The Charlotte Symphony determined it desires a sonic brand, so it obtained a composer to jot down a seven-second piece of music for the orchestra.
MARY LOUISE KELLY, HOST:
It isn’t each day that an orchestra commissions a brand new piece of music, particularly one designed to final just some seconds. The Charlotte Symphony Orchestra did simply that. They wished what is known as a sonic brand, and now it is seemingly the primary U.S. orchestra to have one. Eric Teel with member station WFAE in Charlotte was on the unveiling.
ERIC TEEL, BYLINE: Sonic logos are in every single place, like…
(SOUNDBITE OF NETFLIX’S SONIC LOGO)
TEEL: …The ta-dum (ph) from Netflix or…
(SOUNDBITE OF NBC’S SONIC LOGO)
TEEL: …NBC’s iconic three chimes, and even…
(SOUNDBITE OF T-MOBILE’S SONIC LOGO)
TEEL: …This little deedle (ph) factor of T-Cell. So when the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra just lately up to date its visible brand to a big C, music director Kwame Ryan thought, why not get a sonic brand?
KWAME RYAN: The concept is that when folks hear a sound that they affiliate with the orchestra, simply as they do within the cinema, they know that the following factor that occurs is an occasion.
TEEL: Ryan enlisted the assistance of Grammy-winning composer Mason Bates. Bates says whereas he wished to seize the depth and pleasure of a symphony’s efficiency in just some seconds, he’d by no means composed something that brief.
MASON BATES: It is exhausting in a enjoyable means as a result of you do not have the luxurious of constructing any type of a case. It’s important to type of pull the listener in instantly.
TEEL: Sonic logos are necessary instruments for advertising merchandise, says Susan Rogers, a behavioral neuroscientist and creator of “This Is What It Sounds Like.” She specializes within the emotional impression of sound.
SUSAN ROGERS: If in that first few seconds, the mind decides – that is for me; I like this; please proceed – you’ll proceed to pay attention additional. Orchestral music is related to type of a intellectual tradition. But when the piece of music is de facto catchy and memorable, it will probably additionally welcome in a brand new era of listeners.
TEEL: For composer Mason Bates, it was necessary that the seven-second piece confirmed off the total orchestra.
BATES: I wished to have a way of, like, magic and thriller of issues swirling collectively, the place you may hear the totally different particular person devices type of increase out of this, like, quicksilver primordial soup.
(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)
TEEL: The brand new sonic brand was unveiled as a part of the symphony’s season-opening live performance.
(SOUNDBITE OF CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA’S SONIC LOGO)
TEEL: Season ticket holder John Stanley Ross was thrilled and likes that will probably be used throughout intermission on the intercom.
JOHN STANLEY ROSS: It’s totally skilled. It is iconic. And it is a lot better than dimming the lights, you realize? Listening to this stunning music is – OK, time to go get our seats. It is a fantastic factor.
TEEL: The sonic brand can even be utilized in radio and TV advertisements for the orchestra, however on account of recording agreements with the nationwide musicians union, will probably be this studio model created by Bates.
(SOUNDBITE OF CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA’S SONIC LOGO)
TEEL: For NPR Information, I am Eric Teel in Charlotte.
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