OSM launches pop-up live performances on outdoor stages in Montreal
Nearly 60 performances allow music lovers to stay tuned into the orchestra during pandemic
Montreal residents will be in for an auditory treat this summer if they're lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.
The Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM) is hosting nearly 60 pop-up, live performances across the city this summer — outdoors, to ensure music lovers aren't forced to sit inside among an audience during a pandemic.
"We show up somewhere and within a half hour, we're ready to go," said musician Stéphane Lévesque.
"We play for 15 to 20 minutes and then we're going on to the next location."
But there's a catch. There will be no announcement. No Facebook event page, no mass email going out.
The concerts will be a surprise each and every time.
Musician Anna Burden said it will be a fun experience, but it also allows them to perform for the public safely. Announcing the concerts could attract too many people, she said, and they don't want large crowds to gather due to the risk of spreading COVID-19.
Whether in the parks, at the foot of monuments or in greater Montreal's long-term care institutions, musicians of the OSM will meet every week to put on shows with small ensembles, the orchestra said in a news release.
The goal of the impromptu musical performances is to bring "Montreal back to life while serving the better good."
The OSM is collaborating with the city, boroughs and local artists and cultural groups to make the live performances both a visual and auditory experience.
The OSM will also be broadcasting programming and performances on its Facebook page every Tuesday at 4 p.m.
