Uncertain Times: The Orchestra Plays On (Virtually)

As our society begins to adjust to social distancing and stay-at-home orders, music ensembles across the globe have been forced to reimagine collaborative performances in this new reality. The urgency and necessity of collaborative music making experiences feels as important for the performing musicians as it does for listening public. This has led to multiple virtual orchestra, ensemble, and choir performances, ranging from middle-school music classroom to the world’s most venerable arts organizations. Below is a curated “Monday Morning Concert” of some of our favorite virtual orchestra performances. Happy Listening!

• Ravel, Boléro (New York Philharmonic)
• Copland, Appalachian Spring (Toronto Symphony Orchestra)
• Elgar, “Nimrod” from Enigma Variations (San Antonio Symphony)
• Mahler, Ending of Symphony no. 3 (Baltimore Symphony Orchestra)
• Beethoven, “Ode to Joy” from Symphony No. 9 (Colorado Symphony)

Would like to the PRJC to feature your ensemble’s virtual performance? Email prjc@esm.rochester.edu to learn more!

New York Philharmonic: Maurice Ravel’s Boléro

Toronto Symphony Orchestra: Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring

San Antonio Symphony: Edward Elgar’s “Nimrod” from Enigma Variations

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra:  The conclusion from Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 3

Colorado Symphony  The “Ode to Joy” from Ludwig Van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9

Interested in creating your own virtual ensemble performance? Check out this fantastic resource from Christopher Bill:

• Multitrack Editing 101 (google document)