Music

Here we go a-recovering from a necessary (I truly believe) shelter-in-place order, and as we work to make it all work out the best we all can, you can feel the release that live music allows performers and listeners to experience. Here’s to those helping make this transition happen in a safe and careful way […]

“Previous to the pandemic, things had been looking good and positive,” said Illinois Symphony Orchestra executive director Trevor Orthmann, during a phone conversation last week. “We had great concerts up until February – the season was going well.” Suddenly the ISO was faced with having to cancel 2020’s final two performances – and all other […]

As we begin to see gigs return to venues following safe and sound practices to prevent the spread of COVID-19, there is a palpable sense of pressure releasing. It’s a reminder of all the good live music does for our sense of well-being and for our being sensible, as well. I just don’t feel like […]

Welcome everyone, to another week of coronavirus life in lockdown. We send out our best to all at the forefront of the battle and to those directly in contact with the thing. From what news I have gleaned from reliable sources, we’ve done fairly okay in self-isolating and are headed toward some kind of post-pandemic […]

Onward we go into the bizarre world of a global pandemic with empathy and compassion for those most closely affected by a direct connection to COVID-19, plus thoughtfulness and care for the rest of us, however touched by this worldwide concern. In this column about live music, we can rest assured that musicians playing in […]

As we wander into the first full week of May 2020, the world we live in is still quite topsy-turvy from only one year ago, or any time in the past, for that matter. We’re keeping close in our hearts those who’ve lost loved ones and those on the front lines, plus making a special […]

As we enter our seventh week of talking about live music without public performances, it’s so appropriate to be starting the month of May. And that’s only because I’ve referred to it as the month of Maybe for years and now May is very much a maybe month. To give proper intellectual credit, Jim Schniepp, […]

Welcome to week number six of downtime, sheltering and stay-in-place doings as we pay attention to the experts and curb the curve on this COVID-19 pandemic that has sent our world and the world at large into a tailspin. I’d like to express a special thanks to those working in direct contact with this stuff […]

Here we go for week number five (I’m losing count) of downtime due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, as we stay in private and out of public places as much as possible. Since this column is based mainly on talking about live music performances, we’ve had to adjust to other subjects, including live streaming shows. […]

Greetings all, to week number four (I think) of our quarantined, social-distancing world of the present situation. First, before getting into any music talk, let’s send solace to the grieving who have lost loved ones and our respects to those lost souls taken by this virus and all others who’ve recently departed this plane for […]

Here we are in week number three of Now Not Playing with at least another several weeks ahead of closed venues, social distancing and no way to see live music like the way we used to within the parameters established by those in the know. So with the lack of music made by those in […]