Choir Attempts to Spread Christmas Cheer during Covid

Caroling and seeing warm smiles was not something the choir was able to do for the surrounding nursing homes this year due to Covid-19 restrictions, however this didn’t stop the choir from still spreading Christmas cheer.

Instead of abandoning the annual visit to carol for local nursing homes the choir followed the very common theme of virtual improvising. The choir filmed a 22 minute long video of them singing numerous songs including “Gesu Bambino," "We Need a Little Christmas," “Frosty the Snowman,” “Hark the Herald Angels Sing,” “Away in a Manger,” and a few others.

This school year no doubt has not been normal for anyone and the choir students even took notice. Virtual performances simply aren’t the same as in-person ones according to many choir students.

Choir student Megan Senkbeil said, “The video is not the same as a live performance because in-person you can feel the positive energy we give off while singing.” Senkbeil said she felt terrible for not being able to visit the nursing homes this school year.

Choir teacher Emily Schuhmacher said it felt impersonal to film a video instead of in-person caroling. “This year it was much more generic and, admittedly, kind of awkward,” Schumacher said. “Last year VBC had a genuinely life changing experience at one of the nursing homes, an experience that one could only have when singing in person.”

Choir student Sophia Gehring said, “ I think the choir making an attempt to reach out during the holidays is huge for the senior citizens. Even though we were not there in person it was something close to normal for them and for us to do.”

She said it was heartbreaking that the choir could not visit the nursing homes in-person. “Something I enjoyed last year when visiting the nursing homes is seeing the smiles from the senior citizens while we were singing, also seeing some of the senior citizens sing along with us.”

Schuhmacher has been in contact with about a dozen assisted living/nursing homes including Willington Place At Hartford and Autumn Oaks Assisted Living in Slinger.

Senkbeil found that the video thought that the message of the actual video outweighed any flaws with the video itself.

“While filming the video I could see flaws from a music/choral perspective but making it perfect wasn't the point,” Senkbeil said. “The point was to be able to bring some Christmas spirit to those who may be feeling down in these times and have fun while doing it.”

Gehring thought that the video had turned out well, although she wished the senior citizens could have seen their faces. “I wish there was some way of us showing our facial expressions on the video because expression plays a big role when performing,” Gehring said. “Obviously we cannot not show the expressions as well with the masks.”

“I think for some senior citizens just having us there can make their day where this year they do not get that,” Gehring said.