My first concert on stage for a live audience in almost 20 months.
These last 20 months have been some of the most difficult and painful months of my life. Watching the industry I dedicated 20 years of my life preparing for disappear overnight is not an easy thing.
Not only did our primary source of income disappear indefinitely with no assurance of when it would return (that question still remains unanswered), but so did our perception of identity, purpose, and sense of self. Being a professional musician has always meant sacrificing certain aspects of “normal life”; that’s something we all got used to as children. But these past two years have required us to make choices we never anticipated having to face.
The work is far from over, but last night was a testament to the magic of live performance and what is possible when a community works together towards a common goal.
I am grateful for the vaccines and science that allowed us to safely perform. I am also grateful for the amazing patrons of the RSO that showed up; masked and excited, to support their orchestra in our long-awaited return to the stage.
-Ella Loman, Violin II Principal