No matter the distance, LMU choral students are singing in sync this semester thanks to a new technological innovation, Jacktrip Audio Technology. Developed by Stanford University’s Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA), the Jacktrip Studio Audio device allows individuals to use audio synchronously with others with little to no latency, opening the door for real-time pedagogy and music-making during Zoom rehearsals.
According to Todd J. Harper, LMU director for choral activities, before using Jacktrip, students would have to mute themselves over Zoom to avoid audio issues, essentially singing in isolation without hearing their peers’ voices.
“The students in the LMU Choral Music Program are among the most talented, hard-working, and resilient members of the LMU community,” Harper said. “I have been inspired by their continued drive to learn and create music, but even more by their commitment to one another and our shared community. They are incredibly supportive of one another, and they embody the best aspects of what it means to be an LMU Lion!”
Moreover, the use of the new audio technology is music to students’ ears.
“This technology hasn’t just improved choir rehearsal, it has restored it,” Gabrielle Poma, a vocal performance major and member of the LMU Consort Singers, said. “People join the choir because they want to sing together, and Jacktrip allows us to do that once again.”
Fellow Consort singer Thomas Benis echoes this sentiment: “Getting to listen to friends and other singers in your ear helps with pitch, and it motivates me to put in extra effort and be dedicated to the music,” Benis, a marketing major, said. “This semester, I actually look forward to spending virtual time in choir. All in all, it has helped elevate our performance standard and group chemistry.”
To date, LMU’s choruses are one of only a very few ensembles in the world successfully utilizing this new technology. Listen for yourself, here.
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This article was originally published in LMU This Week and can be found here.
