Screenshot of Lorin Maazel conducting the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra in a video of their inaugural performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 now accessible via QPO’s social media channels.
The Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra (QPO) yesterday launched ‘Concerts on Demand,’ an online series in which some of the best shows the orchestra has featured in the past years are made available online. The series provide music enthusiasts the opportunity to re-watch and, for those who haven’t, enjoy the Philharmonic’s shows they’ve missed in the comfort of their own homes.
It is also a way of reaching out to people while still in self-isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are missing your charismatic presence. There is something about music that bring us closer and help us come together as a community.
We would like to stay connected to you digitally by presenting some of our special performances,” reads an email QPO sent to its subscribers recently. “During these unprecedented times, QPO remains more committed than ever. We are working through these challenges by bringing music to your homes,” it adds.
Attached with the note was a questionnaire wherein subscribers were asked to choose their favourites from a list of pieces performed by the QPO in its previous concerts. They were classified into five categories namely Symphony, Concerto, Choir Music, Entertainment and Qatari Composers.
The video of the piece which garners the most votes in each category is uploaded via QPO’s social media channels. The series kicked off yesterday with Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 which QPO performed under the baton of maestro Lorin Maazel on their inaugural concert in 2008.
Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 is considered one of the bestknown compositions in classical music and one of the most frequently played symphonies. It is also widely considered one of the cornerstones of western music.
The series follows the success of QPO’s weekly balcony performances held before Ramadan. QPO’s balcony performances began on April 3 to wide acclaim from music aficionados and netizens who lauded the initiative with some requesting to have it presented regularly.
Prior to that, videos of QPO musicians performing Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No.9 (From The New World) which were posted on social media generated thousands of views, likes and shares when they were uploaded on QPO’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts. T
hrough these performances, the Philharmonic was looking to spread positivity through music and foster a sense of community and togetherness.
