Information For Music Majors – Spring 2021 – COVID-19 Response

Information For Music Majors – SPRING 2021 – COVID-19 Response

General Information
Frequently Asked Questions
Juries and Recitals
Technology for Music Students and Faculty Members

Important links for more information:

Recent Updates - Late March/Early April 2021

Ensembles

Each ensemble director will determine how their ensemble is managed, and may still choose to rehearse outside, take a mid-rehearsal break, or set up in straight lines. These decisions will be based on the pedagogical needs of the ensemble, as well as the instrument/vocal make-up and size of the ensemble.

Updated Policies:

Ensembles may set up in semicircles. Everyone must still be spaced a minimum of 6 feet apart (9 feet for trombone) and be masked/use bell covers and instrument bags.
Since all students are using masks, bell covers, and instrument bags, the 30 minute break in the ensemble rehearsal is no longer required. Ensembles may rehearse the full 90 minutes as long as all individuals are masked/use bell covers and instrument bags.
Ensembles may stay indoors for the entire spring semester.

Practice Rooms

We no longer have to have you assigned to specific practice rooms. You can now use any practice room in the Green Center or Music on the Square, at any time, under the following guidelines.

Beginning March 25:

You may use any practice room. Please wipe down the piano and stand before and after usage.
You may still remove your mask in practice rooms as long as you are alone.
There is a timer on the door. After practicing, please press START to set the timer for 30 minutes so that others can see when the practice room was last used. If the count-down timer has not completed the 30 minutes, please do not use that room. (The 30 minutes allows for ventilation of the space for your safety.)
If the battery in the timer dies, please email Jaye Beetem (jbeetem@depauw.edu) to have the battery replaced.

If you want to practice in an ensemble room or concert hall, you should still reserve the space as previously explained.

Music Stands

The GCPA Music Stands are back out and available for use. Stands have been placed in the performance halls, and the rest are in the hallway. Please feel free to move them to classrooms and practice rooms as needed. Please wipe down the stands before and after you use them.

Eating Location

In addition to the eating location near the dance studio, we will open a second location for socially distanced dining. This will be on the lower level on the Communication side of the building, directly across Theta Gardens. We will also place some tables outside for you to eat during warmer weather.

Room Schedules

We will place weekly room schedules on the doors of Kresge, Thompson, 1118, 1115, 1029, and 170 so you can see when the room is being used. Please remember the room should be left empty during the 30 minutes before and after a lesson, coaching, or practice session. If you want to use these rooms, please book them through the online form. Please do not just take a room because it is empty.

In-Person School of Music Convocation

We will have two in-person School of Music Convocations open to student performers. These will be on April 14 and May 5 in Kresge Auditorium. Please bring your ID card to swipe in for attendance. Those who are learning remotely will still watch online via Zoom.

If you are interested in performing, sign up here.

Junior and Senior Degree Recitals

We have gained updated approval regarding audiences for required junior degree recitals.

Your audience was previously limited to only DePauw students or family members. We are now able to approve a mixed audience. You will still be limited to 19 audience members, and each will have to have a ticket, but the make-up of the audience is up to you. You will need to share these details with Kate Grimm as we will seat your family members in the front away from others, and they will need to follow specific guidelines about entering and exiting.

Please see the updated official approval below:

"Seniors and juniors will be allowed to have both family members and DePauw students at their recitals and receptions, still limited to the total capacity of the space (19 audience members). Families will be seated separately and away from DePauw students. All other guidelines that were previous put in place will remain."

General Information

PERFORMANCES, CONCERTS, AND RECITALS (ADDED January 14, 2021)

All Spring 2020 events in the Green Center, with the exception of Junior and Senior Recitals, will be presented without an audience. This allows us to make music with the least amount of risk and meet the University guidelines for masks and visitors.

MASKS IN THE GREEN CENTER (ADDED JULY 13, 2020; Updated March 5, 2021)

As with all buildings on campus, masks will be required in the Green Center. You can find the Community Mask Usage policy online here.

Updated March 5, 2021:

Students must properly disinfect all surfaces, including pianos, before and after rehearsing. Students must wear a mask while disinfecting.

