Page 10 - Final Annual Report 2020

Music Director 2020 Annual Report
Dave Tiedman

In reviewing this years’ music at Pilgrim Church, it has to be said that it was like no other year in recent memory.
Since March of 2020, and probably continuing through most of 2021, we – a century later than the Spanish flu
victims – in many ways are going through what they did 100 years ago. True, we have modern medicine to combat
this virus, and we have modern technology to help keep us going. Needless to say, there has been a lot of TV
watching, etc., to relieve the boredom and loneliness – for loneliness is one of the side effects of being separated for
long times from friends and family. Keeping six feet away from others, wearing masks in public all the time – it has
become a new, in some ways alien, world.

And music? Public concerts were – and are – nowhere to be found; musicians sit idle, unable to perform, for there
are no audiences for whom they can perform. Concert venues were closed for much of the time, and when open
could admit only a very limited number of people.

Music at Pilgrim Church? Plans had been made to begin rehearsals for an anticipated performance of the Fauré
Requiem on Good Friday. Orchestra was in place and hired, a baritone soloist, Ron Williams, and a mezzo-soprano
soloist, Hailey McAvoy, had been booked. The regular Chancel Choir was supplemented by about 10 other
interested singers and it promised to be a great performance. Alas, although rehearsals were started and held for
several weeks with a group close to 30 in number, it all ended in mid-March. Churches, along with other public
venues, were closed for public events. A few ‘knothead’ churches and pastors still held services and paid the price
by having outbreaks of the disease. Here at Pilgrim, the services went ‘virtual’ – televised online through Facebook
and then later in the day, YouTube. Our services were reduced to only the minister, John Hudson: a deacon/lay
leader; a videographer, Doug Ambos, the Music Director, David Tiedman; and sometimes a soloist, being present.
Things continued this way until mid-September, when here at Pilgrim, it was decided to open services to a very
limited number of people. Churches had been allowed to reopen to about 40% of capacity in mid-summer, but
Pilgrim waited until mid-September and then admitted only about 30 people to a service, only about 10-15% of the
church’s capacity. Those 30 had to sit in designated ‘pods’ scattered throughout the sanctuary. Services were still
broadcast online.

And so, as 2021 begins, the situation remains the same. Vaccines now available promise to end the pandemic, but
that is still months – or more – away.

Two bright musical highlights in 2020: because the Fauré was cancelled, and the money set aside for an orchestra
was not used, it was decided to do a recital in December of Christmas music. Usually there are umpteen concerts in
the area and adding to that would be superfluous, but this year there weren’t any. So a concert of organ, piano,
mezzo-soprano Hailey McAvoy and flautist Brendan Ryan, both of whom were hired, presented a recital on
December 13 of Christmas music using various combinations of performers and instruments. These two (basically)
unemployed musicians gave stellar performances and it was a great success. A very limited audience enjoyed it in
person and others viewed virtually. It became the only ‘silver lining’ in the otherwise bleak Pilgrim Music scene.

The other bright light was starting the Handbell Choir again. Because they are not singing, they could wear masks
and meet in a larger room, spacing six feet apart. Performances in the sanctuary were rearranged from the usual
format so everyone was six feet apart. They played in November and on Christmas Eve. It worked well.

6