PROJECTS

Look for the Silver Lining

 

Were you able to adjust to a life of technology and the pandemic rapidly?  The abrupt change in our lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic is of epic proportions. No one could have prepared the world for the changes that happened to absolutely every aspect of our lives. The beginning for me was on March 12,2020. My St Croix Valley Symphony Orchestra was rehearsed and ready to perform our 7pm spring concert featuring a guest pianist Chang Woo Jin from Seoul, Korea. But the venue (UW-River Falls) canceled our concert at the last minute, just before the audience arrived, due to the uncertainty of this COVID virus.  What to do?  Resilience is my motto and making the best of any situation is my lifestyle choice.   I invited the musicians to my home for a recital featuring Chang Woo Jin.  Unknown to me at the time, this pianist had an app (recently created by his friend) that allowed me to “conduct” the scheduled Beethoven piano concerto by tapping on the iPhone and leading a recorded orchestra.  Good thing I knew my music from memory as we performed for our home audience amidst food, drink and awe at this impromptu evening recital. 

 

For the performance classes online, interviews with composers of studied repertoire were scheduled to enhance connection and create learning opportunities.   When the list of living composers from our repertoire was exhausted, musicians were hired and invited to share a variety master classes for the students and other interested online patrons.  The Boston Brass had 5 quintets transcribed for “flex arrangements” and off we went making music with tracks and using technology to stay connected with our band and orchestra musicians.   Recordings were made of the individuals in class and our performance ensembles now had a product to share with the little photos on the screen as our new group was virtual. 

 

Fortunately for UWRF, Casey Palbicki (alumnae and instructor) used his skills to edit and produce 42 events for our ensembles and individual recitals during the pandemic.   Many were live from Abbott Concert Hall, edited and now many incorporated interviews of the musicians for release on the YouTube channel.   This technology was in place, but underutilized until the pandemic offered the reset to prioritize and support a new vision of communication and sharing.  

 

The creativity of many teachers and artists became quite apparent with the focus on technology.   People adjusted rather quickly to this new world online as the options were endless.   One of my favorite silver linings is the access to concerts and lectures.   “The Exhale” is a lecture series out of Switzerland and supports many fantastic artists like Peter Sheppard Skaervard, violinist.   Peter is a brilliant individual who studies the history and supports the development of pedagogy through his violin performances.   Highly recommended, just looking at who is attending from around the world makes this experience an international and cultural enrichment experience.   

 

Dan Tepfer is a pianist I shared the stage with in Prague, Czech Republic for the American Spring Festival in 2017.   We connected performing with the Prague Castle Wind Ensemble under the direction of Vaclav Blahunek.  I was the guest conductor, and Dan was a featured composer/pianist.   Dan performed weekly concerts online during the pandemic.  His technology development allowed him to play with one other musician in real time, no delay, for his live jazz performances. Unbelievable!  This is another silver lining, supporting and connecting on a weekly basis (Mondays at 1:00 p.m. Central)  with musicians around the globe.  The concerts  by Dan and one other musician continue today. 

 

Priorities change with seasons of life and opportunities available to you at the time.   Learning about technology, enhancing learning globally, being enriched with concerts/plays/lectures/master classes from around the world and understanding there is so much to embrace are the silver linings to embrace from the pandemic.   

 

Did I mention appreciation?   The opportunity to get together in person and make music may now be recongnized for the profound, positive impact it has on society.   Communities build on relationships, mutual respect, events designed to support businesses, and inter-personal connections.  Music is often an important part of celebrations and events.   People need each other and musicians appreciate an audience.  Being a part of a performing organization has a profound impact on the individuals involved and the audience that takes the time to support performances with time and resources.   If you did not support your favorite musical group before, I sincerely hope you do so now with your time, talent or financial resources.   

 

Look for the silver lining. Know you can make a difference in the world.  Let it be positive.  Don't wait and hope for things to go back to the way you once knew. Work around and through obstacles in your life. Always. And be proud of the choices you make, ideas you have,  your journey and your resilience. Embrace your new path. Obstacles won't just be limited to pandemics. Your own happiness could very well depend on your ability to change as circumstances change. And give yourself credit and be proud of how you adapted to things not in your control. 

 

 

Dr. Kristin Tjornehoj retired as a professor of music at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls.  She conducts numerous ensembles and supports concerts, lectures, and travel opportunities for musicians  at home and abroad.

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kristin.tjornehoj@gmail.com