Former nurse teams up with UO Opera department to create masks for singing

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    EUGENE, OR (KPTV) — Health experts say wearing a mask is one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of COVID-19.

But when it comes to singing with a mask, it can present quite a challenge, especially if you’re an Opera singer.

“We sing with hot air. All this hot air comes out,” University of Oregon Director of Opera Karen Esquivel said.

In the world of singing, breathing is everything.

“That’s what we do, that’s what carries the tone is that nice steady air stream,” Esquivel said.

Esquivel is teaching her students about singing and performance on a stage. But when COVID-19 hit, shows stopped as rehearsals were no longer safe.

That was until last month.

“I have a love for music!” Connie Kulick said.

When Opera fan Kulick stepped in to help bring the group back together.

“In order to be successful, we realized we needed to find one mask that was going to be adaptable for several faces,” she said.

The retired emergency room nurse took care of people for nearly 40 years.

And this was a way to continue that care but in a new way.

“So I realized what an N95 mask was, how it needed to be appropriately measured to fit someone’s face and what a level of comfort that gave me when working with patients, Kulick said.

Connie and Karen went to work researching, drawing and different sewing versions of a mask that would allow enough flexibility for the technique and breathing of singing.

“We needed to look at resonance how sound would project out of these masks so they would be performance quality,” she said.

After several months and the help of community donations, the two found a one-size-fits-all mask and gave it to each singer.

“It has wire nose piece, and this was important, it has elastic here and here so that it seals,” Esquivel said.

Now allowing them to back into a rehearsal space together, 12 feet apart and masked up.

“To be a small part of that is so gratifying. I can’t begin to tell you how talented they are,” Kulick said.

“At least we’re far enough away from each other that we’re safe, but at the same time, we get to be with each other and take music together, and that’s been awesome. It’s been great,” Esquivel said.

Distanced but together to showcase the power of community through song.

The ensemble is now rehearsing for their performance that’s scheduled for January and will be live-streamed.

The masks have worked so well that the school of music is now raising money to have them distributed to all choral and singing groups on campus.

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