Music at Hamilton
Covid-19 Health and Safety Policies
GENERAL PROTOCOLS
These policies were in place during the 2020-21 school year and are based on the most recent findings from ongoing scientific study being conducted at University of Colorado at Boulder on aerosols and music performance. For the most recent updates on this six-month study, check this site.
1. *** Masks must be worn at all times, both indoors and outdoors. ***
- Wash your hands before putting on your mask
- Materials should be either a high-grade surgical mask, or made with non-stretchy cloth in layers
Correct fit is key to the effectiveness of the mask:
- Place over your nose and mouth, secure under your chin.
- Mask must fit snugly around the edges and against the sides of your face and over your nose. There must be no gaps – particularly around the sides, the bridge of your nose, and chin.
Either a second mask or an extra filtering material inserted inside your mask is strongly recommended as additional protection against new variants or the virus.
2. Social distancing of 6' must be observed at all times, indoors and out. Current Covid-19 guidelines (updated for Spring 2021) require physical distancing of 12'x12' for singers and wind players.
3. Hygiene:
- Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before and after touching anything.
- Common areas (e.g. instrument lockers, stands, chairs): wipe down all surfaces you touch with provided 70% alcohol wipes before and after, discard after use. Do NOT use these wipes on piano keys; other wipes will be provided.
Instrument-Specific Guidelines
Woodwinds and Brass
Wind players (woodwind and brass) must use two masks: one for playing (with slit for mouthpiece), the other to wear when not actively playing.
- Flutes will need a mask that accommodates the head joint of the flute.
- All wind instruments must also use bell covers to reduce the jet streams and aerosols from instrument bells.
Students using the practice rooms must follow the posted protocols, most importantly:
- A mask must be worn at all times.
- After no longer than 60 minutes of practice, you must take a 30-minute break for a complete air exchange, leaving the room empty to allow the ventilation to have maximum effect.
Rehearsals, individual practice sessions, and lessons (including in your dorm room): after no longer than 60 minutes of practice, you must take a break for a complete air exchange to clear the aerosols, leaving your room empty to allow the ventilation to have maximum effect. The length of break required:
- Indoors: 20-30 minutes
- Outdoors: 5 minutes
No shared equipment or accessories (i.e. valve oil, water bottle, cork grease, etc.)
Voice
Singers must use two masks: a singer's mask when singing, the other for general use.
Correct fit is key to the effectiveness of the mask:
- Place over your nose and mouth, secure under your chin
- Mask must fit snugly around the edges and against the sides of your face – it should leave an outline
- There should be no gaps
- Make sure you can breathe easily
Rehearsals, individual practice sessions, and lessons (including in your dorm room): after no longer than 60 minutes of practice, you must take a break for a complete air exchange to clear the aerosols, leaving your room empty to allow the ventilation to have maximum effect. The length of break required is as follows:
- Indoors: 20-30 minutes
- Outdoors: 5 minutes
Strings
No sharing of stands in ensembles (Orchestra)
No shared equipment (i.e. instruments, bows, rosin, etc.)
Students using the practice rooms or practicing in your dorm room must follow the posted protocols, most importantly:
- A mask must be worn at all times.
- After no longer than 60 minutes of practice, you must take a 30-minute break for a complete air exchange, leaving the room empty to allow the ventilation to have maximum effect.
Keyboards
Only selected advanced students will be given access to piano practice rooms.
Wipe down keyboards with provided Oxivir wipes before and after using. Do not use alcohol-based wipes, as those would damage the keys.
Students using the practice rooms must follow the posted protocols, most importantly:
- A mask must be worn at all times.
- After up to 60 minutes of practice, you must take a 30-minute break for a complete air exchange.
All other students must purchase or bring an electric keyboard to use in their dorm rooms (Piano faculty can make recommendations for relatively affordable models).
Percussion
Percussionists use your own sticks when possible; otherwise wipe down all sticks and mallets before and after every use.
All equipment must be wiped down with provided alcohol wipes before and after using.
Students using the practice rooms must follow the posted protocols, most importantly:
- A mask must be worn at all times.
