Season 4 Episode 19: Connecting Contemporary Audiences – Megan Ihnen, Mezzo-Soprano & Executive Director of the Live Music Project

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Ay!
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Welcome back to another episode of the Piano Pod.
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I am your host, Yukimi Song.
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Today we're excited to welcome Megan Eanon, celebrated mezzo soprano and executive director
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of the Live Music Project.
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Megan is a dedicated advocate for contemporary composers and a sought-after coach for musicians
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and composers alike.
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In her role at the Live Music Project, she channels her passion for transformative power
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of music into initiatives that make the classical music landscape more vibrant and accessible
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to all.
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Megan loves to share her expertise and research in creative placemaking and audience engagement.
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With precision and foresight, she navigates the complexities of the cultural sphere, forging
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partnerships and collaborations that transcend traditional boundaries, enriching communities
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and enhancing the societal impact of the arts.
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Today's conversation will focus on the Live Music Project.
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While Megan will provide more details, here is a brief overview.
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The Live Music Project is a non-profit organization that tirelessly connects classical musicians
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with broader audiences, ensuring that live music is accessible to everyone, regardless
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of their resources.
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It aims to enhance access to classical music and strengthen arts communities through innovative
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initiatives and programs.
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Over its community-driven calendar, the Live Music Project has become a central hub for
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thousands of orchestras, ensembles, choirs and independent musicians to share their events
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and reach new listeners.
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We are about to learn how classical musicians can leverage the LNP's digital platform to
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enhance their presence and engage with communities.
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We will also explore the LNP's impact and reach within the music industry and among
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global communities of music enthusiasts.
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Additionally, we'll discuss how it connects classical musicians with wider audiences
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and delve into the topic of audience engagement, a subject that has intrigued PianoPod listeners
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from the start.
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So stick with us till the end as we gain insights from an expert in the field of audience engagement.
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Before getting started with this special episode, I want to welcome all of our first-timers
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to the PianoPod.
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I am a classical pianist and educator from New York City.
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Whether diving deep into the piano career, working professionally in the classical music
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scene or simply having a passion for piano tunes, this podcast is your backstage pass
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to the fascinating piano world.
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To our incredible TPP fans and loyal listeners, welcome back.
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Your continued support means the world to us.
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If you enjoyed today's episode, please take a moment to rate and review the show on your
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favorite podcasting platform.
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Your feedback helps others discover the joy of the PianoPod.
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Now, without further ado, I am thrilled to introduce Megan Eanon and kick off our conversation.
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So sit back and relax and please enjoy the show.
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You are listening to the PianoPod where we talk to the brightest minds in the industry
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about how they are bringing the piano into the 21st century.
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So welcome to the PianoPod, Megan.
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Thank you so much for having me.
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It's really a pleasure.
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Thank you.
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I'm so thrilled to have you with us today and thank you for joining us.
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So you are, I believe, today calling in from New Orleans, right?
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Yes.
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So I live here in, as they say, the city that care for God.
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That's the kind of little tagline for New Orleans.
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But I love living in New Orleans and it's such a great place to be based as a musician.
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Oh, I bet.
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Oh, you know, when I was in college, I lived a few hours from New Orleans.
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So on the weekend, I used to go there.
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This is, I'm old.
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So I'm old.
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So this is pre-Katrina era of New Orleans.
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Yeah.
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Very special time.
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Absolutely.
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Such a special time.
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Yes.
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I'm so glad that we have that in common.
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I didn't realize that you had lived so close.
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Oh, yes.
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Oh, yes.
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I used to drive and then take the I-10 and just, oh, lovely drive.
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I loved it so much.
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Yeah.
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Anyway, so, you know, I've been listening to your recordings on Spotify.
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What interesting recordings that you do.
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It's so fascinating.
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And then also, you're the fellow podcaster.
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So I was listening to your podcast called Studio Class.
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Yes.
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Yeah.
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They come in, it's a bit and also some of the interviews are long and quite intriguing
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and very interesting, very practical, too.
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So yeah, I encourage my audience to tune in to Megan's podcast.
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And we're going to talk more about that later.
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But well, you know, they'll deeper into your dual roles as an artist and entrepreneur later
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in our conversation.
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And I'd like to begin by discussing your role as the executive director of the Live Music
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Project.
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So what is the Live Music Project and who is it designed for?
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Oh, sure.
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Well, I like to think of Live Music Project or LMP as a classical music advocacy and the
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Tech for Good organization.
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So that means that we are specifically supporting the classical music field.
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And that can be early, early ancient music through experimental contemporary classical
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music, everything in between.
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So we try to think of classical music, but in a very open context.
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And the Tech for Good aspect is that we have a volunteer software development team.
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So we actually create the technology tools that we use to support the field.
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So that includes our national international concert calendar and our audience development
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tool called spontaneous free tickets.
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Wow.
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OK, so then can you share specific data about its impact, such as like the number of users
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per year or however works and also, you know, how many countries are you're reaching out
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to?
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So we began in 2014 and started in Seattle.
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So we really consider Seattle as our home base.
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And through the pandemic, we actually that is when we went international seemingly overnight
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because everything moved online and we had actually been planning our our tech team,
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our dev team and all of our volunteers and our community had been helping us build the
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new website, the new concert calendar that we we are using currently.
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And that actually dovetailed really nicely.
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If there's anything to be said, it's like silver linings is that it dovetailed with
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the fact that pandemic kind of pushed us all online.
