On a busy square in central Lucerne, a full symphony orchestra meets a touchscreen jukebox: this summer, Swiss conductor Joseph Sieber premiered his new outreach format Symphonic Jukebox at Lucerne Festival, in collaboration with the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra (LFCO).

The concept is as radical as it is simple: one can choose from a curated selection of well-known orchestral works via touchscreen and even step on the podium to conduct the LFCO.

“I wanted to create something that would appeal to people outside the traditional concert audience”
Sieber told the Luzerner Zeitung.

Sieber proves that outreach doesn’t have to feel like education. It can be an experience at eye level without the pedagogical finger wag, but with real artistic energy.

The premiere took place in Lucerne as part of the Festival’s 40min Open-Air series. It drew enthusiastic crowds, who queued at the digital screen to cast their votes. A short portrait of the project (in German) can be read here.