Balearic Symphony Orchestra

When the coronavirus restrictions were introduced, Director, Pablo Mielgo didn’t waste any time, he asked his musicians to upload videos of themselves playing their instruments to social networks.

They’ve already released a recording by 34 string musicians performing Edvard Greig’s La Mort d’Ase and the Symphony is launching another concert by 14 wind instruments playing the last two movements of Mozart’s Serenade No.10 Mozart's 'Gran Partita’.

The online initiative is part of the #SonemPerTu Campaign which aims to bring the Symphony closer to citizens in the Balearic Islands than ever before.

”It's fun, it’s a serenade to spending time at home, which is what we have to do right now,” says Mielgo about the online initiative.

The Manager of the OSIB, Pere Malondra, says “now more than ever” it’s important to include all the islands in the project.

"These are strange and changing times and we don't know when we will get back to normal activity, but we need to be present in the best possible way, through social networks and we will keep uploading videos,” he said.

Malondra and Mielgo say they’re already preparing a new video of the entire Symphony performing Ravel’s Bolero, which will be released next week.

"It's a little crazy, but we're used to assembling everything and now we have the experience of the other videos," says Malondra.

Mieglo adds "Next week we will ask members of the orchestra if they are available to talk to subscribers and the general public, so that anyone who’s always wanted to know what a Director or Manager actually does, or has other burning questions will have the opportunity to talk to the musicians. We want to get the most out of this experience, because it is something that would never happen under normal circumstances,” he says.

Capacity may be limited in the beginning and I don't know if with the whole orchestra will be involved or just a small part, we just want to reach the maximum number of people,” says Malondra.