Coronavirus: brass bands told not to play

Community bands have been thrown into panic by ‘conflicting’ advice from NSW Health.

Orange brass band members Jeffrey Markham, Naomi Wright, Lachlan Grossman, and Graham Tracy. Picture: Graham Schumnn

Community bands are brassed off by what they say are “conflicting messages” from NSW Health about the safety of musicians rehearsing together during the pandemic.

Advice from NSW Health published on social media on Wednesday night said playing wind instruments in a group should be avoided because they could “spread COVID-19 if someone is infected”.

The message has thrown band members into a panic because previous advice was that bands could rehearse if they had safety measures in place, including social distancing, temperature checks and thorough cleaning.

The president of the Band Association of NSW, Jeffrey Mark­ham, said community bands were anxious to do the right thing because their musician members were from a wide range of age groups, from the young to people in their 70s and 80s.

Band members are now panicking about whether it is safe to perform together, given the recent NSW Health advice.

“This curve ball from Health has sent the whole band movement into a panic,” said Mr Mark­ham, whose home band is the City of Orange Brass Band in NSW.

“We have always been advised that provided all bands have a COVID-safe plan in place and are taking necessary precautions, rehearsals can resume. We now have a conflicting message out there that contradicts everything Health has said before.”

The Band Association of NSW has about 130 member bands, including brass bands, concert bands and school bands.

They include instruments such as cornets, trombones, flutes and clarinets.

Mr Markham said the NSW Health website was “vague” as it mentioned only woodwind instruments — flute, oboe and clarinet — when brass instruments were in effect wind instruments.

The website says wind instruments “increase the chance of spreading COVID through airborne aerosols”, or water vapour.

Mr Markham, who has spent three days on the phone seeking clarification from NSW Health, said the health advice appeared to recommend complete avoidance of band activity and gave no indication of how long bands should postpone rehearsals.

“It’s thrown everyone into a spin,” he said. “People are very confused: ‘Do we need to cancel rehearsals? Is it safe to go to rehearsals? Is it safe to even play?’ ”

NSW Health was contacted for comment.