Pocket PC Peps up Classical Concerts

[Jonathon Watkins]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/music/3814713.stm' target='_blank'>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertai...sic/3814713.stm</a><br /><br /></div><i>"The Concert Companion (CoCo) is an exciting new interpretive aid or “experience enhancement” for classical music audiences. Using state of the art wireless technology, CoCo delivers explanatory text, program notes and video images to hand-held devices – in real time with the music." </i><br /><br />The above quote is the opening statement at the <a href="http://www.concertcompanion.com">The Concert Companion</a> website. There's a BBC story about this device, which calls the CoCo (great abbreviation btw :wink: ) the 21st Century's version of programme notes. It's a Pocket PC which displays live video and commentary on the music being performed:<br /><br /> <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/leftside_pict4.jpg" /> <br /><br /><br /><i>"The device itself is a top of the range HP iPaq - a hand-held PC with a colour screen that communicates via wireless connection to a base computer. An operator who follows the music score then feeds live text information to the hand-held computers as the music is played. It is only recently that advances in hand-held development have created the technology that can produce live, video and text commentary delivered by wireless connection. "So much of this is serendipitous," said Mr Valliere. Live video footage of the conductor and lead soloists is also broadcast to the devices. "Now you can see the conductor's expressions and gestures for the first time," said Mr Valliere." </i><br /><br />It's interesting to see how Pocket PCs are increasingly being used to <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=256084">enhance events</a>. So, is this a useful tool that makes classical music more accessible to people, or is it a gimmick of little note which will soon fade away?

[OSUKid7]

Sounds pretty neat, but I doubt many people would use it. If more cellphones were able to use this type of technology, it might catch on, but for now it's just a geek fad. ;) :lol:

[Jonathon Watkins]

Are you assuming that folks would use this on their own PPCs? I understood that the concert goers were being offered the use of PPCs with the software pre-loaded. If the interface is full screen and is well designed then I don't think it would be too intimidating. Folks these days are used to a certain degree of computer interaction and would surely find this usable/useful?

[Zack Mahdavi]

I think that if it's utilized correctly, it could be a very useful enhancement to a performance. Right now, Pocket PCs and PDAs are used in lots of museums to provide audio and visual elements to an exhibit. There tons of possibilities for its use at concerts and performances.

Of course, my question is, how long will these devices last for? If the iPaqs are being provided unprotected without a case, I think the cost of providing this service will be very expensive. People are bound to drop and scratch the devices. The devices that are provided need to absolutely be well protected.

[OSUKid7]

Are you assuming that folks would use this on their own PPCs? I understood that the concert goers were being offered the use of PPCs with the software pre-loaded. If the interface is full screen and is well designed then I don't think it would be too intimidating. Folks these days are used to a certain degree of computer interaction and would surely find this usable/useful?
Ah, I see...yeah, I was thinking this would be offered over WiFi or something. Yeah, I guess if the PDA was provided more people would find it useful.

[Jonathon Watkins]

Of course, my question is, how long will these devices last for? If the iPaqs are being provided unprotected without a case, I think the cost of providing this service will be very expensive. People are bound to drop and scratch the devices. The devices that are provided need to absolutely be well protected.

True. They need something like this (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=254513). :lol: Tough crowd these classical concert goers! :wink:

Seriously though, I wonder how you could adequately protect your PPCs? Use the cheapest possible WiFi PPCs with sealed rubber cases?

[Don't Panic!]

With the Pops and all the museums in Boston, MA you'd think we'd have this already... But NOOOO! only in the UK. We did have a gps/iPaq walking tour of art galleries though.

I want to see WiFi treated like a public service in the USA. We have Public Television and Community Access Cable shows. Why not WiFi?

Don't Panic!
Bobby

[jkendrick]

This was done in New York back at the end of May and was a success. Details here:

http://www.pocketpctools.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid2=965&mode=&order=0&thold=0

[TomB]

This is too funny. I went to a MET concert in the park Wednesday for Madam Butterfly. Great night. Great music. Great sound system. Great lyrics in Italian. As I was trying to figure out where I was in the opera, it occured to me how easy it would be to broadcast a line by line translation for the 100,000 young and well-heeled people in the park listening, many of whom probably had a WiFi PPC in their pockets...and here it is...at $10 a pop!

[Janak Parekh]

This was done in New York back at the end of May and was a success. Details here:
And I missed it? 8O :cry:

Oh well, hopefully they'll continue it next time.

