Musical Outburst To Honor NYC Coronavirus Frontline Workers

NEW YORK CITY — This week, Mayor Bill de Blasio promised the greatest ticker tape parade New York has ever seen to honor the city’s health care professionals and front line workers. In the meantime, though, smaller-scale celebrations continue to take place around the city – many of which involve residents recognizing the efforts of first responders and other vital workers from their own windows and rooftops.

Now, HONK NYC!, a global street band festival and arts organization, is planning a citywide event next week that will elevate the nightly cheering sessions that have been taking place across New York to honor frontline workers. The event, “For Our Courageous Workers”, is being tabbed as a citywide musical outburst that will include musicians of all ages and that invites residents to participate with everything from musical instruments to pots and pans and will be held on April 29.

As part of the event, three New York musicians – Frank London, Hajnal Pivnick and Dorian Wallace– have composed a symphonic fanfare that is designed, event organizers say, to be both elegant and yet able to be heard sonically across long distances. The musical creation will also be simple enough for musicians of all ability levels to master. Parts have been written for voice, strings, brass, winds, keyboards, drums – and yes, simple kitchen utensils.

“We're also asking every and any person living in New York City who is suffering through this pandemic to join us in appreciation of the vital workers that are helping keep us and the city alive,” London said in a news release.

The event is slated to last 11 minutes with constant musical activity planned for every minute in a unique tribute that London hopes draws thousands of participants, who will lend their efforts from the safety of their homes, windows and rooftops. Local residents who wish to join in on the event can find more information on the event’s Facebook group page.