The COVID-19 pandemic is a crisis for performing musicians worldwide. Last week, we focused on a growing set of resources for all who might need them. The crisis is also opening up a world of possibilities, new ways for artists to create and share.
Resources for musicians during the COVID-19 pandemic
DIY Musician: Chris Robley
While it’s difficult to paint much of a silver lining on the situation, the DIY Musician offers resources, advice, and encouragement where they can, in hopes that the unexpected downtime can be used in other productive and helpful ways.
The Art and Craft of Remote Communication … (podcast)
Stitcher Podcast: Music Tectonics (from Bloomington-based rockpaperscissors)
How could music creation change as tech solutions for synchronous collaboration develop? What might the future of music creation and collaboration share with our past?
A FEW EXAMPLES
– Nahre Sol, pianist
– Rotterdam Philharmonic responds with a performance of Beethoven’s 9th
– High-school student performs Holst’s Second Suite in F
– California High School Choir Lifts Spirits During Shelter in Place
– Jacobs School’s own John Raymond’s FB Live House Concert
– Singing Hoosiers Director, Chris Albanese sings for peace and comfort
RESEARCH AND OPINION
Performing Artists and The Financial Fallout of the Coronavirus
The New Yorker: Emily Witt
The economic fallout of the virus has made the disparity between employed workers and independent contractors clearer than ever.
Concert halls, musicians and audiences embrace live-streaming
The Strad
With cancellations and closures being announced daily, venues and artists are turning to the internet to keep the music playing.
How the New Music Community is Coping with the COVID-19 Pandemic
New Music USA: Frank J. Oteri
NM USA offers observations and constructive ideas of people from a variety of vantage points within our sector in the hopes that it can lead us toward a consensus about what might be best practices for how to deal with this extraordinary and unprecedented situation moving forward.
The Pandemic Will Be Livestreamed
Reasons to be Cheerful: Eric Krebs
The coronavirus is creating an explosion of quarantined online performance that is unscripted, unshowered and surprisingly uplifting.
We’re Stuck at Home, but Let’s Still Be Cultured
The New York Times
Our writers are usually busy covering dance, theater and musical performances. Coronavirus changed that. Here are their suggestions for what to watch, read or listen to while we’re housebound.
Must-See Concerts: COVID-19 Streaming Edition
WQXR: David Patrick Stearns
Must-see concerts don’t exist in the immediate future. There are only can-see concerts, and from the safety of your computer screen.
The Never-Ending Couch Tour: How Livestreams and Social Media Have Already Transformed Live Music
The Pitch: Jesse Jarnow
With much of the concert industry grinding to a halt due to coronavirus concerns, a Twitter search for the phrase “Couch Tour” offers reassurance that live music has already found one comfortable way to exist outside physical venues.
‘Instagram, how we feeling!’ Can livestreaming replace cancelled gigs?
The Guardian: Katie Hawthorne
As Covid-19 brings live music to a halt musicians are getting creative, but can an online show replace the real deal?
The Surreal Experience of Playing in a Quarantined Hall
Blog Electronic Intimacy: Greorge Crella
Troubleshooting empty concert halls.
Before Bach, He Was Germany’s Greatest Composer
The New York Times: Anthony Tommasini
Listen to the music of Heinrich Schütz, a 17th century pathbreaker whose work is largely unknown today.
The Strad launches Cello Focus digital resource
The Strad
The new micro-site brings together a selection of the best cello coverage from The Strad’s extensive archive – and all content is free to view until 23 April 2020.
NATIONAL
She Had 3 Jobs to Support Her Music. Now All Are Gone.
The New York Times: Jilliann Steinhauer
A singer in Washington, D.C., got by on multiple gigs. As the coronavirus shut down her city, her smartphone delivered one blow after another.
The Metropolitan Opera Tells Its Union Employees They Will Not Be Paid After March 31
NPR News: Anastasia Tsioulcas
The nation’s largest performing arts organization has told its orchestral players, chorus and stagehands they will not be paid after March 31. The company has canceled the rest of its season.
Lyric Opera Orchestra takes pay cut to benefit freelancers
Chicago Tribune: Howard Reich
Lyric Opera Orchestra members voted unanimously on Wednesday evening to take a pay cut.
Glyndebourne Festival Cancels May & June Performances, Delays Opening of 2020 Slate
Opera Wire: David Salazar
Instead of opening on May 21, 2020, it will instead open on July 14, 2020. As such, any performances scheduled prior to July 14 will be canceled. The company noted that it will send out a revised schedule in coming days.
