“We hope audiences are as entertained and surprised by the result as we were,” conductor Tim Crooks said

NEED TO KNOW

• The Manchester Camerata partnered with electricals retailer AO to put a four-piece phone section in an orchestra
• Among the classical symphonies they’ve put a modern twist on are pieces by Beethoven, Vivaldi and Tchaikovsky
• “The spirit of the orchestra is to experiment and try new things,” conductor Tim Crooks said in a video showcasing the unique partnership’s symphonic creations

A renowned orchestra is trying something new in the digital age.

The Manchester Camerata partnered with electricals retailer AO to create “the world’s first dedicated mobile phone section in an orchestra.”

According to Kennedy News and Media, the orchestra’s conductor, Tim Crooks, explained, “This is unlike anything we’ve ever performed.”

He continued, “People use their mobile phones for almost every aspect of daily life, but creating orchestral music with them probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind.”

Among the classical symphonies they’ve put a modern twist on with a four-piece phone section are pieces from Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” and Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake” and “Auld Lang Syne.” 

Crooks and the musicians arranged the compositions into a medley — which they’ve dubbed the “SIMphony” — featuring a traditional live chamber orchestra alongside the unconventional phone section.

“We’ve done some pretty wacky gigs. I think this is the most unusual request we’ve ever had,” Crooks said in a video — filmed at Stoller Hall in England — showcasing the unique partnership’s symphonic creations.

The conductor also explained some limitations of using cellphones.

“The difficult part, obviously, is when you’ve got a mobile phone handset it doesn’t give you the same level of control or musicality that you’d get out of an oboe or a flute,” he said in the video.

Crooks added, “There can be a place for phones in the orchestra — that’s the spirit of the orchestra is to experiment and try new things.”

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He continued elaborating on the potential of phones for live music.

“That’s what made this project so enjoyable. It challenged the musicians in completely new ways and demonstrates how versatile modern technology can be when creativity is involved,” the conductor said. “We hope audiences are as entertained and surprised by the result as we were.”

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