Students are permitted to practice in their assigned practice rooms. Instrument bags and bell covers are not required in practice rooms, and masks are only required while disinfecting surfaces. Only one student is permitted in the room at a time. A 30-minute break is required between students.
Students are permitted to practice in the practice rooms at Music on the Square during normal building hours. Staff members will monitor the practice rooms to mark when each is available after a 30-minute break.

Instrument bags and bell covers are not required in practice rooms, and masks are only required while disinfecting surfaces. Only one student is permitted in the room at a time. A 30-minute break is required between students.

Students may request to reserve GCPA 1133 (Conference Room), GCPA 1118 (Small Ensemble Room), GCPA 1115 (Large Ensemble Room), GCPA 170 (Grotto), or GCPA 1029 during normal building hours. (Click here for the Reservation Request Form). A member of the Production Staff will review the request, book the room, and send a confirmation email. The Production Staff will book 30 minutes before and after the reservation to ensure there is a break in the usage to allow for air exchange.

After approval, a student may practice in the assigned room alone.
Instrument bags and bell covers are not required in the assigned room, and masks are only required while disinfecting surfaces. Only one student is permitted in the room at a time. A 30-minute break is required between students.
Availability of these rooms vary by day and time.

Students may request to reserve a large space, such as Thompson Recital Hall or Kresge Auditorium, to prepare for graduate school auditions, recitals, juries, or summer program audio/video recording. Students may utilize the space and remove a mask if there are no other people in the space.

COMMON SPACES IN THE GREEN CENTER (ADDED JULY 13, 2020)

Common spaces in the Green Center have been altered to ensure 6-foot physical distancing and mask usage. Rooms that are too small and/or too difficult to monitor or clean have been closed. Furniture is still available in high traffic areas, such as the Great Hall and Bum Alley, but it has been moved and the floor has been marked indicating where the furniture is to remain. We ask that you please refrain from moving the furniture.

LOCKER RENTALS (ADDED JULY 13, 2020; updated July 25, 2020)

Locker rentals will be available this semester for students who are on campus. We ask that you maintain proper physical distancing as you access your locker and avoid sharing your locker with other students.

You can request a locker now through this form. A staff member will respond to you before you return to campus. Please be patient as we need time to change the locks on the lockers before we can respond.

INSTRUMENT RENTALS (ADDED JULY 13, 2020; updated July 30, 2020)

Rental instruments will be available this semester, but they may not be shared. Each instrument will go through a 5-7 day sanitization process after being returned, so please plan in advance for instrument rentals.

The rental request process for in-person rentals has been updated, allowing for contactless instrument rentals.

Instrument Check-out

Faculty and students must fill out instrument rental request and instrument/equipment rental agreement and make an appointment to check out instruments. After forms are completed, the Arts Administration Graduate Intern or Event Production Coordinator will retrieve the instruments and leave them in the music office for pick-up. Faculty and students will receive an email when the instruments are ready.

Faculty and students should plan in advance for rentals because same-day processing of requests may not be possible.

Instrument Return/Check-in

Faculty and students must return/check in instruments by appointment with the Arts Administration Graduate Intern. The instrument should be left in the Kresge Green Room at the appropriate time and location after which time the instrument will be stored in the Green Room for the required 5-day period to begin sanitizing.

Remote Faculty and Students

Faculty and students studying/working remotely should follow the same process as above, including mailing address. The staff will determine if equipment will be mailed or if a local rental instrument will be located. Rental instruments or equipment can be returned to campus in the spring.

Piano Tuning and Cleaning (Added July 28, 2020)

James Stone will start tuning pianos for the 2020 fall semester on Monday, August 3, 2020. This allows him to tune for 3 weeks prior to classes starting. He will tune all studio pianos, practice rooms, performance hall pianos, and classroom/ensemble room pianos.

During the 2020 fall semester James will come in on Saturdays from 7am-12pm every other week to tune necessary pianos and complete unexpected repairs that are shared with him by Kate Grimm. Please send piano issues directly to Kate via email (kategrimm@depauw.edu).

