The committee have created these protocols to make our rehearsals as safe as possible

General

  • It is essential that all players follow these processes which have been created to help to minimise risk and protect all of our members in rehearsal.
  • It is essential that all players read this document and all of the other protocols which can be found on Risk management at ERSO which include protocols for concert and the actions to carried out by the orchestra committee
  • We will use the Hall (the largest space available) at Camden School for Girls and have adjusted our programme so we need fewer players for our first 2 concerts to allow for greater distancing.
  • We will only sell online tickets for the Oct and Nov concerts and therefore limit the number of tickets to the exact number that can be accommodated at the venue
  • We will have shorter concert programmes to avoid the need for an interval at the concerts to minimise social interactions between players and audience members.
  • Music will be downloaded by players so that each person has their own copy.

Before rehearsal

  • To comply with guidance and to support NHS Track and Trace players need to fill out a declaration of fitness before every rehearsal. Fixers will send out the ERSO Questionnaire for Covid-secure rehearsal to all players who are booked.  If people answer yes to any of the safety q they should not attend.  We will keep the contact details from the questionnaires from players who do attend in case these are needed by Track and Trace.  The questions on the pre-rehearsal questionnaire will include:
    • Do you have any Covid-19 symptoms or had any in the last 7 days?
    • Have you been in close contact with anyone who has symptoms or has tested positive for Covid-19 in the last 14 days?
    • Are you currently awaiting the results of a Covid-19 test (please do not attend unless you receive  a negative result before the rehearsal)?
    • Have you been contacted by the national ‘Track and Trace’ service and told you should self-isolate (within the last 14 days)?
    • Have you returned from abroad and been told to quarantine?
  • Players should also consider whether they, or any members of their household, are in a high-risk group and consider whether it would be safe for them to attend the rehearsal.
  • The ERSO Committee have created a seating plan based on the dimensions of the Hall which ensures that everyone is appropriately distanced.  String fixers will send out desking plan including seat number.so that players know where to sit

Key:

Purple = Chris, Red = 1sts, Dark red = 2nds, Orange= violas, Yellow = Cellos , dark Blue = basses, Light blue = trumpets, Light Green= horns, Dark Green = wind

What to bring:

  • Your completed pre-rehearsal safety questionnaire
  • Jumper – it is COLD in the hall with the windows open!
  • Face covering
  • Container for spit (brass/wind)
  • Music stand
  • Pencil
  • Water/snacks if needed
  • Your own music.  It may be worth bring your music in some kind of folder that makes it less likely to fall/blow off your stand

Arrival/rehearsing

  • Players should plan their travel so that they do NOT arrive prior to 1.45pm to allow Hall set-up
  • Players should take all necessary precautions in travelling to the venue
  • Players to enter using front entrance
  • Players to queue outside the entrance at a 2m distance to avoid congestion in the foyer
  • A registration table will be set up in the foyer
  • Upon entry, go to the registration table manned by a volunteer and use the hand sanitiser provided. Provide the pre-rehearsal questionnaires which we will use to record attendance for track and trace purposes, either by emailing to ersoinfo@gmail.com on arrival or by bringing the completed form and dropping it into a box at the registration table
  • Players can socialise safely at a distance of 2 meters outside before the rehearsal, but when they are ready to rehearse, they should go straight to their chair once they leave the registration table
  • Instrument cases should be left behind or next to players’  chairs to avoid people mixing when unpacking and packing up.
  • People to wear masks until we start playing (strings to carry on wearing when playing if they can manage this comfortably).

Break

  • No shared refreshments will be provided for the break. 
  • Committee will remind everyone to socially distance at the break time, ideally outside if weather permits so that we can ventilate the room.  If this is not possible, players should stay at their chair
  • Players to wear masks at break apart from when eating and drinking
  • Avoid too many people in toilets at any one time – use every 2nd cubicle. 

End of rehearsal

  • Wind and brass should clean instrument out at home and not in the rehearsal venue
  • Any saliva which does need to be emptied out during rehearsal should not be emptied on to the floor but caught in the foil container provided and mopped up with absorbent paper then disposed of safely in a plastic bag. We will have foil containers, paper towels and sealable plastic bags on stand-by for those who forget.
  • Players should observe socials distancing and stay 2m apart from other players as they leave, taking their own music and rubbish with them. 
  • Players to use specified exit