Orchestral Movements in Lockdown How COVID-19 affected the
By David Williams (he/him)
Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra and influenced their plans for the future.
The 40th year of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra started wonderfully. Their 2020 calendar was bursting with shows, and their partnership with the Auckland Arts Festival meant that the orchestra began the year performing in front of sold-out crowds. COVID-19 brought all that to a shuddering halt. Organisers cancelled the first half of their 2020 calendar, leaving patrons disappointed and much of their orchestra scrambling to find a home. Yet amongst the chaos of February and March, the APO undertook an unprecedented and never before done task: running a philharmonic orchestra online while bringing music to a country stuck at home during a nationwide lockdown. The APO is an important part of Auckland’s musical and cultural framework. Every year, they perform full seasons of classical music to Auckland audiences. They provide orchestral support to the Royal New Zealand Ballet, the New Zealand Opera as well as the Auckland Arts Festival. Furthermore, their education programmes provide opportunities for more than 20,000 young people and adults to learn about music. So a disruption was a shock not just to the organisation, but to all of Tāmaki Makaurau. APO CEO Barbara Glaser mentions “lockdown life meant a very definite departure from our core business which is performing live. The idea of not being able to perform was extremely tough on our musicians and their sense of purpose.”
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