In a week where one man’s actions have proved to be at odds with many others it has prompted me to reflect on the lack of consistency that has surrounded us throughout the last 15 months.

I dare say many of you would say that inconsistency has always been present, but for me the stark contrast has very clearly come into focus. It is not the first time that someone in public office has made an error of judgement, but the impact of this error is that trust and believability have been irreparably damaged.

I received many favourable comments on last week’s blog as it highlighted the almost comical situation in which we find ourselves.

This week, however, I am confused at how some can interpret guidance to suit their own agenda or rather to allow the inconsistencies to benefit the few, but not the many.

My choirs are ready to return to sing, but like so many others the circumstances and interpretation of guidance prevents this.

Yet, I see that other choirs have already returned, and I am pleased that some have been able to find a way back, or rather their individual circumstances have been deemed acceptable and therefore received the go ahead.

But it is the lack of fairness that causes frustration and if a different approach can be allowed to happen because of inconsistency, then this needs to be addressed. It shouldn’t be one rule for one or the few and another rule for everyone else. We should be equal! We all want to sing again, and we all want to benefit from our shared love of music.

In pointing out the inconsistency, I am not in any way suggesting that those choirs who have managed to find a way back are wrong to do so, just that we should all be given the same chance.

Uncertainty still eats away at us all and we still don’t know what the 19th July will bring! I still look at the daily statistics, but this week decided to look a little deeper. “In England, the number of deaths increased from 7,302 in week 22 (week ending 4 June 2021) to 9,554 in week 23 (week ending 11 June 2021) which was 208 more deaths (2.2%) higher than the week 23 five-year average.” This was taken from the Office for National Statistics own figures. As I read further, it became more interesting. “Of these, 83 deaths involved coronavirus in week 23, a 13.5% decrease compared with week 22 (96 deaths). Of all deaths registered in week 23 in England, 0.9% mentioned COVID-19 on the death certificate.” Now, any death is sad and the circumstances equally so, but I was surprised at this low percentage.

These figures show the true picture and are not subject to interpretation or inconsistency. I quote them merely to make a point, and in making that point and in the full knowledge that 61.6% of the adult population have now received both vaccinations, surely it’s time for the inconsistencies to be removed and to look toward a positive message on 19th July! 22 days and counting!

Isn’t it strange what prompts certain thoughts to go through your mind? After a pretty ordinary day gardening and realising how unfit I was, I sat down to watch the fascinating documentary about the new RHS Garden Bridgewater and how, despite numerous setbacks, including Coronavirus, its staff remained resilient and determined in its unique creation.

Reflecting on their individual and collective journey made me stop and think about my own over the last 15 months. I have for the most part remained positive and have been thankful for all those who have supported me both professionally and personally.

I cannot pretend to understand how incredibly difficult this must have been for our politicians and scientists, but what has become abundantly clear is that it has had an impact on us all. Admittedly in different ways, for some it has been devastating, whilst for others it has caused an unexpected interruption to normal service.

Despite all the good and sustained work carried out by so many people, there will always be those who point the finger and poke the wound and for no one’s benefit but their own.

The choral world will not be beaten, and it will come back stronger than ever before! For all the singers and choral leaders that have tried to understand the science and reasoning behind decisions made, have kept going because they are resilient! In a week where we have witnessed Government guidance in Wales telling us that “tenors are more likely to emit more virus than altos and sopranos!” Need I say anymore? But because we reflect and because we are determined to get our choirs singing again we refer to research carried out in 2020 which in commentary references previous research undertaken in 1968.

Further commentary on the 2020 research “suggests there is no specific excess risk of transmission due to singing” (Beale). (Tang) counters this by saying “the study was performed on individual singers one at a time – when the particle profile was found to be similar to talking. Again, this is not necessarily the main problem. The risk is amplified when a group of singers are singing together, e.g. singing to an audience, whether in churches or concert halls or theatres”.

Again, because we are reasonable and professional, we understand these opposing arguments and as recommended we undertook rigorous risk assessments, put in place significant mitigations, developed health declarations, gathered data on our members vaccination status and much more.

Yet, still the argument put forward by the DCMS to restrict indoor singing to 6 (amateurs only of course, because the virus can distinguish between amateur singers and professionals) came about as a recommendation from Public Health England. That still isn’t the point though is it! The amateurs are resilient and will abide by the guidelines because they want to keep everyone safe, and they refer again to the August 2020 research and its limitations.

But then of course we all become aware of the contradictions to all this – large groups of fans at sporting events! No, that’s ok because it is outdoors, and they have all been tested! Oh, but what about those travelling to the event, singing in a confined space and without wearing masks? Or those in the pub or bar cheering on their team – this is the very thing that Dr Tang is saying, it is the cumulative impact! Of course, it is! But again, the virus knows the difference between sports singing and choir singing!

