It is so important to get your priorities right and sometimes so easy to be thrown off course. This week I have not be thrown off course and I have focused on two things – my family and my choirs!

It has been a frustrating time for choirs having been prevented from rehearsing indoors in numbers of no more than 6 since May 18th! It is difficult to understand why since there has been no further evidence to support the notion that singing is higher risk. What I should point out is that it would appear that it is only higher risk if you sing in an amateur choir!

Professional singers, opera choruses, west end casts, fans at darts and football matches can and have sung recently.

The Royal Choral Society successfully performed Messiah at The Royal Albert Hall on 30th May, and they all behaved in a professional manner. If evidence were needed that singing, with appropriate mitigations and safeguards in place should be allowed, then there has been plenty of it over the past two weeks. But the Government will not change its mind on choirs just now and we must hope that on June 21st we shall be allowed to resume.

My singers will be following a rigorous risk assessment; will have read and understood our risk reduction strategy; will have completed a health declaration and upon arrival will avoid mingling, will sanitize, and will sit at a designated seat; will be distanced; will wear a mask as directed; will sing, paying attention to the dynamic level; will be in a significantly reduced duration of rehearsal, not share music and will not participate in a break to prevent close contact.

Oh, did I also mention that the majority of those wishing to return will have received both vaccinations and are prepared to undertake lateral flow tests prior to a rehearsal. I appreciate that caution must be the watch word, but there must be parity and decisions made should be understood.

I do not profess to know everything about this subject, but neither should some MPs who seem to have become specialists in aerosol and droplet transmission. Some have also been incredibly supportive and understand our frustration.

We must all challenge our energies into what is important to us and remain focused and positive. I say this knowing that sometimes I do allow myself to be thrown off course and upon reflection I know it serves only to distract me.

But for the moment I am focused and will continue with my priorities!