Watch: French National Orchestra performs virtually for the world

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The National Orchestra of France put up an incredible virtual performance amidst lockdown. 51 members of the orchestra performed Ravel’s Bolero, broadcasted from the confines of their homes. Each performer recorded his or her own piece separately from home, and all of them compiled and edited to create one single video.
Created by French radio network, France Musique, the beautiful work combined the various woodwinds, brass, strings, and percussion instruments to create an enchanting musical performance. The musicians aim to keep the world connected with their music, and are able to keep in touch with their audience via the internet. Reports suggest that the musicians were sent an audio track of a previous recording that they listened to while recording their part. With the help of a metronome, the musicians were able to play perfectly from different locations.

The virtual performance of Bolero was actually a short version of the original, which is about 15 minutes long, and involved 80 musicians. The short 15-minutes version has been reworked on by conductor Didier Benetti. Bolero was composed by French composer Maurice Ravel as an orchestral piece.

A similar recording of Beethoven’s Ode to Joy was done by the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, while the Toronto Symphony Orchestra had performed Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring.