{"id":67598,"date":"2020-03-23T14:32:59","date_gmt":"2020-03-23T18:32:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=67598"},"modified":"2020-03-23T14:32:59","modified_gmt":"2020-03-23T18:32:59","slug":"interview-toronto-symphony-musicians-share-coping-covid-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2020\/03\/23\/interview-toronto-symphony-musicians-share-coping-covid-19\/","title":{"rendered":"INTERVIEW | Toronto Symphony Musicians Share How They Are Coping With COVID-19"},"content":{"rendered":"

Two TSO musicians tell us how they are adjusting to being at home amid COVID-19.<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Kelly
Kelly Zimba and Jonathan Crow (Photographs courtesy of the TSO)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Day by day and even hour-by-hour, the world we know and love is shutting down. Our first task is to stay healthy and protect the health of others by staying home. Part of that is learning to cope with the enforced confinement and reduced scope of activities that comes with it.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s hard on everybody. But musicians have a particular challenge that those of us in other professions don\u2019t have: they have to maintain their skills even when they don\u2019t know when their skills will be called for again. Even for elite musicians, the relentless reality of \u2018use it or lose it\u2019 prevails and they dare not slack off.<\/p>\n

While the rest of us can try to pass the time productively and contentedly, as best we can in the state of uncertainty we share, professional musicians are still maintaining their discipline lest their peak ability decline. Imagine what it feels like to make yourself practice in the painstaking deliberate way that is required, without knowing if and when you\u2019ll actually get to use these skills in front of an audience. This shows emotional and musical discipline, and should be an inspiration to us all.<\/p>\n

Ludwig Van checked in with two of TSO\u2019s great musicians when the cancellations were first announced to see how they were adjusting to being at home. Here\u2019s how Jonathan Crow and Kelly Zimba are facing COVID 19.<\/p>\n

\"Jonathan
Jonathan Crow plays with the TSO (Photo: Jag Gundu)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For Jonathan Crow, the timing worked to make the first week at home feel like it was really just the March Break, so he was enjoying lots of family time. Whenever concerts will resume, Crow feels, he\u2019ll be ready. \u201cMost\u00a0of my\u00a0upcoming\u00a0potential concerts are\u00a0with\u00a0pieces\u00a0that I already know quite well, so I\u2019ve had the luxury of putting aside my\u00a0preparation\u00a0for a\u00a0little\u00a0while during this strange time.\u201d<\/p>\n

In the meantime, Crow is taking advantage of the pause to return to pieces he\u2019s already mastered. \u201cIt\u2019s\u00a0actually\u00a0kind of nice to not have any time pressure and\u00a0deadlines\u00a0for preparing repertoire! I\u2019ve been going back to\u00a0pieces\u00a0that I\u2019ve played regularly, but would like to know more\u00a0deeply \u2014\u00a0the\u00a0Beethoven concerto for example. It\u2019s been really great\u00a0to work calmly\u00a0without\u00a0having to achieve anything for a specific\u00a0day.\u201d<\/p>\n

When he\u2019s not practising Crow is also finding that listening to music is inspiring. \u201cI\u2019ve been listening to Beethoven Op.132 \u2014 especially the gorgeous slow movement where Beethoven returns to\u00a0health\u00a0after a period of sickness. Hopefully a metaphor for\u00a0the\u00a0entire\u00a0world. As a\u00a0violinist\u00a0I\u2019ve spent much of my life\u00a0working\u00a0on the Sonatas and Partitas for\u00a0Solo\u00a0Violin, but I\u2019ve never had\u00a0the\u00a0chance\u00a0the\u00a0really\u00a0study the vocal works or Cello Suites. I\u2019m listening to Pablo Casals play\u00a0the\u00a06 Suites for cello \u2014\u00a0recorded during the Spanish Civil War, at a time which was very\u00a0difficult for him personally. It\u2019s amazing to think of him being able to shut out the\u00a0world around him and create such amazing\u00a0beauty\u00a0when\u00a0he must\u00a0have\u00a0been so\u00a0distraught\u00a0about his country.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Kelly
Kelly Zimba (Photo courtesy of the artist)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Given the uncertainty as to which pieces will be performed in the next while, Kelly Zimba decided to shift away from specific repertoire for the short term.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’ve been spending more time practising fundamentals these days.\u00a0 Right now I’m really just trying to find a routine and create a new ‘normal’, and that includes figuring out a good practice regimen. [Practising] certainly gives me something to do and a sense of purpose while remaining indoors.\u00a0\u201c<\/p>\n

The TSO chose one of Zimba\u2019s favourite pieces of music, Appalachian Spring<\/em>, for their home-based ensemble performance. The performance<\/a><\/span> has gone viral, receiving nearly 50,000 views in just 24 hours.<\/p>\n

\u201cAaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring<\/em> has always been meaningful to me (and especially so right now),\u201csays Zimba. \u201cMaybe it’s because I love Aaron Copland, or that I’ve been lucky enough to perform it many times in the past few years, or that I’m from Western Pennsylvania, where the story is set.\u00a0 In any case, its optimistic spirit \u2014 at times in the face of uncertainty \u2014 is contagious and important to cultivate during a time like this\u201d.<\/p>\n

Zimba\u2019s use of the word \u201ccontagious\u201d is important \u2014\u00a0it shows that we can spread positive vibes even when we\u2019re trying to avoid spreading a virus. And music can be heard from six feet away and even farther!<\/p>\n

Zimba is also planning to assign some of her practice time to challenges she wouldn\u2019t have had time for during the regular concert season.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’m planning to learn a few new solo pieces and resurrect some etudes from my university studies.\u00a0 Despite the chaos unfolding around the world, I hope to become a better musician and flutist during this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

As time goes on and the pandemic evolves, the challenges will only intensify and everybody will need to draw on their personal resources to cope.<\/p>\n

Classical musicians such as Crow and Zimba are both terrific role models even if we aren\u2019t musicians ourselves.<\/p>\n

#LUDWIGVAN<\/em><\/h3>\n

Want more updates on classical music and opera news and reviews? Follow us\u00a0on <\/em>Facebook<\/b><\/a><\/em><\/span>, <\/em>Instagram<\/b><\/a><\/em><\/span> <\/b>or <\/em>Twitter<\/b><\/a><\/em><\/span> for all the latest.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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