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On we’re trying out a new way to tell stories about classical music, that will bring new listeners to the music itself and enrich the experience of people who've already made a start. It’s called .

Classical music is full of amazing stories and the kind of vivid experiences that we know can change lives, but it’s not always easy to get started. There’s so much of it, and most of it comes from places and times that we’re unfamiliar with. It can be daunting, awkward, even hostile to newbies.

Symphinity is a new storytelling app that uses playlists to guide you through the history of classical music, introducing you to the artists who create it, the places and periods they inhabit and the worlds they create.

It's a project that came out of the digital innovation team, who brought together people from Radio 3, 主播大秀 Wales and 主播大秀 Research and Development, and has been designed and built by digital agency 100 Shapes. The music has been chosen and the words written by Radio producer Chris Barstow.

Testing new ideas with audiences

Ideas that get time on 主播大秀 Taster are deliberately beta versions rather than finished products, so the purpose is to allow us to quickly test ideas with real audiences and learn how they react to them. We can then use what they tell us to help improve or change the prototype.

The questions we're looking to answer with this project include:

• How can we bring curious audiences who aren’t familiar with Radio 3 to classical music?
• How can we use our storytelling skills to make classical music more accessible online?
• How do we present classical stories in a way that feels up-to-date and belongs on a tablet or a mobile?
• How can we bring storytelling and listening together?

Symphinity is built around the storytelling skills of our producers – there’s no algorithm. Each playlist tells a simple story about an important moment, genre, instrument or tradition. The story unfolds on-screen as you listen.

There are some new design approaches here: we’re trying a new way to present words that accompany music. The story appears as the playlist advances, animating across the screen and paced to support the music – connecting reading and listening in a new way.

We’re also trying a new way to tell listeners how much longer they've got to listen. The playback controls are minimised and a shifting, coloured background indicates how far you are through the track. It’s more subtle than a progress bar, more part of the background.

We’re interested in learning if listeners will adjust to a less definite playback experience for content that’s enjoyed in this way. Can we use the music and the words to create a more immersive experience – something that flows?

You can now on 主播大秀 Taster.