Leonard Slatkin
Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) Music Director Leonard Slatkin became probably the first orchestral conductor to ask a classical concert audience to turn their cell phones on last night, while conducting the first concert on the DSO’s Floriday Tour at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach.
Before the orchestra began its encore, Slatkin turned to the audience and said, « You’ve heard that we’re the most accessible orchestra on the planet, and tonight you’re going to be the most accessible audience on the planet. For the first time I’d like to invite you to turn your cell phones for a change, and cross the stage’s barrier by capturing this moment and posting your photos to your favorite social media channels. »
The DSO’s Florida Tour includes a comprehensive social media campaign. A Tumblr page (detroitsymphony.tumblr.com) is dedicated to documenting the orchestra’s pursuits onstage and off while on the road, Frances the Flamingo, a personified plastic yard flamingo and tour mascot, is featured thoughout many posts and the hashtag #DSOFLoridaTour tracks mentions across all social media channels: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr.
