Innovative Concert Experiences: How ROCO Uses Their Mobile App & Digital Program Books To Shape The Future Of Classical Music
ROCO in concert led by Mei-Ann Chen. Photo by Ray Kugler, Blueprint Film Co. Courtesy of ROCO.
This week, the orchestra community will gather at the 2024 League of American Orchestras conference in Houston, Texas. On Friday, ROCO will present a special concert as part of the conference. We recently caught up with Greta Rimpo, ROCO’s Director of Marketing & Communications, to learn more about the concert and how their mobile app and digital program books help to shape the future of classical music.
InstantEncore: Why does ROCO have a mobile app?
Greta: ROCO was founded on the core value of access. Our mobile app gives us a vital tool to enhance audience engagement and accessibility to our concerts and streaming audio and video. It supports our mission to shape the future of classical music by allowing us to connect with our audiences in new ways. The app also offers greater convenience for patrons to browse concerts, purchase tickets, and stay up-to-date with all things ROCO.
Two patrons view a list of upcoming events in the ROCO mobile app. Photo by Ray Kugler. Courtesy of ROCO.
IE: The ROCO mobile app celebrates its 6th anniversary this summer. How has the ROCO app changed over the years?
G: ROCO’s app content has expanded greatly over the past six years. The user experience has continually evolved with a focus on ease-of-use and an invitation to further explore once inside the app. Our first versions of the app presented basic concert info, latest ROCO news, and made use of the LiveNote module for real-time musician commentary. As the app’s features have expanded, we have made use of the addition of syncing to our vast YouTube channel’s video library, and experimented with different layouts and home page designs, making the app more visually engaging.
Adding InsideGuide has allowed ROCO to create a truly interactive digital program book and lean into establishing this as our primary delivery channel for extended content. We include longer artist bios, sound clips, and the embedding of musician commentary in an updated slide-based format.
The flexibility to bring in content using custom pages and blocks keeps us innovating. We recently added the ability to peruse full scores and parts.
ROCO’s mobile app helps drive ticket sales and views for their digital program books.
IE: How do ROCO patrons engage with the app? Which areas get used the most?
G: Our patrons’ heaviest use of and most common entrances into the app come through two primary concert engagement features:
Our InsideGuide program
Our real-time musician commentary “Matt’s Musings”, written by our Principal Percussionist Matthew McClung.
We also see high usage for patrons viewing info on upcoming concerts and clicking to buy tickets from inside the app.
We have seen a significant rise in app and digital program use during the 2023-24 season. Activities taken in-app per user were up 26% over the previous season, and time engaged in the app per session was up 19% over the previous season. (Now at an average of 8 min. 47 sec.)
IE: What is your favorite feature of the ROCO mobile app?
G: Our favorite feature is the ability to sync our vast YouTube channel’s Video Library so that our content appears right inside the app. We also love the ability to create custom tabs and cards linking to special content like our Listening Room, season announcement, artist profiles, and other rotating features.
Patrons can access ROCO’s video library in their mobile app.
IE: In 2022, ROCO began using InsideGuide to build and deliver your digital program books. How has ROCO’s use of digital programs benefited the orchestra?
G: For several years prior, we provided a digital program in the form of a static PDF. The addition of InsideGuide as our digital program platform allowed ROCO to present a truly interactive publication for the first time.
We love the ease of customization and updating program and artist information, and that we can offer expanded content – while saving money on printing costs. While we do still offer a basic print program, it has been reduced to just a few pages now, and audiences are encouraged to visit our digital program for further information.
“As ROCO livestreams our concerts worldwide for free access, we have a global audience who also are now able to enjoy an interactive digital program. In fact, about 17% of our app users come from outside the United States. This percentage has increased steadily over the past few years.”
Aligning with ROCO’s mission to shape the future of classical music, our digital program books have allowed us to provide expanded multimedia content. There are also unique features to enrich the concert experience, such as real-time musician commentary and the flexibility to create custom blocks for most any type of web-based content.
Patrons can access their digital program books in the ROCO app and on the web.
IE: How have your patrons responded to your digital programs?
G: Prior to starting with InsideGuide, we had already introduced our mobile app offering interactive features.So, it was a smooth rollout to add our digital programs.
Our shift towards making our digital program the primary publication has been gradual. Many patrons still enjoy the familiarity of having at least a basic printed program. Easing into the digital version has helped patrons who are less comfortable with technology become more used to accessing our app and programs via smartphone. The general feedback we have received from patrons has been positive. Many have expressed appreciation for the convenience, interactivity, and wealth of information presented.
IE: How do you promote your app and digital program books to your audiences?
G: We promote the use of the app and digital programs heavily in our e-newsletters and social media channels. We have a dedicated mobile app page on our website with info and download links. We also link directly to our digital program at our concert livestream page and our streaming channels, plus in our video streams. We offer QR codes linked to the digital program in multiple locations at the venue: printed signs, in-hall video screen slides, and our pared-down print program.
ROCO’s digital program book for ROCO In Concert: Magnetic on June 7, 2024.
IE: Your app and digital program books will be active during a special concert at this week’s League of American Orchestras conference. Can you tell us more about the concert and how you selected the content to highlight in its digital program?
G: Our concert on Friday, June 7th, will showcase collaboration and innovation with several of ROCO’s previously commissioned world premieres and passion project works, including music by: Gabriela Lena Frank, Jennifer Higdon, Errollyn Wallen, Reena Esmail, Heather Schmidt, and Leanna Primiani — led by ROCO Artistic Partner and conductor Mei-Ann Chen. The concert also features the premiere of a work by one of the composers chosen for ROCO and American Composers Orchestra’s EarShot Readings taking place this week.
Highlighting ROCO’s innovative nature, commitment to women composers, and expansion of the classical canon, this concert aims to offer an opportunity to experience the unique sound worlds of seven incredibly talented artists in one performance. For this concert, we’ve used InsideGuide’s features to provide extended content that allows the audience to get to know each composer, their body of work, and their featured piece—including being able to follow along with each musical score and the individual instrument parts.
IE: What’s your favorite part of ROCO’s digital program books?
G: We love the flexibility and ease of use InsideGuide offers to truly customize our digital program to include extended content: longer artist bios, links to audio clips, an orchestra seating chart, special sponsor and supporter thanks, links to view perusal music scores, and a featured block for our real-time musician commentary—a wild ride through music history and pop culture written by our Principal Percussionist Matthew McClung.