Coronavirus: Online festivals a lifeline for classical musicians

Dale Barltrop is taking part in the Melbourne Digital Concert Hall, in which orchestra musicians are giving virtual concerts from the Athenaeum Theatre. Picture: Aaron Francis

Live streaming has given musicians a way to stay in touch with their audience during the lockdown, but it can leave them up the creek, financially speaking, if they are not able to make money from their work.

A Melbourne social enterprise is helping classical musicians earn an income when they have been stood down by their employers or are otherwise unable to perform.

The Melbourne Digital Concert Hall is an online festival of classical music in which at-home listeners pay $20 for a “seat” and the proceeds are distributed to the performers.

Violinist Dale Barltrop, concertmaster of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, said many musicians felt a bit rudderless when they were not able to perform for an audience.

“One of the biggest challenges is feeling that we have lost our sense of purpose,” he said.

“Having extra practice time is a nice luxury, but when you don’t have a concert to work towards, it’s difficult to have a sense of meaning in what you are doing, or a goal.”

The Melbourne Digital Concert Hall was started by musicians Chris Howlett and Adele Schonhardt and so far it has distributed $80,000. Its aim is to help ­musicians through the COVID-19 crisis when concert venues — including the Melbourne Recital Centre and the MSO’s home venue, Hamer Hall — are closed due to lockdown measures.

The MSO stood down its 88 musicians last week and expects to pay them the $1500-a-fortnight JobKeeper allowance, amid warnings it could otherwise be bankrupt by the end of the year. Symphony orchestras have high fixed costs because they employ large numbers of musicians.

From May 1, MDCH will be live-streaming 14 recitals from Melbourne’s Athenaeum Theatre, featuring musicians such as Barltrop, MSO co-concertmaster Sophie Rowell and Orchestra Victoria’s Yi Wang. Festival passes are $200 plus a $20 booking fee.

“The entire $200 ticket fee goes straight to the artists themselves, bringing them income, hope and solidarity in these difficult times,” Schonhardt said.

Barltrop said musicians were grateful to have the opportunity to perform. “This opportunity has given people some sunshine at a very difficult time,” he said.