The Metropole Orchestra in the Netherlands has invited people to send in snippets of melodies via the social networking site Twitter.
On a specially designed website (see screen shot above), the melody is inputted on a digital keyboard and then translated into a tweet. The most interesting of the melodies will then be recorded by the Metropole Orchestra, which performs music including light music, jazz, world music and film scores.
The project is called the ‘Metropole Tweetphony’ and the aim is to raise the profile of the orchestra, which is set to be closed down because of lack of funding.
‘Worldwide we are seen as one of the best orchestras in our genre, but because of the budget cuts in the broadcast system we are about to disappear,’ says French horn player with the orchestra, Pieter Hunfeld. ‘In December the Minister of Arts promised to save the orchestra, but it appears to have been an empty promise. After the new elections there will be a new government, which gives us a chance to fight for our existence again.’
To send a melody to the Metropole Orkest, head to www.tweetphony.nl on Friday 26 October. You can compose melodies on the site any time until Friday, but only those Tweeted on Friday will be considered for the recording.