Concert of Gratitude by the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra for healthcare workers

Concert of Gratitude by the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra in appreciation of frontline healthcare workers in South Africa- free – and going out as a live stream – Wednesday September 15, 2021, at 1.15pm (CAT)

Let us talk about fatigue. After 18 months of navigating the Covid pandemic, the average person, is rather stretched at the moment. Imagine how frontline health care workers are feeling, after months of caring for others and being exposed to the virus. They have dealt with grief, loss, sheer numbers of finding beds, oxygen for patients and being the primary care givers to patients who have been isolated from friends and family. In appreciation to healthcare workers, the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra is presenting a lunch-hour outdoor concert, Concert of Gratitude, outside at Groote Schuur Hospital tomorrow – Wednesday – September 15, 2021, 12.15pm (CAT – Central African Time).  The concert will also be live streamed on YouTube- at no charge. According to the CPO, about 33 000 workers have toiled in the pandemic and around 193 staff members have died in the Western Cape Province – from Covid.

This is a concert of gratitude, appreciation and recognition. Louis Heyneman, CEO of the CPO, says: “In our 107 years of existence, I don’t think the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra has ever been this indebted to the health workers of South Africa”. The concert was inspired by Hospital Heroes– a movement started in early 2021 by Khilona Radia and Nisaar Pangarker and Dr Zameer Brey to care for frontline healthcare workers. They set about raising funds to purchase refreshments and other goodies for medical personal at hospitals around the country. They partnered with the Gift of the Givers to handle donations, logistics and distribution. The CPO wanted to also provide respite for our healthcare workers and The Concert of Gratitude was conceived.

The CPO has not been idle during lockdown. It has continued, performing for its online Cyber series. The Spring Cyber Symphony Concert Season is on from Thursday, September 16, on Quicket. The CPO has performed in front of an audience, when it was able to, during lockdown; albeit with masks (except for singers and wind instruments). Last week, the CPO played in Elvis Sibeko’s concert of dance and music, Dance Can Dance, at Artscape. As per the lockdown regulations at the time, they had to shuffle on and off the stage, when there was a choir and they worked with backing tracks/clicks, when the full CPO was not on stage. The CPO has been busy with outreach and other programmes and has been performing, where possible, at private and other events, with adherence to Covid safety regulations. On September 25, 2021, the CPO will perform, on stage at the Baxter, at 11am, with “a celebratory programme of solo organ works from the Baroque era with CT Baroque director Erik Dippenaar.” To buy tickets for the Cyber Spring Series, starting September 16, 2021, click here: https://thecaperobyn.co.za/classical-music-cpo-spring-cyber-symphony-concert-series-2021/

✳ Featured image- The Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra on the Grand Parade, in front of City Hall, about four years ago, before Covid and when masks were not part of the performance equation.