Parking Lot or Concert Hall?

When the faculty of the Aber Suzuki Center
began planning for the fall semester, we were
hungry for an in-person gathering where people
could enjoy themselves, see friends, re-connect with other
families, and participate in music-making. Our lives had
been touched in so many ways by the pandemic, and we
simply felt the need to be together.
We discussed a number of ideas, including outdoor
concerts in venues such as the bandshell in Stevens Point and
the amphitheater in Schmeeckle Reserve. Naturally, we had
to consider the unpredictability of fall weather in Wisconsin.
Putting the students under cover while performing would
solve the problem of preserving their concentration and
protecting their instruments, but we also needed to consider
shelter for the audience. We discussed the possibility of tents,
but the number of tents needed for 50–60 people who are
remaining socially distant is rather astounding!
We started spinning ideas: how could we provide a safe
space outdoors, where everyone could be protected from the
elements? Someone chimed in with, “Too bad we can’t have
a drive-in recital!” Well—never say “can’t” to the ASC faculty.
The questions and discussion snowballed from there. How
much audio equipment would we need to boost the sound
effectively? How big of a tent would we need to protect the
students, instruments, and the keyboard? How would we

power the keyboard, amp, and speakers? How would audi-
ence members be able to hear if they were in their cars?

What about disinfection? What about programs? And, of
course, where and how could we accommodate cars in such
a manner that everyone could see and hear the performers?
Somehow, we managed to sort out all of those questions,
and on September 19, the Aber Suzuki Center held its very
first Drive-In Recital! One faculty member suggested that,

like a drive-in movie, we should serve popcorn. Someone
else proposed that the faculty could deliver said popcorn to

the cars while on roller skates. We seriously considered serv-
ing the popcorn but opted out because of COVID; the idea of

the roller skates, however, was voted down rather abruptly.
If you are thinking of an event like this for your studio or
music school, we highly recommend it. Below is a list of
answers to the above questions:

• A 10’ x 30’ tent accommodated a keyboard, collaborative
  pianist and soloist.
• Our power source was a 100’ extension cord that ran
  into the Fine Arts building. Alternatively, a
  DeWalt battery powered generator is capable of
  running that equipment for an hour or so.
• We used a single amp with a microphone for the
  instrumentalists and vocalists, and two
  large speakers mounted on stands.
• We sent the program out in advance and advised people
  to download it to their phones or laptops
  before arriving, or to print the programs
  at home and bring them along.
• Students came an hour before the concert to rehearse
  with the pianist. This gave us an opportunity
  to do a sound check and for the students to
  get comfortable in the environment.
• University disinfection protocols were followed: the
  keyboard was disinfected, social distance
  was maintained, and vocal students were
  not scheduled back-to-back, because of
  close proximity to the microphone.
• We were fortunate to get permission from the
  University Police to block off the parking lot the night
  before the event and throughout the afternoon.
  We secured parking cones from parking services,
  and faculty served as parking attendants.
• We created a diagram for parking cars. Because we
  needed to remain reasonably close to an outlet,
  we placed the tent against the curb and parked
  the cars in a semi-circle, with the cars of the
  second row fitting between those of the first.

AMERICAN SUZUKI JOURNAL Fall 2020 17

• We accidentally discovered an FM
  transmitter that would broadcast
  in a 1,000’ radius, and we came
  prepared (the price range for
  this type of a transmitter is
  $100-$150). This device made
  the event unique, but being
  together made it truly special.
  The recital was lovely, although the
  rain began to fall shortly before the
  end of the concert. People were able to

duck into their cars to escape the ele-
ments, but they were able to continue

to enjoy the performance through
their car radios.
The pandemic and the related need
for social distancing has created
isolation and longing for friends
and family. We know that music can
bring us together in our hearts, but
sometimes we need to find a way to
be together in a three-dimensional
world. The creativity of musicians,
and of Suzuki teachers in particular,
continues to make this possible.
Whether we are in a concert hall, at
our computers, or in a bucket seat, we
share our love of music and children.
This ultimately is what soothes our
hearts and gives us hope.

Ann Marie Novak, Director of Suzuki Programs at UWSP, holds Bachelor’s degrees in Piano Performance and Psychology from Oberlin College-Conservatory, and a Master’s degree from UMass-Amherst. She was the founding Director of the Northampton Community Music Center and served as President of the Suzuki Association of Wisconsin. She teaches piano and serves as a collaborative pianist at the Aber Suzuki Center, and is a regular clinician at the SAW Retreat and the American Suzuki Institute. Her students are frequent participants and winners in WMTA events, and have been chosen for masterclasses locally and nationally. Miss Novak writes extensively for the ASC parent education blog and has written other parent education materials. She has presented at SAA Conferences and has frequently lectured at the American Suzuki Institute. She has received the SAW’s 2020 Suzuki Sensei Leadership Award and the 2015 Stevens Point Area Music Teachers’ Association Member of the Year.