Online rehearsal and practice solution for choirs in isolation

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In the UK, there are around 3 million people choral singers. Worldwide, over 120 million people sing in choirs. Or at least they did before COVID-19\.Koor (https://koor.app) is an app that was created to help choral singers, who struggle to read music.75% of singers in choirs say that they struggle to learn their parts due to an inability to read music. 92% say that they would use an audio practice aid to help them learn.Koor enables:* singers to learn their parts by engaging with interactive recordings of professional singers, and* use machine learning to show them if they are off-key, or their rhythm is wrong* music directors to better guide their choir member's individual practice* choir administrators to more efficiently manger their organisationsAs a direct result of COVID-19, choral singing has been designated one of the most potentially risky activities to engage in. Choirs across the United Kingdom, and around the world, have been forced to stop their congregational activities for the foreseeable future; quite possibly not returning to normal until a vaccine is available.The expectation is that choirs may not be able to reconvene until September 2021, at the earliest. That's literally tens of millions of people who are not able to participate in an activity that provided important social, health and wellbeing benefits.To address this situation, Koor is working to develop an online rehearsal platform that will allow choirs to continue gathering and working virtually.To achieve this goal, we will explore, experiment and develop technologies that will provide:* lower audio and video latency* vocal commands for use with smart speakers* gestural control of audio and player functionalitiesOur online platform will not only help community, worship and educational choirs continue to gather online during isolation. Beyond this global pandemic, it has the potential to make choral singing - with its health, social and wellbeing benefits - more accessible to people in smaller, more isolated communities and people with disabilities.Koor can also support the sustainability of other arts organisations as they adapt to the 'new normal'; providing them with a platform on which to engage with their communities actively.Individual musicians and music groups, in response to climate change and environmental concerns, are looking for ways to travel less. This project will result in a platform that will enable world-class conductors, soloists, composers and ensembles to engage with their global audience online to a level of satisfaction that has never before been possible.