The New York Times has dredged up the offender responsible for the iPhone marimba disruption during a concert of the New York Philharmonic earlier this week. An executive between 60 and 70 who runs two companies, he confessed his guilt to the paper of record on condition of anonymity. “You can imagine how devastating it is to know you had a hand in that,” he told the Times. “It’s horrible, horrible.”

He had not slept in two days, he said. Read More

Last night, a high society smartphone faux pas at Lincoln Center: an iPhone marimba rang out during the final moments of a performance of composer Gustav Mahler’s 9th symphony at the New York Philharmonic. The marimba did not stop until the conductor stopped the performance and marched out into the audience to personally reprimand the offender.

A film student, Max Kinchen, was there to chronicle the experience on his blog.The phone started ringing in a boisterous moment in the music, he said, but it persisted until a quiet section of the piece, where violins and wind instruments clashed with the marimba. “Finally, in a move that shocked the whole venue, Gilbert [the conductor] put down his baton and signaled the players to stop,” Mr. Kinchen wrote. “The audience was dead silent for a moment, save of course for the terrible sound of the ringing phone. Then, suddenly there was the sound of a great shifting and rumbling as every single person in the hall reached for their pockets and made sure their phones were off. And still, the phone continued to ring.”

The conductor later said he locked eyes with a couple in the front row who seemed paralyzed. Read More