The sun played on the lawn between the seated spectators at the Lake Chapala Society.
The fountain bubbled, and birds sang softly in the background as ten musicians performed sublime classical music in the pavilion. It was the first official live classical concert in the lakeside area since the beginning of the pandemic, and it had a fairytale essence to it.
The Lake Chapala Community Orchestra (LCCO) and its music director, Michael Reason, went to great lengths to follow all required municipal safety protocols to host such an intimate public performance. Due to space limitations, the orchestra and the audience had to be pared down. But it all fell into place, and the orchestra got the green light to host a performance on Friday, October 23.
One challenge in meeting protocols was to fit the orchestra and audience into an available space. As the 40-member group usually takes up a large area, with seats spaced at six feet apart, this would have made a live show impossible. The best option was a compromise: completely eliminate the string section and convert to a wind ensemble.
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