(piano playing )
- We have started our first weekend of recording.
What we are calling our digital stage.
We have an entire series of different types of programs
that we're doing throughout the course of this year.
In the absence of being able to perform
in front of live audiences because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- [Lauren] There are a lot of obstacles a pandemic brings
into a classical musicians life.
It's a bummer.
It's just disappointing to not be able to do
what you're used to doing.
(violin playing)
- [Ben] It's difficult in the sense that,
you know we're having to accept
that we're just not going to be able to do
what we normally do.
Obviously the ability to generate revenue
is just quite simply not there.
(classical music)
- [Lauren] Where's the motivation to practice.
Typically I haven't needed to search too much for that
because you've got an upcoming performance.
(piano playing)
- [Ben] We also have an entire roster
of contracted musicians who still need to work.
And they still need to perform.
And they still need to be able to earn their living as well.
(classical music)
- [Lauren] With all the performances canceled.
You kind of go, "Oh, why am I doing this?"
So you just start to re-evaluate.
As I think many of us have.
Re-evaluate what's important and why we do the things we do.
(violin plays) Wait Could we do a 37.
(piano plays drowning out background)
(violin playing)
- [Ryan] It's a combination of close miking
and what we would call like area miking or room miking.
I spend a lot more time
in the live side of front house engineering.
I'm the production manager over at hotel Congress.
(violin plays)
On a basic level, what's more interesting
about this or potentially more interesting is that
you're sort of aiming at capturing exactly what's there.
Where with things like rock bands you've got so much volume
and so much density of sound.
You're not exactly trying to capture.
This is exactly what the band sounds like.
While in a setting like this, as best as you can.
You want it to sound like,
what a person sitting right here would hear?
- We have one take one. (claps)
- [Matt] commercial studios.
We have been in business to Tucson for about 15 years
doing generally event video production.
COVID hit the events industry
maybe more than any other industry, you know, on the planet.
So, we kind of quickly had to figure out a way to pivot.
(classical music plays)
We did a really good job of pivoting
to offering virtual services.
Word got out pretty quick
that we were offering those services.
And for the last six to eight weeks,
and for the next couple months we're booked solid.
So, it's been a surprising turnaround.
I'll say that.
(classical music)
- [Ben] The main thing that we're hoping to do
is to just stay engaged with our audiences,
to make sure that they know that we're still here.
That we're still making music,
that we still want to be the incredibly important part
of the Tucson cultural community that we are.
(classical music)
- [Woman 1 ] Normally, what I get to do is I'm facilitating
setting up the show and all the staging
and the chairs in the stands.
(heels clanking)
Right now, the mechanics of the job are different,
but the soul's about the same.
My job is still to make sure that their performance gets
to an audience in the best way possible.
And so, it's still about making sure that the right crew
is here and that the room set up for them and making sure
that the musicians have what they need
to do their best work.
- [Lauren] I guess this would be,
my eighth season with the orchestra.
So I've been here seven full seasons.
Although one of them was cut short due to COVID.
- Rune at two, second take. (claps)
- [Lauren] I have done so much in advance
of live performances.
Now, that there aren't live performances, what's left?
And what's left is the beauty of the music
and the passion that is still there.
And now we just simply channel it a little bit
or tweak it just a little bit.
(classical music)
- [Woman 1] It's nice to be working again.
It's nice to be with these people again.
My office is right near the rehearsal space.
So, there's always somebody playing or somebody practicing
and I've missed that.
And so it's really nice to be back.
And have the musicians back and have their ideas
and their energy and their music back.
(classical music)
- [Lauren] My love of music hasn't diminished at all.
Or really, or dwindled at all.
And so that's telling in and of itself
means I think I've been doing something good for me
and something that's right for me in my life.
- [Ben] And we are able to perform in front of audiences.
We'd like to continue to create digital content.
To continue to engage with our audiences in new ways.
So we're kind of learning a new skill here.
And I couldn't be happier with how it's gone so far.
(classical music)
- [Lauren] I'm fine with this chance.
I'm thrilled, not fine.
I'm thrilled with the chance to still perform
and still still play.
Still make music
and still have offerings
for the audience here in Tucson.
Because I feel connected to them and to our community here.
(classical music ends)