Greetings from snowy Kirkwood, California, where my family has holed up to get some social distance. It feels like the end of a Star Wars battle sequence where all the rebels scatter to different planets, and I ended up on the snowy one. I’m literally skiing to get groceries. Strange times, these.
Human gatherings are illegal, yet people need the arts more than ever. The digital empires now take an even larger share of our human interactions. The entire basis of music-making – playing together – is impossible.
Amidst a pandemic that is killing thousands, wringing hands about the arts might seem quaint, even small-minded. But emotional health is a key element in our social and expressive species. At some point, people will need to find ways to come together, even if six feet apart (better that than six feet under).
Like many artists, I’ve watched years-long projects shelved. Phliharmonia Fantastique‘s premiere with the Chicago and San Francisco Symphonies is on hold, and many other exciting concerts have been cancelled – including the rest of this season’s KC Jukebox series and Children of Adam with the Colorado Symphony. Many of these events will be rescheduled in the post-apocalypse, but it’s been distressing to see so much work evaporate in the course of a few sad weeks.
At some point, we humans will need to venture out of our caves and gather again. Some courageous organizations will need to put a pause on further cancellations and be the first to (safely) reopen. In the meantime, I’m enjoying the many streamed performances from musicians’ homes, and hope to contribute to that effort once I return to my studio. My deepest thanks to all the artists who are sharing their passions online – stay safe and take long walks!