CULLMAN, Ala. – From football games to simply having class, 2020 has presented a truly unique set of challenges for schools. So when it came time to figure out how to hold the Cullman High School Band’s annual Christmas concert in the midst of a pandemic, the staff knew it would need to get creative.
The band had been using the auditorium as a practice space, with students positioned all across the audience seating, one of the only rooms on campus big enough to allow the student band members to properly and safely distance from one another while still rehearsing together. That took care of practice, but what about the holiday concert itself? With the band scattered across the seating area, Fine Arts Department Chair and Director of Bands Christopher Smith said they had to get creative when it came to the audience.
If the audience couldn’t come to the concert — they figured they’d bring the concert to them.
“We decided we’d still have the concert, but only have the students in the auditorium, and then we had John Drake and our great TV production team live stream it,” Smith explained. “That’s what we’ve been working toward the last month, and we’re so excited we pulled it off. It’s easily the most unusual concert I’ve ever conducted, but it’s certainly one of the most fulfilling.”
So Thursday, Dec. 11, Smith conducted from the stage, flanked by the properly-spaced jazz band, with the remainder of the band members spread out all across the auditorium. The video team provided multiple angles of the students as they played, and parents, community members and anyone who enjoys a good Christmas concert was able to tune in online. The performance has also been saved for posterity, and anyone who wants to view the concert can revisit it on-demand at www.nfhsnetwork.com/events/cullman-high-school-cullman-al/evt21ba945edf.
Cullman High School Principal Kim Hall said she was proud they were able to pull off the event, especially in a year where virtually everything has been somehow affected by the coronavirus pandemic, with health and safety standards requiring social distancing and limiting large events.
“I know it’s not ideal, none of this is, but I hope people can appreciate we’re making things happen and finding ways to do it as safely as possible,” she said. “Seeing the smiles on the faces of the students last night was one of the highlights of my year. I was so proud, and it was evident they were very proud of themselves. To be able to pull off their Christmas concert this year, in a way that’s never been done in the history of Cullman bands, is a tremendous accomplishment.”
After a school year in constant flux, Smith said making it to Christmas with a full band concert is something every student, faculty member and family should be proud to have accomplished.
“At the beginning of the school year, with marching band all through to concert season, we didn’t really know what we’d be able to do,” he said. “We didn’t know if there’d be games, or if we’d be able to perform, or especially have a concert. But we’ve marched forward, safely of course, to work though the pandemic.”
In a challenging year where so many things have had to be changed or reduced, to move forward safely, Hall said she hopes students and families can look back and realize what they’ve learned and gained through this experience, despite the challenges.
“I told the students after the event was over, ‘Everybody is telling you what you’ve lost, and what you haven’t gained or been able to do this year,’” she said. “But from March 12 when this all began, we had a plan to carry on and we are doing that. We’ve never been willing to say we can’t do it, and everyone in our school has persevered to find a way, safely, to move forward. You solve problems, you find a way around the challenge. I hope that’s what we can all take from this.”
Of course, it being just a couple of weeks from Christmas, Smith added he hopes the concert was able to provide a much-needed bit of cheer for the community: “Hopefully, we’re able to help get everyone in the holiday spirit a little bit,” he said.
