Because of increasing cases of Covid-19 in the area, the Quad City Symphony Orchestra is switching to all-digital concerts for the remainder of November and December.
Orchestra executive director Brian Baxter says their coronavirus task force has been closely monitoring the local Covid epidemic and reviewing guidance from government authorities at the federal, state, and local levels.
“We’ve been consulting with the Scott County Health Department since this whole thing began, to try to make sure we’re following best practices, doing the right thing – both for our own musicians and staff, as well as our patrons, to try and make things as safe as possible.”
“November, December here is no different, we’re still consulting with them. And the nature of the local epidemic and alarming increasing hospitalization rate is what led to this decision. So, it was a recommendation by the Scott County Health Department and we feel that it’s important for us to be partners with them, and to listen and follow those recommendations.
“Because when you look at the local epidemic, it’s the worst it’s been. We had a peak back in July, and it leveled off in August and September, which is what made things safe enough for us to have both Riverfront Pops and Masterworks I. We were at a level where we still felt comfortable having live audiences. It’s just been skyrocketing over the last several weeks, with no sort of turn in sight. So that’s what led to the decision.”
The affected concerts, which will be presented all online, include:
· last weekend's Masterworks II: Beethoven Violin Concerto | November 7 and 8
· Masterworks III: Beethoven Symphony No. 3 | December 5 and 6
· WVIK/QCSO Signature Series II: Holiday Brass | December 12 and 13.
For Masterworks, the reduced-size orchestra will perform Saturday night from the Adler Theatre, and the recorded concert will premiere at 2 p.m. Sunday, with digital access available for 30 days. The Holiday Brass will be livestreamed from Central DeWitt Performing Arts Center on Saturday, Dec. 12, then be available for digital access starting Sunday, Dec. 13 for 30 days.
The in-person attendance for the QCSO October Masterworks concerts was 250 Saturday night and 150 Sunday afternoon. The orchestra sold more than 200 digital access tickets, with each serving a household (normally two tickets in the hall).
The QCSO has had a coronavirus task force – including board members, performers, Baxter and conductor Mark Russell Smith – since May, meeting almost weekly.
“It’s really the only reason we were able to do a Pops and do Masterworks I. We’ve had a lot of involvement from across the board, to help make these precautions as safe as possible, while still delivering the artistic product that we need to.”
“We’ve had primarily positive feedback about everything. People feel safe. Our survey of the audience from the first two concerts, nobody felt unsafe, which was great. We’ve had positive feedback from our musicians.”
“It’s been a very collaborative process. It’s really frustrating to have to go with no live audience for the next two months, but our community is not controlling the virus. It’s rampant and out of control right now – to an extent that’s worse than we’ve seen to date. We feel a responsibility as cultural leaders in town to make the right decision.
“We’re still delivering on our product and planning to be back in the hall by the time we get to Masterworks IV, which is the first weekend in February. It’s going to take a lot collectively for us to get there. There’s a lot we can’t directly control, to get back to that.”
The QCSO will allow in-person ticket holders the opportunity to switch to digital access for affected concerts; exchange tickets for a Spring 2021 performance; donate the value of your tickets to the symphony, or request a refund.
The orchestra’s movie concerts planned for November and January also have been postponed. “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire” is rescheduled for June 26, 2021, and “Toy Story” will be June 6, 2021 at the Adler. The full movies are shown, with the music performed live by the QCSO. For questions, call 563-322-0931 or email info@qcso.org.
