Lansing Symphony: Up-Close, Personal and Online

 

How can a symphony orchestra survive if there are no audiences to listen to their concerts?

Lansing Symphony Orchestra conductor and music director Timothy Muffitt has given much thought to pondering an answer to that difficult question.

The most obvious answer is digital video.  A quick scan of You Tube and you will find hundreds of orchestras trying various ways of keeping classical performances alive and their subscribers happy.

Muffitt says, “I’ve spent a lot of time viewing videos of orchestras giving performances with empty concert halls.  That didn’t seem right to me. I kept on thinking; how can we turn liabilities into assets?”

To see an example of those assets, the orchestra will be giving its second online concert on March 1^st (lsovideo.com) in a format that Muffitt feels very comfortable with. Don’t expect the full LSO on display. Instead Muffitt has opted for chamber music using an ensemble of 12 instruments and 11 instruments.  3-4 cameras will be used.

 The conductor and his team partnered with Dominic Cochran of the Lansing Public Media Center.  Muffitt enthused, “They have an enormous studio – almost like an airplane hangar with a nice high ceiling. 

“We could really spread out and be safe. Instead of sitting regularly (in rows), we sit in a circle which creates interesting options for different camera angles.  The outcome is a powerful product – very engaging.  It’s up close and personal.”

One of Muffitt’s first ideas was to avoid replicating a traditional orchestra concert.  A digital concert is a different animal. And the first thing to consider when designing that unique format was being careful to find just the right music.

“I was looking for things that might not be performed otherwise.  Yes, I’m always looking for music for audience satisfaction, but also for something that would probably not show up in a live concert.”

He hit the mark with a sumptuous piece for 12 cellos by Brazilian composer, Heitor Villa Lobos, “Bachianas Brasileiras No 1.”

 Continuing from that platform, Muffitt also programmed “Autumn” from Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”, along and a new work from the orchestra’s composer-in-residence, Patrick Harlin, “The Art of Flight” which was written as a campanion piece for Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons”.

 Although Muffitt will act as a masters of ceremonies, he will not be conducting in the traditional way.  He says, “This is all chamber music, and the players are rehearsing by themselves. It’s all a very democratic process – it’s very dynamic and vibrant with an incredible amount of communication between the musicians.”

The dramatic lighting and camera angles do not try to simulate a live performance. Muffitt says, “It’s something totally different for us, and we’re very proud of it.”

 Muffitt also finds this kind of music making, engaging the orchestra in new and different ways. “I can see great relationships building between the musicians during their rehearsals and performances.  They are working in a chamber situation and music synapses will build from that.

 “Great orchestra playing is great chamber music playing.”

 A huge amount of planning went into figuring out how these concerts would happen, but it all fell into place wonderfully.

 Concert Details

•  LANSING SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA FIRST VIRTUAL CONCERT OF 2021
•  Monday, March 1 until April 30.  Free
•  Video Platform: LSOVideo.com
•  Additional information lansingsymphony.org or call 517 487-5001.

 This article will appear in the Lansing State Journal