Guidelines for Music Students
The following health and safety guidelines have been created specifically for students in the TLU School of Music
Schedules for Music Classes, Applied Lessons, and Ensembles
All face-to-face music classes have been moved to larger spaces to allow for adequate social distancing. The 7.5 feet of distance between all seats must be maintained in music classes at all times.
Music classes begin August 25: Be certain to check the class schedule for the correct classroom as changes have been made to accommodate appropriate social distancing.
Applied Lessons (remote): Applied lessons being conducted from home may begin the week of August 25.
Applied lessons (on campus): Applied lessons in the designated studios on-campus will be scheduled in cooperation with the applied teacher through Ms. Cristina Castro during the week of August 25 and lessons scheduled in on-campus studios will begin the week of August 31.
Ensembles: Ensembles will begin September 8. Ensemble directors will establish their plans for chamber ensembles and rehearsal rotations, if necessary, during the first two weeks of class.
Sanitizing, Disinfecting, and Handwashing
Disinfectant wipe dispensers and paper towels will be available in every classroom, studio, rehearsal hall, and practice room. Remember the best defense is to wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds and dry thoroughly several times during the day.
To ensure the health and safety of our community, students are asked to do the following when entering any of the music rooms:
Music classrooms: Wipe down your chair and music stands with a disinfectant wipe before touching or sitting on these surfaces and then wrap the disinfectant wipe in the towel. Dispose of the towel when you exit your class. If you touch something that might not be disinfected, be certain to use hand sanitizer before touching any additional surfaces. It’s always a good idea to carry your own bottle of hand sanitizer.
Practice room or studio: Wipe down all surfaces with a disinfectant wipe. This includes your chair, music stand, door handles and light switch. Do not use these disinfectant wipes on the piano keys. We will provide a different product to safely disinfect the piano keys. Always use hand sanitizer before and after playing the piano.
Rehearsal hall for ensembles: Wipe down your chair and music stands with the disinfectant wipes before touching or sitting on these surfaces and then wrap the disinfectant wipe in the towel. Dispose of the towel when you exit your rehearsal. For instrumentalists, it is best to take your instrument with you; however, if you must store your instrument, be certain to wipe down all surfaces you touch while retrieving your instrument and then your chair and music stand as described above.
Masks - Specifically for Music Students
Masks must be worn at all times and students should refrain from adjusting it or touching your face.
TLU is working to procure masks specifically for singers and wind/brass players. These masks will be given to students at the beginning of the semester and students must clean and maintain the masks. These wind/brass/singing masks are solely for rehearsals, as they do not provide the complete coverage of regular masks. You must wear a regular mask to all other classes across campus and in music classrooms.
Brass and wind masks will have a slit allowing players to play with masks on. Singer’s masks are constructed to have additional resonance space, allowing singers to breathe more easily and give more presence to the sound.
TLU is also providing masks for the brass and wind instruments in the form of bell covers for brass/woodwinds, Win-D-Fenders for flutes and, upon availability, instrument bags to reduce aerosol escape from woodwind keys.
Guidelines for Applied Lessons & Ensembles
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Private Instruction
- All applied lessons will be conducted online in the fall.
- Because the wearing of a facemask is required at all times while on campus, voice students should conduct their lessons from home so that the mask may be removed.
- Whenever possible, instrumentalists are asked to conduct their private lessons from home – as this is the safest option.
- The School of Music urges students to purchase a microphone for use with lessons and recordings at home if they are able to do so.
- When streaming/recording lessons on campus is necessary, the School of Music will work on a schedule in cooperation with the applied teacher to provide a quality baseline for all of our students by outfitting sectional rooms and several faculty studios with high-quality microphones. Students may use these spaces to stream/record their lessons while their instructor teaches remotely. The schedules for these rooms must be done through the music office, as we must track a 60-minute vacancy time between each lesson to allow for adequate air exchange.
- Students will be responsible for wiping down surfaces, music stands, chair, doorknobs, light switches, and other high touch areas before and after use. Disinfectant wipe dispensers are located in each room.
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Applied Lessons - Wind & Brass
- When streaming/recording lessons on campus is necessary, masking is required at all times.
- Lessons may be no more than 30 minutes when taking place on campus. Two credit hour lessons on campus must be broken into two 30-minute lessons. (Lessons at home may be 60 minutes.)
- One-hour room vacancy between each lesson to allow for adequate air exchange.
