Skip to main content

LA Phil launches virtual reality orchestra


There may be but a small crowd of people who stand at the intersection of love for classical music and interest in virtual reality technology, but if you are one of those folks (and you're visiting LA this fall), then I've got some good news for you.

VAN Beethoven is a virtual reality experience using Oculus's 360-degree and 3D technology that allows visitors to experience a private concert with the Los Angeles Philharmonic from a customized truck, which is complete with authentic carpet and seating from the Walt Disney Concert Hall. For no extra charge, viewers can don an Oculus Rift headset and enjoy part of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony in a pretty unique way. The VR experience allows guests not only to see and hear the performance of the orchestra, but also feel the quality of the acoustics within the hall.

"Music is a beautiful symbol of unity, and it is very important to share the joy of music with people from all walks of life and from the many different communities in Los Angeles and beyond," says conductor Gustavo Dudamel. "I have often said music is a fundamental human right, and using this technology helps us to make this mission even stronger."

VAN Beethoven will travel across the greater Los Angeles area from September 11 to October 18. For more info, check out LA Phil's website.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Enigmatic Shapes and Psychedelic Patterns

To say that I love Sanagi 's work is an understatement. Looking at her art feels sort of therapeutic, and I find her drawings refreshingly intricate. They're trippy, psychedelic, and resemble something that you might see under a microscope. Not much is Googleable about Sanagi, but that's fine. There aren't many artists these days that still pull off the whole mysterious vibe, so I commend her for that. By the way... they're all hand-drawn with pen and ink.

The Adorable Sculptures of Yen Yen Lo

These images are from a series of wall sculptures created by Yen Yen Lo . Here you can see her intricately textured ceramic pieces, looking downright adorable. Yen Yen Lo's eye for the unique and whimsical is delightful. Apparently they are not intended for kids under 16. Fifteen-year-olds cannot be trusted with fragile stuff. Get them a Funko Pop instead.

James DeRosso's ceramic monsters

I really like these whimsical ceramic creatures by James DeRosso. Yes, they have bulging eyes and toothy grins, but they're not scary at all. The Portland-based artist started making cute monsters while he was a student to jokingly create gargoyle-like guardians for the kiln. After other students kept taking his quirky little figures, he realized there was a market for them. "I'm enjoying the whole monster making niche," James says. "It's amazingly gratifying to be doing ceramics full time and especially to be a teacher introducing kids to the joy of clay." Be sure to visit his website and like his Facebook page for the latest monster news.