Enabling collaboration and bringing people together however and whenever possible is the conductor’s true role. This has been a challenging year for all, but it has been so amazing to feel the power of live music on the few occasions it has been possible. It has been incredible to see how brave, creative and resourceful musicians and orchestras have been in this time and wonderful to see the rejuvenating effect of live music on both musicians and audiences after months of silence.
In the next few weeks, as we hopefully come out of the most intense phase of the pandemic, I will document what I and some of my colleagues have been up to in response – from our newly developed skills in online interaction and performance, to live performances that miraculously work despite a whole new orchestral layout, to innovative research and education work created in response to the new reality.
All of this work shows the unstoppable power of music and its role at the centre of human existence, especially in the most trying of times.
Here is a video of a live performance made possible by the City of Valladolid, Spain, the City’s wonderful orchestra the Castilla y León Symphony Orchestra and Casa de la India. The soloist is Ravi Shankar’s senior disciple the fabulous Shubhendra Rao. It took place on December 6th with a socially distanced and masked orchestra and audience – celebrating Ravi Shankar’s 100th Anniversary and the unstoppable power of music.