As a professional classical violinist, I had a lot of time on my hands during the pandemic since concerts and gigs were canceled or postponed. I began practicing new pieces, like “Salut d’Amour”, a beautiful short song by the English composer Edward Elgar, written as an engagement present to his soon-to-be wife. It’s full of love and romance and lyricism.
One of my relatives is an ER doctor in NYC, and reading the news, I was thinking about what she must go through every day. I wanted to do something to show her support and care during this tremendously difficult time. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to play for her this beautiful piece of music by Elgar. Maybe she’d find solace and comfort in it, even if for a moment. But knowing that healthcare workers all over the country were defending us on the frontlines, reaching out to one doctor in New York didn’t feel like enough. So I took on the goal to organize violinists from every state in America to record “Salut d’Amour” and virtually play it together, as a way to show unity and gratitude for our healthcare workers.
Aviva Chertok
I knew musicians from so many places, and the classical community is tight-knit, so I was sure I could find 50 violinists in all states within a week. With enough hubris to get me started, I began reaching out to friends from Florida, Michigan, Kentucky, California, as many as I could each day, and to my excitement, most said yes to the project right away. After 20-some states, I began asking for friends to recommend musicians, finding a violinist from the Milwaukee Symphony who studied at my university, a woman from the Hawaii Symphony who had studied with my same teacher back in Chicago, and more with surprising connections.
Eventually, it got down to places like New Hampshire and the Dakotas, and I was emailing symphony personnel managers and professors at various universities. Two weeks later, I had 50 violinists from every state in America practicing Elgar’s piece at their homes and starting to send in their recordings.
With God’s merciful hand guiding the process, a friend from North Carolina (violinist turned professional filmmaker) volunteered hours and hours of his time to edit the videos so that 50 tracks of violinists playing a song would sound perfectly in sync. In the end, violinists from as far away as the Arkansas Symphony and Boise Philharmonic expressed their joy at taking part in the project and making music while their concert halls lay shuttered and dark.
Fulfilling this project was a magical experience. It lifted the spirits of many musicians as we bonded together to create a gift of music that comes from our very essence. And it gave us the opportunity to express our profound gratitude to healthcare workers through the language of art that brings God’s light into the world.
Please watch the video below:
(19) Anonymous, February 3, 2021 12:15 PM
A very moving performance
What a wonderful idea for such a very good cause. The healthworkers are doing such a wonderful job, and they are so appreciated. This is a small sign of our appreciation. The true reward will come from the A-lmighty.
(18) Carolyn Kidd, January 31, 2021 2:28 PM
BEAUTIFUL!! Thank you for sharing.
Baruch HaShem!
(17) Anonymous, January 29, 2021 11:28 PM
Beautiful
A beautiful tribute,
(16) Anonymous, January 28, 2021 10:42 PM
Beautiful
This was a great idea and a beautiful presentation.
(15) Anonymous, January 28, 2021 6:52 PM
Thank you
what a beautiful idea and how well implemented. Beautiful
(14) Jacques & Zamira Rajchgod, January 28, 2021 6:25 PM
Beautiful
Beautiful - made me cry. Thx
(13) Joseph A. Apicella, January 28, 2021 4:34 PM
Bless all the musicians
They use their skill to bring beauty and hope. Bless you all.
(12) Danielle, January 28, 2021 4:03 PM
Beautiful I dedicate this piece to my husband Jean
It was a favorite piece of music of my husband deceased may 7th during covid and it gave me tears to listen to it. Very beautiful. I wish he could still enjoy it.
(11) Marilyn, January 28, 2021 3:57 PM
Such talents musicians
Amazing feeling and coordination that pulls on the heart strings
Marilyn from CT
(10) Nancy, January 28, 2021 3:47 PM
Compliment
Very thoughtful. And Very Beautiful !!
(9) Roger Starnes, January 28, 2021 2:52 PM
Wonderful story of faith and commitment.
This will pass and and you will be better and stronger because of it....
(8) Zvi Schiff, January 28, 2021 2:27 PM
Beautiful idea
Stunning, beautiful, amazing, performance and so inspiring.
You've inspired me to learn that piece!
(7) Anonymous, January 28, 2021 2:25 PM
This is the most uplifting and spiritual event I have experienced in the last 2 years. Thank you for making my day.
(6) Anonymous, January 28, 2021 2:07 AM
Amazing
One word says it all AMAZING!
(5) Anonymous, January 27, 2021 6:56 PM
beautiful G-d Bless all of them
Very touching hommage well deserve for the wonderful people who care for the sick people. Love to all of you violonistes
(4) Maria Dodoc, January 27, 2021 6:45 PM
Thank You!
(3) Anonymous, January 27, 2021 3:14 PM
AWESOME!!!
Excellent performance. Thank you to all the violinists and the creative organizer for providing this beautiful music to soothe the souls of all who watch.
(2) renah, January 26, 2021 5:57 PM
How beautiful to see you all playing beautifully TOGETHER!
I Love it!!!
(1) Ferenc Karpule, January 26, 2021 8:49 AM
GRATITUDE
Thank you for this great example. I am also a violinist and because of the pandemic reason I do not have Job and there are no opportunities to play before people. Your acts gave me a great inspiration to play and organize such an event in Hungary too. How can I take up contact with the organizer of this event? Maybe it would be great thing to play in international level with violinists from all of the nations. YOUR PERFORMANCE WAS AMAZING AND GREAT INITIATVA!! THANK YOU!!
Gabriele Klein, January 28, 2021 7:24 PM
maybe this helps:
As I had a similar question like yours I once typed into google playing ensemble online, or "can you play ensemble online? and got most interesting results. There seems also to be an online museum of music in California that organizes similar events. What they did in the video is just one way of doing it, not easy and time consuming.. But it seems there are other ways also where you can even play directly together with a certain app that seems to adjust for the hearing delay between differently located players . Zoom is seemingly used here too. Guess the number of players is more restricted in such case. They seem to offer masterclasses and music competitions online too. Just lately saw class offered by J. Galway and his wife for flutists meaning there must be some for violins too. Hope this helps