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And so the live music project became this national international resource seemingly
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overnight through everything going online.
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But then we were able to follow through with the fact that we had made the website and
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launched it during this time where things were starting to come back in person and we
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were able to kind of really support our communities through through that.
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So we are mostly in the United States.
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That's kind of the main area in which we operate.
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And we also have staff and and volunteer teams that work to help us gain more comprehensiveness
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in certain cities.
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So we call these our focus cities.
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And currently our focus cities are Seattle, Portland, Oregon, New York City, Baltimore,
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D.C. and Atlanta.
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And when we're thinking about that, it means that anyone is free and welcome to use live
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music projects tools.
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It's that with smaller, you know, smaller volunteer teams, smaller staff sizes, we want
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to be really thoughtful about how we can support specific geographic regions and kind of grow
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that over time.
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So we've we've done research in the way that we thought about those focus cities was that
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there wasn't necessarily a resource at the time that was similar to what live music project
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was doing, connecting listeners to live classical music experiences the way that we do with
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our technology tools.
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So it doesn't mean that those geographic regions are more important or less important.
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It means that we saw that that need for a tool such as what we had and we were able
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to kind of get started in those spaces and hopefully grow and grow and grow as as we
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hope to do.
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Right.
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But that takes time and that takes energy and resources and people.
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So that's kind of what we're excited about growing into.
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Great.
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Now, so you also asked me about like how many people are using and I forgot to answer that.
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So I wanted to just say that part of the fact of us going of increasing the scope and increasing
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the geographic regions that we focus on also means that we've been able to welcome more
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and more users.
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So we currently have about over one hundred and twenty thousand unique annual users and
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that feels really gratifying to us because that's a pretty large number when it comes
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to the scale of classical music in our communities.
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And when I'm thinking about demographics and who's checking this out, it means yes, we
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have one hundred and twenty thousand users, but even more specifically, we have the highest
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number of our users as in that twenty five to thirty four year old age range.
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So it makes me feel like just seeing that data tells me that there are people of all
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age ranges that are interested in going to classical music.
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But we want to make sure that we're providing tools for people to discover it in their communities
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to know more about what's going on around them.
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And this is one of one of the ways that Live Music Project tries to show up and be advocates
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for our community and look at the data on both sides is like is to be able to see, oh,
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we actually have lots of people from various age demographics and racial background and
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geographic area.
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We have so many different people, diverse audiences using the site to connect with classical
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music experiences in their area that I love that ability to just see data to back up that
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we actually do have people who are wanting to experience this.
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They do want to check this out.
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They do want to support classical music in their area.
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And we are providing more pathways for them to do so.
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So can you elaborate on a mission?
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Maybe you already mentioned, but the Live Music Project or maybe like, you know, you
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are not the creator of this community.
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You are.
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OK.
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But what was that?
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Do you think what's missing from the industry that inspired this founder to launch this
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project?
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I am so grateful to our founder Shia Lyon, who is actually our current director of product
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and an amazing board member.
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She's still so actively involved with this organization.
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This would not exist in any way, shape or form without Shia's vision for this.
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And I'm just really thrilled to be really the second executive director in this organization
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to help provide more momentum and take this farther into the future and be a steward for
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what she's created while I'm here, while I'm doing this.
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And I love Shia's origin story with Live Music Project in so many ways.
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And so I'm going to give a little bit of it.
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And so Shia had moved from New York to Seattle.
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And in the process, she really was looking for wanting to go to hear concerts, wanting
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to hear certain pieces of music.
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She often talks about wanting to search out Brahms double concerto.
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She really, really loves that piece and wanted to hear it.
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And as someone who had worked in creating community through technology in all of these
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different capacities, she noticed her need and was searching online Seattle plus Brahms
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double.
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And she's finding a performance on the other side of the world, or she's finding a performance
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that happened five years ago.
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And she was like, there's no way for me to search concerts that are coming up in my local
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area by a piece that I want to hear or a composer that I've been wanting to hear or by an
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instrument that I've been wanting to hear.
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And she's like, we should be able to do this.
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We have the technology to do this.
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This community deserves this.
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And she also realized at that point in time that in Seattle, we had something north of
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30 community orchestras happening at the same time.
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And because she was looking, she found this information.
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And outside of that, she realized that that information wouldn't have crossed her field
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of vision, wouldn't have come across her desk in a way that she could have acted on it because
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she wasn't already connected to someone in the ensemble.
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Or for example, a lot of arts organizations at the time would post their season, their
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calendar as like a JPEG on their website and Google can't read the text that's included
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on an image unless you put the text in kind of an alt caption or something like that.
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So it also means that there were a lot of community ensembles.
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There's a lot of organizations that are making incredible performance opportunities for their
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musicians and also concert opportunities for listeners.
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But they couldn't find it because the technology wasn't helping people surface that information.
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It was kind of getting buried.
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And so that's really where Live Music Project kind of comes out of is this desire to connect
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with all of these incredible organizations, all of these incredible concerts, and just
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connect the dots with the technology that says like, oh, this exists.
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But you maybe, we know so many small, small, small arts organizations where the board members
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are helping out to promote the concert or maybe you have someone on staff that they're
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trying to spin all of the plates and marketing you can only do so much.
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And that means that they're attempting to put that out there, but Google's not turning around
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and saying like, we're going to put this on the front page of the search results.