James will clean pianos as he works on them using disinfectant and Wypall 05841 on all keyboards. He will also wear a mask during his entire visit, as mandatory by state and DePauw guidelines.

Any extensive repairs will be done at James' shop. If extensive repairs are needed, he will contact Kate before removing the piano parts. Kate will alert the main user(s) of the piano and work out a schedule that fits in with James' contracted time in the building.

James will alert Kate of which pianos he worked on each Saturday. Kate will alert the main user(s) of the piano so they know the piano has been touched and to disinfect prior to using again.

Additionally, at the beginning of the semester there will be a spray bottle of disinfectant and Wypall wipes in all studios and practice rooms, as well as details about how to clean the piano keyboard (as provided by Steinway). If cleaning supplies run low, please email Kate Grimm (kategrimm@depauw.edu) so supplies can be refilled. Additionally, each practice room will be equipped with a trash can for used cleaning wipes.

Music Library (Added July 30, 2020)

Music Library services will resume as usual in the Fall 2020 semester, but have been modified to meet social distancing guidelines and safety precautions established by the University.

The Music Library will have posted traffic patterns, creating one-way flow of patrons. Furniture has been moved, and in some cases removed, to ensure social distancing while in the space.

Scholar stations have been removed.

The Music Library stacks and lower level, will be closed to all faculty, staff, and students to limit the amount of physical contact with the Music Library collection.

Patrons may request materials through the library catalog. Requested materials will be pulled by library staff, on the behalf of patrons, and processed for a scheduled no-contact pick-up.

Returned materials will be processed, isolated, and quarantined for seven days prior to being recirculated.

All library instruction will be delivered virtually.

Reserves will be available electronically through Moodle; there will be no physical reserves.

Please reference the Music Library 101 for Distance Learning LibGuide for more information: https://libguides.depauw.edu/muslib101

Practice Rooms and Rehearsal Spaces (Updated March 5, 2021)

Updated March 5, 2021:

Students must properly disinfect all surfaces, including pianos, before and after rehearsing. Students must wear a mask while disinfecting.

Students are permitted to practice in their assigned practice rooms. Instrument bags and bell covers are not required in practice rooms, and masks are only required while disinfecting surfaces. Only one student is permitted in the room at a time. A 30-minute break is required between students.
Students are permitted to practice in the practice rooms at Music on the Square during normal building hours. Staff members will monitor the practice rooms to mark when each is available after a 30-minute break.

Instrument bags and bell covers are not required in practice rooms, and masks are only required while disinfecting surfaces. Only one student is permitted in the room at a time. A 30-minute break is required between students.

Students may request to reserve GCPA 1133 (Conference Room), GCPA 1118 (Small Ensemble Room), GCPA 1115 (Large Ensemble Room), GCPA 170 (Grotto), or GCPA 1029 during normal building hours. (Click here for the Reservation Request Form). A member of the Production Staff will review the request, book the room, and send a confirmation email. The Production Staff will book 30 minutes before and after the reservation to ensure there is a break in the usage to allow for air exchange.

After approval, a student may practice in the assigned room alone.
Instrument bags and bell covers are not required in the assigned room, and masks are only required while disinfecting surfaces. Only one student is permitted in the room at a time. A 30-minute break is required between students.
Availability of these rooms vary by day and time.

Students may request to reserve a large space, such as Thompson Recital Hall or Kresge Auditorium, to prepare for graduate school auditions, recitals, juries, or summer program audio/video recording. Students may utilize the space and remove a mask if there are no other people in the space.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Since we have to abide by the university mask policy, how will singers and some instrumentalists be able to make music in our lessons and ensembles? What will learning on campus under these conditions offer that remote learning couldn’t also provide? (Added July 14, 2020; Updated January 14, 2021)

Each faculty member will decide how to handle lessons.

As of October 19:

Rehearsal, lessons and coachings should occur outside if the outside temperature is conducive to outdoor activity. If the outside temperature is at or below 60 degrees F, beginning October 19, vocal/brass/woodwind lessons and coachings may be moved indoors as long as room density and physical distancing can be maintained.

