The first concert in the world with mobile phones will be premiered in Belgrade, at the Belgrade Philharmonic Hall on June 27, 2019, at 20:00, under the name PHONES: ON – new music with smartphones. This original, interesting and interactive show will present premiere of compositions and sound installations, famous domestic and foreign composers.The concert is unique in the world in that it works by chance or deliberately seeking to perform with different ways of using smartphones. Thus, telephones serve as a source of sound, display notes, send and receive instructions, conduct, play, illuminate the performer’s faces, photograph, display video content and use different applications. Audiences also participate in performances, during certain compositions, using their phones and following directions from the scene.

Author and Project Initiative, Maja Bosnić, a composer from Belgrade, has been actively exploring the possibilities of using smartphones during the musical performance on stage for the third year already. So far she has written two compositions for musicians with phones and mobile applications, performed at new music festivals in Darmstadt and Graz, as well as an interactive performance for the audience with smartphones, premiered at the CTM Berlin Symphony in Berlin earlier this year. In addition to her compositions, the PHONES: ON concerts include Jennifer Walsh (Ireland), Johannes Craddler (Germany), David Helbih (Germany / Belgium), Andrej Andric (Serbia / Denmark) and 4 / phones of the collective – an international group of artists, members of Maja Bosnić (Serbia), Juan Olai (Colombia), Justina Stasiovska (Poland), Hasan Masni (Palestine) and Tomi Herset (Indonesia). We talked about this project with Maya.

How important is it to you as a composer to experiment with the sources of music and the dynamics of its formation?

In my head (and I believe in many others) there is not only one rule of work and compositions. Each new concept requires new tools for work, with often different nature or technique of functioning compared to previous materials. Likewise, various strange sounds trigger initial ideas and forms, which are then returned to recreate and reproduce these sounds in realization. So it is difficult to find systems and categories. By the way, I’m trying to forbid myself to sneeze in some styles, but I insist on moving, exploring and hoping to move the boundaries.

What is all the way challenging to do such a project? (First in the world!) Have you seen a similar compositional feat? 

It’s not a bit easy, but it’s very interesting and exciting, and it gives everyone a lot of energy to work for. Since the first concert in the world with mobile phones, we do not have any model in which we can rely on and pick up some solutions and information. So, we are launching a pilot project ourselves, which is as exciting as scary, sometimes. The compositions are very innovative and completely different from what the musicians most often get used to, so during these preparations we started some bends for which we did not even know. I’m kidding of course. But it is truly an entirely new experience for both us and everyone who comes in contact with us.

Do you think the classical bass concerts have been bored with the audience and do not intend to compete (music)? 

I’m researching a composer, so one of those who care to test, try and help the world to move and move borders. I am a great fan of art that offers some completely new experiences and experiences and brings all presenters into new and interesting situations. I believe that my music is such, and I hope that after contact with my work, everyone takes with him something that benefits him, whether it is a new reflection, a new look, a new knowledge of himself in a given situation, a new interest, or a new energy for innovation and discoveries. Art is here to communicate, inspire and spark the world, and must not ignore the changes in the world and people around and stubbornly insist on some of its old rules forever. So it seems to me that traditional concerts of classical music today represent live installations of a replica of events and social situations from the 19th century. Practically, a living archival museum. I do not think that they are not interesting, but only with the change of humanity they get a new form. I think that a modern concert with a new music on the program must engage audiences much more and serve the elements of their everyday life, in order to communicate even more directly.

Who do you expect to see in the chair, to whom is this most talked about? 

I hope for a full audience of audiences, made up of people of different professions, ages and interests. I only know that everything connects them curiosity and openness to the unexpected and unknown. And that’s why I hope that there will be more, because I love such a world. The compositions are very different, so I believe that everyone will find something that is closest to him and the most interesting. All the compositions will be accompanied by video projections, so it will be interesting to see what happens on the screens of our phones or in the composer’s heads at certain moments.

Why is Philharmonic’s support for an unconventional event like this?

The support of the Philharmonic is of great importance in this project. The Philharmonic Orchestra is the most professional symphony orchestra on the Balkan Peninsula, and the fact that such an institution supports such an innovative pilot project gives added value and mutual benefit. By bringing the concert with smart phones to the premiere of the Belgrade Philharmonic Hall, we underline the fact that we perform works of contemporary art music on a program whose value is recognized by renowned cultural institutions. On the other hand, because it will be the first concert in the world with mobile phones, we expect a large number of new audiences, which have not so far entered the corridors of the Belgrade Philharmonic, and we will additionally succeed in influencing a positive change of public awareness and hopefully encourage their greater interest in cultural events in the future.

In addition to smartphones, what kind of everyday music does the music we do not notice?

My personal esthetics always revolves around the idea of ​​turning something completely ordinary, daily, trivial and limited into a new, interesting and quality art. So I hear music in machines, vehicles, construction work, small objects, incomplete silence and various other spontaneous sounds that are all around us.

Inspiring us to come, link, gif, whatever. 

I hope that you will come in large numbers in order to witness together this unique and interesting concert in the history of music. Tickets are free and can be obtained by email: druzenje.zabuna@gmail.com and you will be sent a ticket in the form of a photo for the screen of the phone, which you will also show from your phone at the entrance. You saw a video teaser with compositions that will be on the concert program, a large number of pictures, biographies and description of the compositions are here.

For the production of this unique concert, an ensemble of six professional musicians with many years of experience in performing contemporary music was formed, among which are: Jelena Vujnović (flute), Jovan Savić (trumpet), Maja Bosnić (piano), Branko Džinović (accordion), Tamara Marinković Tomić (viola), Boban Stošić (double bass), as well as Arsenije Savić (laptop). Recognizing the historical significance and innovation of the project, the Belgrade Philharmonic decided to provide support and host PHONES: ON concert in its hall.

PHONES: ON – new music with smart phones presents a new model of musical creativity, which helps to popularize contemporary art music, develop new audiences and improve the contemporary music scene of Serbia. The premier performance will be performed in Belgrade at the Belgrade Philharmonic Hall on June 27, 2019, after which a tour will begin in Serbia, followed by the countries of the region, the Balkans and finally all over Europe.