Evolving The Mobile Phone Orchestra

In this paper, we describe the development of the Stanford Mobile Phone Orchestra (MoPhO) since its inception in 2007. As a newly structured ensemble of musicians with iPhones and wearable speakers, MoPhO takes advantage of the ubiquity and mobility of smartphones as well as the unique interaction techniques offered by such devices. MoPhO offers a new platform for research, instrument design, composition, and performance that can be juxtaposed to that of a laptop orchestra. We trace the origins of MoPhO, describe the motivations behind the current hardware and software design in relation to the backdrop of current trends in mobile music making, detail key interaction concepts around new repertoire, and conclude with an analysis on the development of MoPhO thus far.