The day the music died

TENOR Ian Bostridge and violinist Tasmin Little were recently on Radio 4’s Today previewing the socially distanced concerts to be piloted at Snape Maltings in Suffolk. An hour later, Boris Johnson shelved the re-opening of concert halls; Snape was off, another jolt in the rollercoaster ride for musicians during the pandemic. They are hurtling down a very dark tunnel indeed.

Professionals are now allowed to rehearse under strict conditions, but this is pointless when concert halls remain closed indefinitely. Most managements calculate that socially distanced audiences will (eventually) occupy a mere 15% of ticketed seats. It’s cheaper to mothball.

‘All my friends are bemoaning their lack of motivation, wondering where their mojo has gone,’ says Miss Little. ‘It’s not that we don’t want to play, but there’s none of the excitement, the looking