Keith Lockhart - Support the Arts

Keith Lockhart WHY IT’S MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER TO SUPPORT THE ARTS

In recent months, we’ve all been entertained by bands playing virtual concerts, opera stars singing from their balconies, and pre-recorded solo performances of classical musicians spliced into one cohesive song, but for conductor Keith Lockhart, it doesn’t replace the real thing.

“The virtual thing has been fun,” he says, before adding, “At cultural community,” he says. “People need to support and

the end of the day, it makes me sad. An orchestra playing a song individually at home is the same as me doing an annual Christmas card and photoshopping individual people into the picture. There’s no communication between people making art. In a way it is kind of poignant—what we’re missing is the gathering of community.”

Lockhart is confident that live concerts will eventually return. As to what it looks like initially, he hazards a few guesses. Outdoor concerts will occur in settings where people can remain socially distant. Indoors, there will be capacity restrictions and seating will be designed to keep the audience farther apart from one another.

For someone who is celebrating his 25th anniversary at the Boston Pops, Lockhart is looking forward rather than backward. His goals for the future aren’t lofty, but they resonate deeply with all that has gone on since March. “We have to get to the point where we can perform for people,” he says. “I think the world really needs it right now.”

And the artists need us. “The members of the Boston Pops Orchestra who play the Hyannis concert every summer, those by and large are freelance musicians,” he says. “A lot of those people, let alone many artists on Cape Cod, have no income.”

It is why, he says, it is critical for people to support “It is important for everybody to realize, if we want to enjoy these things and come back for the Pops by the Sea next year, we need to be as generous as we can to support the arts and artists and organizations like the Arts Foundation, which are great clearinghouses for our

organizations like the Arts Foundation of Cape Cod. help them through this.”