Crystal Sellers Battle is the music department chair at Bluffton University, and over the past few months leading up to the start of the semester, she was one of many to help figure out whether or not it would be safe to allow music during the virus this year.
Music Department Chair Crystal Sellers Battle. Photo by Olivia Westcott.
“This summer, I would have to say that I became like a scientist almost, because I watched a lot of webinars, watched a lot of Zoom calls, trying to figure out what the safest way to make music happen,” said Sellers Battle. “That has been a huge part of my additional responsibilities that I wouldn’t have if we weren’t dealing with COVID-19.”
Faculty and administrators decided in-person music was safe as long as everyone utilizing Mosiman Hall followed procedure and helped keep their spaces and whatever they used clean.
Sellers Battle explained how a lot has changed for the Music Department this year to help lessen the spread of COVID-19.
She said the instrumentalists empty their spit valves onto puppy pads that can then be thrown away. Air purifiers are in every room and stay on their highest setting before and after classes. Alcohol wipes are provided to clean pianos. Choir members are wearing both masks and face shields when singing and following the standard distancing of students, and commonly touched surfaces are being wiped down.
Roy Couch, director of bands and instrumental music, and Sellers Battle said they feel the department is doing a good job to make sure students aren’t sharing materials.
Sophomore student Kayden Cordell practicing his saxophone. Photo by Olivia Westcott.
Each student has their own personal stand to use for the year. Each music major has their own practice room that gets used in separate intervals by a maximum of three people, and students get their own copies of music so they don’t have to share.
“I think what we’re really doing is focusing on keeping the college experience with the students as much as we can while being safe,” said Couch. “We always talk about not just getting the material across but how to engage the students and how to make it be a positive experience.”
Seller Battle said classes are being held in more distanced environments.
Chorale is being held in Yoder Recital Hall, Gospel Choir is distanced, and the concert band alternates between rooms and is split into smaller ensembles. She also said the jazz band is distanced and rehearsals are held outside when the weather is nice.
“I’ve had to research a whole different kind of literature,” said Couch, in regards to the smaller ensembles for the band. “I had to research literature that could be played by 10 people or 12 people. It is very different from anything I’ve ever done as a band director.”
Roy Couch, director of bands and instrumental music. Photo by Olivia Westcott.
For vocal lessons, Seller Battle said she is in the room with the student for the first half, but when the accompanist Da Eun Choi is ready to play with the student, Sellers Battle goes into another room and listens through a Zoom call.
Group performances will be pre-recorded and live-streamed on the original date of the concerts to avoid having a large group of people together on campus.
Couch said all the effort is worth it.
“I am super proud of the department, my colleagues and the students that I’ve come in contact with, work with, they have all been terrific. I feel blessed to have that,” said Couch.
“I think Bluffton, both the university and the administration and the department have worked really well to give us an option to still keep doing music during this time,” said Sellers Battle.
Lead photo: Da Eun Choi accompanies Eric Palmer during a voice lesson in Mosiman Hall. Photo by Elizabeth Rockwell
Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article had the wrong name of the student in the lead photo.
