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Press

November 10, 2020

Colorado Symphony Unveils Virtual Stage — On Demand Video Content

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:
Nick Dobreff, Manager of Publicity and Community Relations
616.485.3913 (m) – 303.308.2477 (o)
ndobreff@coloradosymphony.org

COLORADO SYMPHONY UNVEILS VIRTUAL STAGE — ON DEMAND VIDEO CONTENT 
Virtual Stage offers new and recent Colorado Symphony video content and supports the continuing operations of the Colorado Symphony Association.  

Nov. 10, 2020 – Denver, CO – The Colorado Symphony Association (CSA) is pleased to unveil Virtual Stage, an on demand digital video and audio content portal through ColoradoSymphony.org, featuring new and never-before seen video content from the Colorado Symphony. Concert content, which will be accessible for a nominal fee, will support the continued operations of the Colorado Symphony Association as they navigate the organizational limitations presented by the continued spread of COVID-19.

Since the onset of the COVID-19 health pandemic, the Colorado Symphony has met the moment with a steadfast commitment to #PlayOn despite ongoing health and safety restrictions that severely limit the ability to perform live with an audience. In the coming weeks and months, the Colorado Symphony will make available exclusive content for purchase through Virtual Stage, including a full-length video performance from Red Rocks featuring Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons on December 1.

The decision to resume limited operations comes after tireless collaboration in generating extensive COVID-19 health and safety protocols, with the guidance of top health officials and city and state officials including the Governor’s Office, Denver Arts & Venues (A&V), the Denver and Colorado Departments of Public Health and Environment, and University of Colorado Health (UCHealth). These protocols meet satisfactory guidelines to support limited operations in Boettcher Concert Hall that will allow the Colorado Symphony to rehearse, perform, and record content to support 2020/21 educational curriculum as well as new performances to be released through Virtual Stage on ColoradoSymphony.org in the coming months.

Dr. Michelle Barron, Medical Director of Infection Prevention, Professor of Medicine in the division of infectious disease at University of Colorado Anschutz, and member of Governor Polis’ COVID-19 Task Force Committee have been an integral partner in creating a protocol that safely allows the CSA to resume limited operations.

Throughout the COVID-19 health pandemic, the CSA has adapted to the unique challenges of performance limitations, persevering to bring the community over two dozen live-in-person socially distanced concerts, sharing over 75 free online performance shorts, creating over a dozen weeks of free distributed long form audio performances, and working with DaVita, its Board of Trustees, Community Partners, and Denver7 to bring Colorado a Virtual Independence Eve celebration, which also raised nearly $20,000 for community charities, over the summer.

During this time of limited operations, the CSA has committed to compensation for its musicians for an eight-week period while these projects are captured for eventual virtual distribution. The CSA has continued to pay for healthcare expenses of musicians, staff, and stagehands throughout the COVID-19 pandemic health crisis.

“With over 60 titles and nearly 100 concerts canceled to-date, the Colorado Symphony has not remained immune to the challenges posed by COVID-19 restrictions and inability to operate as usual,” added Jerome H. Kern, CEO and Board Chair of the Colorado Symphony Association. “Our budget is achieved roughly 50% through ticket sales, which have been all but discontinued entirely, and 50% donations. We remain in good financial health for the time being, but without being able to perform for large audiences, our immediate needs must be met while we are restricted to limited audiences.”

To support these commitments to community and education, the CSA is focusing heavily on the newly unveiled Play On Recovery Fund, which supports continued operations through the end of 2020. Coming in December, additional giving opportunities will arise with Colorado Gives Day and Giving Tuesday.

“With our community’s help, we will continue to bring symphonic music to Coloradans in whatever way we are able and we remain persistent in our commitment to play on,” added Tony Pierce, Chief Artistic Officer. “We know, now more than ever, the importance of music and the arts for our community. The need to support our educators and Colorado’s youth during this unique time is our immediate priority.”

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CONTACTS:   
For more information or to request interviews, please contact:
Nick Dobreff, Manager of Publicity and Community Relations
ndobreff@coloradosymphony.org - 303.308.2477 (o)

For high-resolution, downloadable images of the Colorado Symphony, contact: ndobreff@coloradosymphony.org

COLORADO SYMPHONY/BOETTCHER CONCERT HALL TICKETS:   
For assistance, please contact the Box Office by phone at 303.623.7876 or through email at tickets@coloradosymphony.org.

UPDATED HOURS: The Box Office is open Monday – Friday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Please note that, due to increased communication, call wait times may be significantly longer than usual. If your event is not within the next 72 hours, we ask that you consider contacting us closer to your event date to mitigate call volume. We sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding.

ABOUT THE COLORADO SYMPHONY   
One of the leading orchestras in the United States, the Colorado Symphony Association is a not-for-profit 501 (c)(3) organization performing more than 150 concerts annually at Boettcher Concert Hall in downtown Denver and across Colorado. Led by Music Director Brett Mitchell, the Colorado Symphony is home to eighty full-time musicians, representing more than a dozen nations, and regularly welcomes the most celebrated artists from the world of symphonic music and beyond. In the last year, the Colorado Symphony served nearly 233,000 people attending live performances at concert and non-traditional venues throughout Colorado’s Front Range. Recognized as an incubator of innovation, creativity, and excellence, the Colorado Symphony continually expands its reach through education, outreach, and programming. The Colorado Symphony partners with the state’s leading musical artists, cultural organizations, corporations, foundations, sports teams, and individuals to expose diverse audiences to the transformative power of music. To learn more, visit coloradosymphony.org.