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Symphoria Tries to Replicate Holiday Pops Tradition With Virtual Concerts

experiencesymphoria.org

Symphoria is trying to give Central New Yorkers some semblance of holiday tradition by providing virtual Holiday Pops Concerts starting Friday evening. 

Executive Director Pam Murchison hopes they can capture some of the warmth and magic of the music.

"It's going to be a  great selection of pieces for a small group of musicians.  We have no more than 8 or 9 on stage at a time, led by no conductor."

 Although, she says, principal pops conductor Sean O’Loughlin will host the pre-recorded concerts and share the inspiration behind his arrangements.  Murchison says they’re trying to maintain the shared experience of an actual concert.

"Before the concert, we have the  chat feature open, so people can check in and say hello to each other.  As part of the pre-concert material and intermission material, we've had some at-home interviews with the guest artists, the conductor, and musicians.  Even though we're not together in person, the feeling we're getting is that the community is getting to know the people of the orchestra better, and vice versa.  

While they’ve been able to explore pieces that work for smaller groups of musicians, Murchison admits it hasn’t always been easy.

"We're trying really hard to stay positive and also optimistic about the opportunities we're finding right now because everyone is struggling.  It's very, very challenging."

Which is why they’re grateful for musicians and audiences who are adjusting to the virtual concert format.

"Despite this brand new delivery method, the feedback we're getting is very positive because we're able to provide some respite, some beauty, some joy, some distraction."

In keeping with tradition, Symphoria is offering three virtual Holiday Pops concerts:  Friday evening at 7:30, and Saturday at 1:30 and 7:30 p.m.  Tickets and more informationhere.

Scott Willis covers politics, local government, transportation, and arts and culture for WAER. He came to Syracuse from Detroit in 2001, where he began his career in radio as an intern and freelance reporter. Scott is honored and privileged to bring the day’s news and in-depth feature reporting to WAER’s dedicated and generous listeners. You can find him on twitter @swillisWAER and email him at srwillis@syr.edu.