What began as a small act of community during the shelter-in-place has given rise to a new series of Public Outdoor Performances (POP!), given by members of the Orchestra at various locations across the Bay Area. SFOO violist Patricia Heller took to her driveway each afternoon beginning in March to share the music of Bach with her Daly City neighbors, and ended up performing for over 90 straight days. These concerts united her neighborhood in new ways and galvanized her fellow musicians.
With the Opera House shuttered and summer and fall seasons cancelled, SFOO musicians have been aching to make music for our audience members in our own communities, absent our normal performance opportunities. Guidelines given by state and local officials, recommendations from medical professionals, and the tireless organization and innovation by orchestra members have made it possible to once again bring our music to the public. POP! features small chamber groups (generally 2-5 musicians at a time) performing outdoors, with proper masks and social distancing.
Photos: José González Granero
POP! operates weekly in Daly City and Mill Valley. Performances in Mill Valley provide a relaxed and melodious environment for those enjoying patio dining at local establishments, out for a walk with their families, or posting up in lawn chairs with picnic-style refreshments. Other events take place on a smaller, more infrequent (POP!-up style) basis in locations throughout San Francisco and the South Bay, with more locations soon to come. Our musicians have even been heard as far away as southern Oregon and upstate New York.
POP open a bottle of wine, sit back, and enjoy the live music!
POP! can be heard at:
Mill Valley Depot, Sundays at 5:30
Daly City @ Pinehaven & Glenrose, Mondays at 3