The students of the University of Rhode Island’s music department, which often relies on performing live music, have been some of those hit the hardest by COVID-19 changes and regulations.
Last week, professor David Neves wrote a letter to the editor in The Providence Journal, in which he criticized the state of Rhode Island for its failure to update COVID-19 protocols since last year. Neves said that it was from frustration on how the state has handled COVID restrictions for music in particular. In the piece, he wrote about how he is happy that athletics are back, but the state should update its protocols for music programs.
“If students can play sports, and adults can dine out safely, we can use the same science and mitigation to bring enrichment and equity to students of music,” Neves wrote.
The current protocols have not been the easiest on the music department, he said. However, he was very quick to praise the University for its handling of the department.
When music students first returned to campus in the fall, they would practice in tents outside of the Fine Arts Center. However, these tents are nowhere to be found at the moment, having been taken down at the end of last semester.
“The tents were a nice touch, but certainly for the cost factor involved it made all the sense in the world because they couldn’t keep them up with the snow and everything,” Neves said.
According to Mark Conley, the department’s chair, they are now using rooms in other buildings like Cherry Auditorium and the building which used to have the University Club at 95 Club on Upper College Road. While the music department has not had ticket revenue due to the pandemic, they are still in good financial standing.
“We also do not have as much money going out for guest performances for example,” said Conely. “There’s much less music purchasing going on.”
Conely said that some things are much different and more difficult. One of those things being the choir; with their masks on, it is difficult in practice, as their mouths are not visible.
Timing of rehearsals are also somewhat difficult due to the changing of locations. Still, he believes that the students are adapting well. The school is still putting on live music, such as the weekly virtually streamed Ram Jam Saturday Night concert series.
“They’re performing, we’re recording and we’re releasing it to an audience on video,” Conley said. “They also have convocations, where the majors perform in front of each other and are still doing recitals for families, albeit in front of smaller audiences.”
Neves believes that this has shown the great leadership put on by the school and gave some news that may make live music easier to come by. After he wrote his letter to the editor last week, the state did decide that they were going to update the COVID-19 protocols for performances and music students and will be releasing them in the upcoming weeks.
When asked about how he feels the department has done overall, Conely said he was proud of what the department has managed to accomplish despite the challenges faced this year.