Just when you think you’ve seen everything there is to see about how people coped with the recent Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns, something else comes along to showcase human ingenuity, creativity, and the desire for connection that we all share. In this case, it’s all about group song; from church choirs to schools to community choirs to theatre groups, THE DRIVE TO SING not only reminds us how music connects us but spotlights the successful efforts to safely come together and fill communities with song when circumstances prevented physical connection and interaction.
An award-winning documentary directed by Bryce Denney and produced by his wife Kathrynn Denney, THE DRIVE TO SING is not only inspired by the Denneys own passion for music and communal song such as with choirs, but the determination and drive to thrive and be uplifted in some of our darkest days.
Narrated by Russ Gannon, we are taken on the journey that started with the Denneys when they conceived the “Driveway Choir” at their own home, inviting their church choir members to drive on over and sing in their cars, using some basic technology to try to tie the singers and music together. Although attempts had been made at having Zoom and similar virtual gatherings and rehearsals for choirs to stay in tune, as well as for the pure joy of singing together, due to the inherent fallacies of the virtual platforms, the result was less than acceptable, prompting Denney to come up with the in-car “Driveway Choir” idea.
From that original “Driveway Choir”, thanks to social media, networking began and it didn’t take long before like-minded individuals in other parts of the country were coming together with a collective sharing of ideas, both failures and successes, making each individual group get bigger and better as time went on. One of those like-minded individuals was David Newman who, by using microphones connected through a PA system, found a reliable and effective way to bring a group of people singing together at a safe distance.
Using Newman’s more advanced concept with the PA system, the Denneys began perfecting and expanding their own “Driveway Choir” with wireless microphones and using car radios.
Spreading like wildfire, the idea of “Driveway Choirs” went viral and the Denneys soon found themselves helping countless other groups across the country develop similar systems, complete with diagrams for car placement, equipment placement, equipment recommendations, and more. The more we see and hear from the Denneys and others in interspersed interview segments, their passion for music and this project became infectious.
As the documentary progresses, we see the “Driveway Choirs” and “Parking Lot Choirs” exponentially growing, with more types of groups adopting the concept, even to the point that Barbershop Quartets found a way to make the system work for them.
Quite interesting is how the Denneys explain the nuts and bolts of this essentially old school analog system, in addition to cleaning and sanitizing microphones and equipment, non-electronic equipment needs, dealing with inclement weather, and more. THE DRIVE TO SING is proof that necessity is the mother of invention and for everyone in this documentary, music and singing is a necessity. Piggybacking on their insights are other choir directors describing their journeys and how they added to or adapted the process to suit their needs. This is a master blueprint for musical performance success should a similar situation ever arise.
But THE DRIVE TO SING isn’t just about finding a way for choirs to sing during the pandemic, it’s about the connectivity and joy of music and how it makes people feel. Music inspires. Music uplifts. Music fills the soul. Music brings you peace. Although some segments may be a bit long in the tooth, thanks to editing by the Denneys and their co-editor Justin Lahue, as we go back and forth with voice-over narration, interviews with singers, music directors, audio technicians, and parking lot imagery, we are treated to some joyful noise throughout, culminating in a triumphant performance of “Brahms Requiem” from Boston’s Chorus Pro Musica. Along the way, the documentary is also peppered with images showing the pure joy on the faces of various chorus members while singing in their cars, uplifting us all as we watch and listen.
THE DRIVE TO SING is a joyful noise worthy of a watch and a listen by all.
Directed by Bryan Denney
Produced by Kathrynn Denney
by debbie elias, 11/24/2023
THE DRIVE TO SING is now streaming on Tubi and Prime Video
