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COVID-19 safety concerns muted in-person band programs for a long stretch of 2020, but one CU Boulder alumna may have crafted the solution to bring them back.听

Maddie Levinson, who introduces herself as 鈥渢he seamstress for the band,鈥� graduated from CU Boulder in 2008 with a Masters in Music. Now, she鈥檚 a freelance French horn musician and music teacher who runs a sewing business out of her home in Northglenn, CO. 听

As research emerged showing wind and brass instruments could produce COVID-19-laden aerosols, Levinson started sewing COVID-friendly French horn covers for school band programs across the state.

鈥淢y mother and grandmother taught me how to sew and I just never stopped,鈥� Levinson said.听

Levinson has sewn products for bands, fire departments, drapery shops and medical supply stores, but her business switched gears when the pandemic hit the US earlier this year.听

鈥淪ome of the kids I teach told me their school鈥檚 band programs were completely cancelled, and that those that did have band had to settle for recording projects, broken up rehearsals and last-minute livestream concerts,鈥� Levinson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 taken a lot of the joy out of music for kids鈥澨�

Levinson started creating face masks with small mouth openings that allow musicians to access their instrument's mouth pieces while still covering their noses鈥攁n invention she cleverly calls 鈥渂rass masks.鈥�

Levinson sent her brass masks to 10 schools, including a middle school in Steamboat Springs.听

鈥淭heir band was playing outside in the parking lot, but my masks allowed them to go inside, sit down and rehearse together,鈥� she said.

Horn covers

As the pandemic forged on, so did research on the transmission of COVID-19.听

Levinson reached out to students who took part in CU鈥檚 Performing Arts Aerosol Study, led by Shelly Miller, a professor of mechanical engineering who studies how the novel coronavirus can spread through the air.

Miller鈥檚 study looked at what could be done to make wind instrument rehearsals and performance spaces safer.听

Among the recommendations, Miller suggested musicians use a fitted cover on the bells of their instruments with multiple layers of material to prevent tiny droplets of liquid from escaping the instrument.听

A simple circular cover for instruments like the trumpet or saxophone was an easy ask for a life-long seamstress like Levinson.听

However, when it comes to the French horn, which requires the musician to place their hand inside the bell of the instrument, the task becomes trickier.听

Levinson searched the web to see what was already being offered for horn players.

One company was selling very expensive, thick-lined covers that included a long sleeve that went up to the elbow.听

鈥淚t was kinda ridiculous looking,鈥� Levinson said.听

That product used aerosol combatting fabric, but it significantly affected the sound of the instruments, according to musicians who tested it.听

Levinson thought she could provide something better.

She used a nylon blended fabric for her first draft, which did the best at containing aerosols when tested in Miller鈥檚 study.听

Like the brass masks, the horn cover had a small opening for musicians to place their hands inside the bell. The player's arm acts as a plug in the cover, minimizing the risk of aerosol spread.

Michael Thronton, a professor in CU Boulder鈥檚 Horn Studio, worked with Levinson to test the products and provide feedback.听

鈥淎fter collaborating with Mike, he was concerned about the distortion of the sound, so I quickly tinkered with the design and came up with another model the next day,鈥� Levinson said.听

Levinson鈥檚 second attempt鈥攁 design she calls the 鈥渟port model鈥濃�攚as sewn with half-moon patches in a way that allowed for double-layer protection and entry to the bell without affecting the sound.听

Thornton said Levinson鈥檚 covers were far better than the commercial covers he鈥檚 explored.

鈥淪he鈥檚 done a great job of creating a responsible and safe bell cover that has minimal impact on sound production,鈥� Thornton said.听

Thornton ordered 20 horn covers for his studio.听

The studio hasn鈥檛 yet had the opportunity to rehearse with the covers as a group this semester. But the masks were used for smaller competitions, recitals, horn juries and smaller chamber music performances.听

鈥淎s the school year progresses, and we find out more about the future, we will certainly be ordering additional covers for future performers if required,鈥� Thornton said.听

Bringing back the joy

Since the pandemic began, Levinson has sewn over 1,300 masks and instrument covers--in many cases donating them to communities in need.

She hopes her contribution to the COVID-19 effort will bring band programs back to schools.听

As a life-long French Horn player, Levinson鈥檚 mission is personal.听

鈥淢usic was my savior growing up. If that was taken from me I don鈥檛 know if I would鈥檝e survived,鈥� Levinson said. 鈥淪o many kids are being robbed by this pandemic. If there's anything I can do to bring joy back to musicians, I鈥檓 on it.鈥�

If you鈥檙e interested in ordering Levinson鈥檚 brass masks or horn covers, please email requests here.听
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