With auditoriums closed, schools turn to virtual end-of-year musical performances

Note to Journalists: A solo musician stock image and a photograph of the professor are available to journalists via Google Drive.

WHAT: Most end-of-year concerts for bands, choirs, orchestras and other musical groups have been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many schools and colleges are improvising by hosting online performances via Soundtrap, Flipgrid and other platforms that musicians can use to perform together from the safety of their own homes.

WHO: Christopher Cayari, an assistant professor of music education in the Patti and Rusty Rueff School of Design, Art, and Performance at Purdue University, researches online music making and collective performances on YouTube, Soundcloud, Tik Tok and other digital platforms. Over the last 10 years, he has studied the growing popularity of virtual choirs, some of which can consist of thousands of singers worldwide.

Christopher Cayari. (Courtesy photo) Download image

QUOTE: “Until now, we have not had the infrastructure or the training available for educators to organize these kinds of virtual performances. They have already been happening in splotches in music education classes across the world, but now we’re in this situation where a lot more music teachers have to partner with sound engineers. These partnerships are growing and a lot more companies are springing up and offering this type of service to schools. Hopefully, we’ll see more easy-to-use collaborative apps where students can sing with each other without having to enlist the help of professional sound engineers.”

MORE INFORMATION: Read more about Cayari’s research and expertise on virtual choirs.

About Purdue University

Purdue University is a top public research institution developing practical solutions to today’s toughest challenges. Ranked the No. 6 Most Innovative University in the United States by U.S. News & World Report, Purdue delivers world-changing research and out-of-this-world discovery. Committed to hands-on and online, real-world learning, Purdue offers a transformative education to all. Committed to affordability and accessibility, Purdue has frozen tuition and most fees at 2012-13 levels, enabling more students than ever to graduate debt-free. See how Purdue never stops in the persistent pursuit of the next giant leap at purdue.edu.

Writer: Joseph Paul, paul102@purdue.edu (working remotely but will provide immediate response)

Source: Christopher Cayari, ccayari@purdue.edu (also available for phone and Zoom interviews)