We can.

Welcome and thank you to Timothy McCoy - cellist, from Ottawa, Canada. A most graceful and elegant piece to start our journey.

I am Timothy McCoy, a human being.  I am a cellist and husband – really quite fun on both counts. 

I played in Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra up until the time of Covid-19 pandemic isolation commencement.  I also got married to my girlfriend.  Without the NACO, I am, potentially, an unemployed person, although my contract is still being honoured presently.

For now, we have made a shift to online content including in-isolation ensemble videos.  We are performing various types of committee work, audition coaching for emerging professionals, and some private instruction, via online video conferencing.  We are involved in brainstorming possible solutions for the fall season to engage with our audiences.  We are also engaged via our musician representatives in productive discussions with our administration.  There are some viable ideas emerging which is encouraging.  We can envision performing in smaller ensembles for a while.  We can imagine a socially distanced, live physical audience and also a live streamed concert experience.  Along a longer timeline, we can imagine a time when concert venues will reopen.  We can imagine a renewed vitality in how we engage with audiences.  We can see a positive future.  We know that live music feeds people.

What can we do?  We can pray for a safe and effective vaccine.  We can learn new repertoire and revisit favourites.  We can play long tone scales.  We can tidy libraries.  We can sort digital photos.  We can listen to performances of every nature.  We can read much more and many different types of materials.  We can do 1,000 piece puzzles.  We can do the NYT crosswords.  We can teach fathers how to use their iPhones.  We can grocery shop for parents.  We can write memoirs.  We can go for long evening walks.  We can sleep more than usual.  We can learn a new language or upgrade skills and other training.  We can watch interesting movies and documentaries.  We can stay positive in mind.  We can stay fit in body.  We can dream.  We can wash our hands.  We can maintain 2 m distance everywhere we go.  We can check in on our people regularly and we can support one another.  We can make sure nobody feels too alone, especially single friends and family.  We can talk to one another.  We can listen to each other.  We can laugh together.  We can heal old wounds.  We can be vigilant and we can be kind.  We can be thankful.  We can put this world crisis in perspective.  We can look to our elders for strength.  We can take special care with vulnerable members of the community.  We can try new recipes.  We can try to support small businesses as they operate in new ways.  We can hope.  We can be frugal and realistic about our finances.  We can ask for help if we need it.  We can be compassionate.  We can be gentle with ourselves and with others.  We can take life one day at a time.  We can know that life will return to normal.  We can be scientific in evaluating our situation.  We can be patient.  We can share our love.  We can seek out humour always.  We can meditate.  We can breathe.  We can do.  And we can be.