Music During COVID Season

Hello fellow members of St. Mark. Bob Rub here. I wanted to write something about how we are doing music during this pandemic time. I can tell that some are confused about it. Folks show up on Sunday and hear the organ, but there I am standing on the stage outside…. what is going on?

Truly the pandemic has changed everything and music is no exception. When we were having only online services, I did a lot of work recording and editing music. For hymns, I would record myself playing St. Mark’s pipe organ with a Zoom mp3 recorder. Then, I would email the mp3 recording to different members of the choir each week, asking if they would be willing to record their voice singing the hymns to the organ and send the recording of their voice back to me (this can be done on most cell phones). Typically, I had 3 or 4 singers each week sending me separate voice tracks. I then included vocals of my own and lined them all up on my computer using Audacity, a freeware recording program. It took some time, but I was pretty happy with the congregational sound that resulted. The special music was done the same way, with soloists, instrumentalists and accompaniment. Often, I created an arrangement myself just for the Sunday.

The Praise Band did much of the same to contribute a song each week, when services were online only. Both Chris Semmelroth and Dennis Clark put in many hours to record instrumental accompaniments, email them to singers, and then line up the vocals. It is a lot of work.

Now that we are having live services in the parking lot, editing responsibilities are less demanding, but I still record a hymn, a prelude or postlude (so it is me on the organ), arrange special music and play instrumentally with the Praise Band. As for choir and handbells, I am holding limited, socially distanced, and masked rehearsals. About 7 ringers from the bell choir have been meeting each week for rehearsal. The intention is to deliver a bell music recording at least one Sunday a month. There are more ringers in our group, but no one is pressured to meet if they feel uncomfortable about meeting. In fact, if people have compromised immunity for any reason, they are encouraged not to come. The same goes for choir.

Voices of St. Mark just began meeting on September 23. The men meet for 45 minutes (7-7:45 p.m.) each Wednesday in the Sanctuary, masked and distanced. Then the women meet similarly for 45 minutes (7:45-8:30 p.m.). When we have an anthem ready, I record the men, then women (separately) during their rehearsal time. Those who would rather record their part from home are sent the accompaniment recording and they send their vocal track to me by email. Then, I line them up using the computer. The plan is to rehearse and record about 2 anthems a month.

Finally, because we cannot have a Christmas Concert this year, I am working with Pastor Chad on planning a podcast recording to be available for viewing sometime in mid-December. The plan is to include choir, handbells, soloists, piano/organ duets, instrumentalists, and more. My (probable) theme will be “With God All Things Are Possible.” It is fitting in these times when Covid limits us. It is also a good Christmas theme, because the phrase “with God all things are possible” was spoken by Gabriel when he visited Mary to tell her she would have a son. The phrase is also applicable to each of us every day, especially now. Sometimes we don’t know what to do, but we can trust that with God all things are possible. Thank you for indulging my explanations. I always look forward to working with the wonderful volunteers and musicians at St. Mark. May God continue to bless all of our ministries.

Robert Rub