A letter from the Board President
Posted: June 3, 2020
To our patrons and friends,
We greet you at a difficult moment. For seven decades we have brought the world’s most accomplished chamber musicians to Tucson, and for the first time we canceled concerts. We regret the loss this entails—for the artists whose livelihood relies upon performance and for you whose enjoyment has entailed hearing those artists in person.
With due consideration, we present to you our plan for the coming season, with full understanding that it may change.
While our Summertime Evening concerts are canceled, we will bring to you one of our summer concerts livestreamed so you may enjoy the scheduled performance from the safety of your home. As well, we will continue to send “Listen at Home” emails, links to recordings of works commissioned by AFCM and performed live on our stage over the past decades.
Our first traditional concerts at Leo Rich are October 21 and 22, a pair of Beethoven-oriented programs performed by the German Auryn Quartet. While it may be the case that travel restrictions preclude overseas artists from arriving, or that health concerns rule out live concerts, for now the concert remains on our schedule. Beyond that, it is our strongest intention and hope that performances proceed, with modifications and precautions to ensure your health and safety, perhaps with a small in-person audience and a watch at home option. Although we are optimistic, we have planned contingencies and will keep you posted. Look for a curated array of video and audio performances on our website as a new way to listen. We will email you with updates as more information becomes available.
You will ask yourself, “Should I buy tickets in the face of such uncertainty?” As for all arts organizations, the pandemic affects our financial health. We rely upon ticket purchases and donations. Be assured, tickets you purchase now are 100% refundable, if any—or some or all—of the forthcoming concerts are canceled, or the situation is such that you do not feel comfortable attending. The donation you make now is more important than ever. We urge you to add a tax-deductible contribution to your ticket order or, if you prefer to purchase tickets later, to send a contribution on its own.
We appreciate you and thank you deeply for your faithful support of chamber music in Tucson!
Relax. Think. Find Joy.