Messages of Hope
Classical music concerts go online to provide inspiration during social distancing
especially for music lovers, Xu said. The audience is appreciating the online mode because it can meet their cultural demands during the prevention and control of the epidemic. The NCPA said it would stage online concerts every Saturday till the offline public performances can resume.
To ensure the live-streaming is of high quality, professional technical teams are getting involved. According to the NCPA, the team from video-sharing app Kuaishou, also known as Kwai, which is partnering with them for the livestreaming, arrives at the center hours before the concerts begin to check the equipment.
The shooting is done from dual positions to present both details of individual musicians and the entire concert scene.
“Online broadcasting provides the best angle to watch a performance,” Xu said. Though online performances may not provide the best tonal quality, they are still an attractive choice for many, he added.
The April 11 concert had been viewed more than 27 million times on over 30 streaming platforms by the next day. “Internet technology has not only made it convenient for music lovers to enjoy concerts but also expanded the influence of music,” Xu said.
Besides the actual performance, the online concerts also have live interactions with the audience. An NCPA member anchors the event, taking the audience virtually backstage before the concert begins, and inviting the musicians to introduce the music and the instruments they will play.
On April 25, renowned cellist Li-wei Qin gave a solo concert. Besides telling the audience about the pieces he was going to play, he also talked about his life in quarantine as a musician, which in a way represented all musicians. “It is a pity that offline concerts are canceled and we have lost a valuable chance to communicate with our audience face-to-face,” Qin said. “But I am also happy to have abundant time to learn new songs and improve my skills.”
“Some people might feel classical music distant. But musicians by telling their audience about their daily life and instruments can bridge the distance,” Xu said.