Chapman University’s College of Performing Arts (CoPA) is making a few particularly unique adjustments to accommodate the return of dance, music and theater students and effectively transition back to in-person instruction starting Oct. 19. 

All CoPA students can request access to on-campus practice rooms or Zoom lesson rooms, Amy Graziano, the Hall-Musco Conservatory of Music chair, announced in an email to students. The Zoom lesson rooms will provide students with a grand piano, computer, high-quality webcam, microphone and WiFi for their online lessons. The rooms will have signage indicating equipment-use instruction and sanitization. Students may utilize the rooms for recording, but voice, woodwind and brass instrumentalists must rehearse individually. 

Following guidelines from the Orange County Health Care Agency, instrument lessons for voice, woodwind and brass as well as studio classes and ensembles are not allowed for in-person instruction. Takazo Hall, a junior trumpet performance major, cannot not return to campus because of his brass instrument, but is glad other instrumentalists can come back. 

“Music is very interactive, so it’s been difficult to rehearse remotely,” Hall said. “I miss performing and rehearsing in ensembles.”

The department also implemented a second computer lab in Oliphant Hall room 204, in addition to the original computer lab in the building’s basement, which now carries only 13 computer stations in adherence to social distancing regulations. 

Adam Borecki, the director of the Music Technology minor, felt an advantageous point of an in-person return is the access to these on-campus facilities.

“Personally, I’m looking forward to it,” Borecki said. “Some things you can’t do over Zoom, so it’s a step in the right direction. I don’t see a need to rush back to in-person, but I’m excited to try out the hyflex learning model because I’ve never done it before.”

That hybrid learning model allows for instruction to take place in person, while also being broadcasted over Zoom for those who are learning remotely.

“I love the idea because from now on, in the future if students are sick, they don’t have to come to class or catch up on the material,” Borecki said. “Attendance has never been better this semester.”

Though Borecki feels Chapman has done its best to address the health and safety of students and staff, he wonders whether people will follow the guidelines as to foot traffic that the university now enforces. He said students could see themselves needing to exit the building and walk back around to enter a different room, which might be an inconvenience.

Courses returning for in-person instruction include piano, cello and guitar lessons, instrumental coaching and principle and technique classes.

As all students and faculty have the option to stay remote for the rest of the fall semester, many have decided to remain online.

Derick Do, a junior piano performance major, told The Panther he will continue to live on the East Coast for the remainder of the fall semester. Do said most of his professors have decided to keep classes online due to the extensive preparation that has already gone into teaching remotely.

“One teacher told me that it's not worth the hassle,” Do said. “It’s even more work getting back into school than doing online at this point.”

Because Do doesn’t have his own piano, he drives to a family member’s house every morning to practice with theirs. Do’s studio classes require students to submit weekly recordings of their performances, which he believes puts less pressure on students in comparison to the anxiety of performing in front of a live audience.

“There’s not really any major performance anxiety, and that’s the major drawback of online classes,” Do said. “That’s the most fundamental skill to have as a musician. You have to train your nerves.”

All reservation instructions for access to computer labs and practice rooms can be found via the Music Student Den on Canvas. For instrument and other equipment rentals, students must contact Office Manager Rob Octavio to fill out a form. 

The music office, which offers students any support surrounding practice rooms, studio protocols, or music classes, will run Monday through Friday during normal operational hours, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Borecki said the department wanted to make sure the learning experience wasn’t biased toward students that return to in-person classes. As a result, students may find it best to continue through Zoom.

“From a student’s perspective, if they can get the same education whether they’re just at home comfortable or coming back to campus having to deal with face masks and other restrictions, then why not just keep doing it through Zoom,” Borecki said. “There are exceptions to that, and of course some students are excited to get back, so we’ll see how many students will actually take advantage of that.”