Lincoln Center’s jazzy tribute for Mother’s Day
Online events and activities are bringing some relief and easing tensions for residents battling lockdown stress. There have been several performances over the last month, with the Jazz at Lincoln Center being the latest to entertain a virtual audience.
On April 30, which happened to be International Jazz Day, and May 1, the center invited around 20 musicians from home and abroad to perform for Shanghai residents. The 12-hour live broadcast attracted more than 50,000 viewers in total!
Some local musicians also spoke about how they have been spending their time during the lockdown. They recommended their favorite songs and encouraged people to get through the difficult times with the warmth and consolation of the melodies.
Ding Xiaoyun, general manager of the center, said that Shanghai has a rich tradition in jazz. Besides the center, there are several other jazz venues like the Blue Note Shanghai and JZ Music. Ding said that jazz has been reaching a wider and more diverse audience in the city.
The pandemic did not stop the center’s endeavor to promote jazz. For a month, it has offered music enthusiasts daily shows on its WeChat account: JALCSH and the streaming platform Bilibili.
From 8pm to 10pm on Sunday, which also happens to be Mother’s Day, the center will present a special online show to pay tribute to mothers.
Chinese musicians Lu
Xuanchen, Rong Chenchu and Peng Peng will perform and interact with the audience. They will also express their gratitude to all the mothers fighting on frontline of the COVID-19 battle.
Wang Wen, marketing director of the center, said that jazz has a musical style that represents diversity and tolerance. Its melodies can connect deeply with the audience’s hearts. She hopes that the soothing power of jazz and the message of peace and freedom that jazz conveys will boost people’s confidence in the fight against the pandemic.
“Compared with live jazz concerts at theaters or clubs, online performances can break geographical boundaries and gather jazz lovers from all over the country,” Wang added. “We also hope that soon the shuttered theaters and cultural venues in the city will reopen with more amazingshows.”