Invitation

Have you missed singing together?

Come sing Fauré's Requiem with us!

Live with a conductor, soloists, and piano accompaniment

Saturday, April 24 2021 at 2pm

Westgate parking lot in Cambridge, MA
540 Memorial Dr, Cambridge, MA 02139

From inside our cars

About the event

Opera On Tap Boston and Cambridge Community Chorus are teaming up with the Driveway Choir to sing together safely. Choirs cannot sing together indoors during a pandemic, so here's how we do it with no latency, and without exchanging germs. Singers use wireless microphones from inside their cars, we use an audio mixer to combine their voices into a choir sound, and we broadcast it on a low-power FM radio station so that everyone can hear. Michael Pfitzer (the conductor) and 20-30 singers from the organizations above will have microphones, then any number of additional singers can listen to the radio and sing along too.

When you arrive, a parking attendant will help you find a parking spot and let you know which radio station to tune to. We orient the cars so that you can see the conductor. You'll hear music and instructions through your radio. Michael will lead a warmup, then we'll begin.

Singers should bring a Faure requiem score, or download it from https://www.cpdl.org/wiki/images/3/37/Faure_Requiem_VS_PML.pdf. Some people prefer a paper copy, others prefer to read from a tablet or laptop. You will also need a mask, drinking water, and clothes for a variety of weather. You can optionally bring a portable radio or boombox, and headphones.

Please be aware that the event may be filmed or photographed by the organizers or the media.

Learn more about these organizations at

• Opera On Tap Boston

• Cambridge Community Chorus

• Driveway Choir

The event is limited in size due to state and local COVID restrictions. Please register at the link above. If we reach the limit, we will start a waiting list. We will email you either way, within a few days of registration.

We look forward to making beautiful live music with you!

Michael Pfitzer, conductor
Bryce and Kathryn Denney, Driveway Choir

Suggested Donation

Donations are not required to participate, but any donations received will support the professional artists leading our performance and some important local charities. Proceeds will be split between Sweet Relief (a fund supporting musicians and music industry workers who have been affected by COVID-19) and the Y2Y Youth Homeless Shelter in Cambridge, MA.

Please Donate Online, or text OOTBOSTON to 44321 to donate. All funds raised on April 24 or anything dedicated to "Driveway Choir" will go toward this project.

Safety rules

We take safety very seriously, both for your health and ours, and so that we are allowed to organize future events that bring musicians together in person.

Safety rules:

• The health of every participant is our top priority.

• If you or others in your family/bubble have experienced flu-like symptoms or have tested positive for COVID in the last 14 days, do not attend the event.

• While singing, everyone must be inside cars with the windows closed. The only exceptions are the conductor, pianist, event organizers, and photographer.

• Participants must stay in their cars, except when event organizers announce that it is okay. We will take a break to stand up and stretch, for example.

• Anyone outside of a car must wear a mask and stay 6+ feet from anyone who is not in their family/bubble. The conductor or event organizer may remove his/her mask during rehearsal, when very far from everyone else, so he/she can be heard clearly.

Thank you for your help in making this a safe and successful experience.

Questions and Answers

Q: What safety protocols do you follow?

A: We disinfect the microphones with Clorox wipes and wash the foam windscreens between events. We use hand sanitizer and gloves when distributing and collecting microphones. We require everyone to agree to the safety rules above, in order to participate.

Q: Where can I find the music?

https://www.cpdl.org/wiki/images/3/37/Faure_Requiem_VS_PML.pdf.

Q: I don't have a car. Can I sing too?

A: Yes but... We use cars as a weather-proof audio recording booth that isolates singer's aerosols from other singers, so cars are recommended. We can accommodate a small number of singers outside cars; please email the organizers and let them know.

Q: What's the actual address of the event?

A: We will email the exact address of the event, and other details, to participants after they register.

Q: Will I have a microphone?

A: We have a limited number of microphones and channels on the mixer. We will assign mics to soloists and members of the sponsoring organizations first, then to other participants if possible. We also need to balance out the voice parts.

Q: Should the car windows be open or closed?

A: Car windows need to remain closed during singing.

Q: Do I need to wear a mask inside my car?

A: As long as the windows are closed, you don't need to wear a mask inside the car.

Q: Can I get out of the car and sing outside?

A: No, everyone needs to stay inside their car while singing. Any outdoor singers would need to be very far apart, and there is limited physical space.

Q: Can we have several singers in the same car?

A: Yes, people in the same family/bubble may sing in the same car. We'll give each singer a microphone (until they run out).

Q: Why would I bring a portable radio, if my car already has a radio?

A: With a portable radio, there is no risk that your car radio will drain the car battery. Also, some people prefer using headphones plugged into a radio, to hear the choir sound more clearly than speakers. Also, some cars automatically turn the radio off every 15 minutes. Also, some higher-end car radios introduce delay that makes it very hard to stay in sync with the group.

Q: Should I leave my car on/off?

A: Please turn your car engine and lights off. Most cars have an "accessories" mode which allows the radio to be used and does not use much battery power. Please don't run the engine running during the event, so that you and others don't have to breathe in the fumes.

Q: Where is the nearest bathroom?

A: We don't have access to the building nearby, so please plan ahead. We cannot guarantee the use of a public bathroom inside the building where we will be singing, but feel free to GPS the nearest organization, and please support them.

In a pinch, you can always drive away and come back.

Q: I have more questions!

A: Please email driveway-choir-faure-info@thedenneys.org with any additional questions.