The Re-Education of Patron X

My vicarious outrage has been placated by the person who will now be known to history as Patron X:

The man, called Patron X by the Philharmonic, said he was a lifelong classical music lover and 20-year subscriber to the orchestra who was friendly with several of its members. He said he himself was often irked by coughs, badly timed applause — and cellphone rings. “Then God, there was I. Holy smokes,” he said.

“It was just awful to have any role in something like that, that is so disturbing and disrespectful not only to the conductor but to all the musicians and not least to the audience, which was so into this concert,” he said by telephone.

“I hope the people at that performance and members of the orchestra can certainly forgive me for this whole event. I apologize to the whole audience.”

Patron X said he received a call from an orchestra official the day after the concert. He had been identified by his front-row seat. The official politely asked him not to do it again, he said, and the man took the opportunity to ask to speak to Mr. Gilbert, to apologize in person.

The men talked by telephone (it was a land line) on Thursday afternoon. Mr. Gilbert said he told Patron X, “I’m really sorry you had to go through this,” and accepted his apology.

...

Actually, Patron X said he had no idea he was the culprit. He said his company replaced his BlackBerry with an iPhone the day before the concert. He said he made sure to turn it off before the concert, not realizing that the alarm clock had accidentally been set and would sound even if the phone was in silent mode.

Still, all cellphones should be jammed during classical concerts. If you might need to get an allegedly super-important call during the concert, then don't go.

Comments

[Cheryl Franks]

Cellphones must be kept when inside an orchestra. Even in my school, we confiscate those.

[Susanne]

Some musicians adapt...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uub0z8wJfhU&feature=share

[matt]

1) true

2) Private spaces should be jammable. I don't really listen to classical music, but I can imagine that would be frustrating. The reason jamming cell signals is illegal is not to ensure emergency response. It is to protect the spectrum license holders.

Buy yourself a jammer.

[lukas]

Still, all cellphones should be jammed during classical concerts.

1. This particular phone would still have rung -- you don't need to have reception for the alarm to go off.

2. I know it's a tired cliché, but in an emergency, every second really does count. Jamming the phones to avoid such unpleasant but rare events seems like overkill.