Tag: Apple

No. 48 • 2023-12-22

Apple Vision Pro

This is an old newsletter that I didn’t post to the blog… just catching up.

Virtual live performance

I’ve consistently written that new technology for the performing arts needs to enable something more, or better than previously possible. There have been many experiments with virtual and/or augmented reality (VR and AR) art, but they’ve remained on the far fringes for artists and audiences. I think that’s about to change when Apple releases its Vision Pro headset in “early 2024”. The quality of the experience is now close enough to “being there” to provide a reasonable proxy to a live performance. While I haven’t used it myself, accounts from people I trust who’ve tried it are that it is very close to looking at reality. Of course, that experience comes at a hefty price ($3500!) and very little existing content or applications. And of course, relatively few people have any experience or familiarity with VR.

There are a number of virtual, immersive experiences available on existing headsets (Meta Quest and HTC Vive being the most “popular”). The most common are VR games and 3D movies (think Avatar). Some live sports content is also available, similar to being courtside at an NBA game. So this raises an obvious question… What about live concerts, theater, dance, and opera?

Here are some of my predictions, keeping in mind that my predictive track record is pretty poor. 

  • Pop concert experiences will be among the first to try VR: Think of all of the people who couldn’t get Taylor Swift tickets. How much would they pay for a live virtual experience? You get a comfortable seat and don’t have to deal with parking, traffic, and overpriced snacks. The most popular performers will have the resources to provide premium experiences (views from different audience seats, perhaps flying cameras over the stage). It may feel more like a sporting event than a concert.
  • Performing arts: I think this is where it gets really interesting. The demographics of the current theater, symphony, opera, and ballet audience (older and wealthy) are exactly the ones who can afford the hefty price of Vision Pro. And as we get older, going out for a night at the orchestra (to sit for hours in an uncomfortable chair) becomes less appealing, but sitting at home to watch a live performance happening downtown (or elsewhere) that’s almost the same as being there might be compelling enough.

Here’s my initial advice to arts and culture organizations: start experimenting with immersive content. There are so many questions that no one yet has the answers to.

  • How do we best capture a live performance? What kinds of technology (VR cameras) are needed, and what kinds of production facilities need to be upgraded? This is quite different from traditional video production, but it could in fact be easier. You don’t need multiple cameras to switch to different angles and closeups, just capture from a “good audience seat” and let people direct their own experiences by actually just looking at the things they want to focus on.
  • Explore the relative importance a live VR experience (simultaneous with the in-person audience). For organizations dedicated to live performance, I’d lean into live (or close to live). There’s something compelling about experiencing it at the same time as others, and the tech will make it more possible than ever. Marketing also becomes easier (in-person and virtual, on the same date and time). I’d also argue that certain events are devalued knowing that you’re watching a recording (there’s never been a huge market for recorded orchestra, opera, and theater).
  • Experiment with business models. Common wisdom would say a virtual concert should cost less than a ticket to the live show. On the other hand, you’re offering the benefits of convenience, comfort, and less hassle, so should virtual cost more? Of course, there’s the incredible opportunity to reach far away audiences who could never attend your in-person performance.
  • Start commissioning artists (composers, directors, producers) to explore new mixed in-person and virtual experiences now. I think things will eventually move beyond the traditional “just like being there” experience (even if it’s a really great seat). In fact, the virtual audience may become the primary audience (over in-person). Do performances become glorified recording studios, with no in-person audience? Are live audiences eventually given free or reduced admission so the virtual audience feels it’s part of a “live performance”? 

Overall, my hope is that performing arts organizations start experimenting with VR experiences now, in a low-cost production setup, for the few folks who can afford these headsets. Eventually the technology will become less expensive and broadly accessible. Right now, there’s relatively little risk, and if you start exploring the opportunities now, your organization and practices will be better prepared for the varying audience experiences of the future.