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And I think that that's one of the ways that we actually make a bigger impact is that because
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of the way that our technology tools are created is that arts organizations and performers
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and composers, any budget size of any overall capacity can put their concert details on
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Live Music Project and benefit from the SEO of all of our searchable information.
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So you end up being kind of the trailhead for people to experience, to kind of explore
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a little bit more in their community.
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Wow, that's a great concept.
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So I now want to really check it out.
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So I will share the screen.
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So maybe can you take us through the website and maybe how this concert calendar feature
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functions?
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Yeah, sure.
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So, sure, sure.
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Okay, so let me see.
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Then this is the homepage.
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This is the front page of the website, right?
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Yes.
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And so when people land on this page, the inner workings of the site kind of sense where
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you are by your IP address.
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So it's going to try and show you things that are relevant to you, which area.
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So if you are near Atlanta, it's going to pull up those on the homepage for you.
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But we always start with that search bar, like front and center, because Live Music
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Project is really about being listener focused, right?
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We're really about amplifying listener agency.
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We want to say, what do you want to hear?
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Like, what are you wanting to experience and hear more of?
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Tell us that and then we're going to work hard to like surface that information for
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you in a way that makes it so easy.
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You're not, you know, like I said, if you're not five pages deep on Google search results
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trying to find something, it's right here for you.
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And hopefully making that path from I thought about going to a concert to finding out more
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information to buying tickets or putting it in my calendar, just so easy so that you're
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going from, man, I'd really like to go to a concert to I have it on my calendar.
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I'm ready to go, you know, in in just only so many clicks.
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It's just not taking up the time.
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You know, our lives are precious.
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Our time is precious.
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And I want people to feel like we're there supporting them from I had this idea to being
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in person with people experiencing music, live music in this way that feels easy.
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Like it's just, oh, this can be super easy for me.
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Now I see at the front page the performances in New York City just because I live in New
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York City and then so that's why this city shows up.
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Right.
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OK.
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And then if it picks the wrong spot, you can like click on a drop down menu and change
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those change that area.
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You are.
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Yeah.
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And you can type in the name of the city.
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Exactly.
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Wow.
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Now, so if I want to say, oh, I want to go to the concert.
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You know, recently I got to interview a Venezuelan pianist.
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I mean, he is based in New York City.
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But so maybe Latin American music.
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That might.
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Yeah.
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We'll see what it holds up.
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And explore.
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All right.
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Well, it shows up quite a lot.
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Paper reality.
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Wow.
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Then you can just choose one.
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Oh, yes.
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For example, this one, Mata Festival, 2024 Evening Two Changing Voices, Photographiska.
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Oh, well, yes, I know exactly where it is.
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It's a very new museum.
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They just opened it just before the covid.
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Yeah.
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Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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Perfect.
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Well, as you're noticing that anyone who's listening, we ended up on a search results
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page where the title of the concert, you can click on that and it'll take you to more details
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about that concert.
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But inside of that, you can see, you know, who's performing?
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Where is it?
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What is the venue?
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And then some of the repertoire is listed on that first page.
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That's actually one of the parts of, you know, our proprietary tech that we've built is this
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ability to tag all of these different elements.
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So performers, composers, pieces, when you're putting your details in here, it's allowing
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people to search by all of those different things so that they're finding you and your
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performances in this way.
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So you could you could click on photographies and see more performances at that venue.
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You can click on the composer and see more performances featuring that composer.
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You can click on any of that kind of stuff.
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And that's really where it might seem like such a small thing, you know, or or it doesn't,
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you know, it's not jumping out at you.
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But that's actually how so many of our brains are interacting with technology.
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We're used to this and so many other facets of our lives that being able to have this
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level of detail and connection behind in the data of what you're experiencing on the site
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is just lightning fast connections to various things.
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Oh, if I like this venue, let me look at all of the things that they have coming up so
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that I you know, if you happen to live in a place, you know, here in New Orleans, I could
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walk to a venue down the street.
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And so something like having, you know, being able to click and see easily what's coming
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up at this place, you know, is is part of the stuff that I really love.
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I can also look at see here when I'm looking at under the calendar drop down menu at the
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top, I can click on something like genre by interest, by instrument.
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Yeah.
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And search for things like, you know, I've got things like, oh, is there a premiere on
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this concert?
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Is this from the Baroque period?
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Does this feature BIPOC composers?
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And those are all ways that we just walk our mission.
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You know, we just are active in what we're trying to do is really making it as easy as
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possible to kind of live your interests, live your values and what you're doing and how
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you're interacting with the classical music scene around you or in in different places.
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Great.
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Oh, even by the composer.
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Oh, yeah, that's that's fantastic.
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Wow.
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This is so well organized.
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Now, I'm also curious about this spontaneous free ticket.
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So can you explain?
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Yes, definitely.
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Spontaneous Free Tickets is this audience development tool that also was born out of
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Shia's immense care and and thoughtfulness about the music community that she was living
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in.
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And as she had created this tool, the concert calendar, people started sending her tickets
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and she was very involved in going to concerts, going to open rehearsals, going to all of
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these things.
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And people would send her free tickets to come to their concert, come write about it
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or just be there and connect with people.
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And at a certain point, she was receiving more tickets than she could possibly go to.
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And she asked these organizations, would it be OK if I turned this around and provided
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these tickets to other people so that they could experience?
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They can go and check this out.
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And they said, of course, we really want this to be where people come in and check it out
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and discover and see if it's for them.
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And spontaneous free tickets grew out of that process where she would create a giveaway
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drawing and people would sign up.