- Students are responsible for cleaning of music stands, piano keyboards, and other surfaces with disinfectant wipes before and after each on campus lesson.
- Practice water key etiquette: Where possible, securely place a provided pad over water keys for clearing condensate. If slides must be removed in order to empty water, they will need to be emptied into a pad on the floor. Following rehearsals, all water collection pads will need to be disposed of in a wastebasket, the floor area sanitized, and hand sanitizer used by performers. These same practices need to be applied in ensemble rehearsals.
- Instrument bell must be covered and should not be directed towards others.
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Applied Lessons - Singers
- Because the wearing of a face mask is required at all times while on campus, voice students should conduct their lessons from home so that the mask may be removed.
- When streaming/recording lessons on campus is absolutely necessary, wearing a face mask is required at all times.
- On-campus lessons may be no more than 30 minutes. Two credit hour lessons on campus must be broken into two 30-minute lessons. Lessons at home may be 60 minutes.
- One-hour vacancy for the room used by singer, to allow for adequate air exchange.
- Students are responsible for cleaning of music stands, piano keyboards, and other surfaces
with disinfectant wipes before and after each lesson.
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Applied Lessons - Percussion/Strings/Piano
- When streaming/recording lessons on campus, wearing a mask is required at all times.
- Lessons may be up to 60 minutes – both 30-minute and 60- minute lessons are allowed.
- One-hour room vacancy between each lesson to allow for adequate air exchange.
- Percussion faculty may conduct streaming lessons from both the percussion room and the percussion practice rooms. The schedule must allow for a 1-hour vacancy in the rooms between each lesson.
- Students are responsible for cleaning of music stands, percussion equipment and other surfaces with disinfectant wipes before and after each on-campus lesson. Do not use these disinfectant wipes on the piano keys. We will provide a different product to safely disinfect the piano keys. Always use hand sanitizer before and after playing piano.
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Ensemble Classes - Instrumental
- Masking required for all individuals at all times.
- Social distancing of 6 feet (7.5 feet on-center markings) for strings and percussion and 15 feet for brass and woodwinds.
- Limit of no more than 14 individuals per room for strings.
- Limit of no more than 10 individuals per room for rehearsals involving winds and brass.
- Rehearsals will be held during regular rehearsal time blocks, but will occur in 30-minute rotations and may utilize non-traditional rehearsal spaces for brass and woodwind. String rehearsals may be 45 to 50 minutes in length.
- One-hour vacancy for the room where wind and/or brass players are included to allow for adequate air exchange.
- Wind and brass instrument bells must be covered and should not be directed towards others.
- Practice water key etiquette: Where possible, securely place a provided pad over water keys for clearing condensate. If slides must be removed in order to empty water, they will need to be emptied into a pad on the floor. Following rehearsals, all water collection pads will need to be disposed of in a wastebasket, the floor area sanitized, and hand sanitizer used by performers. These same practices need to be applied in ensemble rehearsals.
- Faculty and students are responsible for cleaning of music stands, chairs and other surfaces with disinfectant wipes before and after each rehearsal.
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Choral Ensembles
- Singers' face masks are required for all individuals at all times, including while singing.
- Choral rehearsals will be taking place during regularly schedule rehearsal times, but in an abbreviated format and with reduced numbers. Non-traditional spaces may be used.
- Social distancing of 12 feet.
- Limit to no more than 10 individuals per room.
- Rehearsals will be held during regular rehearsal time blocks, but will occur in 30-minute rotations and may utilize non-traditional rehearsal spaces.
- 30-minute room vacancy between each rehearsal to allow for adequate air exchange.
- Faculty and students are responsible for cleaning of music stands, piano keyboards, and other surfaces with disinfectant wipes before and after each rehearsal.
Students Assigned to Practice Rooms for Semester
Students will be assigned to a specific practice room for use during the fall 2020 semester. Scheduling will be done during the first week of classes. The schedule will be built with a one-hour vacancy time between individuals using the rooms.
Students will be responsible for wiping down surfaces, music stands, chair, doorknobs, light switches, and other high touch areas via disinfectant wipes before and after use of their practice room (supplies provided by TLU). Do not use these disinfectant wipes on the piano keys. We will provide a different product to safely disinfect the piano keys. Always use hand sanitizer before and after playing piano.
Traffic Flow in Buildings
Signage will be placed in all buildings on campus, including Scheuch Fine Arts and the Weston School of music. A diagram will be provided to students at a later date.