How I am continuing to perform during the pandemic

My cello case sitting and waiting for me to return my cello and head home.

There have been a few performances since the pandemic shut down all of my gigs last March 2020.

But late fall last year they started to trickle in.

Same spot as above but at night. All our rehearsals for Symphony Viva were in the evening.

I played Christmas Pops in Midland last December. There was a slew of protocols such as wearing a mask for the entirety of the rehearsal, temperature checks. Many of the regular contracted musicians did not play because they felt uncomfortable. Frankly, I do not blame them and I understand their thoughts completely. I guess for me the need to see my music family and connect with something outside of myself was a bigger. I quarantined prior to leaving and I quarantined when I returned home too.

We managed a little silliness despite the chilly weather and pandemic protocols.

Cello section of Symphony Viva!

The most recent concert was a Masterworks plus Children’s Concert in Midland.

For the kid’s concerts the same protocols were in place but instead of rows and rows of bussed in school kids, we had cameras and microphones in the audience. It was a little odd playing to a nearly empty hall—one brave family, a mom and her daughter, made it out to hear us—but the plus side was that we got to do some of the works over again. That is something we don’t often get to do in a performance!