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And it still exists to this day.
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We are about to launch a new platform.
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I'm super excited about this part is that we're launching a new platform that will allow
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us to have a lot more connectivity and automation on the back end so that more people can be
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involved and spontaneous free tickets can happen in more places so that listeners sign
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up on the email list and they'll get a giveaway announcement via email.
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Maybe the week before, some time before so that they can see if they're available.
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And they quote unquote throw their hat in the ring by clicking and saying, I'd like
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to sign up for this.
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And they fill out a form that says, do you want one or two tickets?
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And you kind of make a commitment to going if you receive the tickets.
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And they're placed in the drawing.
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And the drawing is randomized.
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So we try to make sure that lots of people are getting as many chances as possible to
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go to these concerts.
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When they win the tickets, they're notified.
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They get connected.
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And the arts organization is notified.
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These are the names of the people who have won the tickets.
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Please make sure that they're on your guest list.
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Make sure that they're on your will call list.
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And they'll go and they'll pick up their tickets for the concert.
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They have a great time.
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And after the concert, the listeners, the winners receive a survey so that they can
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express their experience for the performing arts organization.
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And that feedback is given to the performing arts organization.
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And it can be anonymous or it can be with your name.
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So sometimes it allows people who are having their very, very first experience with that
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organization, that venue, that piece, whatever it is to respond to that and say, you know,
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this was interesting.
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Or maybe they had they're like, I couldn't find the entrance for this.
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And this would be really helpful if you if you know, you know, kind of made a made a
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sign for this in a little bit better way.
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And you can I cannot tell you how important it is for us to gather information from first
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time concert goers or people who are new to us as an organization, because so often arts
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organizations get into the process of only hearing from their biggest donors or the people
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who've been around them the longest.
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And because that that conversation or that dialogue is more comfortable with people that
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you've built that relationship with, it can be very difficult for arts organizations
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to know what is a first time concert goer experiencing, you know, what what could be
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clearer, what feels more inviting to them, what feels more inclusive to them.
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And this is I am super passionate about this program, obviously, for these reasons.
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And I just really love that we have this path for people to win tickets, feel like they're
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experiencing something really awesome that's been that's been given to them.
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And they get to feel like this is great.
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I feel welcomed and accepted here.
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I had an interesting and fascinating experience.
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And I want to provide feedback about that to the arts organization.
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And I have so many arts organizations that also turn around and they'll use that feedback
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in their grant applications or their grant reports because a way that they're reaching
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new audiences.
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And you know, as well as I do that, you know, one of those huge aspects of of our field
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right now is how do we connect with new listeners or how do we new to us listeners, you know,
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any of those kinds of things, how do we connect with people who maybe don't know about us
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or wouldn't wouldn't choose this at first because they're a little I mean, that cost
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barrier, even if it's a smaller ticket price can be just enough for someone to decide,
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well, I'm not really sure about this concert.
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I don't know what's going to happen here.
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So I don't really know what to expect.
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And even if this is a low ticket price, I still I don't know if this is for me.
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And so spontaneous tickets really acts as that welcoming front door that says, come
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on in and try it out.
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See if it is for you.
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Wow, this is clever.
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I mean, it's a win win for both sides, right?
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And that's why it's such a positive and powerful program is because I really think that that
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boils down to some of the values of live music project and and how Shia has envisioned all
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of these programs when when we were first starting is that what is the mutual benefit?
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How is this good for everyone?
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How do we make sure that we're increasing the pie rather than smaller and smaller pieces
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of you know, of the pie chart for everyone?
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So is it easy for any musicians to get involved?
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I mean, to sign up?
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How can I sign up?
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Sure, sure.
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So this is also why I'm so grateful for you having me on the podcast is I really want
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to make sure that performers and composers and people who love the arts and our practitioners
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are actively involved in in creating concerts and having concerts know that everything is
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for free on the live music project.
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And if you come to the site, if you'd like to put your concerts on there, you can just
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click on that button in the top right and it's register or sign up and it and you create
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an account on live music project totally for free.
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It's very straightforward.
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It's easy to do.
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You just want to have a log in so that we can tie your events to you, you know, so you
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can act actively edit them and all sorts of stuff.
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So once you've signed up for an account, then you just click on the button that reads create
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an event and you're able to add all of your concert details.
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And I'm so grateful that we have our amazing calendar editor, Sorin Ham, who is actively
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looking over all of those concerts.
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And really, we use technology, but it's that technology plus human kind of eyes on things
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that make sure that all of the concerts, all of the data on the site is cohesive, is accurate,
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is making sure that we really have that.
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So you're not coming to the calendar and being like, oh, what kind of spam thing is this?
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Like the calendar that's devoid of spam, which is highly unusual.
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So when you're creating an event, it's just you're putting in your information, we're
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making sure that all of that is accurate, leading people to the right place.
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And so I just I'm so glad that we're able to kind of get this information in front of
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more practitioners to say, hey, come use the calendar, create your events here and share
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that information, the concert information.
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And we will help push that to a much larger audience and potential listeners.
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Wonderful.
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Can you share some success stories or any?
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I'm sure you have a lot of I checked out your website and the website and there are a lot
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of wonderful, great reviews.
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So maybe one or two one or two fun stories or feedback that from the community of LMP.
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And yeah, I think from from the practitioner side, one of the stories that I really love
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to share is about my friend and colleague was a professional classical guitarist and had
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an opportunity to perform in the Pacific Northwest.