Coronavirus forced the Philadelphia Orchestra to play to an empty house. And I was there to witness it
The Philadelphia Inquirer: David Patrick Stearns
The Philadelphia Orchestra was never meant for an audience of one — or few. That’s why the Philadelphia Orchestra’s audience-less Thursday concert felt like a parallel universe.
At Chicago’s jazz clubs this weekend, the music kept swinging amid a pandemic
Chicago Tribune: Howard Reich
Until Gov. Pritzker on Sunday ordered all bars and restaurants in the state to shut down at close of business on Monday night through March 30, the jazz clubs kept on swinging — albeit with smaller audiences and less energy than just a week ago.
Cellist Jan Vogler announces 24-hour music video livestream marathon event
The Strad
‘Music Never Sleeps NYC’ will be a 24-hour music video livestream marathon event taking place on Friday March 27 2020.
INTERNATIONAL
Europeans Under Lockdown Are Singing Together and Giving Their Health Care Workers Citywide Ovations
Slate: Matthew Dessem
Europeans on lockdown have begun using their open windows for public displays of solidarity, ranging from rounds of applause for the medical workers on the front lines of the crisis to impromptu opera performances.
ISM urges UK government to provide emergency funds to musicians
The Strad
The Incorporated Society of Musicians has written to parliamentarians, civil servants and ministers outlining the impact of Covid-19 on the creative industries.
Opera Australia looks to sell-offs to stay afloat
The Sydney Morning Herald: Nick Galvin
Opera Australia may be forced to sell off one or both of its properties in Surry Hills and Alexandria to stave off the threat of bankruptcy caused by the COVID-19 crisis.
£288m concert hall will be ‘the Tate Modern for music’
Arts Professional: Adele Redmond
The proposed Centre for Music will operate without public subsidy after the Government decided it was too expensive.
Australian-Chinese violinist Christian Li becomes youngest ever Decca Classics signing
The Strad
The 12-year-old is also the youngest ever winner at the Menuhin Competition.
The Associated Board suspends all music exams in the UK and Ireland
The Strad
The UK music examinations board has postponed all examinations at all public venues and private visits from 18 March until further notice.
Southbank Centre and Wigmore Hall are amongst several venues to close doors
The Strad
A wave of classical music venues have announced their immediate closure, following government coronavirus advice to the public.
Applications Open for France’s Mirecourt International Violin Competition
The Violin Channel
Applications are now open for the 2020 Mirecourt International Violin Competition – to be held in Mirecourt, France from the 14th to 22nd of November, 2020.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
ours Are Canceled, So Musicians Are Turning To Twitch
The Verge: Dani Deahl
“I’m just trying to survive, and Twitch has the highest earning potential.”
Musicians ask Spotify to triple payments to cover lost concert revenue
The Guardian: Laura Snapes
Bandcamp relaxes charges in light of Covid-19 but there is growing pressure on streaming services to compensate artists more fairly.
Yes, Global Spotify Chart Streams Are Down This Week. No, That Doesn’t Mean Coronavirus Is Hurting The Record Industry.
Music Business Worldwide: Tim Ingham
Yesterday, MBW ran the data on Spotify’s Global Top 200 chart – in addition to industry-wide US streaming numbers – to show how last week was, by and large, a positive one for the music business, even amid the beginnings of Coronavirus-related lockdown worldwide.
Is Triller music’s next big launchpad?
Muisc:)ally
Triller, essentially, is an AI-powered music video app that allows users to create videos by automatically stitching together their 15-second clips into one coherent whole. Users can upload audio or choose songs from the Triller feed for their videos which, if not quite as “celebrity” as Triller claims, are at least fairly professional thanks to the app’s AI powered auto-editing.
This Artist Got His Start as an I.C.U. Nurse
The New York Times: Siddhartha Mitter
Nate Lewis developed a visual language in the rhythms of EKGs. Now, his intricate works on paper take the scalpel to society.
OFF THE BEATEN TRAIL
New Musical Imagines Michael Jackson’s Story As Told By His Famous Glove
NPR News: Andrew Limbong
For the Love of a Glove imagines an alternate history where Michael Jackson (played by Eric B. Anthony) meets a sparkly silver glove from outer space named Thrihil-Lha (played by Jerry Minor). Who, yes, gives Michael his talents in exchange for blood — specifically virgin blood.
Leave a Reply