Page 158 - Media Coverage Book - 75th Aldeburgh Festival 2024

rude. At the end the organiser sidled up and said: “What you did was absolutely right. The slight
problem is that the woman was our main sponsor.” Oops!

The debate is addressed interestingly in a wonderful new short story by Amor Towles called The
Bootlegger [published in Towles’ collection Table for Two, 2024]. It’s about a man called Tommy
who gets absolutely livid when he notices an old man recording concerts at the Carnegie Hall. After
a fictional concert at which I’m playing the Bach cello suites, Tommy reports the old man to an
usher and the man with the recording device is banned from the concert hall. It later turns out that
the man was recording the concerts for his bedridden wife and Tommy does feel awful.
I do understand that people want a souvenir of a good concert. But I think you’ll have a better
souvenir in your memory if you’ve been able to pay attention. If you must get your phone out, take
a picture at the end. I don’t mind at all if people want to record me smiling and taking a bow.
That’s fine!

“We’re jumping the gun… we haven’t had a proper conversation

about wine”
Daniel Pioro, 38

Violinist and featured artist at the Aldeburgh Festival 2024

Daniel Pioro: 'Context, nuance and shades of grey are everything in these artistic
conversations' CREDIT: Mark Allan

I find the idea of being either for or against filming a concert quite weird. I went once on a trip to
Jerusalem and I remember there was an extraordinary prayer happening and I find the idea of
anybody whacking out a phone to record this intense spiritual gathering so odd. But not every
profound experience is like that. Some profound experiences are loud, busy – full of light and noise
and conversation. I have personally ended a concert outside of the South Bank covered in fairy
lights and I wish audience members had been allowed to film that because the professional
photographs of the event were appalling.