The BBC Philharmonic has launched a new service for its concert goers. The web app called Notes sends information about the works being performed and the composers and performers involved live to audience members’ smart phones in the concert hall.
Users can connect via Wi-Fi or 3G to open a web browser on their phones, receiving these live updates as they correspond with specific moments in the music or events happening on stage. These notes are triggered by a member of the BBC Philharmonic team at the back of the hall, who follows a score and changes the information onscreen accordingly. All the programme notes are tweet length (around 140-200 characters), and have been road-tested for the last few months in a handful of concerts.
Those utilising this new service will be positioned in a particular area of the hall away from other audience members, so as not to disturb those around them.
The programme will fully launch in September, with Notes available for all concerts in the BBC Philharmonic’s main Bridgewater Hall season. Tickets for concerts with use of the Notes function cost £12.50 (£5.50 online or £3 in person to students and under 26s) and are available now here. When booking online, look for Notes tickets in the Side Circle Left and Right.
Look out for our feature on Notes in an upcoming issue of BBC Music Magazine.