Outdoor rehearsals, lessons and coachings are preferred. Faculty members should remain outside when possible.

For all lessons, the faculty, accompanist, and student must wear a mask, whether indoors or outdoors. Proper instrument protection (instrument bags or bell covers) must be used. Faculty and students must properly disinfect all surfaces, including pianos, before and after rehearsing. Faculty and students must wear a mask while disinfecting.

All string, percussion, and piano lessons are permitted to be taught inside, in the applied studio.
Voice, brass, and woodwind lessons are permitted to be taught inside, in a large space (such as GCPA 1115, Thompson Recital Hall, or Kresge Auditorium). A 30-minute break must be scheduled in between students in the same space.
All string, percussion, and piano accompanist coachings are permitted to be taught inside, in the applied studio.
All voice, brass, and woodwind accompanist coachings are permitted to be taught inside, in a large space (such as GCPA 1115, Thompson Recital Hall, or Kresge Auditorium). A 30-minute break must be scheduled in between students in the same space.

Ensure all equipment that is shared is cleaned and disinfected between users (i.e.microphones, chairs, piano, etc.).
Anyone who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 or who has symptoms of COVID-19 should not participate in any in-person activities

As of October 26:

Rehearsals should occur outside if the outside temperature is conducive to outdoor activity. If the outside temperature is at or below 60 degrees F, beginning October 26, vocal/brass/woodwind rehearsals may be moved indoors as long as room density and physical distancing can be maintained.

Outdoor rehearsals, lessons and coachings are preferred. Faculty members should remain outside when possible.

Faculty and students must properly disinfect all surfaces, including pianos, before and after rehearsing. Faculty and students must wear a mask while disinfecting.

All brass and woodwind sections may meet outside with a 5-minute non-playing break every 30 minutes.
Brass and woodwind sections may meet inside, in large spaces (such as GCPA 1115 or Kresge Auditorium), with a 30-minute non-playing break every 30 minutes.
For all ensembles, the faculty and students must wear a mask, whether indoors or outdoors. Proper instrument protection (instrument bags or bell covers) must be used.

Who gets priority when signing up for practice times? (Added July 14, 2020; Updated JANUARY 14, 2021)

All students have been assigned a practice room, and should work with their partners to schedule times. In the Spring, a schedule does not need to be submitted.

As of October 5, 2020:

Students must properly disinfect all surfaces, including pianos, before and after rehearsing. Students must wear a mask while disinfecting.

Students are permitted to practice in practice rooms only. Instrument bags and bell covers are not required in practice rooms, and masks are only required while disinfecting surfaces. Only one student is permitted in the room at a time. A 30-minute break is required between students.
GCPA 1133 (Conference Room) is reserved for brass students to practice between 8:30 am and 5:30 pm, Monday through Wednesday and Friday. Instrument bags and bell covers are not required when practicing in the conference room, and masks are only required while disinfecting surfaces. Only one student is permitted in the room at a time. A 30-minute break is required between students. A weekly calendar will be posted to schedule time.
GCPA 1029 is reserved for brass students to practice between 8:30 am and 12:30 pm, Monday through Friday. This will allow for a larger space and additional ventilation for these large instruments. Instrument bags and bell covers are not required when practicing in GCPA 1029, and masks are only required while disinfecting surfaces. Only one student is permitted in the room at a time. A 30-minute break is required between students. A weekly calendar will be posted to schedule time.
Students may request to reserve a large space (such as Thompson Recital Hall or Kresge Auditorium) to prepare a graduate school or summer program audio/video recording. Students may utilize the space and remove a mask if there are no other people in the space. Sample spaces include the Green Center Recording Studio, Thompson Recital Hall, and Kresge Auditorium.

I am a liberal arts student taking applied music lessons. Will I be able to use a practice room? (Added July 25, 2020)

Yes. We are reserving a small number of practice rooms specifically for liberal arts students who are taking lessons.

