Orchestra that Scrapped Asia Tour Holding Pop-up Concerts

Andris Nelsons conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Courtesy of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

BOSTON (AP) — The Boston Symphony Orchestra canceled its Asia tour because of concerns about the virus outbreak in China, but it’s using its down time to perform free pop-up concerts at home.

The acclaimed orchestra will throw open the doors to Symphony Hall free of charge on Feb. 16 for an impromptu performance dubbed “Concert for Our City.”

It’s also planning a number of concerts at schools, homeless shelters and hospitals that won’t be open to the public.

The orchestra had been scheduled to go on a four-city tour that included South Korea, Taiwan and China from Feb. 6 to 16.