This post gives a flavour of the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic restrictions on musicians.
The Coronavirus pandemic resulted in the cancellation of almost all performances in 2020.
Further cancellations along with concerns and uncertainty over future bookings continued in 2021.
In addition to the engagements listed below hundreds of church services including funerals and weddings were also cancelled.
The Sunday Afternoon Organ Music series at Holy Trinity Wordsley resumed in September 2021 alternating between online and in-person performances each month through to September 2022 as there had been monthly online performances from August 2020. From September 2022 live performances resumed every month and the online substitutes were discontinued.
The Thursday Live organ recital series at St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham presented online performances on its Youtube channel from September 2020 until the recitals resumed in October 2021.
All St Ignatius Singers‘ engagements were cancelled indefinitely.
Selly Park Singers regularly rehearsed and socialised online until late September 2021 when it was deemed safe enough to meet in person again albeit with mitigations in place. The first concert since the cancelled March 2020 concert was finally held on 9th July 2022.
2020 cancellations
Originally would have been on 14th March 2020
Selly Oak Methodist Church
Spring Concert directing Selly Park Singers
Originally would have been on 20th March 2020
The series finally resumed with this concert on 3rd November 2023
Bournville Lunchtime Concerts
Organ Concert
Originally would have been on 21st March 2020
St Chad’s Cathedral, Birimngham
Birmingham Bach Choir Centenary Joint Organ Recital with Robert Sharp, Martyn Rawles, Rupert Jeffcoat and Nigel Argust
Originally would have been on 22nd March 2020
St Bartholomew’s Church Penn, Wolverhampton
BACH @ BART’S Organ recital
Originally would have been on 28th March 2020
Great Malvern Priory
Organ Recital
Originally would have been on 29th March 2020
St Bartholomew’s Church Penn, Wolverhampton
BACH @ BART’S Organ recital
Originally would have been on 2nd April 2020
St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham
‘Thursday Live’ Organ Recital
Originally would have been on 3rd April 2020
The Bridgewater Hall Manchester
OU Degree ceremonies
Originally would have been on 4th April 2020
St John’s in the Square, Wolverhampton
Choral Concert with Wombourne & District Choral Society
Originally would have been on 5th April 2020
Holy Trinity Church, Wordsley
Sunday Afternoon Organ Music
Originally would have been on 8th April 2020
St Andrew’s Netherton
RSCM performance of Stainer’s Crucifixion
Originally would have been on 18th/19th April 2020
Blackburn Cathedral
Weekend services with Priory Voices
Originally would have been on 25th April 2020
Holy Trinity Church, Wordsley
Concert with Dudley Choral Society
Originally would have been on 26th April 2020
St Francis, Bournville
Choral Evensong with The St Ignatius Singers
Originally would have been on 2nd May 2020
Doveridge Parish Church
Concert with Uttoxeter Choral Society
Originally would have been on 3rd May 2020
Holy Trinity Church, Wordsley
Sunday Afternoon Organ Music
Originally would have been on 2nd June 2020
Hereford Cathedral
Lunchtime Organ Concert
Originally would have been on 4th June 2020
St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham
‘Thursday Live’ Organ Recital
Originally would have been on 7th June 2020
Holy Trinity Church, Wordsley
Sunday Afternoon Organ Music
Originally would have been 20th June 2020
Shrewsbury URC
Concert with Shrewsbury Cantata Choir
Originally would have been on 5th July 2020
Holy Trinity Church, Wordsley
Sunday Afternoon Organ Music
Originally would have been on 9th July 2020
Wells Cathedral
Organ Recital
Originally would have been on 18th July 2020
St Andrew’s Church, Netherton
Organ Recital
Originally would have been on 25th/26th July 2020
Peterborough Cathedral
Weekend services with Priory Voices
Originally would have been on 28th July 2020
*Rescheduled for 27th July 2021 at 8:00pm*
*Entire 2021 recital series subsequently cancelled May 2021*
Cromer Parish Church
Organ Recital
Originally would have been on 2nd August 2020
*This was replaced with an online version at www.facebook.com/SundayAfternoonOrganMusic *
Holy Trinity Church, Wordsley
Sunday Afternoon Organ Music
Originally would have been on 6th August 2020
St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham
‘Thursday Live’ Organ Recital
Originally would have been on 8th August 2020
*Rescheduled for 7th August 2021*
Richmond Hill St Andrew’s URC Bournemouth
Organ Recital
Originally would have been on 10th August 2020
St Mary’s Sturminster Newton, Dorset
Organ Recital
Originally would have been on 16th/17th August 2020
St Edmundsbury Cathedral
Weekend services with The Linsdale Singers
Originally would have been on 21st August 2020
*Rescheduled for 20th August 2021 at 12:40pm*
*Subsequently moved again to 16th December 2022*
St Chad’s Shrewsbury
Concert in the Round – Organ Recital
Originally would have been on 22nd August 2020
St Laurence’s Church Ludlow
Ludlow Arts – Organ Recital
*Rescheduled 21st August 2021 at 1:00pm*
Originally would have been on 29th August 2020
Rochdale Town Hall
Organ Concert
*This recital was rescheduled and performed on October 10th 2020 before a socially distanced ‘Covid-safe’ audience*
Originally would have been on 3rd September 2020
*This recital and subsequent ‘Thursday Live’ recitals on the first Thursday of every month were replaced with online recitals on the Thursday Live YouTube channel until October 2021*
St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham
‘Thursday Live’ Organ Recital
Originally would have been on 6th September 2020
*This was replaced with an online version at www.facebook.com/SundayAfternoonOrganMusic *
Holy Trinity Church, Wordsley
Sunday Afternoon Organ Music
Originally would have been on 19th September 2020
Broadway URC Walsall
30th Anniversary Organ Recital
Originally would have been on 2nd October 2020
The Bridgewater Hall Manchester
OU Degree ceremonies
Originally would have been on 3rd October 2020
*This was replaced with an online version at www.facebook.com/SundayAfternoonOrganMusic *
Holy Trinity Church, Wordsley
Sunday Afternoon Organ Music
Originally would have been on 31st October 2020
St Chad’s Cathedral, Birmingham
Vierne 150 Anniversary Organ Concert (Part of Worcestershire Organists’ Association: Vierne 150 Day)
Originally would have been on 1st November 2020
*This was replaced with an online version at www.facebook.com/SundayAfternoonOrganMusic *
Holy Trinity Church, Wordsley
Sunday Afternoon Organ Music
Originally would have been on 4th November 2020
Hull City Hall
Organ Showcase Concert
Originally would have been on 7th November 2020
Symphony Hall Birmingham
OU Degree ceremonies
Originally would have been on 19th November 2020
Norwich Cathedral
Organ Recital
Originally would have been on 6th December 2020
*This was replaced with an online version at www.facebook.com/SundayAfternoonOrganMusic *
Holy Trinity Church, Wordsley
Sunday Afternoon Organ Music