Since string players can keep their masks on at all times, can they have access to the classrooms to practice? (Added July 14, 2020)

As of right now classrooms and ensemble rooms are not an option for practicing due to the time needed between classes to sanitize and the needed sanitization in the evening. We are working on other possible rehearsal spaces. Additionally, it is possible that brass and wind players could practice outside, depending on weather.

Will I be able to teach in the Community Music Program this Spring? (Added JANUARY 14, 2021)

Due to limitations on events and visitors, as well as the required mask policy, the Community Music Program will not run during the Spring semester.

Will Music on the Square Be Open in the Spring? (Added January 14, 2021)

Music on the Square will be open beginning March 1, 2021.

Many students still have school instruments from Spring 2020 or Fall 2021, what should we do with them? (Added January 14, 2021)

If students are learning remotely and have a school instrument, we ask that they hold on to it until they return to campus where we will then collect them.

For those of us who will be preparing for grad school auditions, what would that look like both on campus and remotely? (Added July 31, 2020)

All music students will receive a Tascam Recorder which can function as an audio device for certain auditions. Our Audio Technician and Assistant Technical Director will be available to help students with questions. In addition, each senior and junior will be given the professional development grant so they can purchase all the necessary materials needed for these auditions.

What is the quality of the Tascam Recorder? Do they work well with all voice and instrument types? (Added July 31, 2020)

The Tascam Recorders are of very high quality. They can be used both as recording devices and as external microphones for your computer. There is a user guide that comes with it which will be able to show you how to take advantage of its features, as well as an online guide to using Cleanfeed. Both programs combined will give students a better sound quality experience. Platforms like Zoom and Google Meet condense and take out the background sound while Cleenfeed does not.

How should students give feedback/ideas about possible virtual events and activities? Who should we contact? (Added July 31, 2020)

Students should email the School of Music, schoolofmusic@depauw.edu, where it can then be forwarded to the appropriate person.

If we have a CLA class during the usual time for Recital Hour/SOM Convocation (such as a language class), are we still being enrolled in it and have the same requirements as everyone else? (Added July 31, 2020)

SOM Convocation will be synchronous in the Spring 2021 semester. Please contact Associate Dean Caroline Jetton with any issues.

As a teacher in the Community Music Program, if I work out an online format with a student and am able to keep that student, is there anything I need to do when it comes to officially signing up for CMP for the 2020-2021 school year? Or is this still going to be an option to teach them online if they want to? (Added JANUARY 14, 2021)

The community music program will be suspended in the Spring 2021 semester.

What are the logistics for shared instruments on campus like percussion equipment, pianos, etc.? (Added July 31, 2020)

Each instrument will be cleaned and sanitized regularly. For percussion instruments, items such as mallets and drumsticks will be wiped down after every use.

Pianos will have a specific cleaner and paper towel for students and faculty to use for cleaning. There are trash cans in each practice room as well as instructions on how to clean the pianos. We suggest that students clean the pianos before and after every use.

In addition, practice rooms will be assigned to students to limit the number of students using a piano.

Lastly, for other instruments like woodwinds, brass, violins, etc., there is a 5 to 7 day procedure that we must follow in order to appropriately clean the instruments. Please note that some instruments may not be available due to the extended cleaning times.

Is there any insight to how Sophomore proficiencies will work? (Added January 14, 2021)

Please speak to your applied instructor about your instrumental area.

Will we not have any Green Guests Artists or Composer-in-Residence this year? (Added July 31, 2020)

We will continue to have virtual events in the Spring 2021 semester.

Juries and Recitals

Brass (Added July 29, 2020)

Juries/Recitals for all students, whether studying on campus or remotely, will be submitted via video. Videos for the Brass area are due on Friday, November 20 at 5:00 p.m.

Videos should be saved in a Google Drive folder named in the following format:

YourName_Instrument_Fall2020Jury
YourName_Instrument_Fall2020JuniorRecital
YourName_Instrument_Fall2020SeniorRecital

Google drive folders should be shared with musicmarketing@depauw.edu with full access. Videos will be archived and shared with the appropriate applied faculty members.

Harp (Spring details added April 1, 2021)

Harp juries will be remote.

