High School Choir Uses Technology To Keep Singing During COVID-19 Lockdown

When California officials ordered all schools to close amid the global coronavirus pandemic, the annual Chino Valley Unified School District Choral Festival had to be canceled. The news left many students, who had spent months preparing for the concert, devastated.

"It was really devastating for all of us knowing that we might not get the opportunity to sing together anymore," Camille Cortes, one of the singers in the video, told CNN. "Our choir is more of a family."

The students weren't going to let the shelter at home order stop them from sharing their music with the world. Each member of the choir sat down in front of their computer and recorded their part of the song, an acapella version of Over the Rainbow. This wasn't an easy task, and Cortes said it took her over two hours to get her part perfect.

Once all 19 students had finished recording from the privacy of their homes, the footage was sent to a video editor who spent 36 hours piecing the song together. The finished product was posted on YouTube, where everybody in the world can enjoy the choir's rendition of Over the Rainbow.

"The students have come together even though they are apart and contributed to this time in our history, and I think they're so happy about that," Imee Perius, director of communications for Chino Valley Unified School District, said. "This is the kind of silver lining that we all need right now."

To keep up to date on the latest news about the coronavirus and to understand what you need to stay safe and healthy, check out the Coronavirus: Fact vs. Fiction podcast from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.