Musicians locked down
Three Toronto artists share how they make the most of the lockdown
Three T.O. artists make lemonade out of lemons during pandemic,
When COVID-19 hit Ontario and the first provincial state of emergency shuttered venues for the arts, one might say it was the day live music died.
Bars and restaurants could not have live entertainment. Curtains came down on theatres with shows suspended. Arenas could not host concerts, while music festivals went virtual or were cancelled altogether. Busking was still possible, although it is not an outlet for all the arts and streets were largely bare of foot traffic to play for.
Circumstances that some hoped to be temporary have extended for nearly a year. With some venues closed forever and others cautiously reopened following provincial orders, there has yet to be a place for musicians. They aren’t essential by the province’s terms and they’ve had to stay at home.
It’s a grim landscape but, as one musician says, when you have a musical talent you will find a way to use it. The bills have to be paid too.
Three Toronto musicians told the Star how they’ve been making music.
Caitlin Wood
Last March, soprano Caitlin Wood was in Edmonton for a four-week production of “Candide,” the show based on the novella by Voltaire with music composed by Leonard Bernstein, at the Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium.
The show was a plum, a comedy in a realm known for tragedy performed with the Edmonton Opera. Wood and the cast had just wrapped the last dress rehearsal ahead of opening night when the email came: the show was cancelled.
Wood flew home to Toronto and, taking note of her spouse’s work needs and the proximity to her neighbours, she traded in her usual stage and audience for a practice space in her closet where she sings for her sweaters.
“Our clothes absorb some of the sound and I put blankets over the door to make sure the sound doesn’t bleed too badly into the other parts of the apartment,” she says.
Wood has made time for some virtual projects, including performing on OperaBreaks, cinematic short films recorded around the city and posted on YouTube. She also works with Ask Me and I’ll Sing, a not-forprofit initiative that produces personalized videos for residents in long-term-care facilities, and is on the hunt for some part-time administrative work to make a little money.
Her focus though is on maintaining her singing voice and expanding her repertoire so she is ready whenever the curtains go up again.
“I want to be ready to jump on opportunities,” she says.
Ben D’Cunha
Ben D’Cunha has over 25 years experience as a professional musician and, going into last year, you’d most likely have found him directing choirs.
Part of the Hillcrest Village Choir and Oasis Vocal Jazz ensemble, D’Cunha was used to playing at cultural and community events, benefit shows, and in some theatres and churches. The arrival of COVID hit like a flat note. Choristers don’t sing at home, alone.
“You aren’t going to be a good player only playing by yourself,” he says, noting his intention for the choir work to continue. “We all tackle problems in our own way.”
At first the solution to the group performance problem seemed to be Zoom, the videoconferencing service that would allow the group to gather virtually. But D’Cunha found the app limited the ability of multiple users to speak (and sing) at the same time. Undeterred, he found music performance software called Jamulus.
It enables users to perform together and produce a recording with higher quality than what other programs provide. The app has also enabled him to offer voice lessons.
Still, it has not all been easy. Like many performers, D’Cunha hosted Facebook livestream events, but he put a halt to them after concerns about rights and playing cover songs. He also lives with a spouse who works from home and a child who attends online classes. With income from his musical career limited, he is looking into potential grants for artists.
All of his efforts with virtual performance and teaching are good learning, he says. He doesn’t anticipate the live entertainment industry to be back to normal for years.
“Digital engagement will long be an essential for a career in music now,” he says.
Ori Dagan
For jazz singer-songwriter Ori Dagan, the arrival of COVID-19 was like being handed a lemon in an already challenging industry.
Dagan lost all of his planned gigs and his favourite venue, the 120 Diner, was one of the first live entertainment venues to permanently close due to pandemic pressures. Dagan says he took inspiration from essential workers who had no choice but to keep going in their fields.
He took his act from the stage to Facebook, where he produces tribute shows on livestream with the help of his husband. It was a challenge without the live audience where “you feed off the energy in the room,” but he found the work forced him to be a better piano player, expanded his audience with a wider reach in the digital realm and saw him generate “generous … not extremely lucrative income.”
With help from a Factor (the Foundation Assisting Canadian Talent on Recordings) grant, he recorded an album of original material in part inspired by the virtual performance experience and aptly named it “Click Right Here.” It will be released in the fall.
Between lockdowns he performed in a show series staged on the balcony of the Senator restaurant on Victoria Avenue and participated in the “Jazz In Toronto” virtual show series. He also launched a TikTok account and is looking for influencer work.
“I am trying my best to spread joy and positivity,” he says. “I might as well open a lemonade stand. I’ve made so much with lemons.”