(Socially) Distant Creations

  • The Mannequin (A.I. Film) [Nobody & The Computer]: A fully AI-generated short film (every frame and sound was generated using AI tools, but still crafted by a human). A provocative look at what’s to come.
  • I Want It That Way (feat. Darth Vader) [Dewit]: And yet, I believe the greatest outcome of music AI tools to date are these silly parodies. I just can’t stop laughing at this one! 
  • Basket Case [Postmodern Jukebox]: No AI here, but I love this channel, which completely reimagines covers of popular music songs. 
  • Goin’ Home by Antonin Dvorak [VOCES8]: Just beautiful. No AI required.
  • LEGO Anti-Hero [Storyboard Studio]: The popular Taylor Swift song, but expertly animated with the most creative tool in history, LEGO! (See, we don’t need no AI!)

What I’m creating…

I’ve managed to rope my son into this annual tradition, for two years now! Here’s our a cappella video project to celebrate the season. We hope you enjoy it!

Best wishes for a joyous and peaceful holiday!

No. 47 • 2023-09-05

This is an old newsletter that I didn’t post to the blog… just catching up.

Where Have I Been…?

Clearly, I stepped away from this blog for a time (it’s been 20+ months since my last update). Like many avocations, it became a bit too time consuming, and there were other factors that precluded regular writing.

First, I was on sabbatical from teaching for the 2021-22 academic year. Sabbaticals are an incredible opportunity (and a great privilege) to gain experiences outside of academia. Previously in 2014-15, I joined the amazing team at Opera Philadelphia, internalizing the processes and challenges of performing arts organizations. Again seeking something different, I chose to work with “some kind of fruit company”. 😉 As anyone familiar with this company knows, they are particular about disclosure and forbid discussing the internal workings of the company. All I will say is that I worked on projects related to education, and that it was a great experience.

Of course, the world evolved as we returned to more and more in-person events (first cautiously, and then rapidly). Without the need for creating “at a distance”, there were fewer experiments using technology for remote and shared creative and artistic experiences. I too was excited to go back to live performances, but it meant there were fewer things to write about. Mostly, though, once you’re out of the habit of blogging regularly, it’s easy to stay out.

Returning from sabbatical in Fall 2022, I was consumed with teaching, research projects, and administrative duties, as well as some new initiatives. Our team at the ExCITe Center did a lot of things I would’ve liked to write about.

We expanded a fantastic new collaboration with Music: Not Impossible and brought in founder Daniel Belquer as artist-in-residence at ExCITe. Together, we managed 4 music technology projects for engineering senior design (about 20 students). We also launched a new monthly event series, the Philly Music Tech Link (PHL MTL, i.e., “Full Metal”) with the Drexel Music Industry Program to highlight local music technology projects.

Finally, in April 2023, I took on a new role at Drexel: Vice Provost of University & Community Partnerships. I sought this position because I believe the work of this office, leading Drexel’s civic engagement efforts, is some of the most impactful work of our University (this shouldn’t surprise anyone who’s been following my writing).

So, why am I posting now?

  • I find I still have thoughts to share about the arts, technology, and education. Emerging topics like AI and new immersive technologies align with the core themes of this blog.
  • Now, this blog is really just a hobby, but I’m still observing and experiencing, and occasionally creating things.
  • We’ll see if I can keep up a regular posting schedule. (I have a couple of essays saved up, so at least it’s not a one and done). I will aim for monthly.
  • I won’t be writing about my work in University & Community Partnerships. For that you can follow our official channels.

Wish me luck!

(Socially) Distant Creations

  • Never Gonna Give You Up [Jared Halley]: The best 1-person a cappella YouTuber, with a great version of this 80s classic (and source of the “Rick Roll” meme).
  • Preview of Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra [Opera Philadelphia]: Trailer for the upcoming production at the Academy of Music (opening Sept. 22), a highlight of the O23 Festival.
  • I Won’t Dance [VOCES8]: I had the privilege of seeing VOCES8 live again last spring in Philly. Here’s a great performance this Jerome Kern classic, beautifully staged for video.
  • Introducing Apple Vision Pro [Apple]: Speaking of new technologies, Apple’s recently announced headset has the potential to disrupt how we experience entertainment. I’ll dive deeper into this in future newsletters.

