The music does not have to stop; we have to keep musicians engaged and playing (Third of British musicians may quit industry amid pandemic, 22 September). At Bollington Chamber Concerts we have been promoting professional chamber music for over 30 years. At the start of lockdown we decided not to stop, but to live stream our 10-concert season – with or without an audience. We have had three, the latest being the Piatti Quartet.
There is a huge appetite for live music, even if it has to be online. It works really well; the excitement of a live performance is still there, and audiences tune in and donate. Musicians can perform and get paid. As one audience member wrote about the Piatti Quartet: “It was as if all their pent-up ache to perform had found expression in the one hour.”
We decided to do this not just for our audience and for our musicians, but also to encourage other concert societies to have a go. Have a look at what we are doing and get in touch via our website; we’ll do what we can to get you started. We owe it to our audiences and our musicians.
Professor Ken Singer
Bollington, Cheshire
