This year Abington High School has been different for everybody. This includes the Music Department which has to follow restrictions, such as being at least 10 feet apart if playing an instrument or singing.

Mr. Shannon, Director of Music and Drama Advisor in Abington, said, “It has been challenging for music.” He said that for chorus “you have to go outside. But for music [band] it has been different. We have been able to play inside due to the new guidance.” These new guidelines took place after the start of the school year.

Some ways to have music in school are not possible here. “Other schools have done online performances, but that takes dozen of hours to edit.”

However, as for the possibility of a concert this year, Mr. Shannon said, “It’s my hope to do a performance in the spring at Reilly Field. We could use the Bandstand at Riley Field to make sure everyone is distanced from each.”

Shannon is hoping to work with the Board of Health (BOH) “to see if we could potentially get an audience for the concert.”

The Music Program is fighting hard in this struggle. So far, AHS still has music for people who want to do it, although it does have restrictions. Hopefully Mr. Shannon will be able to throw that spring concert at Reilly Field. And parents, family, and other people can see that we sure have been in this difficult situation, but we can still make great music out of this.

NOTE: As of Monday, Dec. 14, Abington Public Schools went remote again due to high number of Covid cases.

Reilly Field was initially misspelled. Corrected 12/21/20.