Confined to their homes as the coronavirus crisis rolls on, the musicians of the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra aren’t about to let the music stop – they’ve taken to social media with a series of videos performing with family members.

Shanghai Symphony Orchestra violinist Su Ting and Principal Cellist Huang Beixing with their 11-year-old daughter and 8-year-old son.

The virus – now dubbed COVID-19 by the World Health Organisation – has seen the streets of China’s biggest city become uncharacteristically quiet, and authorities announced that schools in Shanghai will remain closed until at least the end of February, and possibly longer. Several countries, including Australia and the USA, have issued bans on Chinese travellers since the crisis began in January.

“There are only a few people on the streets these days, because we are required to stay at home to avoid human-to-human transmission,” Shanghai Symphony Orchestra oboist Zhang Xin told Limelight. “So far, the SSO has cancelled all concerts and rehearsals before the end of February.”

The coronavirus is affecting the lives of everyone in China, he says. “I am thinking what we can do as musicians? What we can do is play music, and music is one of the most...