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TED 25 Jun 2026 40 here now

You Know This Song (but the Orchestra Doesn’t) | Jacob Collier & VSO School of Music Orchestra | TED

Jacob Collier walks onstage to conduct an orchestra ... but none of the musicians know what song they're about to play. In a joyful experiment in live music-making, Collier pieces together an iconic s

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@pysvtfa4 From YouTube ↗ 27 Jun 2026 1467
The flautist looked like she was having the time of her life. Her smile was infectious.
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I'm not crying, you're crying.
We need a revolution.
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Bro could conduct an apple and an orange to make a beautiful song. 😂

The crowd just became a choir with zero prior knowledge. That was crazy. Magical.
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This isn't only music, this is social commentary and it's beautiful.
Every part, every person, their years of knowledge, study, lived experience, dedication to improving, are all essential for the whole to work. Not everyone can or should do everything, be everything. It's impossible.
However, when we all do our part, pick *one* thing to work on, we can change the world in harmony. When we work together, using our strengths, the whole improves collectively.
We are not bystanders in the audience of life. We cannot say we didn't know, we didn't see; we choose to stay silent or to act in the world around us, on both the micro and macro scale.
We, the people, have the power to choose to join and use our voices, to use our collective power, to always be open to learn, to listen to the experts, and most importantly to act.
What a joyous way to express a complex idea about society in these dark times. It can be easy to focus so entirely on one part and feel unheard, confused about where we fit, uncertain that our individual contributions, big or small, even matter or are we just screaming into the void?
Pull back, see how all the seemingly disperate parts work together in harmony, i
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Jacob is such a mad scientist and it’s so wonderfully appreciated!!!
He came along right when the world needs him the most…
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This is a truly novel way for an orchestra and conductor to work together and involve the audience that is a joy to watch. Deconstructing a song we all love only to patch all the pieces together again and, bam!
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@Zerbon From YouTube ↗ 26 Jun 2026 4004
my favourite part is the stressed look on the faces of the young orchestra when they realize they are at the whims of a madman but they can't help but follow along. that's art
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Things AI can't replicate
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I find it hilarious that for as much as Jacob loves his odd meters, he chose a song to put in 4 that famously changes meters all the time. Obviously it makes sense in this setting I just think it's funny and I can imagine in his mind he's probably fighting the urge to drop the beat in every other bar of the verses lol. Big fan and this was so fun to watch!!
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As someone who’s listened to the Beatles a little too much I resonated with this. Happy national Beatles day!!
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Moving me to tears, sir. Life’s been heavy and it’s good to remember this
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Jacob is a character once you finish the game + side quest with all of the DLCs & Cosmetic...

AI can't comprehend this
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@kurumusic From YouTube ↗ 26 Jun 2026 33
Who expected tears in your eyes and much joy!?! I didn't!!!!
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Yo can he pls start making this a weekly thing, its always so beautiful
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There is something so special about people coming together, especially when music's involved.
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@Taxicat42 From YouTube ↗ 25 Jun 2026 1302
He could play an incarnation of Doctor Who. In fact that could have been an episode driving back the evil aliens with an orchestra and its audience.
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Jacob Collier is truly a blessing ❤
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So much respect for Jacob. Phenomenal job. He also brought Harry Mack to do this TED event and I'm stoked to see how that went.
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I'm not sure I've seen a single person leave an interaction with Jacob (either personally, in an audience, or watching a video) who didn't have with a smile on their face and feel a little bit better about the world. Myself included.

Truly a beacon in the music community and the world as a whole.
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I don't have to understand music theory to understand he loves this, and we are having fun together... He made composing interactive, performative, and just whimsically fun with his own infectious joy in it.
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Poor violins playing tremolos for four minutes straight 😭
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Amazing! He accomplished that in less than 15 minutes. Imagine if all project meetings were that efficient and inclusive. A better world awaits us 🌍🌎🌏 Thank you from Montréal, Québec.
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He’s done it again. Just when life was getting heavy again, Jacob comes along with the magic of the Beatles, the miracle of music, and his own genius, to raise a smile and get the tears flowing. Thank you!
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@AsaadKundo From YouTube ↗ 25 Jun 2026 640
Unbelievable, imagine being such a musical genius that you decide to just wake up and go do your thing, while still wearing your pajamas.
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@p34c323 From YouTube ↗ 25 Jun 2026 1060
I'm guessing that several of the musicians guessed what was up as they built the song. Watch their faces. Magical.
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@p34c323 From YouTube ↗ 25 Jun 2026 117
Lifelong Beatles fan. Feeling it come together was so mesmerizing.
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When the bass played, all I needed was love
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@thewrens_ From YouTube ↗ 25 Jun 2026 477
9:04 you can see the exact moment she realises what the song is!
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@daryaslepts From YouTube ↗ 25 Jun 2026 250
He did it again. Oh yes, he did do it again.
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Jacob is a magician. Love his ideas and energy and how sweet and encouraging he always is towards the other musicians ❤