Classical musicians are so familiar with the necessity of being alone, working on our craft. The 10,000 hour concept only continues since, as small muscle athletes, we have to keep our physical abilities nimble long past that marker of time. Now, however, things are strangely open-ended. Will we be able to work as we have been accustomed to doing for so long? Will we need to adapt to a work landscape that is forever altered? For many of us, the biggest change is that we are unable to play together or safely interact in three dimensions. Our circumstances now force us to adjust and learn, including many things that we never had to think much about before. Aerosol production, how to play/perform/share without traditional live performances or audiences, distance between each of us and any collaborators… the list goes on.

How can we recover/renew relevance for what we do as performers, educators, and administrators? Our audiences and supporters always tell us that what we do is so important and nurturing, which is wonderful, but is it still responsible to try to be musicians now? Singers have it the worst by far. Choirs simply cannot work at the moment. Wind and brass players are next – did we ever really think about aerosol production and exactly where the air (or potential virus) exits our instruments and bodies while we play?

We are able to adapt, if not perfectly, because we need to play together. We need to share what we do with others, and a big part of that is the interaction with listeners. Getting to rehearse and perform together is a craving. If now we have to do this via the technology we are using – video, external microphones, headphones, ethernet connections, upload/download speeds, tempo maps in our ears – then we will do so. Will we forget to be nervous or be more nervous? Will it be odd to finish a performance and not hear applause or see an audience? Is it OK not to wear all black or especially fancy concert clothes?

I’ve had no rehearsals since March 11 until this project – this is my first live performance since March 9. During a normal year, I have about 70 performances in addition to my full-time university teaching position. This past year, while performing full-time with the Oregon Symphony, I was on track for about 150 performances before the shutdown. A Romantic-period work like the Klughardt seems fitting for us to have nostalgia for our normal collaboration. It shows the characters of our instruments and personalities; the music exists outside of societal challenges and endures through pandemics – twice in the case of the Klughardt! If it can overcome, then we can as well.

In this time when ensembles are on hiatus, we can shift our manners of inspiration to the discovery of new and old repertoire, recordings, and continued ways to connect with appreciators, students, audience members, and each other. We don’t have to simply fold up and surrender. Our inward reflection can result in outward gifts – hopefully our repertoire and performance tonight will do that for our listeners. We are so delighted to get to perform together again and fortunate to be able to do so in any context. We look forward to further opportunities to engage with our colleagues, friends, and fans through this time and into the future!

Steve Vacchi
Bassoon, Oregon Symphony