--janak

[jkendrick]

Apparently it was well received and the iPAQs were all reserved weeks in advance. I wish I was in NY for thst concert- combining two of my passions at one event. :D

[surur]

Im sure something like this wont last, but in the interim it will introduce a lot of influential people who would never otherwise have held a pda in their hands to a new device.

Surur

[rocky_raher]

the CoCo (great abbreviation btw :wink: )

My second computer was the Radio Shack Color Computer, so named because it was one of the first home computers (other than the Apple) to have color output. It's nickname was the CoCo.

[Brad Adrian]

I wouldn't even necessarily want/need things like live video of the conductor and musicians. I'd be more interested in commentary about the music/composer/etc. during the performance.

[Sven Johannsen]

the CoCo (great abbreviation btw :wink: )

My second computer was the Radio Shack Color Computer, so named because it was one of the first home computers (other than the Apple) to have color output. It's nickname was the CoCo.

Mine too. My wife got her CS degree on that. For most it was punch cards at the computer lab, but we sprung for the 32K (yes K) CoCo and 300B direct connect modem (you had to dial the phone and then flip the switch) so she could write programs at home and upload to the Lab computers. It was heaven.

[stjohn1335]

I am an orchestral conductor, and I would love to see this implemented in our concert halls! The average Symphony goer has no idea what's happening in the music--they're just just passively listening. Audiences 200 years ago knew that a Symphony has a certain list of expectations, a certain order of events, and often it is a composer's deviation from these set of expectations that caused such a stir in 19th-century audiences. Due to many factors, the general audience today has lost this knowledge, and is left with passively reacting to the sounds.

Conductors and musicologists are left with giving pre-concert lectures or playing excerpts at the piano while explaining things as they go. Unfortunately these are often dull and uninteresting, and never really tackle the essence of the piece. It's actually really hard to do it effectively in a lecture style. Using a real-time method opens up a whole new level and type of exploration that you don't have time for in a lecture, and is quite dull without the music playing anyway.

I know somebody mentioned you would like to know more of the history of the music, things that the composer, etc. these are all great and should be included, but in music circles this is generally considered beating around the bush, not tackling the actual substance of the piece (the real challenge!). I think a device like this would finally give us a tool for presenting the most fascinating information about the piece--the piece itself!

[WindWalker]

As an opera singer myself (mostly chorus, but a fair number of small compromario roles), I see a LOT of value in this sort of thing. The company that I work with, Opera Carolina, does a lot of outreach to patrons with pre-show talks, a newsletter that describes the opera and compser information, etc. Though as a company, we probably could not afford such an implementation, it clearly adds to the experience, as long as the devices are sturdy enough to be poked, prodded and yes dropped by the patrons.

On the other hand, opera goers (and classical music mavens) can be a very conservative group. OC did a production of "Cold Sassy Tree," an adaptation of the novel by Olive Ann Burns, back in 2002. OC along with a number of other companies commissioned it, and it is nw only about 4 years old. Though we had a great cast, we had patrons call in not only to say they were not coming to that production, but were cancelling their entire subscription. Perhaps this technology will appeal to those who are already comfortable with the technology, but many old guard patrons will just snub their noses at it.

Guess that's not too different from any other consumer technology advance, hmm?

[Brad Adrian]

What you say about opera-goers being fairly conservative is no doubt true. No matter what the performance -- opera, symphony, etc. -- I'm sure that most people who saw me pull out my Pocket PC and put in my earbuds would think I'm tuning in a baseball game!

I'm assuming that the current use of PDAs is all visual (no audio) so that the music isn't interrupted. But, it might be interesting to be able to hear at least some commentary before the performance and during breaks.

[Janak Parekh]

On the other hand, opera goers (and classical music mavens) can be a very conservative group.
You might be right, but it's a mix, at least here in New York. The new generation of classical music lovers embrace technology, and I hope that will make a difference. ;)

Guess that's not too different from any other consumer technology advance, hmm?
Basically. ;)

--janak

[WindWalker]

On the other hand, opera goers (and classical music mavens) can be a very conservative group.

You might be right, but it's a mix, at least here in New York. The new generation of classical music lovers embrace technology, and I hope that will make a difference. ;)
--janak

Admittedly, Charlotte, NC is a.....how can we say it....an "immature" opera audience. But we're working on it!

[Brad Adrian]

Admittedly, Charlotte, NC is a.....how can we say it....an "immature" opera audience. But we're working on it!
I grew up in Indiana and now live in Durham. So in those areas, "cultured music" refers to any music that doesn't conclude in somebody smashing a guitar.