The Ohio State Symphony Orchestra rehearses for their upcoming concerts, conducted by Miriam Burns. Credit: Josie Penderghast | Lantern Reporter
As live music returns to concert venues around Columbus, the Ohio State Symphony Orchestra is joining the ranks with live performances of their own.
The Ohio State Symphony Orchestra will hold their first performances of the academic year this week, starting with a performance at Wesley Glen Retirement Community Tuesday and following up with another show at Hughes Hall Auditorium Wednesday. The performances are expected to be around 70 minutes long with an intermission, Samantha Burgess, a master’s student in music theory and orchestra conducting, said.
The set includes a variety of classics, including works from Mendelssohn, Bellini, Ginastera, Mozart and Verhey. The orchestra has been practicing its set since the beginning of the school year.
Miriam Burns, director of the orchestra, said the musicians are excited to share their sound with a live audience, especially considering the sentimental value the Wesley Glen audience holds to her personally.
“The Wesley Glen performance will be outdoors at the center [where] my mother, Louise Burns, previously resided,” Burns said.
During performances, regardless of location, conductors switch respectively by piece, giving students the chance to take on the role of conducting. Burgess said she will be conducting the orchestra’s Mozart performance after six years of conducting practice.
“We’re all just so excited to have an audience and hope that people don’t take these live performances for granted,” Burgess said.
Although the orchestra was allowed to rehearse in person together last year, they weren’t able to perform for a live audience, and performances depended solely on virtual live streams, Burgess said.
Moving forward, Burgess said she hopes that the rest of the season is as fun as their first set has been.
“We have such a good repertoire planned for this year,” she said. “It’s like we’re making up for lost time.”
Last year, in-person crowds were limited to family members of the musicians, Burgess said. However, she said she feels lucky that the orchestra was able to play together during the pandemic at all.
In addition to not being able to hold a live audience last year, the musicians had to alter their positions on stage, having the conductor on the left edge of the stage and the musicians spread out among the space, Burgess said. This ensured the wind instruments were more separated and not causing any disruptions to proper social distancing.
Although the stage setup is back to normal, precautions are still in place. Burgess said all string musicians must wear a mask while performing, and even the flute soloist wears a special mask that allows her to play while still wearing a face covering.
Despite having to get used to changes in performance norms following the pandemic, Burgess said the group is excited to get back to it.
“We can’t wait to feel the energy of a live audience again,” she said.
