Have you always dreamed of playing with a large symphony orchestra? Are you passionate about music and would like to share it with the world? Thanks to the Symphonic Mob©, hundreds of (amateur) musicians treat casual passers-by to a dash of classical music.
Some 350 musicians gathered under the Stadshal in Ghent on Saturday 21 September 2024 for a Symphonic Mob. This concept, which has been a success in Germany for 10 years, brings hundreds of amateur musicians together with Symfonieorkest Vlaanderen with just one goal: to make music together. The first Symphonic Mob in Belgium is part of the city festival OdeGand.
In no time, the first edition of Symphonic Mob in Belgium was full. From 7-year-old violinists to 81-year-old horn players: plenty of musicians wanted to play with a professional orchestra. Not only classical instruments are featured. Thanks to the support of world culture house De Centrale, instruments such as pan flute, oud and darbuka are also part of the orchestra.
Playing level or number of years of experience does not matter: it is all about the pleasure of playing music together and sharing it with the world. The professional musicians of Symfonieorkest Vlaanderen support and coach the participants where necessary. This is also a unique experience for them.
The repertoire is a varied journey through classical music: from Edward Elgar's ‘Land of hope and glory’ to a Hungarian dance by Johannes Brahms. To highlight the diversity of the city of Ghent, the Turkish folk song Üsküdara Gideriken was added to the programme.
The Symphonic Mob concept was created in 2014 by the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin. They started fairly modestly with 400 participants but soon Symphonic Mob grew into a true household name in Germany with even more than 1,000 participants.
Meanwhile, Mobs are being organised in several German, French and Dutch cities. Ten years after the start of this unique project, Symfonieorkest Vlaanderen and Ghent Festival of Flanders are organising the first Symphonic Mob in Belgium.
Symphonic Mob is a collaboration between Symfonieorkest Vlaanderen, Gent Festival van Vlaanderen and De Centrale.