From the time that COVID-19 (novel coronavirus) first impacted the performing arts several weeks ago, The Hub has been tracking postponements and cancellations by U.S. and international orchestras, performing arts centers, and conservatories.
The League of American Orchestras is posting information about COVID-19 preparedness as a service to the orchestra field. Find resources, guidance, and updates on the League’s coronavirus preparedness site.
To help reduce the spread of the virus, the following American organizations have recently announced postponements, cancellations, and other shifts in concerts and related activities. The organizations are offering a variety of options to exchange, donate, refund, or adjust previously purchased tickets. (This list is not complete, as announcements continue to arrive.)
The Adrian Symphony Orchestra (Michigan) has postponed its Friday, March 13 concert to a later date, following the governor’s advisory against gatherings of 100 or more people.
The Akron Symphony Orchestra (Ohio) has cancelled its March 28 concert as a result of the University of Akron’s decision to postpone all large-scale, including those at E.J. Thomas Hall, where the orchestra performs.
The Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra (Michigan) has suspended its March 14, 15, 21, and 23 concerts, in accordance with the governor’s state of emergency declaration.
Astral, a Philadelphia-based organization that develops the careers of emerging classical musicians, has announced the cancellation of the March 22 concert by harpist Emily Levin. A separate event on April 4 has also been cancelled.
The Austin Symphony (Texas) has announced that all concerts will proceed as previously scheduled, but that they may be cancelled if necessary. The orchestra and the Long Center for the Performing Arts are implementing additional precautionary measures.
Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (Maryland) has cancelled all concerts and other public events through Saturday, March 21 at both the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall and the Music Center at Strathmore.
Boston Baroque (Massachusetts) has postponed its March Vivaldi program and canceled its April production of Handel’s Ariodante, due to New England Conservatory’s decision to close its campus and Jordan Hall, where the orchestra performs.
The Boston Symphony Orchestra (Massachusetts) has cancelled all performances at Symphony Hall in Boston and at the Linde Center at Tanglewood from Friday, March 13 through Saturday, March 28.
The California Symphony (Walnut Creek, California) has cancelled its concerts this weekend, given that the Lesher Center, where the orchestra performs, has cancelled all events following guidelines from Contra Costa Health Services.
Carnegie Hall (New York City) announced that it will be closed for all public events and programming through the end of March. All events and programming at Carnegie Hall from March 13 through 31 have been cancelled. In addition, education programming presented by Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute—whether at Carnegie Hall or elsewhere—is suspended through March 31. All free Carnegie Hall Citywide performances in venues throughout New York City are cancelled through March 31.
The Colburn School (Los Angeles, California) will suspend all in-person instruction, performances, and related events until at least April 13, and the campus will be closed to the public. For Conservatory, Music Academy, and Dance Academy students, the school will transition to online learning beginning March 23 until at least April 13.
Detroit Symphony Orchestra (Michigan) announced that this weekend’s performances in Orchestra Hall have been cancelled. In addition, the DSO announced that Civic Youth Ensemble and Detroit Community Ensembles rehearsals and performances in the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Music Center are suspended through Tuesday, March 17.
The Eugene Symphony (Oregon) has rescheduled its Thursday, March 19 for Saturday, May 30. Other events corresponding to the March 19 concert, such as Symphony Happy Hour, the Laura Avery Visiting Masters piano master class, Symphony Yoga, and composer Matt Browne’s Residency Activities, are also postponed.
The Flint Symphony Orchestra and the Flint Youth Symphony Orchestra (Michigan) have suspended this weekend’s concerts. The Flint Institute of Music has cancelled all events and performances through April 11 at the venues where these and other groups perform, following protocols to limit large gatherings.
The Grand Rapids Symphony (Michigan) has all concerts through Saturday, April 11. Effective Monday, March 16, Grand Rapids Symphony staff will work remotely, and the office will be physically closed through Friday, April 10.
The Hartford Symphony Orchestra (Connecticut) has cancelled concerts and events on March 13-15, 18, and 22. The March 28 Harry Potter in Concert performance will be rescheduled. Performances on April 8 and April 17-19 have also been cancelled.
