Sir Simon Rattle and Sir Mark Elder Pen Open Letter Expressing Concerns For the Future of Live Music

Sir Simon Rattle and Sir Mark Elder have penned an open letter to The Guardian, expressing their concerns for the future of live music.

"There's a real possibility of a devastated landscape on the other side of this," the letter says. "Orchestras may not survive, and if they do, they may face insuperable obstacles to remain solvent in our new reality."

The pair go on to say that orchestral performance is a shared experience, and it won't be the same if it has to shift to online performances forever.

"What we may do individually over the internet in these months is all well and good, but the living core of our work is a live communion, a sharing of space, art and emotion which is both vital and healing." They go on to say, "We MUST find a way to play together soon, even without an audience, if we are to maintain anything like our normal standards..."

The pair do not believe that live music will go away forever, but say emphasize that the industry will need support, most importantly from the government.

Read the full letter on The Guardian.

Photo Credit: Chris Chistodoulou