Augmented Symphony: an augmented reality application for immersive music listening

Augmented Symphony is an augmented reality (AR) prototype that allows for an immersive music listening experience by introducing liveness through interactivity and visual engagement. An outcome of a Canadian research-creation project between Ryerson University and the National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, Augmented Symphony provides an example of how orchestras can leverage remote delivery through AR technology to enable new ways for listeners to engage with a composition. The research team included a musicologist with expertise in inter-arts aesthetics, a visual designer specialized in performance, and a new media creative scholar, in fluent conversation with the Senior Director of Learning and Engagement at the NAC, the Managing Director of the NAC Orchestra and other personnel. Undergraduate and graduate students participated in a project whose goal was to explore ways of mitigating the impact of the reduction of live performances caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, both on orchestras and on their audience. Accompanying the app demonstration at EVA 2022, this short paper discusses the research, collaboration, and creative workshops that informed the design of the prototype and delineates opportunities for further development.