Replicating the Book Club Experience

Listening to music on-line can be a rather solitary experience, but now the BBC in association with Caper, are trying out a new idea, Concert Club. This is a new service which builds on the BBC Radio 3 performances available on BBC iPlayer, and it is hoped that the service will help audiences access music and share it with friends. The idea is to try and replicate the 'Book Club Experience', but with classical music and encourage groups of people to share both performances and their experiences. A new interface has been developed, which allows members to invite contacts to join in and listen, to create their own portfolio of concerts, and to get you started there are themed selections of concerts with concert guides (Smart Kids, Orchestras on the Edge, If you go down to the woods).

Its an interesting idea, but as with all such ideas I'm not sure how much the concept will appeal to those who don't normally listen to much classical music. The initial version is a trial one, available free until 17 July 2013. And the developers, Caper, are very keen for people to try it out and provide feedback. So its your chance to let them know what sort of service you'd really like. Further information from the Concert Club website.

Elsewhere on this blog:

• Gloriana at Covent Garden
• Ariadne auf Naxos at Glyndebourne
• Madama Butterfly at OHP
• Singing the Changes
• The Nibelung Ballad
• JAM - onwards and upwards
• Vivat Brahms! - CD review
• Carmelites at Grange Park
• These New Puritans - Field of Reeds
• Eugene Onegin at Grange Park
• I Puritani at Grange Park
• Home