I forgot to mention that Public Health England say they were “not involved in determining policy such as the ‘rule of six’ for people meeting indoors”.

Back to the tenor argument for a minute – most choirs would love to have an army of tenors to counter the row upon row of sopranos and altos, at least to match the volume of sound, never mind emitting the virus. But wait a minute, it seems the tenor argument was a joke all along and some unwitting writer of guidance picked it up and thought it would be good evidence to further restrict choirs. Only in Wales might I add! Wait, stop press – the guidance has been taken down!

But what about Scotland? 2400 fans sang from start to finish at the recent match at Wembley, but that was in England, where church congregations can’t sing. Wait, stop press again – congregations can now sing masked in Wales. But my group of 6 singers, who are sanitised, 2m apart, masked and singing sotto voce for a reduced period of time and doubly vaccinated, couldn’t wait to go to the pub after rehearsal to sit together, unmasked and join in the football celebrations. But there was a problem though, one of the two tenors in attendance out of the 6 was Welsh so he had to be placed on a table of his own! The landlord didn’t want to risk a fine.

At the start of all this I was a conductor of choirs, but I am so much more than that now and so are our choir committees, who have been resilient in finding a way through the fog!

But “Singing, shouting and physical activity increase the risk of transmission through small droplets and aerosols”.

So, why is anyone singing? Why is anyone shouting? Why is anyone undertaking physical activity?

Well, professionals can sing! 50% of a venues capacity is allowed and sports facilities are open!

Wembley was quite restrained, out of a 90,000 capacity they only allowed 25,000 so they were being careful! Meanwhile, I am still worried about the tenor situation – does that apply to lady tenors? Let alone the tenors in a ladies barbershop choir!

Enough of all of this, I think my point is that we have all become quite resilient, because we have needed to be and because we want to sing.

Anyway, I’m off to book my ticket for the 149th Open who will welcome 32,000 fans on each Championship day and if that was enough I am off to the theatre on 3rd July – I’m going to watch a musical – with singing! But I still don’t understand how this can happen – “The risk is amplified when a group of singers are singing together, e.g. singing to an audience”

Oh no, I’ve just realised I am also a tenor! Have a good week!

I have spent most of my day reading and it has proved to be a real tonic. Simply to escape to a different place and to immerse myself in the characters of my book has been so refreshing.

Likewise, the weather has lifted my mood and I am sure everyone else’s too. It has made me believe that soon everything will be right again.

I was also uplifted by watching Trooping the Colour, the annual celebration of The Queen’s official birthday. If ever there was a role model for all generations it is Her Majesty The Queen. Her sense of duty and responsibility shines through in her every action. Her qualities of leadership should be a lesson for us all!

Despite worries about the numbers of cases being reported, we must remain positive and look toward restrictions being lifted, even though they may now be later than we expected.

I have continued to comment on the unfair treatment of choirs and notice that there is disagreement between the DCMS and Public Health England on who actually made the recommendation to restrict numbers to 6. However, I shall be talking to all my choirs during the week to update them on a number of issues.

For now, though, let’s hope the sun keeps shining and have a good week!

It has been a week where I have reflected on a number of things. Life, my personal circumstances, our collective situation and the future. I have been quite vocal on social media and proactive in supporting the call for the Government and in particular the DCMS to publish the evidence which has prevented us from singing in numbers greater than 6 indoors. There have been more responses from MPs to letters written by choir members and answers to Parliamentary Questions, which most seem to miss the point. If the views of public health experts say that singing can increase the risk of COVID-19 transmission through the spread of aerosol droplets….why is anybody singing?

The suggested principles of safer singing don’t differentiate between amateurs, professionals or those singing at sports events. I could go on quoting guidance, which is not only confusing, but it is inequitable and prejudiced. What is important now is that we see parity for choirs in step 4 of the roadmap.

I often wonder whether I would change my approach if I were in a different role or position. But what is clear in my mind is that we should stand up for what we believe. Those who are in ‘privileged positions’ and have a ‘voice’ which can ‘shout’ louder than others should be doing so. Those who are ‘movers and shakers’, the ‘influencers’ should be standing up for us and not sitting silent. I have to ask myself why some people choose to be tacet in their opinion? Are they protecting themselves, their careers, their futures?

As the sun sets and the sky is tinged with an orange hue, which shimmers as it passes through the trees…(well that’s what I see when I look out of my window), I am thinking about this day in 1944. The largest seaborne invasion in history which began the liberation of France and ultimate victory for the allied forces. History judges our actions, and we will look back on 2020/2021 and wonder what could and should have been done differently. But for now, to allow me to have my voice today, thank you to those who lost theirs!