Virus fails to stop Bay High music concerts
While Bay High auditorium won't be filled with audiences of family and friends for this week's spring concerts due to the COVID-19 virus, Bay High vocalists and instrumentalists will perform as groups virtually, making music together in a historical, new way.
Choral Director Devon Gess said that Bay High Choraleers will begin their performance on Tuesday, May 19, at 7 p.m. with music that was individually pre-recorded and then merged together via the magic of video editing.
They will present "When I Think About Angels" and "Light of a Clear Blue Morning." Interns Cami Drenkhan and Eddie Papp, working this year with Mrs. Gess, will perform "You Matter To Me." Choral award recipients will be announced, and seniors will be recognized.
The songs "Shenandoah" and "The Lord Bless You and Keep You" will conclude the program.
"Both students and alumni will sing from home as if together with me directing," said Mrs. Gess. "We will pretend we are all together on the Bay High School stage."
The Bay High Orchestra will hold its concert Wednesday, May 20, 7 p.m.
"The students and I will be in our homes dressed in our full concert attire with our instruments and baton," said Bay High Orchestra Director Carrie Singler. "The students and I have been making recordings of our concert music, recording part by part, and mixing the audio into an orchestra rendering of the music we have been working on."
She said that for the concert, when they stream those recordings, she will lead the students in playing their parts live at home along with the recordings.
"In living rooms across Bay Village, the students will be playing together, though apart," she said. "The recording will allow us to hear what it would actually sound like if we were together." Orchestra awards will also be announced.
Both concerts can be watched on the Bay Athletics YouTube Channel, bit.ly/bayhighorch. A collection of virtual Bay High student music will be available on the school district website at bayvillageschools.com.
Karen Derby
Director of Communications for the Bay Village City School District