MARCH 2020 — Uncertain times are never easy, but there’s much to be grateful for. The MCO feels immense gratitude for frontline workers, whose duty looms especially large amid the unfolding COVID-19 crisis. We are profoundly thankful for our loyal supporters, who help us continue to support our musicians and team in this very difficult time. And we feel overawed by the sharing everywhere of resilient cultures and urgent knowledge in a world more separated than ever by borders and social distancing, yet united in a global fight.
This gratitude makes us no less regretful to announce that the MCO must suspend the remainder of our 19-20 season. Following government requirements to postpone large social gatherings, we know what must be done.
Many audience members are donating their tickets to the MCO in exchange for a charitable tax receipt, or are supporting the orchestra through our Canada Helps page.
While everyone is feeling the strain of the current situation, this is an extraordinarily stressful time for music organizations like MCO, and the dozens of musicians and staff who make our programming possible. Our future, and all the vital outreach we do with underserved communities, depends upon your ongoing support and advocacy. Indeed, the very future of music and cultural outreach on the prairies depends upon your ongoing support and advocacy. To this end, donating back your unused MCO concert tickets is very helpful. Alternatively, both subscribers and casual ticket holders may opt to exchange their unused tickets for concert tickets for the 20-21 season. Refunds are available too. If you know someone who may be affected by this, but may not receive this email, please let them know they’ll be hearing from us shortly by mail.
You may already have told us what you’d like done with your unused 24 March tickets. But if you haven’t yet, or know what you’d like to do with any other unused tickets this season, you can email us. Alternatively, you can let us know by leaving a message for Elise Anderson on the MCO Ticketline at 204-783-7377. She’ll return your call from home, where’s she’s now working remotely. If you have friends who you think may have purchased MCO tickets through McNally Robinson or Organic Planet, we may not be able to reach them directly, so if the opportunity arises don’t hesitate to pass this information about ticket exchanges along to them.
One way we aim to lessen economic difficulties for our musicians is by keeping you enlivened with a stream of MCO archival concert recordings free for all to enjoy. MCO staff will be hard at work creating playlists, bonus Chamber Chatter articles, and other MCO content featuring our wonderful MCO musicians. Things to keep everyone’s spirits up, and connected to the beauty of art, while many of you, like us, spend most the day at home. We’re calling this new content hub MCO at Home,and a main focus will be posting content for which our musicians will be paid by the MCO.
We look forward to sharing inspiring music and MCO stories with you in the coming months, just as I look forward to reconnecting with you at concerts in the 20-21 season.