- After no longer than 60 minutes of practice, you must take a 30-minute break for a complete air exchange, leaving the room to allow the ventilation to have maximum effect.
Ensembles
Orchestra and Chamber Ensembles
Auditions for Orchestra and Chamber Ensembles are done online by submitting a solo recording of your instrumental playing. Email Prof. Heather Buchman to express your interest and for more information on auditioning.
Both Orchestra and the following chamber ensembles are all running in person, in keeping with current safety protocols:
- The Orchestra is operating in smaller section ensembles – Strings, Winds, and Brass Ensemble.
- In the Chamber Ensembles program: Saxophone Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, and strings chamber groups (Hamstrings) are all running.
To protect everyone at this time, these ensembles are operating with strict adherence to the specific safety protocols for each instrumental section, as recommended by the latest Covid music and aerosol studies from UC Boulder and others:
- Our rehearsal schedule is shortened, more so for the woodwinds and brass.
- Half-hour ventilation breaks are taken between individual sections and groups, and shorter ones (or room changes) are taken mid-rehearsal for woodwinds and brass.
- Whenever weather and temperature permits, woodwinds and brass will take advantage and rehearse outside.
- Spacing marks are set up in all of our rehearsal spaces to guarantee adequate social distance.
- Music PPE (masks, bell covers, puppy pads) are required. Woodwind and brass players must have two masks: one with a slit for the mouthpiece to use while playing, and a regular mask (with no slit) to use whenever not playing for more than a few seconds.
- There is no sharing of music stands. Each student is given their own copy of the music.
- Students self-report that they have a green badge and have been practicing social distancing, or that they are self-quarantining, without prejudice. Protecting each individual's and one another's health are the most important value.
Choir
- No sharing of masks, water bottles, stands, scores, pencils, etc.
- Rehearsals will take place in 30-minute blocks, switching between tutti sessions in Wellin Hall and sectional sessions in List 104 and 106. Babbitt Pavilion will also be utilized in blocks of 30 minutes, with 5-minute breaks for aerosol dispersion. When necessary, rehearsals will take place online. Choristers should pay careful attention to venue assignments for different voice groups for every rehearsal.
- The results from scientific studies on the mitigation of aerosol emission during performance recommend a physical distance of 6 feet (1.83 meters) between singers. In the interest of safety and additional risk mitigation against new variants, singers will be required to extend that distance to 12x12 feet in indoor spaces, when singing.
- Since there will be multiple venue changes during rehearsals, choristers need to pay careful attention to entering and exiting protocols to maintain safe physical distances.
- Each chorister will be issued a specialized singer's mask with a polypropylene filter. Choristers may choose to wear the issued singer's mask or a polypropylene surgical mask that allows you to mold the shape around the nose and cheeks. It is imperative that the mask has a very good, sealed fit that leaves a faint outline when removed from the face. Additional strategies for improving the seal on a singer's mask include using an additional ear loop tie. This will be demonstrated in rehearsal.
Jazz Ensemble
For the Spring 2021 semester the Jazz Ensemble is being directed by Monk Rowe. Email for more information.
Department Facilities
Practice Rooms
- During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Music Department is extending practice room access on a limited basis. It is for everyone's safety that we can't grant universal access to these rooms at this time.
- Practice room access is currently being granted to the following groups of students who are enrolled in private lessons:
- Instrumental students (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone, trumpet, horn, trombone, violin, viola, cello, bass, percussion)
- Selected advanced piano and voice students subject to availability
- Students playing in Orchestra, Jazz Ensemble, or chamber ensembles who are not taking lessons may request a practice room, but these cannot be guaranteed.
- Students granted access will be assigned to a specific practice room:
- You must SIGN UP on the posted signup sheet for practice time (up to 1 hour/day) and your lesson time, and adhere to this schedule.
- Practice blocks and lesson times MUST be separated by 30-minute breaks between practice sessions.
- All applicable music PPE (masks, bell covers, puppy pads for brass, and other hygiene measures) must be used whenever using the practice rooms.
