The Stage

MU launches live music campaign

Published Friday 30 April 2004 at 09:20 by Sally Bramley

Musicians’ Union officials have launched a new campaign to promote live music just weeks after allowing Cameron Mackintosh to use a sinfonia machine to replace 11 musicians in his new production of Les Miserables.

The Keep It Real! campaign is aimed at raising public support for musicians by using well-known union members, politicians and celebrities to urge audiences to “boycott performances where live music has been replaced with recordings”.

Horace Trubridge, assistant general secretary for live entertainment, said on the MU website: “The union believes that a live performance should be just that - live - and that any move to replace the live music element of a live performance with a recording, whether it be in a pantomime, a gig, a dance show, a musical or an opera devalues the product. The MU is launching a campaign against the use of recorded music in live performances. This will be launched under the title Keep It Real! and will seek to remind people of the irreplaceable power, value and uniqueness of live music.”

Trubridge said that audiences should be made aware where recorded music was used and should not have to pay the same ticket price as they would for live music.

He added: “Research has consistently shown that young people are inspired to learn a musical instrument or to sing as a result of witnessing live performances. Reduce the opportunity for young people to experience and enjoy live music performance and it is fair to assume that there will be less talent in the future.”

However, many members have been left confused by the move, as the union has apparently ditched its previous Keep It Live! slogan, which was associated with the campaign, in favour of the word ‘real’.

One London member, who did not wish to be named, said: “Why change the slogan? And, more to the point, what does ‘real’ mean?

“Some people say the sinfonia is an instrument because apparently someone has to programme it but that is rubbish. The union ought to be embarrassed by this. It is completely absurd.”