Dear ICC, CICC, and AACC families:

We are so grateful for your confidence in us as we have successfully navigated the uncharted waters caused by COVID-19. We appreciate your faithful cooperation in following our COVID-19 Guidelines and we want to announce the latest changes to those guidelines.

Our mission has always been to bring our singers a safe and welcoming environment that includes providing the highest quality choral music experiences. We remain committed to providing a safe environment while adhering to local, state, and federal guidelines as well as the latest research on choral singing during COVID in collaboration with the American Choral Directors Association. And, we have always looked forward to returning to normal choir activities as quickly as possible in a thoughtful, responsible manner that is considerate of all perspectives.

As the country sees overall declines in cases and hospitalizations due to COVID-19, the ICC has updated our health and safety protocols per guidance from the Marion County Public Health Department, the Indiana Department of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ICC protocols are subject to change based on new guidance.

In light of Butler University’s updated mask optional policies that went into effect on March 2, 2022, where the majority of the ICC’s programs take place, our leadership team and staff have decided to make masks optional due to the recent changes and updates from the health departments/organizations listed above. Many schools in central Indiana moved to mask optional on February 28, 2022.

The ICC, CICC, and AACC will transition to a mask optional environment for students and staff beginning Friday, March 4, 2022. Singers will be allowed to attend rehearsals without wearing a mask if their family makes that choice.

The CDC guidance has shifted to be a combination of assessing the community transmission level and personal risk. There are many factors when assessing your child’s personal risk. Some of those factors are age, vaccination status, and amount of time spent in the indoor environment, among others. The CDC has provided this helpful tool for individuals to determine their comfort level in remaining masked.

We know COVID-19 remains in our lives, and many singers, staff, and audience members will continue to wear masks. Please be assured that face masks will continue to be welcomed at rehearsals. We respect every individual’s choice based on family circumstances and personal preferences.

We anticipate a sense of respect for each other’s decisions, a key component of ICC’s core values. No one should feel uncomfortable wearing a mask, just as no one should feel uncomfortable not wearing a mask. We know that our entire community will continue to model kindness, inclusion, and acceptance of one another as we implement this long-awaited transition.

Here are the key elements of the new COVID-19 Guidelines:

  • Masks will no longer be required as of Friday, March 4, 2022. All of the ICC, AACC, and CICC rehearsal venues are mask optional. Any singer who would like to wear a mask is welcome to do so.
  • Singers will not be required to wear masks in rehearsal spaces or upon entering or exiting any of our rehearsal locations.
  • The ICC recommends wearing a properly fitted KN95 or N95 mask if you choose to wear a mask during rehearsals as these masks have been shown to provide extra protection even while singing near unmasked individuals.
  • ICC will continue with our sanitizing protocols including air sanitization, regular fresh air breaks, and the airing of the rooms halfway through every rehearsal.
  • Currently, there is 3 ft. spacing between singers in rehearsals and performances, which will continue.
  • The quarantine requirements for those who have been exposed to or have tested positive for Covid-19 will still be in effect according to the current CDC Guidelines. Singers who are unwell should not come to rehearsal but continue to join on WebEx.
  • The ICC will no longer send messages to families regarding COVID-19 positive cases nor will we do contact tracing.
  • We will continue to diligently monitor the safety of students and staff and will respond as needed. Should it be necessary to reinstitute wearing masks we will do so. Additionally, if any of our venues for rehearsals or performances change their policy, we will ensure that we make singers and families aware of those changes.

Our staff and directors look forward to continuing to share in the students’ love of singing with the addition of their beautiful facial expressions. As always, we thank our singers and families for their support and we look forward to the rest of our season!

Sincerely,

Joshua Pedde
Artistic Director

Upcoming Events:

  • March 7th CICC Concert: Masks will be optional for all singers and audience members.
  • March 13th ICC & AACC Concerts: Masks will be optional for all singers and audience members.
  • Opera Rehearsals and Performances: Masks will be optional for all singers.