• Thu. Feb 20th, 2025

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Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Snapchat partner to launch AR project that explores what sound actually looks like

From Beethoven to Messiaen – leading figures from the world of orchestral music have long held a fascination with the relationship between sound and colour. Later this month, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) and Snapchat will join forces to explore this phenomenon in the social media age.

Snap Inc. is partnering with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) to introduce a first-of-its-kind augmented reality (AR) experience that translates music into colours and shapes to explore what sound looks like.

Developed by Snapchat’s industry-leading Paris AR Studio, the new Colours Of Music AR lens showcases a 3D AR representation of the notes played live by an instrument, that draws on the uniqueness of each musical note – communicating everything from dynamics to  expressions.   

It is inspired by chromesthesia – the phenomenon that causes one sense to be experienced through another –  in this case showcasing the sound of live music, via a visual medium. 

The development of the experience, which uses machine learning technology,  has combined the expertise of RPO musicians with  academic and scientific research to create an experience that transforms how people can experience music in their own homes . Particularly for those who might be hard of hearing, this experience can enhance the performance of orchestral music.

For the RPO, this exciting new partnership with Snap Inc allows it to build on its longstanding mission to ensure that live orchestral music is accessible to as inclusive and diverse an audience as possible. 

The RPO / Snap partnership comes at a time when the orchestral audience is growing and diversifying yet there are also calls for modernisation. The RPO’s recent annual research report revealed that more than seven in ten (79%) people identified as having a relationship with orchestral music – with longstanding classical music enthusiasts now accounting for only a minority of the total audience (compared to 32% that regarded themselves as relatively new to the genre). Further, 76% of people that liked orchestral music said it needed to modernise – and the RPO believes that leading brands such as Snap Inc have an important role to play to enhance the excitement and immersive nature of orchestral music to new audiences discovering the genre for the first time.

Ben Wymer, Director of Global Brand Experience at Snapchat said“People love using Snapchat to message their closest friends and family and to engage with their favourite passion points – from fashion, to sport and music. We’re excited to partner with the prestigious Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to see this AR experience create new ways for Snapchatters to enjoy music. Whether you’re learning a string instrument and sharing progress updates with your friends, or you’re a professional sharing a new melody with your fans, the lens ignites imagination like never before. It’s as simple as scanning an instrument through Snapchat!”

Huw Davies, Deputy Managing Director at the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra adds: “We are delighted to partner with Snap Inc for this exciting new project. At a time when many orchestral music enthusiasts supplement the concert experience by furthering their music discovery online, this pioneering new experience from Snap Inc will do much to inspire journeys of music discovery for people at home, at college or during a music lesson. Our annual audience research last year revealed more than a third of adults (34%) viewed social media platforms as playing a key role to help them discover new music, and interest is growing in augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) music experiences. With this in mind, our Colours of Music collaboration with Snapchat will allow people to experience the wonder of sound in a whole new way.”

RPO’s unique position in the orchestral world is powered by its mission to enrich lives through orchestral experiences that are uncompromising in their excellence, wide-ranging in their appeal and inclusive in their delivery. Performing approximately 200 concerts each season and with a worldwide live and online audience in excess of 60 million people, the RPO acts as a cultural ambassador for the UK on the world stage and enhances the social and cultural fabric of local communities at home through a wide range of community, education, inclusion and wellbeing programmes. 

For more information, visit https://www.rpo.co.uk

By admin