00:03:40,655 Say, Where's your mask, Where's your bell cover? 100 00:03:40,655 --> 00:03:41,750 Did you disinfect? 101 00:03:41,750 --> 00:03:44,000 Did you get your chair put away? 102 00:03:44,000 --> 00:03:47,000 It needs to be that of 103 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:50,315 their own volition every day, um, this fall, 104 00:03:50,315 --> 00:03:52,340 we've been able to go back to rehearsing and 105 00:03:52,340 --> 00:03:53,915 irregular rehearsal spaces 106 00:03:53,915 --> 00:03:55,310 sitting next to each other normally, 107 00:03:55,310 --> 00:03:56,480 but we're still maintaining 108 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:58,490 the mask and bell covers right now. 109 00:03:58,490 --> 00:04:02,240 And we'll do that until we're told that we don't have to. 110 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:03,710 So our biggest concern 111 00:04:03,710 --> 00:04:05,480 is to make sure that the students are safe. 112 00:04:05,480 --> 00:04:06,935 That's our number one concern. 113 00:04:06,935 --> 00:04:09,260 And of course, as we all know with 114 00:04:09,260 --> 00:04:12,080 this pandemic and with the virus, 115 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:14,870 we don't really know exactly how it works all the 116 00:04:14,870 --> 00:04:18,305 time and what the most dangerous aspects of that are. 117 00:04:18,305 --> 00:04:21,110 So unfortunately, we've been very lucky that we've had 118 00:04:21,110 --> 00:04:22,640 no super spreader events within 119 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:24,980 ensembles and department at all. 120 00:04:24,980 --> 00:04:27,050 And we've dealt with 121 00:04:27,050 --> 00:04:28,160 the few students missing 122 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:29,495 for here and there for quarantine. 123 00:04:29,495 --> 00:04:31,490 Although oftentimes it's because of roommate or 124 00:04:31,490 --> 00:04:33,715 a friend of theirs as tested positive. 125 00:04:33,715 --> 00:04:34,910 We lose them and out. 126 00:04:34,910 --> 00:04:36,410 And that was one of the challenges last year. 127 00:04:36,410 --> 00:04:38,720 Every rehearsal, every performance we were missing 128 00:04:38,720 --> 00:04:43,100 somebody that came with it for the regular music classes. 129 00:04:43,100 --> 00:04:44,930 We tried to keep those many of 130 00:04:44,930 --> 00:04:46,970 those going face-to-face as well. 131 00:04:46,970 --> 00:04:49,310 By seating, we reconfigured all of 132 00:04:49,310 --> 00:04:52,910 our classroom spaces to sit 6 ft apart, 133 00:04:52,910 --> 00:04:54,470 and then did the same thing with using 134 00:04:54,470 --> 00:04:56,900 mask covers as needed. 135 00:04:56,900 --> 00:05:00,335 Any of this likely to continue. 136 00:05:00,335 --> 00:05:02,660 Well, it was continuing at the moment, 137 00:05:02,660 --> 00:05:04,475 and as I mentioned earlier, 138 00:05:04,475 --> 00:05:06,290 but we're hoping we're all 139 00:05:06,290 --> 00:05:08,765 counting the days when we don't have to do this. 140 00:05:08,765 --> 00:05:10,325 So that we can go back to, 141 00:05:10,325 --> 00:05:13,010 it's very difficult to teach conducting when their faces 142 00:05:13,010 --> 00:05:14,060 covered and they can't 143 00:05:14,060 --> 00:05:16,070 make any kind of gestures with the students. 144 00:05:16,070 --> 00:05:17,420 That's one of the courses I teach. 145 00:05:17,420 --> 00:05:20,225 It's very challenging to make music when you 146 00:05:20,225 --> 00:05:23,090 have bell covers on yours from 147 00:05:23,090 --> 00:05:24,110 which changes the way 148 00:05:24,110 --> 00:05:25,820 the instruments played a little bit. 149 00:05:25,820 --> 00:05:27,335 And having to put, 150 00:05:27,335 --> 00:05:28,940 put your mouthpiece through 151 00:05:28,940 --> 00:05:30,560 a mask, which is very challenged. 152 00:05:30,560 --> 00:05:32,660 The singers, vocalists have 153 00:05:32,660 --> 00:05:34,850 had to have special mask made that are longer out. 154 00:05:34,850 --> 00:05:37,075 So they are singers mass so that we can their, 155 00:05:37,075 --> 00:05:40,220 their voice can project and get out, even be hurt. 156 00:05:40,220 --> 00:05:43,805 So it's a real challenge for us in so many ways. 157 00:05:43,805 --> 00:05:45,980 Just some of the challenges 158 00:05:45,980 --> 00:05:47,495 of the same everybody's dealing with. 159 00:05:47,495 --> 00:05:50,810 So how about the quality of 160 00:05:50,810 --> 00:05:55,565 the music that students were able to produce? 161 00:05:55,565 --> 00:05:59,855 Surprised by how much was lost or was not much lost? 162 00:05:59,855 --> 00:06:02,630 No, there were not a lot of surprises. 163 00:06:02,630 --> 00:06:06,435 We all of us when we started the fall of 2020, 164 00:06:06,435 --> 00:06:08,000 we're trying to be a little 165 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:09,620 conservative in the literature we picked 166 00:06:09,620 --> 00:06:11,300 knowing that they wouldn't be sitting next to each 167 00:06:11,300 --> 00:06:13,430 other where they have trouble hearing each other. 