Who doesn’t love a good flash mob? If you’ve never seen one in person, you’re missing out. Although they’re not overly common, they do happen around the world. And they can be for just about anything, including an engagement, retirement, birthday, the opening of a business, or just because.
What is it?
In simple terms, a flash mob consists of a group of individuals who assemble in a public place. That includes shopping malls, airports, train stations, open-air plazas, and so on. Sometimes, there are only 10 people involved while other times, 100 or more. Usually, these people sing and dance.
The beginning
The first flash mob dates back to 2003. Organized by the senior editor of Harper’s Magazine, Bill Wasik, he did it as a social experiment. The goal was to have at Macy’s department store. But when news of the event leaked, it didn’t succeed. Even so, that was the start of the flash mob we know and love today.
Solo performance
One flash mob, which has now gained international attention, started with a man sitting with a cello in a plaza located in Sabadell, Spain. As soon as he had onlooker’s attention, he began to play. Dressed in a tuxedo, he looked quite dapper.
A drop in the hat
Placed on the ground in front of him was a hat where people could drop money to show their appreciation for his beautiful music. While performing Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” a young girl walked up and placed a coin in the man’s hat.
More music
Soon after, a woman sitting in a chair nearby began to play a different stringed instrument. Now, passersby were paying a lot more attention. Together, this man and woman sounded amazing, slowly increasing the size of the crowd.
Magic unfolding
But all these unsuspecting onlookers had no idea what was about to happen. Within minutes, additional musicians made their way to the center of the plaza. Not only were there more stringed instruments but also those in the wind and horn categories. Before long, people were listening to an entire orchestra.
A carefully laid plan
Initially, people had no clue they were watching a flash mob. It wouldn’t be until later when they learned that a bank in Spain had created the event to celebrate its 130th anniversary. These skilled musicians had come from different organizations such as the Valles Symphony Orchestra, Amics de l’Opera, Coral Belles Arts choirs, and the Lieder.
Capturing the moment
This particular flash mob was so impressive that a large number of onlookers grabbed their phones to start taking videos. Then, another surprise. To direct all the musicians, a conductor appeared. The music sounded like it was coming from Heaven.
Beyond instrumental music
The orchestra was fantastic on its own. But there was more to this flash mob. Soon, voices from different choirs began to sing. That’s when this special event reached a new level of magic. People were mesmerized.
Watching and participating
When looking at the video of this flash mob, you’ll notice that some of the onlookers stood in silence just taking it all in. But others sang along to “Ode to Joy.” Perhaps one of the best parts was when small children began to dance in the plaza.
The grand finale
For a minute, the music becomes softer. Then suddenly, the conductor waves his arms, directing the orchestra to play and the choir to sing as loudly as possible. The crowd went wild. What a spectacular performance. As soon as the video was uploaded to social media, it garnered more than 81 million views.
Especially if you haven’t yet witnessed a flash mob, you should take a few minutes to watch this one as it unfolds. The organizers did an amazing job. Although you’ll find many others online, this one is in a league of its own.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
Source: Shareably, Wikipedia, YouTube
