The Rural We: Sheila Fiekowsky

As audience members, many of us are dismayed that Tanglewood has canceled its live performances this summer, but how are the musicians feeling about it? Sheila Fiekowsky has been a violinist in the Boston Symphony Orchestra for 45 years. Her summer residence is the famous cantilevered house in West Stockbridge, Mass. designed by her husband, architect Warren Schwartz. Fiekowsky is spending most of her time there during the pandemic and has been practicing every day, working on Bach, scales and arpeggios, waiting for the time when the musicians will be called upon to perform. “I’m ever ready,” she says.

The [BSO] musicians are very, very disappointed. Summer at Tanglewood is a wonderful time for all of us to spend together. We work and wind up socializing more together, almost like being on tour. We’re all wondering what we’re going to be doing. Some of us have contributed to the Bach Project on Instagram [see Instagram post below]. We each chose a couple of movements that we wanted to play. It’s a way to keep the BSO in everyone’s mind.

It’s a scary time for live music. We’re all wondering what we’re going to be doing, whether there will be any kind of socially distant recording. We will all bend over backwards to do whatever needs to be done. The orchestra voted unanimously to release recordings. I’m a member of the West Stockbridge Chamber players, and the director and I are trying to figure out how to do outdoor concerts, but it’s problematic.

The loss of the students at Tangelwood is very sad, too — that’s a great part of the summer, teaching them, advising them on their careers. There’s always been a great continuity with the students, some of whom are now in the BSO.

The BSO’s virtual events will be pretty interesting. Maybe they’ll inspire people who’ve never attended to come next year.

I have a work “famiglia.” We’re meeting on Zoom to find out how everyone’s doing and to exchange recipes. We all miss playing together terribly. The whole thing about Tanglewood is the community.