Since the start of the 2020 school year, music groups throughout America have looked for ways to provide concerts without risking the safety of people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many music teachers and conductors have turned to virtual performances through online platforms. However, there are obstacles both teachers and students must overcome.

At Ward Melville High School, the various music groups have managed to put on spectacular performances from the comfort of their homes. The Ward Melville choral groups, for instance, worked vigorously to put together virtual concerts with the help of a company that merges individual videos together to create online performances. Students have spent hours per week rehearsing challenging vocal selections to continue the long-lasting tradition of winter concerts at Ward Melville.

While most music groups throughout the district have successfully put together prerecorded virtual performances, some music groups in Ward Melville have found other ways to host virtual concerts. The Ward Melville Wind Ensemble, unlike most music groups in the school, managed to safely and successfully livestream a virtual concert through Youtube. The students met 6 times a week both in and out of school to rehearse the most rigorous of musical pieces so that this year’s winter concert would be like that of any other year, with the exception of socially distanced playing.

Despite the many challenges faced by both teachers and students, the obstacles that came with the COVID-19 pandemic were no match for the musical passion contained within the students of our district. Ward Melville was able to put together over 10 concerts utilizing the virtual resources available.