Finding Ways to Sing Safely Despite the Costs: CCM Launches Major GoFundMe Campaign

Last fall Children’s Chorus of Maryland (CCM) met four times in a parking lot, each student socially-distanced in their own car. With the assistance of headphones, microphones, and long cables connected to a mixing console run by a sound engineer, students rehearsed in real time and heard their collective sound, something greatly missed for far too long.

When the pandemic hit in March 2020, staff quickly mobilized to create a meaningful way for students to continue their classes and choir rehearsals online. After seven months of singing in isolation from home, and to the students’ great surprise and joy, CCM began holding in-person “Car Choir” rehearsals. It took much research and planning on the part of the staff, the unwavering help of volunteers, and generous venues in and near Baltimore to be realized. Maryland Sound provided the engineering staff and audio equipment for each chorus member.

One board member and current parent of CCM reported, “we are here, we have mastered this virtual thing, and we are learning and singing and HAVING FUN!”

Though CCM continues to offer virtual instruction and “Car Choir” rehearsals, and has applied for and received every kind of federal and local relief funding for which they qualified, the drain on their resources has been devastating. They have lost significant income due to canceled concert ticket sales, more nonprofits than ever competing for funding, and a downturn in enrollment (and tuition) from families already maxed out from online learning.

“No matter what’s going on around me, music has always been and always will be a safe place, which is just that much more important during this time.”

CCM student

The pandemic has created the greatest financial challenge in CCM’s 46-year history. In order to ensure that CCM remains in operation into the Fall Semester and beyond, they must raise additional funds in the amount of $50,000 via a GoFundMe campaign, which was launched by the board in February 2021.

Music communicates the essence of the human spirit. What is best about us as a species has been recorded in our musical heritage. In teaching this language to children, CCM is passing on an essential part of who we are to future generations. As one student eloquently said, “No matter what’s going on around me, music has always been and always will be a safe place, which is just that much more important during this time.”