Christmas has come early for the choir of Newcastle's Christ Church Cathedral, with its conductor saying NSW Health has allowed for the singers to face each other, rather than forward.
"Very excited," said the cathedral's Master of the Choristers, Peter Guy, after receiving word from NSW Health. "It will just help make things that little bit easier for us with the Christmas services."
In early December, Mr Guy wrote to NSW Health seeking an exemption from the COVID-related restriction stipulating that choral singers had to face forward.
A couple of days earlier, the state's rules surrounding indoor singing had been eased, allowing up to 50 people in the one area, provided they maintained 1.5 metres between each other, and five metres from those in front, including the conductor. And the singers were not to face each other.
The health authority advised, "Group singing and chanting remains a high-risk activity for transmission should someone involved be infected".
In seeking an exemption from the "face forward" rule, Mr Guy said his singers would be in the choir stalls in the cathedral. While two groups of choristers would be facing each other, the front row of each side would be four metres apart, and they would be about 15 metres from the congregation.
In his submission, Mr Guy argued this proposal posed less risk than following NSW Health's advice: "Allowing for this separation of the group provides two choirs at a distance from each other, whereas the current advice has a greater volume of people occupying the space in which aerosol transmission is trying to be avoided."
Peter Guy said on Thursday morning he received a reply from NSW Health, advising him the agency did not object to his proposal, given that there was currently limited evidence of widespread community transmission of COVID-19 in the state.
"I've been really impressed with NSW Health, with their engagement with me over this issue," Mr Guy said.
In a statement to the Herald, NSW Health said it was unable to comment on specific advice provided to individuals or businesses.
The new arrangement would also mean a better connected choir, Mr Guy said. And that would be a Christmas present for those attending next week's carol services in the cathedral.
"I think it means the choir will have a better chance of hearing each other and seeing each other, which is important so the choir can have that contact," he said.
The Anglican Dean of Newcastle, the Very Reverend Katherine Bowyer, welcomed the exemption.
"It recognises the care we're exercising for the community," she said, "and it recognises the choral singing tradition."
"Music is so much a part of the soul of the cathedral; it's a part of who we are."
Read more: Newcastle choirs muffled by COVID restrictions
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