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He was performing in Seattle and he also used the concert calendar, the live music project
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concert calendar to look at other venues that would be programming things that are similar
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to what he's doing.
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And he used that to then also reach out and say, would you please consider booking me
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as part of this tour?
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So I really think that that's there's so many ways that we can use this tool as practitioners
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to share our concert details and connect with listeners.
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But then using that to kind of also say, OK, well, what else is happening in this area?
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What are some of the venues or arts organizations that I'm not as familiar with?
475
00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:33,680
And then and then feeling like you have a better sense of of what's happening around
476
00:34:33,680 --> 00:34:42,180
you, you know what you know who else is making music in my community, in my geographic community,
477
00:34:42,180 --> 00:34:44,000
and feeling like you're part of that.
478
00:34:44,000 --> 00:34:53,600
So I have so many performers that also see their concert looking beautiful and, you know,
479
00:34:53,600 --> 00:34:57,400
cleanly formatted and everything right next to Seattle Symphony.
480
00:34:57,400 --> 00:35:03,680
And we're all part of our music communities and we're all working towards having this
481
00:35:03,680 --> 00:35:08,020
really interconnected and vibrant scene.
482
00:35:08,020 --> 00:35:17,280
And so seeing your recital next to, you know, the what else thinking about seeing your recital
483
00:35:17,280 --> 00:35:25,760
next to Carnegie Hall at the same time is a real reminder that we are all working together
484
00:35:25,760 --> 00:35:26,760
in this community.
485
00:35:26,760 --> 00:35:31,920
We all are part of a scene together and every person's event counts.
486
00:35:31,920 --> 00:35:32,920
Right.
487
00:35:32,920 --> 00:35:38,740
And you're always in relationship to the things that are happening around you.
488
00:35:38,740 --> 00:35:44,240
So that, you know, my friend creating his tour in in the Pacific Northwest.
489
00:35:44,240 --> 00:35:49,520
And then he also used that by putting his concert details on live music project.
490
00:35:49,520 --> 00:35:57,240
I remember him performing at his gig and he saw, you know, smaller audience and he saw
491
00:35:57,240 --> 00:36:01,320
some people that he knew and then he saw people that he didn't know at all.
492
00:36:01,320 --> 00:36:05,600
And he went up to them after the performance and said, how did you find out about this?
493
00:36:05,600 --> 00:36:09,360
And they said, oh, well, we saw it on LMP, you know.
494
00:36:09,360 --> 00:36:16,600
And so it was such a reminder to him that, yes, it's a technology tool.
495
00:36:16,600 --> 00:36:21,000
We're behind our screens and all of this stuff, but there's real people involved.
496
00:36:21,000 --> 00:36:24,480
There are real people looking for these kinds of things.
497
00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:30,520
And if we provide a platform to make it easy, people will act on it and they'll go check
498
00:36:30,520 --> 00:36:36,160
things out and they'll try something and they'll meet an artist that they didn't know before.
499
00:36:36,160 --> 00:36:39,040
And I just clearly I love all of that.
500
00:36:39,040 --> 00:36:41,440
That's stuff that gets me super fired up.
501
00:36:41,440 --> 00:36:45,880
I understand that the LMP is celebrating its 10th year.
502
00:36:45,880 --> 00:36:46,880
Yes, yes.
503
00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:49,880
It's our 10th birthday this year.
504
00:36:49,880 --> 00:36:50,880
Congratulations.
505
00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:51,880
Wow.
506
00:36:51,880 --> 00:36:59,080
So how how has the original vision behind this initiative evolved over the years?
507
00:36:59,080 --> 00:37:04,120
I'm sure, you know, 2020 affected us in so many ways.
508
00:37:04,120 --> 00:37:09,480
And then, you know, we don't necessarily have to focus on negativity.
509
00:37:09,480 --> 00:37:15,840
But in, you know, if you look at the positivity, everybody is now on digital.
510
00:37:15,840 --> 00:37:23,040
Like people get more people are becoming familiar with gadgets and, you know, online meeting
511
00:37:23,040 --> 00:37:24,040
and so on.
512
00:37:24,040 --> 00:37:32,080
So you you just reminded me that because of pandemic, we we were much more aware, obviously,
513
00:37:32,080 --> 00:37:37,080
of all of the digital and virtual ways that we're making music and connecting that way,
514
00:37:37,080 --> 00:37:40,280
as well as the in-person format.
515
00:37:40,280 --> 00:37:46,880
And for anyone who is making music on, you know, Discord or Twitch or any, you know,
516
00:37:46,880 --> 00:37:51,520
any of these various platforms where you are building community and you're performing,
517
00:37:51,520 --> 00:37:54,040
that music project is there to support you in that, too.
518
00:37:54,040 --> 00:37:56,380
It's not just in person.
519
00:37:56,380 --> 00:37:58,400
We have both kind of virtual.
520
00:37:58,400 --> 00:38:02,600
You can put your concert details, however you want to think about it, your performance
521
00:38:02,600 --> 00:38:07,760
details on the concert calendar and say, you know, this is happening and it's a virtual
522
00:38:07,760 --> 00:38:08,760
experience.
523
00:38:08,760 --> 00:38:14,440
So come join me over on Twitch and watch this, you know, watch me premiere these pieces,
524
00:38:14,440 --> 00:38:17,040
you know, or however you're doing it.
