The Colorado Symphony's digital 'Ode to Joy' was featured in the Thursday, March 26, 2020 episode of ABC's Nightline. You can see the Colorado Symphony beginning at the 15:44 mark in the linked video to the full episode. You must have a TV provider login to view this video. 

The musicians that make up the Colorado Symphony can’t perform live. They, like most people in Colorado, are staying home to slow the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. Without the ability to entertain people at the Boettcher Concert Hall, the symphony came up with a creative way to perform.

“We thought, what could we do to show the community that the music is going to continue,” said Anthony Pierce, Chief Artistic Officer. “We’re committed to being back. We’re committed to making sure people have some joy to experience also. So, we thought, what better than Beethoven 9, the Ode to Joy.”

While the news can seem a little heavy the past few weeks, there are still moments of brightness and beauty. Neighbors helping neighbors, webcasts of puppies, residents taking the necessary precautions to protect each other and surprise video concerts from musicians. The Colorado Symphony has joined that list as it posts video performances of its musicians playing remotely. Since Colorado has required that residents remain home except for essential business, the symphony’s musicians record the piece in their own homes. The finished products are a collaboration of those individual performances.

They can't play together for now - so musicians with the Colorado symphony had to get creative for their latest performance. Chief Artistic Officer Anthony Pierce discusses why Beethoven's Ode to Joy is the perfect hymn to bring joy during a time of crisis. 

Nothing can stop the musicians of the Colorado Symphony from playing. The nonprofit orchestra had already released a moving,. online rendition of Ludwig Van Beethoven's "Ode to Joy." Now four of its horn players — Michael Thornton, Carolyn Kunicki, Kolio Plachkov and Matthew Eckenhoff — have joined forces (from an appropriate distance) to play a hilarious, and dare we say "horny," version of "Don't Stand So Close to Me" by The Police.