What I’m creating…

“Retro Tech” videos (reviewing and restoring older computers and devices, particularly from the early days of the digital revolution) remain one of my guilty pleasures. It’s like “This Old House”, but for computers! I was delighted to interview one of my favorite YouTubers (and fellow Philadelphian), Sean Malseed (a.k.a @ActionRetro), for my Electrical & Computer Engineering 101 class in January 2023. My sincere thanks to Sean for taking the time to visit our campus!

No. 17 • 2020-09-09

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Back to School

The 2020 B.PHL Innovation Festival is next week, Sept. 15-17.  Given the pandemic, this second year of B.PHL is entirely online and registration is free(!).  The program celebrates innovation in all its forms (technology, arts & entertainment, education, social justice, healthcare, and more) and features local leaders as well as global celebrities, like Pitbull, Nick Offerman, and Issa Rae.

Several events feature Drexel presenters:

  • A Night at the Museum(s), featuring Scott Cooper, CEO of the Academy of Natural Sciences with Clay Catongo, Penn Museum.
  • By Law, By Love – features Angel Hogan, department manager in the LeBow College of Business and current Drexel MFA student, presenting her short documentary about a boy’s quest to find his family after growing up in foster care (part of the B. PHL Film Fest).
  • Put Down Your Pencils: The 2020 Class(zoom), a conversation with Drexel President John Fry and U. Penn Provost Wendell Pritchett.

I am co-hosting an event with Jessica Zweig, Program Director of Play On Philly, to kick off our new panel mini-series, Creative Conversations for a Changing World. These discussions will focus on how arts and education organizations are innovating through the pandemic with organizational leaders from some of Philadelphia’s premier institutions. We’ll hear from those who are thinking in and out of the box about new ways of performing, learning, and sharing in the era of social distancing. Our kickoff event features an All-Star panel:

Our panel is Tuesday. September 15, 4pm (B.PHL festival registration is required, but it’s free!)  Of course, anyone can tune in… you don’t have to be in Philly. Please share the event info with anyone who’s interested, and also be sure to check out the rest of the B.PHL program for other great sessions. I hope to “see” you Tuesday at 4pm!

Also, pre-register below for our future series events below.  Mark your calendars!

(Socially) Distant Creations

  • The Global Armed Man [Stay at Home Choir] 5000 singers from 74 countries contributed to this musical celebration of the 20th anniversary of the premiere Sir Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace. The virtual mashup combines live concert footage from 2018 with at home recordings of thousands of singers.
  • Virtual POP [Play On Philly] Registration is open for the incredible local youth music instruction program’s 10th Anniversary year. Instruction begins virtually on Oct. 5.
  • Online Art History Classes [Barnes Foundation] An impressive collection of topics, each consisting of 4 weekly sessions this Fall.
  • Virtual Gallery [Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show] Featuring works from 101 artists from the US and Canada (Sept. 10-13).
  • Philadelphia Fringe Festival 2020 [Fringe Arts] Another reminder of the amazing all-virtual Fringe lineup this year (Sept. 10-Oct. 4).
  • Time Flies [Apple] The company’s next round of products will be announced in a virtual event (Sept. 15 at 1pm ET). Expect a new Apple Watch and new iPads.

What I’m creating

Virtual Chorister, my iOS app to help musicians participate in virtual collaboration projects has surpassed 2000 downloads! And don’t let the name fool you… it’s for instrumentalists, too! The latest update lets you also load guide videos from cloud services (Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud Drive, etc.) and adds support for Bluetooth headphones. An update coming soon will add other requested features.

Another frequent request is for an Android version. Unfortunately, that’s an entirely different development process that I don’t have experience with (essentially writing an entirely new app), but I’m thinking about it…

No. 9 • 2020-07-01

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Hamilton! (what else?)