525
00:38:17,040 --> 00:38:23,680
And and so one of the ways I think there's there's just so many ways that LMP has grown
526
00:38:23,680 --> 00:38:27,160
from that that first initial idea.
527
00:38:27,160 --> 00:38:33,440
But the the fact of the matter is, is that it was always meant to become bigger and bigger,
528
00:38:33,440 --> 00:38:37,200
but just easier and easier for people to find out about things.
529
00:38:37,200 --> 00:38:43,080
And so that's really the the beautiful part is that that the calendar over time, when
530
00:38:43,080 --> 00:38:47,820
it first started, it was on WordPress and there were some elements that made it kind
531
00:38:47,820 --> 00:38:54,760
of clunky in the background, which is why we built an entire calendar from scratch that
532
00:38:54,760 --> 00:38:59,640
that does all of these things that we want it to do is that we put in the time and energy
533
00:38:59,640 --> 00:39:06,900
and resources as volunteers, as staff, as people who care about their music community
534
00:39:06,900 --> 00:39:09,240
to say, what does the community need?
535
00:39:09,240 --> 00:39:13,360
Oh, well, they need listeners to be able to find things based on their interests.
536
00:39:13,360 --> 00:39:18,600
OK, well, let's make something so you can search by your interests or find out about
537
00:39:18,600 --> 00:39:22,760
things in a really smooth and efficient way.
538
00:39:22,760 --> 00:39:27,720
And so I think that we were going to talk about that, too, is just that that sense of
539
00:39:27,720 --> 00:39:34,200
we're always creating tools based on what our community, both the practitioners and
540
00:39:34,200 --> 00:39:37,840
the listeners are telling us that they need.
541
00:39:37,840 --> 00:39:42,600
And it's not saying, oh, well, here we made this and we're going to put this on you, use
542
00:39:42,600 --> 00:39:43,920
this thing.
543
00:39:43,920 --> 00:39:49,920
It's saying, well, this is what people wanted and they they couldn't find through other
544
00:39:49,920 --> 00:39:52,580
platforms or other tools.
545
00:39:52,580 --> 00:39:58,720
And this is specifically for this community so that people can highlight their information,
546
00:39:58,720 --> 00:40:02,360
they can amplify what they're doing and really connect with other people who are looking
547
00:40:02,360 --> 00:40:03,360
for it.
548
00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:06,520
How can musicians and organizations get involved?
549
00:40:06,520 --> 00:40:13,320
I know I can sign up and create an account and then start putting events and even the
550
00:40:13,320 --> 00:40:14,600
program.
551
00:40:14,600 --> 00:40:22,440
And I think there are sections where you can also put keyword, for example, by composer
552
00:40:22,440 --> 00:40:24,400
or genre and so on.
553
00:40:24,400 --> 00:40:25,440
But what else?
554
00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:31,540
So one of the things that I love is if you're interested in the tools that we have for Life
555
00:40:31,540 --> 00:40:38,480
Music Project being more comprehensive or available in in your geographic region, that
556
00:40:38,480 --> 00:40:43,000
I'd love for people to feel like they can join us as a community advocate and that can
557
00:40:43,000 --> 00:40:46,580
look like whatever fits into your life.
558
00:40:46,580 --> 00:40:52,200
And I think that we want that for our focus cities, as I mentioned.
559
00:40:52,200 --> 00:40:57,280
But this can also be if you've been thinking about, wow, why don't we have a calendar
560
00:40:57,280 --> 00:41:04,440
for Cheyenne, Wyoming, in the way where we can all have our concerts there?
561
00:41:04,440 --> 00:41:05,440
You do.
562
00:41:05,440 --> 00:41:07,720
I have a tool that does that.
563
00:41:07,720 --> 00:41:12,860
But I do need more people to get involved and to say, we're going to use this resource.
564
00:41:12,860 --> 00:41:18,840
We're going to actively use tools that are made for us as a community so that we can
565
00:41:18,840 --> 00:41:21,040
connect with people.
566
00:41:21,040 --> 00:41:27,880
But I deeply, deeply appreciate anyone who jumps on board those like those early adopters
567
00:41:27,880 --> 00:41:28,880
are key.
568
00:41:28,880 --> 00:41:38,160
I like and that always, always comes from people who are musicians currently or have
569
00:41:38,160 --> 00:41:45,060
been have been practitioners in the past and they love it and they want to see they want
570
00:41:45,060 --> 00:41:48,920
to see the breadth and depth of their music community around them.
571
00:41:48,920 --> 00:41:54,520
And so they are willing to jump in and say, sure, I'll add some more concerts to the calendar.
572
00:41:54,520 --> 00:42:02,760
I'll help out with making sure that we're covering as many venues in my area as possible.
573
00:42:02,760 --> 00:42:09,880
And like I said, those early adopters are the people who make the kind of like that
574
00:42:09,880 --> 00:42:13,560
momentum happen with live music project.
575
00:42:13,560 --> 00:42:18,960
And we definitely couldn't do it without our volunteers and our community advocates kind
576
00:42:18,960 --> 00:42:21,960
of all around the country and beyond.
577
00:42:21,960 --> 00:42:26,120
So if you want to see this in your in your area and you come to the you come to the concert
578
00:42:26,120 --> 00:42:30,440
calendar and you see, oh, this isn't we don't really have a ton of things on here yet for
579
00:42:30,440 --> 00:42:33,120
my specific area.
580
00:42:33,120 --> 00:42:34,160
Don't despair.
