Hilal Ustuk
16 March 2020•Update: 16 March 2020
ISTANBUL
More than 800,000 people watched the renowned Turkish pianist, Gulsin Onay’s online concert on Sunday night on social media in less than 24 hours amid the coronavirus threat.
Within the scope of preventive measures against the new coronavirus, worldwide known pianist Onay’s concerts abroad were canceled.
Having performed her first online concert, Onay told Anadolu Agency her decision of giving online concert; “When I woke up yesterday morning, musical pieces which I was planning to perform at the canceled concert, came to my mind then asked myself how it could be to share my performance with my audiences on social media.”
Onay said that after having decided to give an online concert, she asked her followers on social media what they would like to listen to in the event and added, “I was prepared to the live broadcast with great enthusiasm.”
Worldwide known pianist Onay said, “Everyone who watched yesterday's concert, was incredibly happy. I received messages from all around the world.”
"In these difficult days, with the healing and unifying power of art, let's all find the power to stay strong," she added.
The novel coronavirus known as COVID-19 emerged in Wuhan, China last December, and has so far spread to at least 146 countries and territories, and the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic.
According to Worldometer, a website that compiles new case numbers, out of roughly 173,000 confirmed cases, the death toll is over 6,600, while more than 77,500 of them have recovered.
The current number of active cases is over 88,500, with 93% in mild, and 7% in critical condition.
*Writing by Burak Dag in Ankara
