At the meeting about budget cuts, financial
shortages, and ways to cope with the falling attendance of the audience
who had previously been loyal attendees of the Philharmonic, Samuel put
forward the idea of increasing communication with the listeners. Some
people feel bored when they watch musicians playing. Samuel announced
a course of action that would allow the public to have an eye contact
with the musicians. His new idea was about projecting musical notes on
the back wall of the concert hall behind the main floor and the balcony. “Musicians
are busy reading their scores and turning pages of a musical composition,” he
said. “While reading scores projected on a wall they will appear
to be staring straight into the eyes of the listeners.” “That’s
a great idea,” said Raymond the drummer. “It
reminds me of moving texts that float projected in the air during the
performance. They translate the arias for the audience in some instances
when vocalists sing in various languages. I have seeen it practiced at
the Boettcher
Hall” “It reminds me a movie "Broadcast
News” said Nelsona piccolo player,“ where
an anchorperson on a news program read the rows of words projected on a
screen above the cameramen.” “Different sections of instruments
have different scores,” Samuel continued. “This setback may
be solved by projecting notes for each section in a different wavelength
of color. Projections would overlap on the wall, but musicians would wear
glasses that would be specially tinted to allow the passage of their notes
and block those for other musicians, yet still allow the audience to see
their eyes.” The orchestra members reluctantly accepted this new
venture and came before the public to perform in their fancy new glasses.
A few days later an article appeared in the science section of the local
newspaper. It stated, to the great joy of the musicians, that music is
danger to your eyes. Another article informs the readers that playing in
an orchestra on an illuminated scene affect performers’ sight, so
they have to wear glasses prematurely.
