The Fort Collins Symphony was recently honored with the New World Report 2020 North America Business Award for Best Regional Orchestra. According to Awards Coordinator Katherine Benton, “It is always a pleasure to highlight companies across the nation, especially with consideration of the challenges all businesses and all industries have faced over the last year.” The award recognizes the hard work the Fort Collins Symphony is doing to keep its musicians employed and community engaged during a period of great difficulty and significant challenges when successes seem to be in short supply.
Last March, the Fort Collins Symphony hosted a concert titled “Silver Linings.” In the weeks leading up to and following the concert, the coronavirus went from an infectious outbreak in a few states to an international pandemic. On March 26, Colorado Governor Polis issued a “Stay at Home” order that effectively ended the Symphony’s 70th season. As Maestro Wes Kenney pointed out, that prescient “Silver Linings” title “has inspired the Symphony throughout the pandemic to find the silver linings where classical music can continue to shine through these dark clouds, and bring a modicum of joy during a time of great uncertainty and tragedy.”
The Fort Collins Symphony found creative and safe opportunities to continue playing. From hosting online “Tiny Concerts” fundraisers for musicians and partnering during the summer with the Holiday Twin Drive-In and the Gardens on Spring Creek to perform live outdoor concerts to recording and streaming performances at the Fort Collins Lincoln Center during the fall and into the spring of 2021, the Symphony continues to keep the performance of classical music alive throughout the pandemic. In March and April, the orchestra will be recording and streaming two new concerts: “Celtic Fantasy” and “America Awakes.” The goal is to play outdoor concerts during the summer of 2021 and return to the stage at the Lincoln Center in the fall.
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