Revolution in the concert hall

Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra uses digital sheet music

The Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra no longer plays from paper sheet music, but from iPads - the first professional orchestra in Germany to do so. SPIRIT/21 was a central point of contact for the technical implementation of this unconventional digitisation project, providing the SKO with comprehensive support.

Initial situation

The idea of replacing paper sheet music with digital sheet music had already been discussed by those responsible at the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra years ago. However, the technology was not yet advanced enough and there was a lack of funding. The ball was finally set rolling by the ZUKUNFTSSTARK funding programme of the state of Baden-Württemberg, which secured funding for the iPads at the beginning of 2022.
The newly purchased iPads from the Apple Store Sindelfingen were an important prerequisite. The next step was to ensure that the technology worked smoothly on stage and during rehearsals and that the musicians were able to use it at all times. To this end, the management sought and found a suitable partner in SPIRIT/21, which was well versed in the technical side of things, had a keen interest in classical music and was prepared to break new ground together with the SKO.

Challenges in this unusual digitalisation project

This unusual digitisation project was something very special, not only for the SKO, but also for the IT experts at SPIRIT/21. The introduction of digital sheet music was not comparable with a classic IT project. **Music and technology - two completely different worlds - came together. The IT experts had to think their way into the world of professional musicians and familiarise themselves with unfamiliar processes in order to find out where the sticking points and added value of digitising this traditional environment lay.

Implementation: mobile device management with Jamf

At the same time, the typical IT work went on in the background: A Mobile Device Management (MDM) system was set up with which the iPads and various applications could be managed and securely integrated into the existing IT infrastructure. This is where a solution from Jamf came into play. Thanks to the MDM Jamf Pro, all requirements regarding device management and app distribution could be regulated. As with all digitalisation projects, the SPIRIT/21 experts focused not only on the technology, but also on other important aspects that are necessary for successful change: Communication, collaboration and organisation. Thanks to the intensive partnership between Jamf and SPIRIT/21, the SKO had a well-rehearsed team at its side. The project was successfully realised in a very short space of time. Among other things, several online training sessions and workshops were held at the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra to familiarise the musicians with using the iPads.

Result

The use of iPads has many advantages: the musicians not only have access to the entire sheet music library at all times. Handling is also easier, as the pages can be turned using the foot pedal. Rehearsal work is also made easier, as entries such as tempo or volume information can be changed at will with the Apple Pencil and transferred in real time to iPads of other orchestra members. This networked rehearsal process saves a lot of time. Not to mention the many paper printouts that are now a thing of the past.

But it’s not just the orchestra that benefits, the audience does too. Because the iPads create a completely new stage set. Concertgoers can see the individual members of the orchestra better because they are no longer hidden behind large music stands and desk lights on stage.

Conclusion

The use of digital music sheets has already proved its worth at the SKO after a short time, with added value for all involved - more flexibility and easier handling for the orchestra, a refined experience for concertgoers, plus points in the area of environmental protection for the management and many new impulses for further digitisation projects.

In the tenth issue of the SKO Orchestermagazin 17 you will find a detailed description of the project on pages 17-20.