Hong Kong orchestra posts videos of players making music on social media amid coronavirus epidemic that’s shut concert halls

Concertgoers are missing their Hong Kong Philharmonic, and its players are missing their audience, so they’ve made music videos at home for posting online

‘We feel so isolated. But we know the audience wants to hear from us,’ says principal clarinettist Andrew Simon, pleased with positive feedback videos received

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Hong Kong Philharmonic principal clarinettist Andrew Simon and pianist Warren Lee in a still from a video of them playing Joseph Horovitz's Sonatina. It’s the second video Simon has made for posting online to reach orchestra fans amid the coronavirus epidemic that’s shut concert halls. Photo: Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra

Published: 3:00pm, 6 Mar 2020Updated: 6:59pm, 7 Mar 2020

With Hong Kong concert venues closed because of the coronavirus epidemic and performances cancelled, musicians from the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra have turned to social media to share their music-making at home.

The outbreak of the coronavirus that causes Covid-19 has effectively shut down the arts in Hong Kong for the past month and a half. Major events in February and March, such as the Hong Kong Arts Festival and Art Basel Hong Kong have been cancelled, and the Hong Kong Philharmonic is still unable to perform its concert schedule.

During this time, though, orchestra members have not been idle, and the orchestra has been sharing short videos of them playing music on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter – where they have received a lot of positive responses.

The first video, posted on February 21, featured principal clarinettist Andrew Simon, who has performed with the orchestra for 31 years. He played a short, tango-style piece by Astor Piazzolla.

A still from a video of Homer Lee, French horn player with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, making music at home with his wife, percussionist Sophia Woo, and their son Yannis. The video is one of a number posted by the orchestra while it is unable to give concerts. Photo: Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra

“I got a lot of joy from doing it,” he says by phone. “We feel so isolated. But we know the audience wants to hear from us. For me, I wonder if the audience understands what they do for us.” He says the videos are a great way for the orchestra members to introduce themselves to the people to get to know them better, and adds: “We miss you!”