The COVID-19 pandemic has changed most day to day things about society, and perhaps most of all the performing arts. Amid the pandemic and the cancellation of performances coast to coast ProMusica Joplin hired a new Executive Director in November of 2020. Jay Gilman has dove into the job headfirst and started a concert program called, Overture of Hope. The plan is to take chamber musicians to locations that they’ve probably never performed in before, including Mercy Hospital and later this year Advanced Family Medicine.

Through Overtures of Hope, Gilman hopes to reach new audiences and attract a new generation of chamber music listeners. He compares Overtures as the cultural response to military flyovers that happen during sporting events.

What does the future schedule look like for ProMusica Joplin? The non-profit will release its revised 2021-2022 plan later this year. One of the most significant differences that regulars of ProMusica Joplin events will notice is reserved seating that will be free. Also, Jay says that ProMusica is planning several outdoor events where it is easier to socially distance.

The Cornell Arts and Entertainment Compelx will have its groundbreaking later this year, and Gilman says that he’s excited for ProMusica Joplin to be one of the original tenets. He says that the Cornell Complex will broaden the variety of acts and performers that the organization will attract.