January 19, 2026
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Yannick’s view on phones in concerts

Yannick’s view on phones in concerts

Just over a year ago, the Philadelphia music director twice turned round and gave his audience a tongue-lashing for not switching off its phones during Bruckner’s 9th symphony.

‘Can we live without the phone for just one damn hour?’ railed Yannick Nézet-Séguin, to general approval.

There has been no repetition of the incident in Philadelphia at least.

Let this be a reminder to those ‘modernisers’ who fear their audiences will feel their human rights have been violated if they are required to shut off their phones in a concert.

It should be the duty of a music director to apply rules of conduct in concert. In Birmingham, that duty appears to have been usurped.

The post Yannick’s view on phones in concerts appeared first on Slippedisc.

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