While this has been a tough year for most community music ensembles, some local groups have found a way to keep the music going in a whole new way.
The Cranbourne Folk Uniting Night (FUN) Facebook group ran a live-stream concert for the first time on Saturday 19 September.
Six different acts performed either live or using pre-recorded videos during the event – in what was hailed as an “overwhelmingly positive” night.
The event also featured special guests, video submissions from regular attendees and messages from local sponsors, which people were able view from the comfort of their living rooms.
Running the controls on the night was Cranbourne resident, Chantelle Riordan, a regular performer at the FUN monthly events.
“One of the hardest things about this year has been the absence of community music, and it was important to find a way to bring it back into this new reality that we’re faced with,” she said.
As president of the Cranbourne Lions Concert Band, Ms Riordan is also extending these new skills to the band as they work towards running an online version of their annual trivia night concert on 10 October.
“The band members have adapted so quickly to learn video and audio production skills in order to prepare their songs for this amazing online event.”
While many community music ensembles have kept connected socially via regular Zoom chats, most have given up on playing music together during this time. Sadly, some have also stopped connecting with their members even socially.
“We have found a way to not only keep our band members playing their instruments, but have also strengthened their connection with each other as they work towards this major live-stream event.”
Looking ahead, Ms Riordan hopes to explore several Christmas live stream opportunities with both the band and the FUN night group using this technology.
“This year has already taken away so much, but luckily for us we still have our community music.”