Percussion (Spring details added april 1, 2021)

Juries and Proficiencies for all students (on-campus or remote) will be submitted via video. Percussion Juries are due on Friday, May 14 at 6 p.m. Eastern Time.

Piano (Spring Details Added April 1, 2021)

Juries/Recitals for all students, whether studying on campus or remotely, will be submitted via video. Videos for the Piano Area are due on Friday, May 14, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern time.

Videos should be saved in a Google Drive folder named in the following format:

YourName_Instrument_Fall2020Jury
YourName_Instrument_Fall2020JuniorRecital
YourName_Instrument_Fall2020SeniorRecital

Strings (Spring Details added April 1, 2021)

String students may submit videos or may play their juries in person for Spring 2021. As usual, the date for string juries will be the day after classes end for the spring semester: this year, that is Friday, May 14. Live juries must be performed that day, and videotaped juries must be submitted by 11:59 Eastern that day. Juries performed live will be recorded for any faculty member who needs to adjudicate but cannot be present. This date applies to regular semester juries and Sophomore Proficiency exams.

A reminder that students who are giving live recitals this semester must successfully pass a recital jury no less than two weeks before the date of the proposed recital. This may be performed live for the applied teacher and videotaped for other adjudicating professors, if all professors cannot be present. Students who plan to present a videotaped recital at the same time as regular juries may follow the instructions above for submitting a regular jury, but must also record a separate recital jury no less than two weeks before; both the jury and the recital itself must receive a passing grade for credit to be earned for the recital. As usual, students presenting a recital within the last six weeks of the semester do not need to perform an additional post-recital jury.

Voice (Spring details added April 1, 2021)

The voice area will have in-person juries on Friday, May 14 for students who are on campus and who, at the discretion of their collaborative pianist, choose this option. Video-recorded juries for all off-campus students and any on-campus students who prefer this option will be due by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 14.

Woodwind (SPRING DeTAILS Added APRIL 5, 2021)

Juries for all students, whether studying on campus or remotely, will be conducted through Zoom on Tuesday, May 11, 2021.

Technology for Music Students and Faculty Members

Tascam Recorders (Added June 30, 2020)

We were able to secure enough Tascam Audio Recorder/Microphones so that all music majors and music faculty will be able to check out a "technology package" this fall in preparation for learning in whatever format is required for your courses.

The Tascam Recorders allow recording of high quality audio that can then be downloaded and shared. Additionally, the Tascam can be connected to a computer to be used as a high-quality external stereo microphone, helping with sound during Zoom/Google calls.

In addition to the recorder, this "technology package" will include a set of high quality Tascam headphones. So, in all, you would check out the following:

Tascam Audio Recorder
SD memory card
USB cable (to connect as and external microphone)
Tascam Headphones

The checkout process will be emailed soon. We are also in-process of researching high quality speakers for use.

While you do not yet have the Tascam Recorders, we created a user guide that includes details on how to use it as a microphone and a recorder. The user guide is available here.

Audio Editing (Added June 30, 2020)

In addition to the Tascam Recorders, we have gained access to a free version of Pro Tools First for our faculty and students, allowing you more editing flexibility. Of course, you can still use other free programs, like Audacity, if you desire.

We have prepared guides for audio editing in Pro Tools First, Garage Band, and Audacity. These guides include links to download the programs.

Audio for Applied Lessons (Added June 30, 2020)

In addition to the Tascam Recorders, headphones, and memory cards, we have also prepared a user guide for CLEANFEED, a free online program to share high quality audio over the internet. While Zoom and Google Meet condense or clean audio, CleanFeed does not. In our tests, we were able to better hear overtones, background sounds, squeaks, etc. When combined with the Tascam Recorder, the audio quality is much better. CleanFeed is audio only, but you can use it in conjunction with Google Meet or Zoom by muting the sound in Google Meet/Zoom and only using the audio in CleanFeed. We did not experience any issues in the video from one program and the audio from another syncing.

The CleanFeed user guide with links is available here.

Google Meet and Zoom (Added June 30, 2020)

We have created a user guide for Google Meet and Zoom. The guide is available here.

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