The Royal Melbourne Hospital’s Scrub Choir went viral during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic with their poignant renditions of classics like “I’ll Stand by You”. A few years later, they continue to inspire.
The choir grew serendipitously from an internal bid to boost wellbeing and solidarity as the pandemic began to take hold in Australia.
“A lot of it [the early days of the pandemic] was like a movie. We could see what was happening overseas and in the hallways of the hospital, you could cut the atmosphere with a knife. People were terrified,” recalls Head of RMH Music Therapy Dr Emma O’Brien, the creator of the Scrub Choir.
With regular music therapy programs curtailed, Dr O’Brien innocently suggested that her team should “play a little bit in the hallways” to help relieve mounting stress across the hospital. The concept took off, prompting her to shift focus to prioritising staff wellbeing, and eventually put out a call for virtual singing sessions to help cope, which morphed into shareable music videos. Hundreds joined, and the Scrub Choir, which holds rehearsals during the week, was born. Their rendition of “I’ll Stand by You”, which lifted sprits across the nation, has now amassed nearly 100,000 YouTube views.
“It was incredibly humbling, and I was not expecting that,” Dr O’Brien reveals.
“As healthcare workers, we are attracted to it because we want to add value, we want to care. COVID was terrifying for all of us but we all still stayed there. To be able to still reach out to our community and provide care in that way was extraordinary.
Maria Leonar, an associate nurse unit manager at the RMH’s rehabilitation ward, joined the Scrub Choir to get her mind off the day-to-day challenges of working amid the pandemic.
“From the time it started, it helped me get through a lot,” says Maria.
“It was a difficult time and it sustained me and helped me get through work. I love singing and it made me realise how good it is for my health and wellbeing. It gave me that balance and was so inspiring. The connection it created among us when everyone was isolated was amazing.”
Looking back, Dr O’Brien says that during long, strict lockdowns, experienced by Victorians at the peak of the pandemic, the Royal Melbourne Hospital was probably the only place you could still hear live music. Donning face masks and shields, staff tuned in virtually for song sessions, or sent in videos of themselves dancing and singing along to backing tracks.
Songs that struck a chord with audiences included Bruno Mars’ Count on Me, and What A Wonderful World. Selections were influenced by the collective mood at the time. For example, with “I’ll Stand by You”, staff wanted to reach out to colleagues, especially those overseas, doing it tough.
“The whole thing about the Scrub Choir is that it’s not just for singing, it’s for any sort of participation, and to feel connected,” Dr O’Brien explains.
“Me and my music therapy team, we’d go around the wards with our iPhones, and just give people permission to have a moment together, like a little boogie or a wave. That little moment of joy can have an extraordinary ripple effect across your day.
“Those things really became a signature part of the Scrub Choir; that it’s okay when things are bad to have a moment of joy and take care of yourself. And that was part of our message into the community. You don’t have to drown in all this horror.”
After beginning as a hospital-wide initiative, the RMH Scrub Choir spread its wings, performing at various gigs across the country, including at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, and even internationally. Last year, a handful of members, including Dr O’Brien and Maria, flew to Geneva in Switzerland to perform Bridge Over Troubled Water at the World Health Organization’s 75th World Health Assembly.
“They’re world leaders in healthcare. Giving us a voice to talk about the importance of caring for healthcare workers was invaluable,” Dr O’Brien says.
While travelling across the world to sing is fun and exciting, Dr O’Brien suggests that simple moments like heading down to the hospital’s cafeteria to sing make just as much impact. Just last week, for example, a patient stood up and had a little dance with his wife.
Despite the world emerging from the pandemic, the Scrub Choir is arguably needed now more than ever. Moving forward, it plans to continue providing an outlet for staff and performing at live events. It is also working on more songwriting projects and videos.
“Our main focus is about caring for the carer,” Dr O’Brien says.
“We get asked to do conferences and perform at openings of things, which we do as long as the message is about caring for the carers. I think the Scrub Choir will keep going for as long as we need it.” And if Maria has anything to do with it, the music won’t stop.
“I could still be working 10 years more with the Scrub Choir in my life,” she says.
“It’s just changed everything in my life for the past four or five years. Singing is a real passion of mine and the group is uplifting and balances my life.”
