Row breaks out as orchestra says audience CAN film concerts on phones

• The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra changed to appeal to youngsters
• But star Ian Bostridge stopped a performance last month due to the distraction

A row has broken out after orchestra bosses have given young audience members permission to film concerts on their phones – despite a star singer stopping a show to complain about it.

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, one of Britain’s leading orchestras, said it will challenge the conventions of the concert hall by allowing mobile phone filming.

But the decision has caused a backlash from traditionalists who still believe in the strict ban on personal recordings.

Last month high-profile tenor Ian Bostridge even stopped an ongoing performance at the city’s Symphony Hall to lambast audience members who were using their phones.

After the third song in Benjamin Britten’s Les Illuminations on April 17, Mr Bostridge stopped his performance after becoming ‘distracted’ by at least two people filming.

The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, one of Britain’s leading orchestras, said it will challenge the conventions of the concert hall by allowing mobile phone filming

Last month high-profile tenor Ian Bostridge (pictured) even stopped an ongoing performance at the city’s Symphony Hall to lambast audience members who were using their phones

However the orchestra changed its audience recording policy in 2023 to allow filming.

The star tenor subsequently said he was unaware of the change in orchestra policy, which he described as ‘inappropriate’.

He told the BBC: ‘It is a live performance and you are trying to keep your own concentration to convey something that is quite complex musically.

‘You are trying to connect with the people and there is so much in the news these days about how we are too distracted by phones and how can we escape.’

However Emma Stenning, the orchestra’s chief executive, told The Times to appeal to young listeners the orchestra ‘can’t expect them to come on the old rules’.

The orchestra continues to pursue its policy of appealing to young listeners by posting more frequently on its TikTok account.

Ms Stenning said ‘innovation is the key’ and that the classical world can sometimes become ‘a bit stuck’ calling on some of the traditions to be relaxed.

The CBSO Centre, the home and rehearsal centre of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Star tenor Mr Bostridge subsequently said he was unaware of the change in orchestra policy, which he described as ‘inappropriate’

The singer is understood to believe that audience filming is a distraction for performers

The Classical Birmingham Symphony Orchestra in action (stock photo)

Stenning, who is due to meet Mr Bostridge this month, told the paper that some of the audience members were actually reading the translation of the French on their digital programme – not recording.

To prevent future distraction she said the orchestra was creating a ‘dark more’ setting on its website to prevent too much light from appearing.

And the boss said there were also discussions being had about introducing ‘quiet carriages’ in the concert hall, like those on trains, where phones were not allowed.

The row over audience recording comes as the orchestra, like all of Birmingham’s big arts organisations, is dealing with the pending withdrawal of its entire £630,000 grant from the city’s bankrupt council.

It has been repeatedly warned over the past two years that they need to diversify and start attracting new audiences

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