#Auddev chat, June 28, 2013 at Noon ET – Twtr Symphony
A chat with Chip Michael, Artistic Director of the Twtr Symphony – an online symphony comprised of musicians from all over the world that connected on Twitter. This is one good example of how you can use social media to create for and with your audiences!
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Hello and welcome to #auddev chat. I’m your host, Shoshana from Audience Development Specialists.
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We will be chatting with @chipmichael the Artistic Director of the Twtr Symphony. Please use the hashtag #auddev to join the conversation!
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@chipmichael Good day to you, and thank you for chatting with us. Please do introduce yourself. #auddev
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I am a composer and Music Director for TwtrSymphony – an international orchestra made of people who’ve connected via twitter #auddev
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We are chatting with @chipmichael about the @twtrsymphony – a collaborative twitter symphony! #auddev #joinus
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The concept of @TwtrSymphony started when a few of my twitter friends suggested I start an orchestra to help get my music performed #auddev
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@chipmichael Can you give us a basic history of the Twtr Symphony? How did you get the idea? How many musicians? Etc? #auddev
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However, the idea has grown to be much more than a vanity project for my music. We have over 100 musicians participating world wide #auddev
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When did you start the project? #auddev
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The music has been listened to online thousands of times via our website twtrsymphony.instantencore.com or on Youtube #auddev
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Follow hashtag #auddev for a conversation about the Twtr Symphony. Using social media to create!
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We started @TwtrSymphony in March 2012 based a lark. I wanted a new composition performed but didn’t have an orchestra #auddev
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Can you fill us in on the process of building your Twitter Symphony? Twtr Symphony. #auddev
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Then @ericasipes @sensibleflutist @hickeykim suggested I start my own via friends on Twitter #auddev
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By the end of March 2012 @TwtrSymphony had over 300 musicians wanting to audition. It was crazy (and exciting) #auddev
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@chipmichael So a group of twitter friends saying “let’s build a symphony!” #auddev
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@AudienceDevSpec sounds cool. What is a twitter symphony? #auddev
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The process of building the symphony was all about getting the word out on Twitter and inviting musicians to audition #auddev
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@chipmichael How do the musicians audition? #auddev
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We are @twtrSymphony is a orchestra of musicians from around the world that play music together remotely #auddev @lynnekingsley
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Each musician gets their part and a click track, they record it, we put all the parts together 4 the final recording #auddev @lynnekingsley
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@chipmichael So there is no location where you all get together. You are putting together the piece with remote performances? #auddev
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If you’d like to hear some of our music (and see some of the musicians playing) 1st ‘symphony’ is here youtube.com/playlist?list=… #auddev
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Just clarifying for those people unfamiliar with this type of recording method. #auddev
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I’m curious, did you know these people before Twitter? #auddev
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That’s correct #auddev unlike most other orchestras, the musicians don’t physically meet. I’ve only met 3 of them in person.
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yet now, I consider many of them very good friends #auddev
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@chipmichael So you have built relationships with all of these people via Twitter and formed a symphony. Brilliant! #auddev
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I knew some of the musicians before we starterd, but the power of social media took it way beyond my ‘friend’ list #auddev
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@chipmichael Why did you decide to use Twitter versus any other method out there. #auddev
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Another aspect of TwtrSymphony is building these relationships and promoting what these musicians are doing outside TwtrSymphony #auddev
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@chipmichael Yes, it looks like a very supportive network for you and the musicians. #auddev
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One musician plays with @DetroitSymphony so we promote their dso.com/dsolive performances that include @garrettMcQueen #auddev
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Just a note to the normal symphony format – creating a supportive network for your musicians would be a great #auddev addition!
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We try to be supportive of music in general too, with a focus on what our musicians are doing #auddev
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I so agree! #auddev Other orchestras would find if they would promote their musicians, their musicians would reciprocate.
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@chipmichael So not only are you promoting the musicians, but also their regular gigs, which includes other symphonies. #auddev
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@chipmichael Have any orchestras approached you to collaborate directly? Do they know what you are doing to help them? #auddev
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Of course #auddev Music is not Me! Me! Me! – music is a shared experience. It needs musicians, but it needs an audience. They go handNHand
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By supporting our musicians (and other orchestras) we help promote music #auddev the more popular classical music is, the better for us too!
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Wondering if any musicians from @twtrsymphony are on Twitter right now to chat about what is like for them. #auddev
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We are ‘friends’ with numerous orchestras, and are supported (via tweets and promotion) by many, but no collaborations yet #auddev
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We are an orchestra of musicians spreading our music 140 secs at a time #auddev
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Twitter was the medium for @TwtrSymphony because of the ‘conversational’ nature of it #auddev
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@chipmichael Do you use other social media formats as well? Which ones? #auddev
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We wanted an orchestra connected like Twitter connects people – engaging around the world – interacting #auddev
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I agree how powerful Twitter can be if used in the social manner it was meant for. ;O) #auddev
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Yes – we are on Facebook, YouTube and Tumblr #auddev We have a website and eventually be on LinkedIn, Google … but managing an orchestra
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… takes time and energy as does each of these social media platforms and I only have so many hours in a day #auddev
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@chipmichael Very true. It does take time. Focusing on the format that works best for you is a good point. #auddev
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I really wish other orchestras understood the power of twitter. Some use it well, but most just hawk their performances. #auddev
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@chipmichael LOL at “hawk.” Speaking of interaction, what types of interaction do you have with your audiences? #auddev
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Exactly – to make social media work, you have to understand how it works and why it works to be effective. #auddev
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I’m also curious about who your audiences are and how you engage with them. #auddev
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Interaction with our audiences comes in tweets, comments and suggestions #auddev We try and respond to all comments personally…
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Our audience is the world on the web so engaging means getting them to be aware of us and sharing what we’ve done with their friends #auddev
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But it also means listening to what they’re saying, answering their suggestions for new ideas #auddev We don’t take them all; we do respond
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@chipmichael Creating a dialog with your audiences is important. #auddev
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Our videos are a good example of spreading the word. Our symphony has been watched 4k times #auddev & still popular on several channels
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@chipmichael With this new format, are you seeing people that are new to classical music become your audience members? #auddev
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If you’re listening to what your audience is saying (or not saying) #auddev UR able to glean what direction you need to take.
