RI Philharmonic Music School COVID-19 Update (March 18)

Friends,

In keeping with CDC and state mandates regarding the COVID-19 Coronavirus, we have made a number of difficult decisions over the past few days.  Currently, The Carter Center is closed to instruction through Sun. April 5, per instruction from Governor Raimondo, and all recitals, classes and rehearsals are cancelled or postponed through April 18. These dates could change. We will keep you updated.

For the duration of the shutdown, we are encouraging faculty and students to continue private instruction online through video chat programs such as Skype, Facetime, or Zoom. Please contact your teacher to discuss options for your family. If you have any questions about virtual lessons, please email cartercenter@riphil.org

We have also postponed RIPO’s remaining Season 75 performances, including the March 29 Judith Stillman and Friends, April 3-4 Beethoven and Ravel, and the May 1-2 Verdi Requiem.  At this point, we are making every effort to reschedule them. It is also highly likely that RIPO will not be able to perform our LinkUp Education Concerts in May as planned. We are exploring alternatives for producing these concerts in a manner that would be safe for orchestra members, staff, and the more than 11,000 students around the region who have been preparing for them. Currently, we intend to go ahead with the Gala on June 13, but that could change if public gathering restrictions are extended. This is our largest single fundraiser, and provides considerable support for our need-based scholarships and education programs, so the fate of the Gala has tremendous implications for The Music School, as well as the overall Philharmonic organization..

In the past, we’ve been able to bring our community together through music during difficult times.  We hope to do so during this crisis.  We are exploring creative ways to reach people in their homes via online broadcasts from RIPO’s live recording archives, links to curated resources, as well as an opportunity to learn online from the incredible artists of our Orchestra and Music School. Stay tuned for more details on this.

We are particularly focused on lessening the financial impact of this crisis on everyone whose income is directly linked to the concerts we perform and the lessons and classes we teach. This includes our faculty. As music school students you can help support your teachers in the following ways:

• Schedule virtual private lessons while the Carter Center is closed
• Reschedule missed lessons once activities resume
• Donate tuition payments for any lessons that you are not able to reschedule.

In addition to above, you can support our RIPO&MS Musician and Staff Relief Fund online here, through the Box Office, or by reaching out to our development team directly at 401 248-7034. We will use this fund to mitigate the impact of this crisis on faculty, orchestra members and staff.

Please call or email the Music School at 401.248.7001/cartercenter@riphil.org with any questions. To ensure the safety of everyone at RIPO&MS, our staff is working remotely until further notice. Some phone lines are forwarded, and we are checking voice and email regularly.

These are difficult times. Your Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra & Music School will be here throughout the coming weeks and months, and well beyond, bringing inspiration and lifting spirits. We look forward to welcoming you back just as soon as live music and instruction can return.

Sincerely,

David Beauchesne, Executive Director, Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra and Music School

Annette Mozzoni, Director of Education and Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School

Christine Eldridge, Assistant Director of Education and Rhode Island Philharmonic Music School