“ Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got ’til it's gone ... ”
Joni Mitchell, “Big Yellow Taxi” (1970)
We have all very suddenly, in the last two-months, been collectively and singly plunged into a period of re-actions, denials and creeping adaptations in an unprecedented experience of lifetimes. A strange and special ‘mean-time’ event transpired both globally and locally between mid-March through April now May 2020. It brought us collectively into submitting to previously un-imagined restrictions and personal reflections; coming with a mantra: “flattening the curve”.
Personally, the evolving circumstances of the “stay in place” at home regulations, coupled with the sudden disbandment of all my orchestral playing associations, created a disruption (loss) of my musical performance practice within large symphonic ensembles. My personal reaction has been a kind of profound grief, which followed the usual stages in death and dying of denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance.
It has caused me to reflect deeply upon my personal musical performance
practice and its motivations. As a result, there are now new important questions to contemplate in my ’performance philosophy’ thesis. A chief concern comes in contemplating my postponed thesis concert performances. Questioning the basic logistic viability and possible collective social-cultural affordability, desirability and the importance of our symphonic performance practice in the new collective social-economic circumstances. We have learnt that we are “non essential” in the social-economic schemes of politicians, but not necessarily economists. The “clinical” requirements for distancing restrictions, personal and collective hygiene, facilities and audience management are possibly insurmountable. On-line concerts don’t begin to fill the void.
This philosophical reaction comes with several forms of speculation. Not only How - or When - but Can - we revive and sustain our symphonic art form of large orchestras and public performance within the new post pandemic social- economic landscapes. It seems unlikely that live performances will continue as we have known them. Our performance practices must adopt to survive and thrive.
Engaging in these speculations, participating in these discussions and contributing to its solutions is now a major concern in reviving my doctoral thesis project concert outcomes and possibly contributing to a future of the art form. This remains both challenging and an exciting work to contemplate in participating in the re-invention of these esteemed and important social-cultural experiences. An essential, vital heritage, necessary for both our current (post-pandemic shocked) audiences, and for coming generations, to experience actively, by participating in this ‘symphonic gestalt’ for our mutual and continued edification, inspiration, health and well-being.
We can be an expected pent up demand for live events, including concert music, as restrictions are lifted. How and Where these events can happen will need ready answers for When large scale, symphonic concerts may resume. A place for these questions and contemplations now exist with in my thesis narrative in order to present a complete performance philosophy in light of these current events and necessities. More grist for the mill.
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