ABOUT

Cantabelle aims to reconnect singers to each other and to the wider world during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While primarily aimed at vocalists, it may be used by other musicians as well, or by soloists who simply wish to connect meaningfully with a live audience.

The director of a group can create a virtual rehearsal room or performance space, and then invite others to join simply by sending them a link to the room. Invited singers then load a previously shared accompaniment track into their browsers. When the director clicks "play" on his or her computer, this track will begin to play synchronously on each connected singer's device, wherever they happen to be.

To each singer, the other singers will most likely sound just a little bit behind when they are all singing together, but to anyone connected who is not performing, the voices will be aligned in time. By listening primarily to the synchronized accompaniment track, each singer can stay properly in sync with the group.

Listeners can clap and cheer during or after the performance, giving the feeling of a live concert.

Cantabelle can be used to hold music classes and rehearsals, karaoke nights and birthday serenades, and small live concerts for friends and community.

It is my hope that this program will help us all stay a little more connected as we attempt to find our way out of the current global crisis.

Camberley is a soprano and software developer based in Seattle.