581
00:42:34,160 --> 00:42:35,160
Don't leave forever.
582
00:42:35,160 --> 00:42:39,560
Say like, oh, well, I can start adding and maybe I can tell my friends about it.
583
00:42:39,560 --> 00:42:42,440
And really, that's that's the community advocate role.
584
00:42:42,440 --> 00:42:51,560
So I really encourage anyone who cares about supporting their music community to get involved
585
00:42:51,560 --> 00:42:53,480
with us in a volunteer capacity.
586
00:42:53,480 --> 00:42:56,260
It can be something that really fits your schedule.
587
00:42:56,260 --> 00:43:03,320
It doesn't it doesn't have to be this huge time commitment, because I know as as creative
588
00:43:03,320 --> 00:43:05,680
folks, we are always strapped for time.
589
00:43:05,680 --> 00:43:12,060
So but there's we can make choices about, oh, you know, I can I can give an hour to this,
590
00:43:12,060 --> 00:43:16,080
you know, every two weeks or once a month or something like that and and actually make
591
00:43:16,080 --> 00:43:17,080
a huge difference.
592
00:43:17,080 --> 00:43:18,080
Of course.
593
00:43:18,080 --> 00:43:24,000
And then also, how can general audience participate in this?
594
00:43:24,000 --> 00:43:29,960
Well, I think that the best way to kind of stay in touch with this is also to sign up
595
00:43:29,960 --> 00:43:31,680
for our email list.
596
00:43:31,680 --> 00:43:37,060
And if you're living in one of our focus cities right now, that means that you'll get if you're
597
00:43:37,060 --> 00:43:42,120
living in one of our focus cities, you'll get a specifically geographic concert listings
598
00:43:42,120 --> 00:43:43,320
email once a week.
599
00:43:43,320 --> 00:43:45,220
So they go on on Thursdays.
600
00:43:45,220 --> 00:43:48,420
And it's just a way that's going to remind you like, oh, I can just it's going to show
601
00:43:48,420 --> 00:43:49,420
up in my inbox.
602
00:43:49,420 --> 00:43:50,420
I can look at it.
603
00:43:50,420 --> 00:43:52,360
I can see what's happening around me.
604
00:43:52,360 --> 00:43:54,160
What what looks interesting to me.
605
00:43:54,160 --> 00:43:59,640
Oh, maybe I'm going to go to that or or congratulate my friend who's doing that concert or any
606
00:43:59,640 --> 00:44:01,720
of that kind of stuff.
607
00:44:01,720 --> 00:44:07,320
And then that way, it's just kind of there for you in a way that comes to you.
608
00:44:07,320 --> 00:44:10,180
It's not it's not a super big lift.
609
00:44:10,180 --> 00:44:16,020
But I would love to see listeners feel like, OK, I'm going to sign up for this email list
610
00:44:16,020 --> 00:44:21,800
and then just regularly interact with the site and feel like, oh, I didn't realize that that
611
00:44:21,800 --> 00:44:25,400
was happening around me or I'm going to go check out this this concert or I'm going to
612
00:44:25,400 --> 00:44:28,560
go tell somebody about this resource.
613
00:44:28,560 --> 00:44:29,560
And that's it.
614
00:44:29,560 --> 00:44:34,280
It's not, you know, it's not a huge like barrier.
615
00:44:34,280 --> 00:44:40,760
I just want people to feel like they know about Live Music Project and it's there for them
616
00:44:40,760 --> 00:44:44,920
to support their needs, both as a listener and as a practitioner.
617
00:44:44,920 --> 00:44:45,920
Amazing.
618
00:44:45,920 --> 00:44:53,920
Now, I also want to know some of the key partnerships or maybe collaborations that your organization
619
00:44:53,920 --> 00:44:59,840
has formed and maybe how these relationships have benefited the project.
620
00:44:59,840 --> 00:45:01,000
Sure.
621
00:45:01,000 --> 00:45:07,240
So I think that we think of all of the people who are putting concerts on the calendar as
622
00:45:07,240 --> 00:45:11,840
our music, like our community musical partners and people who are using spontaneous free
623
00:45:11,840 --> 00:45:12,840
tickets.
624
00:45:12,840 --> 00:45:19,080
So we have a lot of really wonderful relationships with all of these different arts organizations,
625
00:45:19,080 --> 00:45:21,360
especially in our focus communities.
626
00:45:21,360 --> 00:45:23,560
We have you know, we have a dialogue.
627
00:45:23,560 --> 00:45:25,500
We have a relationship there.
628
00:45:25,500 --> 00:45:32,960
And so not only that, but then we also partner with various arts organizations or advocacy
629
00:45:32,960 --> 00:45:41,500
organizations so that we can make sure that their constituents, their partners know about
630
00:45:41,500 --> 00:45:43,200
this as a resource.
631
00:45:43,200 --> 00:45:47,560
One of the things that we started doing before pandemic, and I'm really interested in picking
632
00:45:47,560 --> 00:45:50,480
this back up, is that we were doing a lot of meetings.
633
00:45:50,480 --> 00:45:56,480
In fact, Shia was doing a lot of meetings with various community organizations of all different
634
00:45:56,480 --> 00:46:04,120
types where they're working so hard to help people feel welcomed and actualized in their
635
00:46:04,120 --> 00:46:05,500
communities.
636
00:46:05,500 --> 00:46:09,920
And we would reach out and just say, hey, this exists, this resource exists.