168 00:06:13,430 --> 00:06:15,515 But as the academic year went on, 169 00:06:15,515 --> 00:06:16,970 I think in talking with my colleagues 170 00:06:16,970 --> 00:06:18,200 have conduct other ensembles. 171 00:06:18,200 --> 00:06:19,970 We all tried to raise the level of 172 00:06:19,970 --> 00:06:21,950 literature to what we would normally want to. 173 00:06:21,950 --> 00:06:22,820 The students. 174 00:06:22,820 --> 00:06:25,100 Again, if we're teaching music through performance, 175 00:06:25,100 --> 00:06:26,240 than it's important that we pick 176 00:06:26,240 --> 00:06:28,040 the literature that's appropriate for that. 177 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:31,670 So while we had to make some concessions, e.g. 178 00:06:31,670 --> 00:06:33,650 using mutes on brass instruments, 179 00:06:33,650 --> 00:06:34,820 we weren't able to do that which 180 00:06:34,820 --> 00:06:37,145 affected some of the literature that we play. 181 00:06:37,145 --> 00:06:39,830 Or some delicate pieces 182 00:06:39,830 --> 00:06:41,390 that are very difficult 183 00:06:41,390 --> 00:06:42,860 for them to hear and work together. 184 00:06:42,860 --> 00:06:44,780 We have to be careful about moments of that. 185 00:06:44,780 --> 00:06:46,430 It's very challenging to be 186 00:06:46,430 --> 00:06:49,100 setting seven rows apart and spread out. 187 00:06:49,100 --> 00:06:50,780 Most of the students have played 188 00:06:50,780 --> 00:06:52,505 enlarge, say an honor band, 189 00:06:52,505 --> 00:06:53,810 whole state band where there might be 190 00:06:53,810 --> 00:06:55,865 130 kids on stage together. 191 00:06:55,865 --> 00:06:57,965 But the difference is they're sitting next to each other. 192 00:06:57,965 --> 00:07:01,010 So we might use the same relative space, 193 00:07:01,010 --> 00:07:02,870 but it's that proximity to each other that 194 00:07:02,870 --> 00:07:04,940 made it a challenge To all 195 00:07:04,940 --> 00:07:05,990 we also students learn 196 00:07:05,990 --> 00:07:08,795 some skills that they hadn't really had to before with 197 00:07:08,795 --> 00:07:10,820 be very focused and listening at 198 00:07:10,820 --> 00:07:12,290 a very high level in 199 00:07:12,290 --> 00:07:14,705 order to communicate with each other. 200 00:07:14,705 --> 00:07:17,390 Now, I have to say that I'm very, 201 00:07:17,390 --> 00:07:19,940 very proud of the students in our program, 202 00:07:19,940 --> 00:07:21,170 both the music majors and 203 00:07:21,170 --> 00:07:23,420 non majors who participate in the department, 204 00:07:23,420 --> 00:07:26,090 they've done exceptional work and effort 205 00:07:26,090 --> 00:07:27,800 to continue to make music 206 00:07:27,800 --> 00:07:29,765 together and again, need to continue to learn. 207 00:07:29,765 --> 00:07:31,160 And if you talk to any one of them, 208 00:07:31,160 --> 00:07:32,630 they'll tell you to a person. 209 00:07:32,630 --> 00:07:35,150 I'm sure that their goal was to keep 210 00:07:35,150 --> 00:07:37,730 making music together while they're frustrated, 211 00:07:37,730 --> 00:07:39,740 like everyone is around the country in 212 00:07:39,740 --> 00:07:42,230 the world with what we're having to do right now. 213 00:07:42,230 --> 00:07:44,720 They're willing to make that sacrifice as long 214 00:07:44,720 --> 00:07:47,270 as we have to in order to continue doing that together. 215 00:07:47,270 --> 00:07:50,075 So I can't tell you how proud I am of them, 216 00:07:50,075 --> 00:07:53,165 my colleagues and the administration support of that. 217 00:07:53,165 --> 00:07:55,610 We've been live streaming our concerts, 218 00:07:55,610 --> 00:07:58,460 but except for a couple of concert events last year, 219 00:07:58,460 --> 00:08:00,950 we've been able to also offer for live audiences to 220 00:08:00,950 --> 00:08:03,980 come socially distanced and wearing mask. 221 00:08:03,980 --> 00:08:07,040 And we have more of those coming up in a couple of weeks. 222 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:10,250 But one of the great things is with a live stream, 223 00:08:10,250 --> 00:08:11,510 we've had people join us, 224 00:08:11,510 --> 00:08:13,100 parents and friends and family from 225 00:08:13,100 --> 00:08:14,750 around the world to watch 226 00:08:14,750 --> 00:08:16,490 our concerts in which we were 227 00:08:16,490 --> 00:08:18,950 just getting started doing that before the pandemic. 228 00:08:18,950 --> 00:08:21,050 But it became a real important part of what we do 229 00:08:21,050 --> 00:08:23,300 in the pandemic now is to live 230 00:08:23,300 --> 00:08:25,430 stream or concerts and give them the opportunity to 231 00:08:25,430 --> 00:08:28,920 participate with us in some way, shape, or form.