In March, ESYO CHIME traded their rehearsal room for a Google Classroom and the auditorium for a virtual stage. Earlier this month, ESYO CHIME returned to create harmony together in-person and onstage at Proctors GE Theatre and the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. The grand reunion to record their fall concert was met with excitement from both teaching artists and students alike.

Students from the Troy-based CHIME program, which typically meets at the Boys & Girls Club of Troy, got together onstage at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. As music echoed through the historic landmark, the smiles on the faces of each musician were priceless. In Schenectady, CHIME students at the Proctors sites teamed up to record an arrangement of "The Moldau" by Czech composer Bedřich Smetana. For many of the students, this was the first time seeing their classmates in-person and not on a computer screen. Like so many districts across the country, Schenectady School Districts opted into Virtual classrooms for the fall semester. ESYO Young Leaders De'Vaughn and Jay-Era stopped by Proctors to lend a helping hand to Teaching Artists Nick and Theresa and fill in some needed parts for the recording.

As we look forward to 2021, we are excited to ramp up the program with more in-person instruction and rehearsal. ESYO CHIME's continued virtual learning and special event in-person programming are made possible with the generous support of many individuals, foundations, and corporate partners in the Capital Region.