Student orchestra gives impromptu dining hall concert before last-minute coronavirus evacuation

13 March 2020, 12:18 | Updated: 17 March 2020, 12:09

When the Peabody Conservatory were told their upcoming performance of Tchaikovsky’s Fifth had been cancelled due to the coronavirus, their incredible camaraderie prevailed...

Classical performances and tours continue to be cancelled around the world following the coronavirus outbreak – but a student orchestra decided to make the best out of a bad situation.

On Thursday at 7pm, the Peabody Conservatory and Johns Hopkins schools were told that all classes, lessons and rehearsals would be cancelled until at least 12 April 2020 in a bid to contain the virus, with the new measures taking effect from midnight.

One of the cancelled events included a Peabody Symphony Orchestra concert of Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony, which had taken the students many hours to rehearse.

On receiving the sad news in a mass email, members of the orchestra gathered at short notice to record an ad-lib performance of the spectacular work (watch video below).

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With all music classes to be taught online for the foreseeable future, it was the only opportunity they had to play together before everyone was forced to leave the premises.

By 10.15pm, the young ensemble had taken up their positions in the student dining hall.

Vincent Fasano, a Film and Game Composition student at Peabody Conservatory, shared the inspiring clip on Facebook with the caption:

“If that doesn’t tell you all you need to know about this school and the future of classical music, I’m not sure what will.”

Musicians the world over have been singing and playing to keep spirits high, as the novel virus forces closures and cancellations of a number of the world’s major performance venues.

In the video above, a group of Italians in lockdown sing on the streets of Siena.