#ImStandingWithYou: Houston health care workers join global music effort to fight COVID-19
HOUSTON — A global music effort is working to keep us healthy by fighting COVID-19 with scores of Houston musicians who are also doctors and nurses.
The project has helped the U.N. raise $5 million in its first month after its debut on May 22.
Emmy-nominated composer Sharon Farber had the idea to launch a small project to salute and raises funds for COVID-19 workers. But small became huge, international.
HOUSTON — A global music effort is working to keep us healthy by fighting COVID-19 with scores of Houston musicians who are also doctors and nurses.
The project has helped the U.N. raise $5 million in its first month after its debut on May 22.
Emmy-nominated composer Sharon Farber had the idea to launch a small project to salute and raises funds for COVID-19 workers. But small became huge, international.
“You can see it had a lot of thought in it, a lot passion, a lot of love," Farber said while looking at the finished video.
From the sweeping shots of iconic worldwide landmarks like India’s Taj Mahal to the Sidney Opera House in Australia, that much is clear. The breathtaking scenery is set to to Farber’s rendition of "I'm Standing With You." The 2020 Oscar-nominated song was written by Diane Warren for the film Breakthrough.
Farber, based in Los Angeles, needed a few musicians to accompany the singers. She thought who better for this kind of effort than the award-winning Texas Medical Center Orchestra. Farber called the orchestra’s artistic director and conductor Libi Lebel in Houston.
“Within 2 hours, Libi called me and said, ‘OK, I have 75 people who want to participate.’ I said, ‘But the arrangement is only for a small group.’ She said, ‘Well, rearrange it!’” Farber said.
The Texas Medical Center Orchestra is made up of doctors, nurses and health care professionals. They were doubly impacted by COVID-19.
“We had to cancel our season so abruptly. So this project came at just the right time," Lebel said.
Farber recorded a simple demo vocal and attached a click track, an electronic metronome. She sent that along with each musician’s score.
“We each had to record our own video at home," Lebel said.
It was tricky and required many attempts. Each musician listened to the demo recording thru a headphone, while playing and recording his or her part.
Read the full article on the KHOU website.
TMCO Named NATIONAL FINALISTS: The American Prize in Orchestral Performance—Community Orchestra Division, 2019-20
The TMCO is proud to be named as one of the national finalists for The American Prize in Orchestral Performance. To see the full list, please visit The American Prize website. Congrats to all the finalists!
"Some terrific repertoire—and some equally terrific performances—these orchestras are all worthy of every encouragement at this terrible time. We will get through this, and great music, as it always has, will help us to get there. We may not have figured out how it will happen yet, but I know it will. Safety and health, everyone!—DK
The American Prize National Nonprofit Competitions in the Performing Arts, David (Volosin) Katz, founder and chief judge, is pleased to announce FINALIST orchestras for 2019-20 in all divisions. Congratulations!
The TMCO is proud to be named as one of the national finalists for The American Prize in Orchestral Performance. To see the full list, please visit The American Prize website. Congrats to all the finalists!
FEATURED on Billboard: Diane Warren's Oscar-Nominated Hit 'I'm Standing With You' Becomes COVID-19 Relief Anthem in New Video
Diane Warren composed "I'm Standing With You" for Chrissy Metz in the film Breakthrough, which scored an Oscar nod for best original song this year. But that hit took on a whole new meaning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Warren teamed up with director Gev Miron and composer/arranger Sharon Farber to turn Metz's uplifting anthem into an epic chorus sung by more than 170 artists from six continents as showcased in the monumental music video. The global effort has raised more than $5 million for the United Nations Foundation’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organization (WHO) since its premiere last Friday (May 22) and hopes to raise $7.5 million in the fundraiser's remaining 34 days.
The Texas Medical Center Orchestra was featured on an article today by Billboard! See below for an excerpt:
Diane Warren composed "I'm Standing With You" for Chrissy Metz in the film Breakthrough, which scored an Oscar nod for best original song this year. But that hit took on a whole new meaning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Warren teamed up with director Gev Miron and composer/arranger Sharon Farber to turn Metz's uplifting anthem into an epic chorus sung by more than 170 artists from six continents as showcased in the monumental music video. The global effort has raised more than $5 million for the United Nations Foundation’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund for the World Health Organization (WHO) since its premiere last Friday (May 22) and hopes to raise $7.5 million in the fundraiser's remaining 34 days. Read the full article by pressing the button below: