As digital culture transforms how we experience art and entertainment, a group of Dutch creatives is reimagining the future of live music. Meet HYMNE, a CORTEX2-supported project blending volumetric capture, augmented reality (AR), and extended reality (XR) technologies to create a new kind of concert experience.
Discover how HYMNE is connecting fans and artists like never before — and what’s coming next.
Q: What is HYMNE in one sentence?
A: Hybrid Music and New Experiences (HYMNE) is an innovative project that blends live music with cutting-edge volumetric capture technology to create immersive, hybrid concert experiences that connect audiences and artists in entirely new ways.
Q: What problem are you solving? What makes your solution unique?
A: HYMNE addresses the challenge of making live music more accessible, engaging, and adaptable in a rapidly evolving digital world by combining the energy of in-person performances with immersive, hybrid formats that connect audiences both physically and virtually.
Q: What are HYMNE’s key objectives?
A: The main goals of HYMNE, shared in the first press release about the project, are:
- Reimagine the concert experience: Blend live and digital elements to create hybrid, immersive performances that push the boundaries of traditional music experiences.
- Empower artists: Provide musicians with innovative tools like volumetric capture and mentorship to expand their creative potential and connect with audiences in new ways.
- Increase accessibility: Make high-quality music performances available to broader and more diverse audiences, both in-person and virtually.
- Explore technological frontiers: Pioneer the use of XR, augmented reality, and volumetric technologies to innovate in the entertainment industry.
- Enhance fan engagement: Build deeper connections between artists and audiences through interactive and personalised concert formats.
CORTEX2 support programme progress
Q: What have you achieved so far?
A: The HYMNE project, a collaboration between 4DR Studios, Poppodium Effenaar, and CORTEX2, is now in full swing! Over the next few months, participating artists Anneke van Giersbergen, WITT, CHARLOT, and Dylan van Dael will develop groundbreaking immersive shows that blend live performances with cutting-edge volumetric capture and hybrid concert technology.
Under the mentorship of legendary guitarist Steve Vai, the artists are exploring new ways to connect with audiences through live, augmented, and virtual experiences.
Key milestones:
- March 2025: First try-outs at Effenaar, offering an exclusive preview of the immersive concert concepts.
- May 2025: Grand premiere, where the final hybrid shows will be unveiled.
HYMNE is redefining what live music can be, combining the energy of traditional concerts with innovative digital elements to create a deeper, more interactive connection between artists and fans.
Q: How is participating in CORTEX2 supporting HYMNE?
A: Thanks to CORTEX2, we are able to push creative boundaries and experiment with volumetric capture, augmented reality, and interactive elements, creating truly immersive experiences for fans.
Q: What are your next steps within the programme?
A: We’re fully in the process of creating the content for the virtual music experiences, including the volumetric capture recordings with the artists.
Learn more about HYMNE and stay updated on its progress!
Want to explore more XR innovation? Browse all our supported projects on the CORTEX2 website: