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Welcome to the third issue of La Scena Musicale published in the midst of a new reality. This is not the way we imagined our 25th year. At the beginning of the fall, with COVID-19 stabilized in Canada, the arts community reopened with live performances following all government protocols; in Quebec, venues were limited to a maximum of 250 spectators, although most small and midsize halls were at 20% capacity, while in Ontario, the limit was 50. However, the second wave of the coronavirus has ended all live attendance, and the recent extension of the 28-day lockdown in Quebec to Nov. 23 has everyone on edge.
People in the arts community were left asking what more they could have done. Unfortunately, given the high numbers of infections, governments will invariably act to reduce those numbers. The arts community must encourage all to keep vigilant with physical and social distancing, washing hands and wearing masks, reducing the number of contacts by 25% and downloading the COVID Alert App.
In our last issue, Sept/Oct 2020, we reported on the results of our COVID-19 survey which found that 70% of respondents favour the wearing of masks during performances, something inexplicably absent in Quebec protocols. The government must improve and sharpen its approach, including the wearing of masks during performances so that the next reopening is more durable.
In our ongoing special on COVID-19 & the Arts (13 pages), we hear from cellist Denis Brott, who gives his first-hand harrowing experience of surviving COVID-19 on a ventilator and his long road back to performance. We look at how musicians are dealing with the ongoing pandemic: cover artist mezzo-soprano Rihab Chaieb, conductor and violinist Alexandre Da Costa and the Elora Singers.
Still, the show goes on, as organizations begin to embrace streaming to both exercise their need to perform and to reach their audiences. A number of new platforms have launched to fill the void, some funded by grants while others are more entrepreneurial. We discuss leconcertbleu.com with Festival Classica’s founder Marc Boucher, as well as BaroqueQuebec.com from the Festival Bach Montréal. Check out our calendar of web streaming events and visit our web calendar at mySCENA.org for the latest updates.
Despite the pandemic, the recording industry is still issuing new releases. This fall sees the first two CDs from Leaf Music of compositions by cover artist Jaap Nico Hamburger, who recently left his job as a cardiologist to return to music full-time. We also catch up with Ofra Harnoy who’s making a comeback with a new album and with baroque violinist Marie Nadeau-Tremblay of Barocudas. Our Gift and CD reviews section offers many ideas and selections to consider before the holiday season. Our audio section features a look back at the career of David P. Leonard, founder of Trebas Institute, and a discussion with George Doxas on the challenge of recording Jazz.
This November/December national issue comes to you thanks to advertising support for our annual Higher Arts Education special and guide, including 13 pages of news and stories about how schools and musicians are dealing with the pandemic.
Finally, the issue includes an interview with Jesse Wente, new president of the Canada Council, a blog from pianist Luke Welch on being a black pianist in a white industry, and a visit with conductor Jean-Marie Zeitouni, who will conduct his 10th and last season with I Musici de Montréal. We also pay tribute to soprano Erin Wall and philanthropist Noël Spinelli, who left us in the last month, and to composer Jacques Hétu on the 10th anniversary of his passing.
With this issue, we have changed our distribution from street distribution to home delivery, and many of you are holding a free sample issue. We hope we have sparked your interest with our passionate team of writers and editors. To make sure you continue to receive the magazine at home, please take out a subscription for yourself, or give it to a loved one; it is ideal for parents or an artist. All new subscribers until Dec. 31 will receive our new 10-pack Musical Greeting Cards (a $20 value, see ad on page 67) or a free CD.
Subscription and Donation Drive
The pandemic has its consequences for publishing. We are pleased to plan a subscription year of five issues for 2020-21, a small cutback from our usual schedule of seven. Although we were able to bring back most of our staff through the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, the amount of subsidy has decreased from 75% to 40%. Since our annual budget depends largely on advertising revenues (about 70% of which are related to concerts), we saw a decrease in advertising of 88% in spring and summer, to 60% in September and 50% in November. We hope you will consider supporting our magazine through a donation or a subscription.
As always, La Scena Musicale maintains a vigorous presence on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The website offers new resources daily. Pandemic or no pandemic, the arts will thrive. As will La Scena Musicale.
Have a great musical and artistic holiday season!
This page is also available in / Cette page est également disponible en:
Francais (French)
