Kutztown Pipe Band provides socially distanced performance
The Lutheran Home residents
have been isolated since the start of COVID-19
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The Kutztown Pipe Band performed this summer at The Lutheran Home at Topton to provide socially distanced entertainment to residents who have been isolated since the start of COVID-19.
“It is exceedingly important for members of nursing and retirement homes to know that they are remembered and appreciated during the extended isolation that they have endured during the pandemic... not just remembered and appreciated by their close family, but by their community as well,” said band founder and pipe major Laura Sherrod, a professor of geology at Kutztown
University.
Performing is also helpful for the progression of the band as the Kutztown Pipe Band is a teaching and learning community group and a KU student organization.
“It is important for members of the band to have performances that give them goals for their own personal achievements in learning to play the bagpipes. Performances greatly enhance the abilities and quality of the band,” said Sherrod.
The band – which consists of KU faculty and staff, Kutztown Area School District staff and students and borough residents – performs traditional Celctic music, primarily Scottish, on the Great Highland Bagpipes with Scottish snare, tenor, and bass drums.
“During 2019, we played at festivals during the normal performance season (spring and summer), and transitioned to playing volunteer performances at nursing and retirement homes in the winter to keep ourselves in performance shape and to contribute to the community,” she said.
When COVID-19 restrictions went in place in March, the band canceled its weekly practices for a few weeks, but then met via Zoom.
“They were challenging as there is a lag time in the Zoom transmission which means we can’t hear ourselves play together during the practices,” said Sherrod. “Instead of playing all together, one band member would have their microphone on and all the others would be on mute. The person with the microphone on would lead the tune, and everyone else would follow along from their home, staying in time with the person leading the tune.”
When the weather grew warmer in spring, the band met for outdoor practices.
“We have maintained social distancing during the in-person practices to decrease the potential for transmission of the virus – using a distance between each person of more than the CDC guidance of 6 feet,” she said.
“Our summer 2020 performance season was wiped clear by the pandemic, so we have spent our summer months working on new tunes and expanding our repertoire,” Sherrod added.
During the performance at The Lutheran Home, there was plenty of space between the band and residents.
“The Lutheran Home had been scheduled to be our next performance just before the COVID-19 restrictions went in place last
spring. These restrictions at the nursing homes meant that the residents were confined to their rooms in isolation. This lifestyle was very taxing on the residents,” said Sherrod. “The members of the KPB wanted to bring some joy to the residents. This location was chosen as our first performance venue since the COVID restrictions went in place primarily because the grandmother of one of our members is a resident. This meant that we had contacts within the facility who were willing to work with us to get the residents outdoors for the performance.”
The performance was presented at a distance of more than 100 feet from the residents, “To far exceed the social distancing guidelines of the CDC and keep the residents safe and healthy. The bagpipes are a very loud instrument, so this distance of 100 feet would be considered normal even in nonpandemic times. Being very close to a bagpipe band can be unpleasantly loud in any circumstances.”
“The residents were very pleased to have us perform,” she added. “The band has received a great deal of gratitude from both
the residents of the facility as well the staff of the facility.”
Debra Gogno, Executive Director at The Lutheran Home at Topton, said, “They very much appreciated the opportunity to enjoy the music.”
For months, visitors were restricted until recently at The Lutheran Home.
Events such as this are important at this time of social distancing, Gogno said, “Evoking toe taping and hand clapping; the event was very much appreciated. In fact, residents requested a return visit from the band in the future.”
And all health guidelines were followed.
“The performance was held outside and physicaldistancing was maintained, masks worn and hand hygiene practiced as always. Individuals in their wheelchairs or chairs were seated according to guidance from the federal CDC,” she said.
“We hope that performing in a manner that meets all applicable social distancing and health safety requirements can bring a little joy to the lives of people that have been experiencing isolation and the loneliness
that that brings with it,” said KPB snare drummer and piper Harry Edwards, a retired engineer and a multi-instrumentalist and composer (https://w w w. harrison-music.com/).
KPB piper Cathy Reighn, a physical therapist at Good Shepherd who started learning the pipes in 2018, said, “The people living in the facilities have been very isolated. Most have had no family visits and no stimulation from outside groups. It’s a perfect match, we need someone to perform to and they need the interaction.”
For piper Rachel Massie, a substitute teacher in the Kutztown Area School District who started learning the pipes in 2017, this performance was very personal.
“This was the first time I had seen my Grandmother aka ‘Meemaw’ since March. Even though I couldn’t give her a hug or even get close enough to talk to her. It was a comfort to see her, and give her and the other residents an evening of entertainment.”
KPB piper Jennie Friehauf, an accountant who started learning the pipes in 2017, answered the question about the importance of performing at this time.
“One take on it is that it’s not any more important than any other form of entertainment, I guess. Most people are missing going to movies, concerts, live music in pubs, watching sports, etc. – it all serves a purpose,” said Friehauf. “I feel especially sorry for older people in these residences who have even LESS interaction. What’s nice about bagpipes, unlike most instruments, that it’s so great to play outdoors and so it’s do-able right now, and their initial purpose, right?! “