Educational youth charity Nottingham Music Hub have been making friends across Europe during lockdown by releasing a socially-distanced music video, performed by the Robin Hood Youth Orchestra...
The video features young musicians playing Bulgarian folk tune Kopanica. Since its launch on 6 May 2020, the Nottingham Music Hub have been contacted by The Bulgarian Embassy in London and music professors from Nebraska University, both of which highly praised the achievement. The social media premiere attracted almost 3000 views and gave rise to an influx of support from across the far reaches of Europe.
Early in the New Year, when the orchestra members started learning the piece, it had dual a purpose; to be performed as part of a flash mob in Nottingham’s Market Square and at the annual Great Orchestra Experiment. When the COVID-19 pandemic took hold, causing all lessons and rehearsals to be called off, there was great sadness from staff and students that these projects would be cancelled. RHYO students did not want to miss their chance to perform and so took up the challenge of creating a virtual, online orchestral performance instead.
Svetozar Dimitrov, the Second Secretary of Political Affairs for the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria said of the performance, “I’m not using the word 'amazing' lightly – I just hear the video and it’s truly impressive! Let’s stay in touch and perhaps we could think of a joint event in the post-corona future!”
Representatives from Nottingham’s twin city Karlsruhe in Germany were also among those who sent their congratulations to the group, “This sounds amazing! Keep on playing! Many greetings from the twin city Karlsruhe.” The international response continued with orchestras from across Europe applauding the Hub. Paul Roberts of Arts Council England also said, “It’s great... I've been several times to Bulgaria, and this is deliciously authentic.”
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