Springfield Symphony kicks off New Year with ‘Smorgasbord’ concert, follows safety measures amid pandemic

Springfield, Missouri (KY3)-The Springfield Symphony Orchestra will usher in the new year, and they are preparing to start their first concert in 2021.

The Symphony Orchestra’s "Smorgasbord" concert is scheduled to be held at Juanita K. Hammons Hall on January 9th (Saturday) at 2 pm.

The orchestra must make some adjustments to its 2020-2021 season to create a safe experience for its musicians and listeners.

Kyle Pickett, music director and conductor of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, said they have conducted extensive research on how to perform and play as safely as possible. He said that although nothing is zero risk, the goal is to minimize all risks for musicians and audiences on stage. This is why musicians and customers are always covered.

Pickett explained that they followed a study conducted by the University of Colorado and the University of Minnesota, which pointed out that the number of aerosols and droplets produced by various wind instruments is higher than the number of normal breathing or speech. Musicians will not only wear masks, but some musical instruments will also have covers and filters to prevent particles from spreading. Pickett said the same study showed how far aerosols can move, which is why everyone is 6-10 feet apart.

Although the appearance of the orchestra may change significantly, Pickett guarantees that it will still maintain the same energy and beautiful acoustics. "The people I spoke to with the visiting audience said they almost started crying because it has been a long time since they had the opportunity to gather together and listen to live music, and the sound surrounded them."

Pickett said that they are happy and important that they can attend the concert this season. He explained that during the pandemic, few professional bands can perform this season.

"This year I deliberately chose exciting and pleasant music that makes you feel good and can drive you."

Whether people experience the orchestra virtual or in person, the Springfield Symphony Orchestra is excited to bring live music to the Ozark safely.

Jennifer Cotner-Jones, executive director of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, explained: "We hope everyone can comfortably attend the concert and enjoy some live music, because we all need it now. "But I just want people to know that we are doing this and we are doing it safely."

Since September, the Springfield Symphony Orchestra has held concerts and worked closely with the health department to review safety regulations.

Everyone must wear a mask, Kottner Jones said, encouraging people to come at staggered times. After reaching the concert hall, all doors will open instead of the usual single doors. This is to limit the amount of music gathered before the show.

Cotner-Jones said that the number of votes was limited because seats with more social distancing were allocated and each row of seats was blocked. She said: "So, if I sit next to my husband, the two seats next to us are empty, the row in front of us and the row behind us are empty."

There will be no intermission this season. After the concert, everyone will be expelled from team by team.

With live tickets, you can enjoy the symphony in the comfort of your home. There is also a single ticket that can be used for the performance at 2 pm to help keep distance from society.

There will be special guests for the rest of the season.