Violinist Jennifer Koh, On Bach, Virtual Concerts, Surviving COVID

Tom's next guest is the internationally acclaimed violinist, Jennifer Koh. Before the pandemic took hold, she was concertizing around the globe, in demand as one of the most brilliant artists of her generation. But when the pandemic began, bookings vanished. A New York Times profile published the day after Christmas referred to the “Cultural Depression” that Jennifer and legions of other performers were experiencing, as unemployment among performing artists outpaced the rest of the workforce, including restaurant and hospitality workers. Most theaters and concert venues throughout the US remain closed, and while the US Labor Department reported that non-farm payrolls increased by 916,000 workers last month, freelance artists continue to be left out of the ever-so gradual economic recovery, even as vaccinations against COVID 19 become more commonplace. Jennifer Koh has maintained an on-line presence throughout the pandemic. This Sunday, April 11th at 5:30pm, she’ll be playing a live on-line recital that will be streamed by the Shriver Hall Concert Series. Ticket holders to the digital concert will have access to the performance for a week. Click here for more information. Jennifer Koh joins us today from New York, on Zoom…Email us at [email protected], tweet us: @MiddayWYPR, or call us at 410-662-8780.