BBC Philharmonic agreement puts students at cutting edge
Wednesday 14 December 2016
The University of Salford has signed an agreement with the BBC Philharmonic allowing students to become the first to use cutting edge musical technology.
The University of Salford has signed an agreement with the BBC Philharmonic allowing students to become the first to use cutting edge musical technology.
The ground-breaking new technology, which is being trialled at the Red Brick Sessions at the University’s Peel Hall, aims to turn classical concerts into immersive musical experiences by enabling people to experience the orchestra in a completely new way.
The concert series features a live video stream enabling the audience to delve closer into the BBC Philharmonic and even ‘zoom in’ on specific sections such as strings, brass or percussion.
The online audience also receive synced information about the music they are listening to and can even view a live orchestral score.
The new agreement means a wide range of University of Salford students will be some of the first people in the country to use this technology by recording the sessions as they are streamed online.
Alan Williams, Professor of Collaborative Composition at the University of Salford, said: “This partnership shows what can be achieved when a university gets together with an organisation like the BBC Philharmonic to change the cultural landscape of Salford and beyond.
“This really puts us at the forefront of digital innovation and our tech-savvy students have taken to the new technology like ducks to water.”
Simon Webb, General Manager of BBC Philharmonic, said: “The BBC Philharmonic is a creative, risk-taking orchestra in our programming and in how we present concerts.
“This new partnership enables us to develop our programming alongside new technologies whilst creating, and benefiting from, new and unique student opportunities.”
Following on from the well-attended Red Brick Sessions held so far this year, the concert series will return in 2017.
Soprano Ruby Hughes will join the BBC Philharmonic on Thursday 26 January, while the orchestra will play work by Milhaud, Mozart and Ibert on Thursday 9 February, and will perform work by Ravel, Ades, Strauss and Rebel on Thursday 27 April.
The Red Brick Sessions are free, but anyone wanting to attend one of the events at Peel Hall on the University of Salford’s Peel Park campus needs to apply for tickets at least two weeks in advance.
Caption:
Professor Gerry Kelleher, Interim Pro-Vice Chancellor Research and Enterprise (left) and Simon Webb, General Manager of BBC Philharmonic (right).
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