Online Teaching Statement from Martha Bernard: “Singing is a great joy and fortunately we have a wonderful opportunity to enhance our skills at home during this time, both in private and in community. Working from our homes allows us to vocalize as a group but at the same time privately. This allows you to hear yourself as a soloist as well as hear the accompaniment more clearly, which can be a plus! If you have questions about difficulties with an exercise, I’ll address them with the group, because chances are, if you have a question someone else in the group does too. As always, we will work to establish a supportive group connection so that when you present your songs you will know everyone is there supporting you. You will have your song accompaniments prerecorded by our accompanist, so you can have it playing behind you as you sing live in class. We’ll then work on whatever difficulties you may have had. We may also play with the option of sometimes prerecording yourself so we can listen together and analyze what we both hear. Students have found this to be useful in private lessons and I think it could translate to the group class – as long as you sing live some of the time!!! While the technology has some challenges, there are also benefits. Let’s take advantage of them during this time and grow as singers and as artists.”