Classical music performer, Nicola Benedetti, expresses her firm opinions about using mobile phones during live concerts.
In the ongoing debate about the acceptability of using mobile phones to take photos and videos at classical music concerts, Scottish violinist Nicola Benedetti has expressed her views.
Nicola Benedetti, who is also the festival director of an unspecified festival, has plans to experiment with encouraging more device-free concerts and preparing audience members to embrace this experience. This comes after the Edinburgh International Festival, of which she is a part, removed the stalls in the Usher Hall for some concerts and replaced them with bean bags, creating a more relaxed and informal concert setting.
The debate, which attracted responses from musicians and music lovers far and wide, has seen a recent development with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) deciding to allow audience members to discreetly take photos and videos at its concerts. This decision, sparking lively debate online, has received support from organist Jennifer Bate and organist Anna Lapwood, who enjoys seeing pictures and videos from her concerts tagged on social media, as it creates a sense of community around the event.
However, Nicola Benedetti, who was interviewed by our website presenter Ritula Shah during the opening week of the Edinburgh International Festival, prefers a concert setting where devices are not present. She points out that the time spent in a concert hall away from a mobile phone is minimal compared to other activities, and believes that strict policing of audience members can be more distracting than the offending activity itself.
A "pet hate" of Nicola Benedetti is witnessing venue and concert staff telling concertgoers what to do during performances. She suggests that if being still and concentrating for a concert is not appealing, there are other ways to appreciate music.
Anna Lapwood, who has millions of social media followers, wrote that she actively encourages her audience to film and take photos during her concerts. The organist with the CBSO defends this decision by emphasizing the importance of transparency and enhancing the audience experience.
The main aim of the Edinburgh International Festival is to provide a diverse range of ways to enjoy the greatest art. With Nicola Benedetti's experimental approach, it seems that the festival is taking a step towards creating a unique and engaging concert experience for its audience.
This article was updated on 19 August 2024.
