Massachusetts is now in Phase 2 of the Coronavirus Vaccine rollout. This means that people age 75 or older, as well as Phase 1 candidates who haven't received their first shot are now eligible for their doses. The 2nd half of Phase 2 will be people aged 65 or older, and people with 2 comorbidities. President Biden has committed to providing the first 100 million doses within the first 100 days of office, essentially 3 months' time from now, leaving the other 200 million people hanging for another 6 months (minimum). This means most of us won't be getting our first dose any time soon, and it's looking like August or even December, before the majority of the people in the country who want the vaccine to get both doses. Assuming I can get my first and 2nd dose between say July and September, this pushes all of my musical plans back to the fall at minimum. Of course, nobody is saying for sure when it will happen. Nobody wants to say, because nobody wants to be held accountable.
Originally, my plans were to begin mandolin group rehearsals in April or May, and then weekly once everyone has been vaccinated, with the goal of setting up a Mandolin New England meet/rehearsal the 2nd or 3rd weekend in June, and subsequent rehearsals in July and August with a combined set of concerts in western MA, Boston, The Cape and RI in September and October. Pushing the vaccines back til August or even September means pushing everything back another year. This doesn't make me happy of course, nor does it make anybody else in the orchestra pleased. Everybody has been very patient.
In the meantime, I am encouraging everyone to work on their parts. We will be performing the Bach Double concerto for two (violins) mandolins and orchestra; as well as a piece by Vivaldi and another by Mozart. Josh (the RI leader) and I will coordinate parts later in the spring, I am also encouraging fans and supporters to visit the website, where you can download last years' recordings and sign up to receive notices of online events and workshops being planned now: www.MandolinNewEngland.org