- Wipe down music stands and any other equipment and surfaces before and after you use the room. Keyboards must be wiped with provided Oxivir wipes; alcohol wipes will damage the keys.
- Students who do not adhere to the guidelines or schedule for using the practice rooms will no longer be permitted to use the practice rooms.
- All other music students must practice in their dorm room, outdoors, or other safe place.
Private Lessons
Because of modified room occupancy limits, air ventilation concerns, and the College’s cleaning protocols, all private lessons will be taught remotely, over Zoom or another video conferencing platform. Three things are important to the quality of the audio for the lesson:
- Use an Ethernet cable connection if possible.
- Use a USB microphone; students registered for private lessons should check one out from LITS in Burke Library.
- Audio settings in Zoom should be set to original sound (in Advanced Settings), and check boxes to suppress both persistent and intermittent background noise.
Only designated students granted practice room access (see the the practice room FAQ) may use practice rooms to take lessons. All other lessons must be taken in the student’s dorm room or some other space.
Particularly for singers, woodwind and brass instrumentalists, please review the guidelines under the FAQ below, How do I practice safely in my dorm room?
Zoom Settings for Music and USB Microphones
It's very important to configure Zoom to the settings for music for your lessons – this and using a USB microphone will vastly improve the sound quality for both the teacher and the student. USB microphones can be requested from LITS in Burke Library.
Make sure that you have the most recent version of Zoom (as of February 2021, 5.4.9).
1) Select Zoom in the top left hand corner and then click preferences.
2) Select Audio and in the bottom right hand corner you will see music and professional audio. Select Show in-meeting options to.... and then select high fidelity music mode.
Instrument Lockers
- Students taking private lessons or playing in departmental ensembles may request a locker for their instrument. Lockers must be used by one person only and may not be shared.
- Only locks provided by the Music Department must be used – do not use your own lock or it may be cut.
Classrooms
- Because of the College’s cleaning protocols and finite custodial staffing, the classrooms will not be not be available for unscheduled use or practicing.
- Only reservations made through the R25 scheduling system will be allowed; the College does not have the custodial cleaning capacity to handle the additional sanitization requirements for individual practice in these rooms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I practice?
When the weather permits, and when it can be done without disturbing others, playing outside is the safest, particularly for woodwind and brass instruments and singers. However, string and woodwind players shouldn't expose your instrument to extreme temperatures or extreme humid or dry air that could damage your instrument.
Since for safety reasons the Music Department's practice rooms are limited to selected students taking private lessons, it will be necessary for others to practice in your dorm room or in another safe place.
Brass instruments should use a practice mute to avoid disturbing others; the Music Department has a number of these available – email Prof. Buchman.
You will also need a wire music stand – the Music Department has a number of these available to loan out for the semester – email Kim Carroll.
How do I practice safely in my dorm room?
Playing a string or keyboard instrument does not produce significantly elevated levels of aerosols.
For woodwind and brass players and singers, even if you don't have roommates or suitemates, the following guidelines should be observed to minimize aerosol buildup from playing:
- Ventilation breaks are necessary after practicing or taking lessons in any space for 30 minutes, or at the end of a 60-minute lesson.
- The room must be vacated and ventilated afterward for 15-20 minutes after a half hour, or 30 minutes after a full-hour practice or lesson.
- During the break, ventilation should be increased as much as possible by opening windows or using a fan to allow for aerosols to disperse.
- Practice good hygiene, especially if your instrument has spit valves, etc. Wash hands, sanitize surfaces, avoid touching your face.
- Do not share instruments, stands, scores or masks.
- Singers MUST wear a mask while singing, even if there is no one else in the room. The mask should seal and fit snuggly (should leave an outline when removed). Surgical type masks (not N95) are currently recommended. “Singers masks” may be used if they have a polypropylene filter.
- Masks must be worn when playing a wind instrument. Cut a small horizontal slit into a surgical mask for practicing and do not use this mask for any other purpose.
- Wind instruments must also use bell covers (many stores carry these), and brass players must use puppy pads or paper or cloth towels.
Wire music stands are available from the Music Department to loan out for the semester – email Kim Carroll.