What a difference an audience makes - for any performer – especially in this age of Covid-19.
When Mark Russell Smith, starting his 12 th season as music director and conductor of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, took to the Adler Theatre stage Oct. 3 for the first time in seven months – he knew it for sure.
“It was moving; it was really powerful. Even before we played a note, the audience greeted us with a standing ovation. I came out like normal, the orchestra stood up and the audience stood up and clapped for a really long time. I got choked up; I’m getting choked up thinking about it."
“The audience was so grateful that we, you know, we were doing it and we did what we needed to do, to be able to do it. That was a nice moment. Then of course, the music-making was great also. There’s all sorts of challenges that are created, but it was just great to hear live music, and to be on stage with everybody and connect with the audience.”
As many orchestras nationwide have scrapped part or all their current seasons in person, opting for digital concerts, the QCSO was a rarity last month. It attracted 250 patrons, spread out through the Adler Theater, on Saturday, Oct. 3, and 150 more on Sunday, Oct. 4. And the orchestra sold more than 200 digital access tickets, with each serving a household, able to see a video of the Saturday performance.A 40-person, socially distanced orchestra performed at the Adler Nov. 7, and the recorded performance went online for 30 days.Smith says last month’s Beethoven Symphony No. 1 was a similar size orchestra. Everyone wears a mask, but most wind and brass players can’t wear one while they play, so they’re distanced more from other musicians.
“The precautions have been really well thought-out, in terms of spacing and ventilation, and the mask-wearing. There’s all sorts of protocols involved with air flow. It is different – all the string players wear masks, and wind instruments emit different aerosols, so there are all sorts of rules for that. It’s different for each instrument.”
The intermission-less concerts are significantly shorter than a typical concert. The conductor agrees with the decision not to have Q-C audiences for the rest of November and December, as Covid cases rise. Smith and the musicians understand.
“It is disappointing; this whole thing is disappointing. The fact that the numbers have doubled or tripled, is disappointing. It’s the responsible thing to do. I absolutely agree with the decision. Yes, we’d rather play for audiences; there’s no doubt about that. And we showed that certainly with the first concert and Riverfront Pops, we’re able to do it responsibly, and there were no incidents and everything turned out really well because of the protocols we took.“Now it’s a different situation than it was a month ago. So I think we have no choice. It is an incredible bummer that we can’t have live audiences, but I’m really glad we can give the virtual concerts we can give.”
Digital access to the concerts for 30 days also expands the number of people who can see the QCSO, Smith says, and everyone is being flexible, which is necessary.Performing in an empty hall is certainly different.
“Of course, we connect with the audience and feel their electricity, when everybody’s holding their collective breath – that’s a magical thing. But now, just knowing, the focus is a little different. Now, it’s just a different vibe in a way. I don’t think it’s going to be more relaxed. We will expect the best of ourselves Now, we have to communicate that not just through the vibrations in the eardrum, but now it’s through electronic means and visual means.”
He thinks it’s more challenging for the players to be farther apart from each other, but it works.
“But people adjusted remarkably well, it was amazing. It just presents different challenges, for me too. I mean, my God, the basses are 10 miles away. It’s not like that in the regular orchestra. It’s like, I think those are trumpets over there. They’re so far away, but it’s like, that’s the way it is and people do adjust. “People do adjust – I have to adjust and all the musicians have to adjust. We’re all really great musicians and it’s not without its challenges, but it’s certainly not untenable.”
For digital access, call the symphony at 563-322-7276 or visit qcso.org.
