West End: Protesting The Virtual Orchestra

Musicians in London’s West End are protesting the planned introduction of a “virtual orchestra” machine that would replace some musicians in pit orchestras. “Champions of the device, called the Sinfonia, maintain that it “gives more bangs for the buck” than musicians. Musicians say it “steals jobs and cheats audiences”. In the US it has cut orchestral jobs on some shows – including Miss Saigon and Phantom of the Opera – by between a half and a third.”