For months, Carlmont choir and band members anticipated their upcoming tours. These tours included separate trips to New York and Chicago, which featured a performance at Carnegie Hall and a clinic at DePaul University, respectively.
Then all of a sudden, on March 11, the choir and instrumental music tours were canceled due to increased concern over COVID-19.
“As painful as the cancellation was, it was the best decision. COVID-19 is extremely dangerous, and while traveling to another location might put us at risk, it can put others at an even higher risk. It’s better for everybody that we didn’t go,” said Enya Luo Wimmer, a sophomore and orchestra player.
Although many students understood why the trip was being canceled, many were disappointed.
“I was really sad to learn that the trip was canceled…It was hard for me to focus knowing that something we’d worked so hard for was not happening anymore,” Luo Wimmer said.
This lack of motivation is understandable; according to Incentive Research, having a tangible reward such as a tour at the end of the year increases performance by an average of 22%.
Along with the music tours, Chamber Music Night was also canceled. Many students had already devoted several hours of practice in preparation for the performance, and news of the cancellation disheartened them.
“Thinking about the cancellation of the two big instrumental music events I was looking forward to this semester definitely made me less productive. I know that it was the right thing to do and the safest choice, but it was still just upsetting seeing what was supposed to be the highlight of my freshman and sophomore years be taken away,” said Anjali Mehta, a sophomore and symphony player.
The cancellations were even more upsetting for seniors, as it was their last opportunity to attend music tours.
“I do feel sad that my last choir trip was canceled and that I am never going to have another experience similar to this, but knowing that the cancellation was made for the safety of everyone and that it could potentially save a life makes me feel less sad,” said Amruta Thuse, a senior and choir student.
