COUNCIL TALK 01/2021 - The digital magazine of the World Choir Council

THE CORONA CRISIS AND
ITS EFFECTS ON THE CHORAL WORLD
2020 IS A YEAR THAT HAS SHAPED THE WORLD -
AND THE CHORAL WORLD IN PARTICULAR -
LIKE NEVER BEFORE.
by Franziska Hellwig
And then there was silence…
Around the turn of the year 2019/2020, the first
news about the novel Corona virus reached the
world. China in particular, but also numerous
other countries, found themselves in a difficult
situation and everyday life came to a standstill. The
virus continued to spread and new infections were
reported daily.
The Chinese city of Wuhan was hit hardest at the
beginning of the year. But the rapid spread of
Covid-19 soon meant that the entire world had to
face the pandemic and all the challenges it entailed.
This globe-spanning crisis had a profound impact
on humanity - and the choral world in particular.
We all had to keep our distance - and yet we have
moved closer together - even across national
borders!
The pandemic brought public and private life to a
standstill. In many places, a state of emergency
was declared and a lockdown imposed. Stores,
restaurants and cultural institutions had to close,
and schools and workplaces were moved home.
This life at a distance also hit the choirs of this world
especially hard. Concerts, festivals and even choir
rehearsals had to be cancelled or postponed and
stages remained silent. In most countries, choral
life has come to a complete standstill and many
choirs and choirmasters have lost their financial
support and perspective. Li Peizhi, president of the
Chinese Choral Association, described the feeling
of these drastic impairments of everyday life in an
interview as a “train that comes to an abrupt halt”.
Örebro Chamber Choir & South China Normal University Choir | Stay with me
https://youtu.be/LHHnLT411xA
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