Impromptu
Orchestra Flash Mob Performs For Unsuspecting Crowd
Watch as this incredible orchestra flash mob performs for an unsuspecting crowd!
Rachel Shapiro
05.30.19

Flash mobs are always a fun way for performers to draw in a crowd.

Typically, these flash mobs feature dancers performing to modern songs. But a flash mob in Spain took a different approach. This flash mob featured musicians from a symphony who performed Beethoven’s iconic “Ode to Joy.”

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YouTube Screenshot

This flash mob took place in Plaça de Sant Roc in Sabadell, Spain, which is near Barcelona. It featured over 100 musicians from the Amics de l’Opera de Sabadell, Orchestra Simfonica del Valles, Coral Belles Arts, and Cor Lieder Camera.

The performance began when a little girl put a coin into a double bass player’s cup.

At first, the double bass player played by himself. He continued playing on his own until a crowd came in. Then, the real performance began!

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YouTube Screenshot

About 30 seconds into the performance, a cellist started playing with the double bass player. Then, violinists and an oboist joined in.

More and more musicians started joining in the flash mob until the plaza was completely full. Together, these musicians played an incredible rendition of “Ode to Joy.”

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YouTube Screenshot

Finally, about two minutes into the performance, singers joined in. The chorus was the final piece of the flash mob.

Everybody walking by the plaza couldn’t help but stop and watch! People of all ages watched the flash mob, and everyone grinned as the musicians performed. One little girl even climbed onto a street light to get a better view.

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The video of this incredible performance quickly went viral on YouTube. Everyone loved the way these musicians made classical music accessible to everyone.

“A performance like this can turn a whole new generation on to the classics. This needs to happen more!” one YouTube commenter wrote.

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Another commenter joked that the little girl was probably very happy with how she spent her coin.

“The little girl: ‘Well, that was a well spent coin…’” the commenter wrote.

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YouTube Screenshot

This wasn’t the first time an orchestra performed out on the street for unsuspecting people.

In 2011, the Copenhagen Philharmonic gave a surprise performance to commuters waiting in a train station. These musicians performed Ravel’s classic “Bolero.” Everyone loved seeing these musicians play!




The Wayzata Symphony Orchestra in Minneapolis also did their own “Ode to Joy” flash mob in 2015. This flash mob took place at a mall in Downtown Minneapolis. Shoppers were surprised to see these musicians performing, and they couldn’t help but stop and listen.




Flash mobs are a great way to bring classical music to people out on the streets. If you want to see the beautiful performance from Spain, check out the video below!

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