Duke Performances pulled the plug on its remaining Spring season—but the show must go on.

On Wednesday, April 8  Duke Performances will launch a new livestream series on Instagram and Facebook Live.

Merge Records artist and Duke Performances alumni William Tyler, a Nashville guitarist, kick off the series Wednesday at 7 p.m.. Tyler most recently composed the meditative soundtrack for the Kelly Reichardt frontier feature First Cow.

While all of Tyler’s music is beautiful that score is particularly arresting: spare and meditative, a banjo-textured reflection of the immense experience of holding hope and dread simultaneously in ones heart. Plus, he’s a virtuosic guitarist whose fingerpicking is extremely fun to watch. 

Viewers are encouraged to contribute to local arts fundraising initiatives like the Durham Arts Council’s Arts Recovery Fund and NorthStar Church of the Arts’ Durham Artist Relief Fund. 

Meanwhile, Duke Performances is unrolling new content online, including a short, gorgeous film by Saleem Reshamwala and John Laww on the partnership between Duke University and the American Ballet Theatre. You can also read an accompanying post from Duke Performances Community Engagement Coordinator (and frequent INDY contributor and dance critic) Michaela Dwyer. 

The rest of the livestream lineup will be announced in coming weeks. 

You can learn more about supporting Merge artists who have had tours cancelled because of the coronavirus here. 

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Sarah Edwards is culture editor of the INDY, covering cultural institutions and the arts in the Triangle. She joined the staff in 2019 and assumed her current role in 2020.