Hi everyone. How are you doing? It’s hard to know exactly where to start, what to write, and how best to connect and support through these times. Above all, I hope you and your loved ones are safe, taking advantage of this unexpected time to rest and reconnect, finding ways to soothe your mind and soul, and taking care of your mental health, while remaining healthy and strong. We *will* get to the other side of this, and it will be easier to do it together (from a distance)!
With that in mind, I’ve been searching for meaningful ways to connect during this time. In a world in pain, I’ve been looking for any way, small or large, to contribute some morsels of positivity — of joy, hope, and comfort — to our suffering world. As you may know, I started by posting daily musical clips on my Instagram — predominantly because music was providing me great solace & I wanted to share with anyone who might feel similarly comforted. I was also fortunate to be invited to give a solo recital for the Philadelphia Virtual Music Phestival on April 11. Navigating the experience of live streaming, wrought with last minute technical surprises (difficulties), was nerve-wracking — but I feel I have a better understanding now, and hope to gain more insight and comfort in continuing to give livestream performances. When I initially ended, I thought I wouldn’t do it again because it was too stressful and I felt my anxiety about the livestream greatly interfered with the music, however, despite this, the feedback I’ve received has been immensely heartwarming, meaningful, and life-affirming. I’m grateful to everyone who took the time to write a message, and even more thankful that my music provided you with some comfort. The idea that the experience gave some of you a sense of normalcy — a typical Saturday night at a concert; that the performance distracted others and allowed you to escape your struggles and enter a world of beauty, peace, and joy… your thoughts have meant so much to me, providing me with a sense of purpose and usefulness, and have inspired me to start a regular online concert series, “Live from Lowville with Love”.
My preliminary plans are this: I will present a live performance on my Facebook page every Saturday at 4pm EDT for the duration of this quarantine. Each mini-recital will follow a theme of sorts, be approximately 30 minutes long, and be casual, conversational, and fun. Each show will probably last around 30 minutes, and include several pieces as well as some ideas/insights into the music. For the inaugural show this Saturday, April 18th, I’m going to dive a bit deeper into the ever-popular “Songs of Comfort” permeating the internet-lands. If you have songs that have been providing you comfort during this time, please send me a note! I’d love to hear what songs you personally find comforting.
4pm may seem an odd time, but with dear friends everywhere from Dresden, Germany to NYC, Victoria BC, and beyond, 4pm seemed like a time that might work for the most people — a post-lunch siesta accompaniment for my North American West-Coasters, a pre-dinner hors d’oeuvre for my fellow East Coasters, and a nighttime meditation for my beloved Europeans. (Who am I kidding, we’re all in quarantine! Time no longer has any meaning… 1pm on a Saturday is probably a good time to roll out of bed on the West Coast, and 10pm in Europe is probably a great time to fix up a light lunch. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) There are also already several fantastic options for live-streamed music on Saturday evenings, and I don’t want to interfere with any of those initiatives.
Consider these mini-recitals a simple offering of my heart into our new virtual co-existence. If one person a week finds solace in my musical offerings, I will be grateful for that opportunity to connect. Please do share this with anyone you feel might benefit from some soothing cello sounds, and please reach out to me if you have any song requests or ideas — I am wide open and hoping to serve.
Much love and please stay safe and healthy, my friends.