iConcert
An interactive performance that allows the audience to influence how a musical composition is constructed and presented
The Concept
Integrating modern technology with classical music and traditional performance practices presents an opportunity to create works that engage audiences in a new way. Unlike a traditional approach where a musical work is self-contained and performed by the musicians from beginning to end, the structure of the composition is manipulated live with Blind Ear’s performance software program—a real-time communication tool between the composer and the performers through Wi-Fi connected laptops. Prior to a performance, several notated loops—short musical phrases that are intended to be repeated and combined to make a larger musical structure—are composed and assembled to be used for the creation of a new work in real-time. The audience influences the composer’s musical decisions during the performance via a web-hosted text message voting system. Audience members use their mobile devices to text-to-vote on various compositional parameters such as tempo, complexity, mood, and dynamics. In this audience response system, the results of the polls are instantly made available via a bar graph displayed on a screen behind the musicians. In addition, performances are often streamed live, which allows viewers not in attendance to have the ability to vote online and influence the performance in real-time. The composer monitors these polls and constructs a composition reflective of the audiences’ responses.
Premiere Performance
Click the image above for the press release