As you may recall, in 2019 the Friends of the Rockbridge Choral Society became the Rockbridge Choral Society. Since then, the Board of Directors has been transitioning from primarily a fundraising function to a managing board. The board has grown in numbers and we are happy to have new faces this term with representatives from the Rockbridge Chorus and parents of singers in the Rockbridge Youth Chorale in addition to members who have been steering the board since before the transition.

   As we move into the second year of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Choral Society has been challenged quite literally as never before. Who would have imagined that singing could be so dangerous? As vaccines roll out and our singers get their turn to receive them, we thought we would update our supporters on where we are. The Rockbridge Youth Chorale under the tutelage of Lacey Lynch has continued to rehearse, mostly out-of-doors, for most of the last year, going virtual when the weather did not permit live rehearsing. We can never express enough our thanks to Lacey and her interns for their work with our young singers. They have their spring concert coming up on April 20, and it will be live, outside under the Nelson Street bridge which has become their primary outdoor rehearsal space since last fall. Seating will be limited so that physical distancing can be practiced and masks will be required for audience members. In spite of these restrictions, the kids are really excited to be singing live for an audience.

   Now for the adults, the opportunity to resume rehearsal is still up in the air. The board will be considering options and procedures to determine how, when, and where rehearsals can start up. Almost as important as how and when is the where. Our adult chorus membership can top 70 singers. It is not hard to imagine what a challenge it is to find a large enough rehearsal space to allow for physical distancing and proper ventilation, not to mention how to accommodate a socially distanced audience. And, what will be the board’s policy on vaccination? Should singers be required to be vaccinated? If so, what proof needs to be provided?  What about mask wearing? If you are a singer, what questions or suggestions do you have? Let us know at admin@rcs.org.

The board is carefully considering how to resume with an eye not only on present concerns, but on the future.  The Policies and Procedures Committee is working through a number of processes as it formalizes a document which will deal with these and many more issues. This will formalize guidelines for the board and the choruses we manage now and in the future. And for now, keep checking www.rcs.org for updates on how we get back to singing.

The Rockbridge Youth Chorale will be presenting its spring concert on April 20 at 7:00 PM under the Nelson Street Bridge.  Seating will be limited and spots are available on a first come first serve basis. Notification will be sent out once capacity is reached. Sign up here and bring your own chair for a concert under the stars. The kids are thrilled to be in front of a live audience for the first time in over a year, so don’t miss your chance at a seat!

What do a Stradivari violin and a Fazioli piano have in common?  They both have their origins in the red spruce trees growing in the Val di Fiemme of Italy's Dolomites. The red spruce in these forests grows very slowly so the wood has an even grain, and this produces a uniquely resonant sound board for Paolo Fazioli’s pianos as it did for the famous Stradivari string instruments. He says that the wood is very light, but also very strong – important characteristics for the soundboard in his pianos. At his factory about 2 hours from the Val di Fiemme, he and his 50 employees turn out 140 hand-crafted pianos each year. Each piano takes 3 years to build and typically retails for $200,000 and up, though some custom instruments sell for half a million. Fazioli’s devotees include jazz pianist Herbie Hancock who is such a fan that his performance contracts now stipulate that he must play his concerts on a Fazioli.

   Though the piano was invented around 1700 by an Italian, Bartolomeo Cristofori, it was richer countries like Austria and Germany that perfected its production. Fazioli is bringing it back home to Italy. Is it really better or just different? Listen to a Steinway and a Fazioli here and compare.