Levins views are her own and not reflective of the DSO or Southern Methodist University.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
SELF: When did you begin to fear for the fate of the arts because of COVID-19?
Adobe Stock / Barta; Designed by Morgan Johnson
Im also worried about the deep spiritual and psychological impacts ofisolationon the human psyche.
The arts elevate us above ourselves.
We need them in our society.
I wear a lot of musical hats, so my normal days involve multitasking and balancing workloads.
Some aspects of my life, like writing emails and organizing projects, are still very much the same.
Im calling this my Jane Austen period.
Because I am not allowed to physically go to work, the days are slower and less hectic.
Have you had to miss out on a lot of performances as a result of mandatory social distancing measures?
Then one by one everything was canceled.
Orchestras thrive on live performances in packed halls.
I can only imagine the profound sense of loss you feel now that you are unable to do this.
I dont find music peaceful.
Its the feeling of getting choked up when you hear a song like Brahms Intermezzo Op.
Thats what I miss most, the connection between performers and our audiences.
How is the uncertainty of the situation taking its toll on you mentally?
Its a weird dichotomy of things.
Its a layered existence.
I think thats probably normal,this wide range of emotions, but its been hard to deal with.
Im not used to feeling excited and motivated one day and anxious the next.
Like arts organizations around the world, the DSO has ramped up virtual content.
What has that been like for you?
I do think virtual performances are better for listeners than they are for the performers.
Its like watching a play from backstage for us.
So many of my friends on social media are musicians, and Im seeing an inundation of virtual content.
Social media by nature is very much based on self-promotion.
Thats something I havent quite figured out how I feel about.
Its nice reaching an audience bigger than myself.
A New York concert was planned to celebrate the debut but was inevitably canceled.
How challenging is it to promote this without a slate of accompanying concerts?
As I find with all virtual substitutions, it was bittersweet.
Is there an intimacy to a concert that just cant be replaced?
How is this impacting people that you know?
My freelance friends contracts have been canceled and theyre not making any money.
Its not a good short-term situation.
When this finally passes, what do you think will be the positive mark left on the performing arts?
Its made the non-virtual world a sweeter place than it was before.
