Our Thinking and Details About Our Current Plans

It seems the two conditions that present the greatest risk for an adult or child to catch or spread the virus are being in a place that is heavily trafficked or in a place that gathers hundreds at a time.  A Friday communication from Bright from the Start, the state agency which regulates day care, child care, and schools like ours, highlighted the current thinking that children are the least vulnerable to catch the virus and the least likely to suffer any serious complications as a result of an infection.  Further, Pam Stevens, Deputy Commissioner for Child Care Services, pointed out in her message to us that that there are no mandates for child care facilities or schools to close and that each entitiy should respond in a way that it determines serves its community needs in light of understood risks.   

Our facilities are neither heavily trafficked, nor are they places where hundreds gather at a time.  We also primarily serve demographics that are least at risk to catching and spreading the virus.  We also know that we can continue to do practical things like require hand washing before and after touching shared instruments, diligently continue to wipe down instruments and other surfaces regularly, and prohibit anyone who exhibits any sign of illness or who has been potentially exposed to the virus from attending.  

AMP: Open with Limited Enrollment

With a commitment to best practices, and the basics facts in mind, we have decided for the moment that we will host the Afterschool Music Program (AMP) and private lessons the week of March 16.  AMP will be open at CMC Decatur, CMC Dunwoody, CMC Brookhaven and CMC Little 5 Points from 2:30 to 6:30 each day.  Parents and students are welcome to keep their regular schedule and appointments with us.  We fully expect that most students will not attend the Afterschool Music Program, but we've also heard from a small number of parents who need help caring for their children during work hours.  We think the diminished numbers in group activities will make the gatherings fall even further below the thresholds epidemiologists have deemed safe upper limits.  It's our understanding that small groups of 3, 5 or even 8 children in small scale facilities like ours, especially when hygiene and cleaning practices are strictly enforced, do not represent a risk to the participants or the wider community at this time.       

In Person Private Lessons Available

For parents who do not need childcare in the afternoons or who do not want to bring their children for small group activities, you are welcome to come for private lessons only at the regularly scheduled time, or you can come at another time.  Again, with care taken to keep instruments clean and hands washed, based on research and conversations with pediatricians and medical professionals in our community, we do not believe one-on- one sessions represent a risk to the students, teachers or the wider community at this time.  If you'd like to come for private lessons, but don't know what time your child has his or her lesson, there's a form link below that provides the opportunity to request the information or to arrange an alternate time.  We trust you will be patient as Diana Orozco and her admin work their way through communications from you.

Online Learning and Experiences

For those of you who do not wish to attend in person small group activities or in person private lessons, we respect your choice, and we will provide you online lessons and encourage you to take advantage of other online activities and events that we expect to host in the coming weeks.  In addition to back and forth dialogue with your private instructor and ideally, video chat sessions to connect instructors and students in real time, we will post online events like EveryDay Sing with our faculty, post worksheets and info on apps to help cultivate literacy, present online performances of famous pieces for kids by our faculty, and offer coaching and practice tips for parents.  For those of you who prefer this option, Diana and private instructors will be in contact with you directly to arrange online sessions. 

AMHS and Performance Workshop

Atlanta Music High School small group classes will not meet at Capstone Academy until Capstone reopens.  Theory labs and classes will convert to an online format, and theory assignments and exercises will be incorporated into private lessons and Performance Workshop small ensemble rehearsals.  Private lessons, however, will continue at Capstone.  Lessons can be in person at Capstone or any other CMC facility, or can be arranged as online live stream interactions.  Small ensemble rehearsals for upcoming performances will continue on Saturdays in Little 5 Points; furthermore, additional rehearsals may be added as we approach the Festival. Extra rehearsals will be arranged via phone call or email with affected students.    

Festivals & Recitals

As most of you know, we usually host a number of recitals and shows during the spring term.  For the moment, the organizers of the Atlanta Dogwood Festival in Piedmont Park have not cancelled, and we are planning to continue to prepare for our Main Stage appearance on April 19.  We think there's a good chance the Festival will be cancelled, and if it is, we'll find another creative way for small groups to share their music with fans.  

Until things normalize, all other recitals will be virtual recitals rather than in person gatherings. We'll be providing a designated portal for students to upload and share their pieces with family, friends, and peers in an online setting.  We have concerns about larger attendance and crowded conditions that in house and in person recitals create, know that more vulnerable populations attend the recitals, and we think it's best to plan now for those events to be cancelled.      

A Dynamic Situation & Help Us Plan

Finally, please note that if recommendations or mandates from federal or state officials change, we will adjust our plans, even on short notice, if necessary.  For now, please take a few minutes and help us plan for you by completing this simple online form.  

We appreciate the opportunity to continue serving you and to cultivating music and all the joy it brings.  At such a moment, escaping the worries of life and delving into the world of music is one of the best things we can do to cheer our spirts and lift one another up.  We're doing our best to offer you a great deal of flexibility in crafting your plans with us during the current circumstances, and we will continue to look for innovative and beneficial ways we can enrich your lives with music in the current situation or as events unfold over the next few weeks and months and require more adjustments and changes.  Keep an eye out for new ideas from us!  We also want you to know that when this all passes, we're going to celebrate. As part of our summer planning, we already have 7Stages Theater booked the last week of June, and we'm holding out hope that we will be able to gather in large numbers then to sing and play without any worry or concern. 

Phil Sims and Diana Orozco, Founders/Directors