St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Launches Virtual Concert Series

The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra has launched the first programs in its digital concert series, a first-of-its-kind in the orchestra's 141-year history. The series' initial offerings include six high-definition concerts filmed at Powell Hall and available for streaming through the orchestra's website, with the first concert released today available for free. Concerts can be viewed on personal computers, smartphones, and tablets, as well as on smart TVs via Google Chromecast and Apple AirPlay.

Access to the free concert released today, as well as tickets for additional digital concerts ($15 per concert), are available at the SLSO's website. Each concert-captured between October 22 and November 20, 2020, at Powell Hall-includes an introduction by Music Director Stéphane Denève and SLSO musicians, plus program notes for the concert.

The SLSO's digital concert series, with a new concert becoming available every two weeks, will complement the SLSO's updated live concert season, which the SLSO plans to announce in early March.

Stéphane Denève, Music Director of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, said, "We are so pleased to share these concerts beyond the walls of Powell Hall. Nothing brings us more joy than connecting with people through music. We hope you enjoy watching these performances as much as we loved creating them for you. We look forward to welcoming audiences back to live concerts as soon as it's safe to do so."

Marie-Hélène Bernard, President and CEO of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, said, "These digital concerts help the SLSO enrich lives through the power of music by making performances accessible wherever our audiences are. Stéphane and our exceptional family of musicians and staff-with strong support from our Board of Trustees-have championed new opportunities to stay connected with our community. We are energized by this first step in our growing library of media offerings and we look forward to sharing future plans for our expanding digital portfolio in the coming months."

These digital concerts are part of the SLSO's expanding portfolio of online content that makes music accessible to all. Included in that portfolio is a robust online education program platform, connecting teachers and students directly with SLSO musicians through innovative digital events. Last month, the SLSO launched SoundLab, a series of four interactive videos and activities for teachers, students, and families to create music and engage in the science of sound. Since its launch, SoundLab has reached people across the country and on three continents. Previously, the SLSO created several video series to keep the community connected through music, including Songs of America and Songs of the Holidays presented by Mercy. To date, these videos have reached more than 500,000 people. The SLSO also continues with concert broadcasts weekly on 90.7 KWMU St. Louis Public Radio and monthly on Nine PBS.

A new digital concert will become available every two weeks at slso.org. The first concert-a chamber orchestra performance of pieces by Richard Strauss, Takashi Yoshimatsu, and Antonín Dvořák, led by Denève-is available for free to the public at slso.org/tempo21. Additional digital concerts cost $15 each and can be purchased now for future viewing at slso.org. Patrons with funds on account can use those for these programs. Patrons can also create their own digital concert package for additional savings. Concerts will be available to stream for 30 days once they become available. Additional SLSO digital concerts will be announced at a later date.

Step-by-step instructions on how to purchase SLSO digital concerts can be found on the orchestra's website.

The SLSO digital concerts announced today include chamber orchestra performances led by Music Director Stéphane Denève with works by Anna Clyne, Antonín Dvořák, Edward Elgar, Giacomo Puccini, Richard Strauss, Igor Stravinsky, Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Takashi Yoshimatsu, and George Walker.

One of the chamber orchestra concerts and the chamber music performances were filmed in front of a limited, socially distanced audience at Powell Hall, some of the first orchestral performances in the country held in person at a concert venue since the COVID-19 pandemic paused live performances in March 2020.

The chamber music performances, programmed with input from SLSO musicians, include pieces by Claude Debussy, Gabriela Lena Frank, Katherine Hoover, Missy Mazzoli, Felix Mendelssohn, Jessie Montgomery, Maurice Ravel, Arnold Schoenberg, Richard Strauss, and Germaine Tailleferre.

These hourlong concerts were recorded in October and November 2020 using the SLSO's new high-definition camera equipment acquired in 2020. The SLSO's digital concerts are supported in part by a generous grant from the Berges Family Foundation.

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