I was at Henry Wood Hall this afternoon to interview brass players and percussionists at the LPO rehearsing and recording for the band’s Summer Sessions available on YouTube next week, many of whom hadn’t seen each other in real life for four months. Also weird to see actual people in real life doing ‘work things’. Oddly demanding to interview people at an extended distance – mean almost. Generated some good stuff (though tussled with the imagined voices of nearby critics saying that talk of tubular bell tuning was alienating for classical music newcomers – fools). Uplifting to be in the company of like-minded people – people whose livelihoods I care deeply about. Current health and safety measures are tiresome – holding live performance back right now. Adjusting to requirements about what’s ‘right’ and ‘acceptable’ in a physical space is exhausting too. But as someone who is always keen to bang the proverbial drum, it is a delight to be amongst musicians again as I was today. Generous types who just want to get back to work. Indebted to Rebecca J at Premiere for the visit. We all just need to knuckle down: this is going to take a long time.
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