The Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) has announced three new tech initiatives that will allow patrons to watch a live concert, browse a full calendar of events, listen to digital albums and connect to DSO social media, all on their mobile device. The digital trio includes Live from Orchestra Hall, a series of HD Webcasts presented by the Ford Motor Company Fund; the release of DSO To Go, a FREE mobile app; and the DSO’s first digital album. These initiatives are made possible by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
"This digital trio will allow us to further share our concerts, our musicians, and the excitement of Detroit's cultural scene with a worldwide audience," said Scott Harrison, DSO executive producer of digital media.
The launch comes after a groundbreaking spring in which the DSO webcast five concerts live to a global audience of thousands.
"The challenge of the digital age is to engage audiences where they are going and increasingly that’s through the Web and on mobile devices," said Dennis Scholl, vice president/arts for Knight Foundation. "We hope that by taking symphonic music out of the concert hall and into people's everyday experiences, they'll remember how enriching it is to their lives."
Live From Orchestra Hall, live HD webcasts with host Alex Trajano, will make the DSO the first U.S. orchestra to live stream a regular series of concerts on the Web, just as it became the first to broadcast a concert via radio in 1922. The first webcast of the season will air Sunday, Oct. 9 at 2:50 p.m. Tune in to www.dso.org/live. Each webcast will also feature interviews with guest artists, DSO musicians, and local personalities. On October 9, Trajano will be joined by DSO Music Director Leonard Slatkin, guest pianist and composer Michel Camilo, and Detroit entrepreneur and restaurateur Phillip Cooley, owner of Slow's BBQ. See a full schedule of webcasts below. Live from Orchestra Hall is produced in collaboration with Detroit Public Television.
"We’re pleased to be able to provide video and web services in our growing collaboration with the DSO," said Detroit Public Television president and general manager Rich Homberg. "Together, we’re creating exciting opportunities to connect larger audiences with this great orchestra."
The final part of the digital trio, a series of live, downloadable concert albums, will launch later this fall with Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto, featuring Olga Kern at the piano and Slatkin conducting. These albums, produced in-house, will be available for streaming and download at www.dso.org/albums, on www.instantencore.com/detroitsymphony, or through the DSO To Go mobile app.
DSO To Go, available now for iPhone, Android and mobile web platforms, gives patrons a handheld passport to all things DSO. In partnership with InstantEncore, the free mobile app makes the DSO's 2011-12 classical season free to watch through "Live From Orchestra Hall" HD webcasts. Whether or not music lovers are at Orchestra Hall during a concert, DSO To Go makes live interaction with the DSO easy with direct links to Facebook and Twitter portals. Patrons can also listen and download a growing array of digital albums, read DSO news and receive push notifications of new content and special offers. iPhone and Android users can search for "Detroit Symphony" in their app stores to download DSO To Go for FREE. Other web-connected mobile devices can simply access http://www.dso.org/ for app features.
"We are honored to be merging our mobile and web technology with the artistry and passion of the DSO to engage local, national and global citizens with the DSO musicians and the live classical music they share," said Margo Drakos, chief operating officer of InstantEncore. "The DSO is the first orchestra in the United States committing to bring a series of live video performances and digital albums to all through mobile applications and the web. We live in the age of participation, and people want to feel connected to musicians and the music they love."
Webcast 1—Symphonie Fantastique!
Sunday, October 9, 3 p.m. (Pre-Concert show at 2:50 p.m.)
Webcast 2—Beethoven's Fifth
Friday, October 28, 10:45 a.m. (Pre-Concert show at 10:35 a.m.)
Webcast 3—Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5
Friday, November 4, 8 p.m. (Pre-Concert show at 7:50 p.m.)
Webcast 4—Festival of Flutes with Sir James Galway and Guests
Friday, November 18, 10:45 a.m. (Pre-Concert show at 10:35 a.m.)
Webcast 5—Schubert’s Immortal "Unfinished" Symphony
Saturday, November 26, 8 p.m. (Pre-Concert show at 7:50 p.m.)
Webcast 6—Beethoven 7, plus: Branford Marsalis
Sunday, December 4, 3 p.m. (Pre-Concert show at 2:50 p.m.)
Webcast 7—The Four Seasons!
Saturday, December 10, 8 p.m. (Pre-Concert show at 7:50 p.m.)
Enjoy!
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