Renewed Audience Experience
‘The Score is a combination of a game and a concert,’ explains Steye Hallema (writer and director of Smartphone Orchestra). The Smartphone Orchestra (opens in new tab) specifically developed games for this purpose, which visitors play together using their own smartphones. Through the game, visitors, for example, collect the notes for the sheet music so that the orchestra can continue playing, or they record a note themselves. In doing so, visitors influence how the music and overall experience unfold during the concert.
The Score renews the audience experience because it creates a new interactive connection between the audience and the performers on stage. During the concert, the audience becomes active participants. This interplay makes each performance unique.
Young and Digital Audience
At The Score, digital technology redefines the traditional concert, creating a new cultural product. This also appeals to new target groups. Hallema: ‘With The Score, we reach a younger audience, an audience that considers using their smartphone anytime and anywhere as second nature.’ Smartphone Orchestra thus uses a digital application to create shared experiences and real interaction between the audience and the artists.
Who is the audience of the future? Read more about it: meet Gen Z.
Sustainable Usability
The benefits are clear: digital technology deepens the audience experience, drives new cultural forms, and helps reach a different audience. In that sense, the cultural sector has an important role to play. ‘I think it is important to find new audiences and for orchestras to keep reinventing themselves in today's digital era,’ says Hallema. ‘Hopefully, visitors leave the hall with the idea that they have truly collaborated and connected with the orchestra.’
Meanwhile, the audience experience continues to evolve. Eric Magnée, co-composer and technical lead: ‘This is just the tip of the iceberg, as we are currently creating all kinds of methods together with the orchestra.’ At the moment, they are working on a long-term business strategy: Smartphone Orchestra developed The Score with the Metropole Orkest, but the game can eventually be used with any orchestra.
Get Started
At The Score, digital is part of the creation process, the experience, and the business model. Because the digital activity spans all parts of the organization, it becomes part of an integral digital transformation. Are you inspired by this project and want to start working with digital technology as a cultural institution? To gain more insight into how to gradually involve all parts of your organization, DEN developed the DEN Focus Model.
The DEN Focus Model consists of four axes: product, audience, business, and creator. These create four quadrants within which you can plot your organization's digital initiatives, projects, products, and services, as well as your strategy. This creates an overview and cohesion to better shape future ideas.
In addition to a good plan, you also need extra funding to finance new digital projects. The Score received a donation from Cultuurloket DigitALL (opens in new tab). With funding, knowledge sharing, and skill development, DigitALL helps cultural institutions strengthen their connection with the audience through digital technology. For example, you can apply for a development grant (up to 10,000 euros) or a project grant (up to 250,000 euros). Applicants can also receive training or skill development offered by one of the three knowledge partners, including the DEN Academy.
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