Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus suspends performance season, citing coronavirus concerns

The Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus will put performances on pause due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the group announced this week.

Group leadership made the decision Friday as a result of not being able to sing or perform.

“At this time and into the foreseeable future, there is no reasonable way to maintain the performers’ safety on stage or that of patrons in the audience,” the group said in a statement posted on Facebook.

The singing group’s leaders said their decision is based on guidance from government and health experts, as well as concern for the singers’ health.

“Current guidance from government officials and health experts indicates that operations for singing groups remain extremely challenging until there is a vaccine available,” they wrote.

Projecting your voice, including when singing, can cause droplets to travel farther than 6 feet. A 2019 study published in Nature found that aerosol emissions increase when voices are projected louder, potentially raising the risk of airborne disease transmission.

California health officials have also warned places of worship that singing could offset the effects of social distancing. State guidance for worship centers recommends discontinuing public singing, choir practices and performances, or moving any singing group outside if it cannot be stopped altogether.

The Sacramento Gay Men’s Chorus will continue its non-performance activities, such as virtual social events for its members.

The chorus was founded in 1984 to provide community to gay men in the Sacramento area. It now has almost 90 members and aims to include people from the broader LGBTQ+ community.