URBANA – People in the Champaign-Urbana community and beyond are invited to take part in the first C-U Sing-Along Saturday at 4pm.
The event will be led via Facebook, and participants are invited to join in wherever they are, and post videos of their own singing. The Sing-Along is being organized by several groups, including Chambana Moms, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, and music teachers in Champaign Unit 4 and Urbana 116 schools.
Illinois Newsroom’s Brian Moline spoke with Abby Crull, the music teacher at Westview Elementary in Champaign. She explains how the event came about.
“Several local organizations had come together just in conversation on Facebook and all saw this need or this great opening for a shared community event that we’re calling the C-U Sing-Along.” Crull said.
Organizers chose the song “Sing,” by Joe Raposo, which is best known from the children’s series “Sesame Street.” Crull says she really likes the overall message of the song.
“I love the singability of it, the simpleness of the lyrics, especially the line that says ‘don’t worry that it’s not good enough for anyone else to hear,'” Crull said. “and all of us as music teachers, that’s kind of that the core of our work, what we do, that singing and making music is part of us, it’s part of our human nature. To worry about what it sounds like takes away the entire spirit of making music together.”
Crull says people who want to participate should go the the Facebook event page Saturday at 4pm. They’ll be streaming “Sing,” performed by Brandon T. Washington, the music teacher at Dr. Howard Elementary School in Champaign.
Crull says it’s been difficult to teach music remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, but she has a hopeful message for her students.
“We are thinking about them, and we care about them,” Crull said. “We are still going to be here when this is all over. We’re going to be okay. We wish we could be with them, but we’re happy that they’re safe, and they’re staying home.”
Krannert Center uploaded a video of Washington performing “Sing” to YouTube so people can practice the song ahead of Saturday’s Sing-Along.