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Seattle Symphony musicians play on, even in a pandemic

caption: Mary Lynch, principal oboist, Seattle Symphony Orchestra
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Mary Lynch, principal oboist, Seattle Symphony Orchestra
Photo courtesy of Mary Lynch

The coronavirus pandemic has forced us to learn new ways to work, educate our kids, socialize, even new ways to make and distribute art.

Classical artists are diving right into new technologies.

Seattle Symphony Orchestra has launched a series of short solo performances called Morning Notes. They’re released daily on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. The premise is simple: the musicians introduce themselves, tell us what they’ll perform, then they play for a minute or so, from their living rooms, or wherever they choose.

In her Morning Note, Mary Lynch, SSO principal oboist, plays a snippet from the first movement of one of Bach’s cantatas.

“If I had to choose one piece that’s closest to my heart, it would be Cantata 82,” Lynch says. “The sentiment behind that particular aria is this feeling of being at peace with what one has, and what one experienced in life. There’s also this element of yearning.”

The cantata is one of Lynch’s favorite musical pieces, but recording herself playing it alone in her living room was disconcerting.

“It was pretty strange,” she says. “I wasn’t able to connect the way I can when I see the audience right there in front of me.”

Despite the minor challenges, Lynch says she and her fellow symphony musicians want to contribute what they can in this crisis. They’re choosing compositions that are personally meaningful, in hopes of providing small moments of respite to the community.

More than 150,000 people have seen the short videos since they debuted March 23. If you miss them on social media, you can find the series on the Symphony’s YouTube channel.

Beyond daily Morning Notes, last month the orchestra launched a weekly streamed performance that debuts every Thursday evening and repeats on Saturday night. SSO also plans to add Sunday matinees, and starting Saturday, brings its Tiny Tots young audience series online as well.

More information on concert schedules is at the Seattle Symphony website.


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