Online music brings orchestras together
Posted on 25 February 2004
And if the 'Music Online' project is successful, the hills and dales of the countryside could come alive with the sound of music as community groups clamour to have the same benefits.
The experiment will be launched on Saturday in two venues, the University of York and York Guildhall, which will both be open to the public.
The University of York Orchestra, and the City of York Guildhall Orchestra, will perform simultaneously and receive tuition online from a number of instrumental coaches in London and Glasgow, trialling new broadband software developed at McGill University in Canada.
The project is sponsored by BT, Arts and Business, Science City York, and the two orchestras.
The technology, which allows music and other information to be transmitted far faster and more easily using the Internet, will provide the orchestras with a real-time link-up. BT will provide an extremely high-speed bandwidth for the orchestras, equivalent to using 200 broadband lines simultaneously, plus video-screens and microphones.
Music Online, originated by Dr Tony Myatt, Director of Music Technology Research at the University of York, will allow the regional orchestras to receive expert coaching in the same session, despite their geographical distance, and at a level of expertise they could not afford individually.
During recent software testing Music Online personnel became the first people in the world to take part in a real-time, transatlantic, full digital video conference via the Internet. Dr Myatt said: "We hope to roll out the project to other musical organisations in time, to enable musicians in remote rural communities to take coaching and advice from leading musicians without great expense. It's appropriate that this project should begin in York since it has one of the highest take-ups of broadband technology in the UK. "Digital technology has entered the arts at many levels in York from the activities of the Music Research Centre to the annual Sightsonic International Festival of Digital Arts. I think many people will be surprised to see technology having an impact on orchestral concerts in the region too."
The project team hope that Music On-line will develop as a support for community music making via the Internet, and to demonstrate the potential benefits of broadband technology in passing on a range of expert knowledge to communities.
BT regional manager Trevor Higgins said: "Communication is at the heart of BT's business, and music is one of the most powerful ways in which people communicate ideas, feelings and emotions." "This project will launch classical music into a world of technological innovation." Anna Rooke of Science City York, one of the sponsors of Music Online, added: "This event reinforces York's successful record with supporting new technology."
Science City York is a unique partnership lead by the City of York Council and the University. It fosters the economic potential of York's world-class science base Music Online will be holding an event at York's Guildhall and the University's Jack Lyons Concert Hall, throughout the day on Saturday. (February 28th). Both are open to the public.
Notes to editors:
- Music Online's launch on Saturday is at 1pm at the University of York Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall and York Guildhall. Both will be open to the public. .The Music Research Centre is a new development designed to facilitate technology research in all areas of musical practice.
- The University of York is one of the liveliest centres of musical education and research in Britain.
- The Music Department is home to more than 200 music students and a large staff of professional musicians and scholars, all engaged in the study, creation and performance of all kinds and types of music.
- The range at the University includes early and contemporary music, acoustic and digital music, world music and jazz, music for the concert hall, and music for the community.