'Porch concerts' heard in Reardan

REARDAN — The coronavirus pandemic is not stopping some local musicians from playing music.

Reardan-Edwall School District Band Director Ramona Hoff is organizing events people can take part in while staying home.

Hoff is using a local Facebook group, “Reardan-Edwall COVID,” to promote so-called “Porch Concerts and Sofa Singings.”

Porch Concerts are exactly what they sound like.

At 5 p.m. each Monday, local musicians are encouraged to play on their porches for their neighbors and people out walking.

The Couch Singing events are for people who would rather sing than play an instrument.

They take place at 5:15 p.m. Mondays.

“We all sit on our couches and sing the same song, a different song each week” Hoff said, noting the event is less about performing for an audience. “You pretty much have to sing at home with family.”

Hoff posts a list of songs weekly. So while singers may not be able to hear one another, they can know than many others are singing the same song along with them from their own living rooms.

On April 20, singers sang “This Land is Your Land.” April 27 will be “My Favorite Things” and May 4 is “Yellow Submarine.” On May 11, the song will be “Hukuna Matata” and May 18 is “The Lion Sleeps Tonight.”

“Even though many of us are doing this on our own, in our own area, I feel like it is a way to feel connected to our community. It’s nice to know someone else is out there doing this too,” Hoff said. “That is my hope. That we are all singing the same song at the same time.”

Hoff said she saw couch concerts on the internet and thought the locals would enjoy doing their own version. She came up with the singing event to include more people. Overall, the events are inspired by a love of music.

“I just think music is a universal language and can get us through so many things,” Hoff said. “I really believe that music will get us through this pandemic as well. I think the more music we spread, the better we will feel.”