The Johnstown Symphony Orchestra (Pennsylvania) has cancelled its March 14 concert at the Pasquerilla Performing Arts Center.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. has cancelled all public performances and events through March 31. The Kennedy Center is home to the National Symphony Orchestra and Washington National Opera, among other groups. SHIFT: A Festival of American Orchestras, scheduled to take place March 23-29, has been cancelled. SHIFT had been slated to bring the Jacksonville Symphony, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, and Orpheus Chamber Orchestra to Washington for concerts and community events at the Kennedy Center and throughout the metro area.
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City has suspended all public performances and screenings from Thursday, March 12 through the end for the month. Lincoln Center is home to the New York Philharmonic, Juilliard School, Metropolitan Opera, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Jazz at Lincoln Center, New York City Ballet, School of American Ballet, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Film at Lincoln Center, and Lincoln Center Theater.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic has cancelled all concerts and presentations at Walt Disney Concert Hall through March 31, following a mandate from the California Department of Public Health that all public gatherings should be cancelled.
The Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra announced on Wednesday, March 11 that its concert at St. Louis Cathedral would not be open to the public, due to coronavirus concerns. However, the orchestra provided a free livestream of the live performance via its website and on local radio stations.
The Louisville Orchestra (Kentucky) cancelled its March 13 and 14 performances at the Kentucky Center. The orchestra states that decisions regarding upcoming concerts will be made based on ongoing community conditions.
The Nashville Symphony (Kentucky) has its concerts on March 12, 13, and 14. The orchestra is working with city officials and nearby venues to determine a coordinated response.
The New Haven Symphony Orchestra (Connecticut) is postponing events in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, including this weekend’s Family Concert.
The New World Symphony (Miami Beach, Florida) has announced the closure of its New World Center for all public events and concerts through April 12. The New World Symphony’s March 22 performance at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach has also been cancelled. Additionally, all lessons, coachings, campus tours, and community engagement events during this time will be cancelled.
The New York Philharmonic (New York) has cancelled all concerts and events through March 31.
The Philadelphia Orchestra (Pennsylvania) performed a concert on March 12 to an empty Verizon Hall while offering a free livestream of the event on its website. A local radio station will broadcast the concert on March 13 and 15, and a local television station will broadcast the performance at a later date. The orchestra had previously announced the suspension of all concerts and events.
The Oregon Symphony has cancelled all events from March 13 through April 6. Concerts and events beyond April 6 are currently proceeding as planned.
The Palm Beach Symphony (Florida) has cancelled all concerts, social events, education programs, and community outreach through the end of March.
The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra has cancelled all concerts through the end of March as well as a side-by-side student concert on March 13 as well as a new subscriber/new donor evening reception on March 24.
The Portland Columbia Symphony (Oregon) has cancelled its March 13-15 concerts.
The Portland Symphony Orchestra (Maine) has cancelled all concerts as well as select events through April 13, per recommendations from the governor.
The San Francisco Symphony (California) has announced the cancellation of its tour to New York and Europe. Travel restrictions, concert cancellations, and venue closures in New York and Europe make touring impossible at this time. The tour was scheduled to begin at New York’s Carnegie Hall on March 17 and 18, followed by fourteen performances in ten European cities March 21–April 7. The orchestra had previously announced the cancellation of its concerts at home.
The Shreveport Symphony Orchestra (Louisiana) cancelled its March 12 gala event at Riverdome at Horseshoe Casino & Hotel. The planning committee will convene to discuss next steps.
The Toledo Symphony Orchestra (Ohio) has announced that its Friday, March 13 performance will be closed to the public. Instead, the performance will be livestreamed and available on the Toledo Symphony’s website. The concert on Saturday, March 14, 2020 will be cancelled entirely. Additionally, the orchestra has cancelled the March 20 Toledo Public Schools’ 4th Grade Concert and concerts on March 21, 22, and 28.
Image above: Post on the New York Philharmonic’s official Facebook page, March 12, 2020.
