{"id":68224,"date":"2020-06-02T11:46:18","date_gmt":"2020-06-02T15:46:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/?p=68224"},"modified":"2020-06-02T11:46:18","modified_gmt":"2020-06-02T15:46:18","slug":"feature-what-will-live-music-look-like-post-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2020\/06\/02\/feature-what-will-live-music-look-like-post-pandemic\/","title":{"rendered":"FEATURE | What Will Live Music Look Like Post-Pandemic?"},"content":{"rendered":"

We look at how, when, and in what form live music might return after the silent stages of the COVID-19 lockdown.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Paris street musician (Photo: seoungsuk ham from Pixabay)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

S<\/span>ince the beginning of the COVID-19 lockdown, classical musicians, orchestras, and other groups have stepped up to the challenge of filling the void with music. While live performances were not possible, established companies with banks of video material like the Metropolitan Opera and Staatsoper Berlin have opened the vaults to free streaming<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

Many musicians have made a success in the virtual world. The talented Kanneh-Mason family<\/a><\/span>\u2019s weekly living room livestreams regularly garner upwards of 50,000 viewers. A stream of Bach\u2019s St. John Passion<\/em>, performed social-distancing style in the St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, Germany, has been viewed about 350,000 times. The performance features a tenor soloist inmost of the vocal roles, with a marimba and keyboard player, and the choruses performed by a virtual choir from around the world. The video of the performance<\/a><\/span> is on view until July 10.<\/p>\n

While the online world provides an unexpected boost, and possibility of additional revenues, classical music is a genre that is defined by performance<\/strong>. The concert hall<\/strong> or venue itself adds a different dimension to the experience, along with the undeniable buzz of sharing the performance with others.<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t help that, in the beginning of the lockdown, estimates were overly optimistic. The first reports talked about getting back to normal in a matter of weeks, then months…now it\u2019s not clear if there will be a performing season per se until 2022<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Even more than the timing is the worry that, in some cases, the season may never really come back at all, and the uncertainty is ongoing.<\/p>\n

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Teatro Colon, Buenos Aires, Argentina (Photo: TravelCoffeeBook from Pixabay)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

How Can Audiences Be Coaxed Back?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A<\/span>t Ludwig Van, we created our own survey<\/a><\/span> asking respondents about their attitudes towards the performing arts during the pandemic lockdown. Most of the 619 who responded \u2014 a whopping 78.7% \u2014 said they had attended a live streamed event, with the majority of people saying they’d seen between one and five virtual concerts. A significant chunk, however, of 25.6% said they’d seen up to 10. Youtube and Facebook were the platforms of choice.<\/p>\n

Like reading patterns, however, viewing patterns appear to be different<\/strong> when it comes to live streaming. Just over 30% said they watched the entire performance, with another 31.8% saying they’d checked in for 50-75% of the stream. It leaves, however, just under 38% who stay for less than half of a stream, including 12.6% who stay for less than 5% of the proceedings.<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, the results are encouraging, with nearly 40% of our respondents<\/strong> saying they’d pay for a livestream ticket, and another 48.3% who’d consider it.\u00a0Most people \u2014 over 82%<\/strong> \u2014 want a true concert from a stage or venue, but there is also solid support for artist chats and mixed chat-concert events, and just under 60% who said they enjoyed an informal stream from the artist’s home.<\/p>\n

While the numbers are encouraging, much of the virtual programming has been performed free of charge to viewers, making it an unrealistic long term solution. The bigger question is: what would it take to get audiences back in their seats post-pandemic? A clear majority of 55-62.8 % want social distancing rules<\/strong> to apply, and about the same amount preferred outdoor to indoor venues. Most will also wait well beyond even the removal of government restrictions, however, before going back to a concert or live event.<\/p>\n

The numbers and trends of our Ludwig Van survey generally coincide with data gathered across the continent. According to an Abacus Data national opinion survey commissioned by Music Canada, even self confessed music lovers will wait at least six months after the government has lifted restrictions<\/strong> for public gatherings before going to a live concert or venue.<\/p>\n

Graham Henderson, President and CEO of Music Canada, is quoted in a media release<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe music industry faces a triple threat. First \u2013 the very real medical concerns of Canadians about the virus. Second \u2014 that government restrictions will remain on large gatherings well into recovery. And third \u2014 that even after government restrictions have lifted and economies begin to reopen \u2014 Canadian confidence in returning to these live events will continue to be low.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

According to data gathered by researchers in the US<\/a><\/span>, where many states have already reopened, most people seem to want to return to cultural life within three months or so. Unfortunately, the same respondents were selective about what they wanted to do. While most would return to activities like visiting public parks and beaches fairly quickly, most also indicated they would not return to pre-COVID-19 levels of attendance at concerts<\/strong> and other live performances, or movie theatres, in the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n

The availability of an effective vaccine<\/strong> was the deciding factor for most people who said they wouldn\u2019t go back yet. While several vaccine projects are underway, vaccine and immunology expert Robin Robinson Ph.D. explained to Stat News<\/em><\/a><\/span> that it would be some time before it was available to the general public. \u201cI don\u2019t think that the general population will have vaccine probably until the second half of 2021<\/strong>. And that\u2019s if everything works OK,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

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Piano recital (Photo: jswerd from Pixabay)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Next Tentative Steps<\/strong><\/h3>\n

A<\/span> fter lockdown, the second phase of pandemic response involves loosening restrictions gradually, always ready to increase testing and possibly go backwards to more restrictive practices based on results.<\/p>\n

A\u00a0state of relative safety will only be reached once there are mass vaccinations and immunity to the virus<\/strong>. Until that time, reopening will be limited,<\/strong> and continue to involve precautions. Digital efforts will be combined with limited live events to help make them more viable.<\/p>\n

There is no one-size-fits all solution. How can social distancing work in the performing arts? Theatres and venues around the world are experimenting with possibilities. In Germany, movie theatres have started to reopen. Some have installed plexiglass dividers between sections of seats, while others have removed whole blocks of seats.<\/p>\n

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neue Realit\u00e4t: so wird es ab n\u00e4chster Spielzeit im Gro\u00dfen Haus aussehen. #BEsonders2021<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ZZuLOHRnLa<\/a><\/p>\n

— Berliner Ensemble (@blnensemble) May 26, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n