Bard Music Program During COVID-19

The following are our plans for operating during the COVID-19 pandemic. Live music making is complicated during this time, but we are committed to offering you the safest environment in which to learn and make music.

Reopening Plans and Protocols for Musicians as of February 26, 2021

Latest updates bolded.

These are the new guideline updates as of February 26, 2021 and supersede earlier guidelines.
IMPORTANT: If there is an outbreak of coronavirus on campus then we will revert to our earlier protocols.

Latest updates are in bolded in the top section. General protocols follow the table of contents below.

Updates:

Brass and Woodwind, solo and ensemble playing

Players may play solo in classroom setting with the following stipulations:
- Classes may only be held outside or in larger performance spaces (CPS, Olin Hall, Sosnoff Theater)
- Masks with slits and bell covers required.
- Socially distanced 20 ft from classmates.
- Socially distanced 6 ft. from collaborative pianist.
- Groups may rehearse for 60 minutes in a room and then the space should be ventilated for one hour after rehearsal ends.
- Wind and brass players may play unmasked when practicing alone in a practice room.
Brass ensembles of up to 15 players may play with the following stipulations:
- May only play outside or in larger performance spaces (CPS, Olin Hall, Sosnoff Theater)
- Players must use masks with slits for mouthpiece and bell covers.
- Brass and woodwind players inside must be socially distanced a minimum of 6 feet. Trombone players must be socially distanced a minimum of 10 ft.
- Players outside may be unmasked but must maintain social distancing greater than 10 ft.
- Players must sit back to back or side to side, or in a broad semi-circle. They may not play directly facing each other.
- Ensembles may rehearse for 60 minutes with 60 minutes of ventilation time.
- Indoor spaces must be cleaned at least one time per day. Sosnoff Center will be fogged once per day.
- Outside playing and rehearsing is ALWAYS preferred whenever possible.

Singers:

Unmasked singing is allowed with the following stipulations:
- Singers may sing unmasked when singing alone in a practice room or in the video-linked teaching studios.
- Singers may sing unmasked for up to two hours with a 60 minute period afterwards for ventilation; or 30 minutes with 30 minutes of ventilation time.
Masked singing is allowed with the following stipulations:
- Socially distanced 12 feet from pianist.
- In a classroom setting, everyone else must be socially distanced 20 ft.
- Classroom should be ventilated for one hour after class ends.
Outside group singing is allowed if singers are masked and distanced 12 ft.
Group singing indoors is still not allowed.

Pianist Collaboration Guidelines

Collaborative pianists may play for singers with the following stipulations:
- Both must be masked
- Socially distanced 12 ft.
- Only one singer at a time. No duets or larger vocal ensembles.
Collaborative pianist may play for brass and woodwind players with the following stipulations:
- Pianist masked.
- Brass or woodwind player masked with slit for mouth piece, and with bell cover
- Socially distanced a minimum of 6 ft.
- When playing for larger groups of brass players, all players must be socially distanced a minimum of 6 ft. Trombone players must be distanced a minimum of 10 ft.
- Players may rehearse for one hour and then the space should be ventilated for one hour.

Orchestra

Woodwind and brass players may be added to orchestra with the following stipulations:
- 1 hour 15 minutes rehearsal limit with wind and brass then 60 minute gap
- Daily cleaning or fogging of rehearsal space.
- Woodwind and brass players must be masked with slit for mouthpiece, and with bell covers
- All players in orchestra (including winds, and brass) must be socially distanced a minimum of 6 ft. Trombones must be socially distanced a minimum of 10 ft.
- The total size of the orchestra, conductor, artistic staff and stage crew may not exceed 50 people. (This is by NY State regulation.)

General Guidelines

Introduction

We are writing today to update you on plans for reopening in the fall. As you know, live music making is quite complicated during this time; regardless, we are committed to offering you the safest environment in which to learn and make music.

Regarding academic classes, we are assessing the classroom spaces to determine the maximum number of people a room can hold while maintaining social distancing. Some classes have been moved to other locations such as Olin Auditorium and the Conservatory Performance Space. We are working closely with each individual faculty regarding how a class is taught: either in person, a mix of in-person and remote, or less frequently, exclusively on-line.

We have secured two outdoor tents which will serve as an alternative space for classes. We hope that this will allow us to spread out somewhat to avoid the density of our spaces. We are consulting with Nuvance Health, which is reviewing our plans for musicians. We have also created four teams who are advising us on how to best make music in-person. The four groups are addressing larger ensembles, chamber ensembles (including jazz), private lessons and practice rooms. Additionally, we have assembled a team exclusively for vocal music, both private and ensemble. Each group is made of faculty from all undergraduate and graduate programs with the goal being consistency in our health practices across all the music programs at Bard.

Our first priority in creating these guidelines is the health and safety of the students, faculty and staff. We follow three core principles in making these guidelines:
● Prioritizing as much as possible in-person music making and teaching in smaller gatherings, and minimizing as much as possible elements of the curriculum that require large gatherings of people.
● Creating a safer physical environment in the music teaching studios, performing spaces and practice rooms. (e.g. increased ventilation, gaps between room use, sanitization processes etc.)
● Changing the way we work to reduce the likelihood of transmitting the virus to one another. (e.g. altering work and teaching schedules, specific rules for wearing of masks by musicians, changing rehearsals schedules and procedures, streaming of live concerts etc.)
Finally, these guidelines will change as new information becomes available and as new health regulations are put into effect.

Applying to the Program

How to Apply

To apply to the undergraduate Bard Music Program, apply through the Bard Admission Office. Applying to the Bard Conservatory of Music requires a separate application to the Conservatory.
Apply to the Undergraduate Program Apply to the Conservatory

Bard Music Program During COVID-19

Reopening Plans and Protocols for Musicians as of February 26, 2021

General Guidelines

Introduction

General Guidelines

Cleaning

Orchestra

Chamber Music

Private Lessons

Practice Rooms

Voice Lessons and Coaching

Applying to the Program