If you’ve been following this newsletter for any length of time, you know that I’m a fan of Hamilton. This is a big week for all fans, with the filmed performance of the Original Broadway Cast premiering on the Disney+ streaming service this Friday. Just you wait… just you wait!

Why has this show been able to transcend musical theater, attaining cultural prominence even beyond past Broadway megahits (Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Rent, etc.)? Maybe it’s the mashup of styles (hip hop, Brit pop, classic theater torch songs)? Or perhaps the unique reframing of the American Revolution as it relates to our current struggles of immigration, racism, bigotry, and equality? The inspired casting of people of color in the leading roles of our country’s founding fathers and mothers? Or just the story of the ultimate innovation-powered startup: the United States of America? Of course, it’s all of these elements and more.

An additional component relatively new to the arts world is the creative team’s avid use of Twitter (in particular, composer, librettist, and star, Lin-Manuel Miranda) to engage with the show’s ever-growing legion of fans. Not only does this open a window into the creative process and humanize the creators, it’s another avenue to connect the show to the current world and raise awareness and advocate on behalf of issues. It’s hard to imagine Stephen Sondheim or Andrew Lloyd Webber engaging with the public in such a manner, to explain a lyric or the research behind an historical moment!

Another unique innovation is the Hamilton Education Program(EduHam), an opportunity for students from Title I high schools to see the show (for just $10, “a Hamilton”) andcreate their own raps and performances that they share onstage (!) before they watch the musical. It’s an incredible way of broadening students’ exploration and understanding of American history and its relevance to our very modern challenges. With performances on hold for the COVID-19 outbreak, they recently launched EduHam at Home, a virtual version of the program.

The original plan was to release the film in theaters in 2021, but since live productions aren’t currently running, they made a bold (I think) decision to release the film early on the new Disney+ streaming platform. Cynics will say it’s just a way to make money during the shutdown, but it would have been much easier to wait and release the film in movie theaters to maximize profits (the traditional route of theater > pay per view > streaming). I credit Disney for trying something different to meet this moment.

On top of all this, the original cast just put out a new socially-distanced collaboration with The Roots, playing household instruments. It’s not only a fantastic performance of the show’s hit song “Helpless”, but pushes beyond the standard Zoom grid-style performances that we’ve become accustomed to. Even in isolation, Hamilton continues to innovate.

This is what we should aspire to: a synthesis of creativity, technology, inclusivity, virtuosity, emotion, and profound storytelling that integrates authentic learning. And despite this darkest of years, it helps me remain hopeful and excited for this Independence Day.

(Socially) Distant Creations

  • Thoughts on Racial Injustice Part III [via LinkedIn Live] A lunch conversation (today at 12pm!) with renowned designers John Maeda and Raja Schaar (Drexel Product Design Program Director and IDSA board member).
  • CO VID-88 [Ted Arthur and friends, via Facebook] A beautiful collaborative composition with 20 pianists, with each composing a short segment to add to the end of the video.
  • Lawrence Brownlee discusses race and opera [ABC News] The renowned operatic tenor (and artistic advisor to Opera Philadelphia) highlights the lack of diversity among artistic administrators. Also don’t miss The Sitdown with LB, his show on Facebook Live.
  • Code Blue [Wilma Theater] A new 13-minute digital work shot with the actors’ iPhones. According to director Blanka Ziska, the Wilma’s Artistic Director, the piece is “looking at our current moment of crisis that has been exacerbated by two kinds of viruses: COVID-19 and racism.”
  • C-U Sings Vol. 1: Let It Be [via YouTube] More than 50 musicians in my hometown of Champaign-Urbana, Illinois came together to produce this collaborative version of this Beatles’ classic as a fundraiser for local healthcare services.
  • MKBHD interviews Apple’s Craig Federighi [via YouTube] Preeminent YouTube tech reviewer Marques Brownlee remotely interviews Apple’s SVP of Software Engineering about the company’s recent announcements at this year’s (virtual) Worldwide Developers Conference.

What I’m creating

Wait For It… here’s a work (very much) in progress that I’ll post without further comment.