That's genius: Art Center students turn symphony experience on its ear

Art Center College of Design students have been thinking a lot lately about how to give the Pasadena symphony-going experience a fresh, visionary appeal.

Students in Mikio Osaki's "The Agency" advertising class came up with a quirky "Magritte meets Dali" marketing campaign for the Pasadena Symphony that's getting a lot of attention. It involves a fiberglass ear that measures more than 3 feet tall; The ear last week made its YouTube debut, and you can check out the video at Culture Monster.

Rob Ball's environmental-design class also took on "The Symphony Project" to give symphony officials some light-bulb-brilliant ideas for attracting a younger audience and enhancing the musical experience as a whole. Their presentations proved to be chock full of that whimsical stuff only Art Center students would dream up. Read the full story on "The Symphony Project," above, in Rose Magazine.

Below is a photo gallery, courtesy of Art Center, of the environmental-design students' symphony presentation.