A mini-concert takes over the garden at Glensheen, then travels around Duluth
Duluth, Minn. — On Sept. 17, 2020, Paula Gudmundson, a professor of music at the University of Minnesota Duluth, performed the modern flute as a part of the Bach Society of Minnesota mini-concert series at the Glensheen Mansion. Glensheen was Gudmundson’s first stop of five public mini-concerts in the city of Duluth which was held over the span of three hours, with each stop only lasting about 15 minutes.
The mini-concert was the first time Gudmundson performed since the pandemic started in March. There were roughly 20 concert attendees who wore masks and practiced social distancing.
The idea came to fruition when Gudmundson was approached by the Interim Executive Director of the Bach Society of Minnesota, Andrea Leap. The society had funding that they needed use and also needed to think outside the box on how to perform during the pandemic. The society let Gudmundson choose where she wanted to play and her goal was to hit every corner of Duluth.
“[I am going to] the east side, the central hillside, the lake walk, West Duluth and I’m doing a nursing home,” Gudmundson said. “That’s not on the schedule only because we don’t want to put those folks at risk.”
Gudmundson doesn’t take any credit for the idea and also metioned that The Bach Society of Minnesota also sponsored other concerts in Minneapolis, St. Cloud and Duluth.
Flute sounds recorded by Luke Brynjulfson