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If anyone else has questions, please tweet and use the #auddev hashtag.
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I don’t to suggest @twtrSymphony succeeds all the time. We don’t – but we’re always trying, looking at ways to innovate, grow #auddev
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@chipmichael I agree. Your audiences know and can give guidance. #auddev
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@chipmichael Was it a fundraiser? #auddev
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Being playing with MediaLabs @screensinthewild if you @broadwaycinema give it a glance. #auddev bartlett.ucl.ac.uk/graduate/scree…
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“Raise Your Voice” wasn’t an anti-gun piece, but rather a ‘power of music to heal’ piece #auddev It STILL hasn’t released…
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No, it is going to be released free to download with the score available for performances. The point was to show community spirit #auddev
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@chipmichael Which is a great point. We can use the arts to participate in and show support for our communities. #auddev
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The problem in getting the music out is partly due to our process and we’re working on fixing that. #auddev
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@chipmichael Have you ever done a “live concert” format for a live audience? #auddev
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Yes – Artists need to show their passion for music, but also for the communities they live in. #auddev
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By the very nature of @TwtrSymphony a ‘live concert” isn’t possible. Trying 2get 6 musicians streaming over the internet live is…#auddev
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… technically impossible right now. We have some companies working on options, but the lag time from the connections prevents it. #auddev
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@chipmichael I was thinking more along the lines of creating YouTubes that people could watch together live & chat in live time. #auddev
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@chipmichael I understand lag times. Technology has not caught up yet. #auddev
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We are working on doing more interactive ‘live’ communication between groups of musicians, but that still won’t be live perfromances #auddev
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Hmmmm a concept we hadn’t talked about yet – maybe we should chat more about this later 😀 #auddev
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@chipmichael Yes, challenging for an actual live concert so I used air quotes. LOL! #auddev
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@chipmichael So what’s in store for future projects? Do you have any upcoming ones to share with us? #auddev
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We did get approached by an orchestra about developing a multi-orchestra piece with three live feeds – but again technology hindered #auddev
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We did a Kickstarter last Jan-Feb but it didn’t get funded. We have 20 scores of other composers we’d like to record. That’s NEXT #auddev
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@chipmichael I can’t wait for the tech to catch up. I have seen live with a recording of the other artist, but not both live. #auddev
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Unfortunately, no one at TwtrSymphony is paid (anything) so we have to work around day jobs – and recently mine has been HECTIC #auddev
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Wow, 20 scores. This is a great use for the @twtrsymphony. Helping other composers get out there! #auddev
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Multiple live performances is definitely where the tech is headed – but not there yet #auddev
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That’s right, using @TwtrSymphony to help other composers get exposure – again, we’re about sharing music, promoting music #auddev
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We believe in the power of music to change lives. It certainly has for us! #auddev@twtrsymphony
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@chipmichael Hmmm…that is along the lines that artists will create without being paid, topic came up again at latest conference. #auddev
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@chipmichael Were there any other projects that inspired you to create Twtr Symphony? #auddev
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In TedTalk @AmandaPalmer said it right: don’t ask the audience to pay for music, let them. If we do this right, the money will come #auddev
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I have to say that I’m very impressed with the networking, sharing, and promoting aspects of @twtrsymphony #auddev
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@chipmichael She did put that well, didn’t she? #auddev
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.@TwtrSymphony still has a long ways to go but the dedication of the musicians makes it worth the effort on my part #auddev
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I am seeing more artists/orgs attempting to use social media to create for and with their audiences. A trend that will expand! #auddev
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I hope so #auddev @AudienceDevSpec Art needs to engage and social media is a great way to do it!
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Please don’t be shy and ask, especially if you are thinking of starting a project of this nature. #auddev
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We have 4 min. left. Do you @chipmichael have any last thoughts to share? #auddev
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For people who consider starting any project, don’t be daunted by the size, or disappointed by failures. Every project has hiccups #auddev
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@chipmichael Experiment and share! There are so many great ideas floating around that are not attempted due to fear of failure. #auddev
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I want to take this moment to thank @chipmichael for chatting with us about @twtrsymphony. Can you share your links again? #auddev
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If you’d like to hear some of what we’ve done, the videos of our debut symphony are here: youtube.com/playlist?list=… #Auddev
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A transcript of this chat will be provided within a week. #auddev
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You can read more about @twtrSymphony here: twtrsymphony.instantencore.com/web/home.aspx #auddev
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Of course, we’re always open to chatting on twitter @TwtrSymphony or on Facebook facebook.com/TwtrSymphony #auddev let us know what U think.
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Thanks again to @chipmichael and thank you to everyone who was watching today. I now return the hashtag #auddev to its regular schedule!
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@Chipmichael I really enjoyed the conversation about @twittersymphony thanks for sharing that with us. Keep bringing us music! #Auddev