637
00:46:09,920 --> 00:46:14,400
If there's any way that we can use this to like support the people who are either working
638
00:46:14,400 --> 00:46:18,560
for this organization or the people who are benefiting from this organization, we just
639
00:46:18,560 --> 00:46:20,920
want to make sure that we've connected those dots.
640
00:46:20,920 --> 00:46:29,740
So much of what I see is that people are doing really amazing work, but even in a connected
641
00:46:29,740 --> 00:46:32,840
and digital age, we feel isolated from each other.
642
00:46:32,840 --> 00:46:35,760
We feel like we're just putting something out into the void.
643
00:46:35,760 --> 00:46:39,360
Nobody really sees what we're doing.
644
00:46:39,360 --> 00:46:47,080
And I think one of the things that makes LMP really special is that bias towards reaching
645
00:46:47,080 --> 00:46:52,560
out and saying, hey, I want to, I just want to make sure that we're connected.
646
00:46:52,560 --> 00:46:57,000
If there's a way that we can support each other in what we're doing, even if that's
647
00:46:57,000 --> 00:47:03,880
knowledge sharing or resource sharing or any of that kind of stuff, that's one of our
648
00:47:03,880 --> 00:47:11,600
core values is being that organization that reaches out and says, hey, let's talk, let's
649
00:47:11,600 --> 00:47:16,080
see where do we overlap so that we can support each other in the work that we're trying to
650
00:47:16,080 --> 00:47:17,080
do.
651
00:47:17,080 --> 00:47:18,080
Wow.
652
00:47:18,080 --> 00:47:27,080
Now, you know, before I started this podcast, I was sort of desperate about audience engagement
653
00:47:27,080 --> 00:47:30,760
in the more perspective from the music educator.
654
00:47:30,760 --> 00:47:36,360
I teach a lot of piano lessons and, you know, more and more I reach out to the community.
655
00:47:36,360 --> 00:47:39,240
I felt like I was just on my own.
656
00:47:39,240 --> 00:47:40,240
You know what I mean?
657
00:47:40,240 --> 00:47:50,160
And even the people's awareness of this beautiful high art classical music, but, you know, classical
658
00:47:50,160 --> 00:47:57,800
music meaning it's just, it's a really vast range of repertoire, you know, or genre within
659
00:47:57,800 --> 00:48:00,600
the right one big umbrella.
660
00:48:00,600 --> 00:48:01,600
Right.
661
00:48:01,600 --> 00:48:09,640
But then as much as I was educating my students and they have very much access to, because
662
00:48:09,640 --> 00:48:14,440
I live in New York City, but then they just don't know where to look.
663
00:48:14,440 --> 00:48:20,960
So I felt like there was like a huge disconnect between us professionals, music professionals
664
00:48:20,960 --> 00:48:22,640
and the general public.
665
00:48:22,640 --> 00:48:24,520
That's one of the reasons I started this.
666
00:48:24,520 --> 00:48:30,040
Like I was, I'm trying to connect the dots and then I'm trying to, you know, listen to
667
00:48:30,040 --> 00:48:35,880
fellow musicians, hey, you know, where, how can we connect the dots?
668
00:48:35,880 --> 00:48:37,880
What sort of effort should I make?
669
00:48:37,880 --> 00:48:38,880
Right.
670
00:48:38,880 --> 00:48:39,880
Absolutely.
671
00:48:39,880 --> 00:48:40,880
Did you feel that?
672
00:48:40,880 --> 00:48:41,880
Did you feel that as you were starting?
673
00:48:41,880 --> 00:48:42,880
All the time.
674
00:48:42,880 --> 00:48:52,600
And I, I want to make sure that I'm expressing this the way that I mean to, which is I think
675
00:48:52,600 --> 00:48:59,360
as, as individual performers and we're used to doing so much on our own and, and the way
676
00:48:59,360 --> 00:49:05,000
that the, the field has evolved is that, you know, now, now we wear so many hats too.
677
00:49:05,000 --> 00:49:09,800
It's, you know, we're, we are our entire fundraising and development team.
678
00:49:09,800 --> 00:49:12,120
We are our entire PR and booking team.
679
00:49:12,120 --> 00:49:14,560
We are in the entire administration team.
680
00:49:14,560 --> 00:49:18,240
We are entire operations team for all of the things that we do.
681
00:49:18,240 --> 00:49:26,760
And also, you know, we spend, we are so committed to providing these, these musical moments
682
00:49:26,760 --> 00:49:31,740
at such a high level that we also spend so much time in the practice room.
683
00:49:31,740 --> 00:49:37,960
And so this, this interconnectedness that I'm looking for, this really spoke to me,
684
00:49:37,960 --> 00:49:38,960
you know, live music project.
685
00:49:38,960 --> 00:49:43,440
And when I started working with them, I felt like, oh, here's, here it is.
686
00:49:43,440 --> 00:49:51,600
Here's this way that I can help support the people around me in our community by doing
687
00:49:51,600 --> 00:49:58,520
more than, than, uh, share, you know, sharing their event on social media and not to say
688
00:49:58,520 --> 00:50:01,200
that that's not, um, not a good way of doing it.
689
00:50:01,200 --> 00:50:06,520
It's really important, but what I've found, especially over the last, what, six, eight
690
00:50:06,520 --> 00:50:13,080
years of social media is that social media becomes more and more siloed to the people
691
00:50:13,080 --> 00:50:19,920
that you are connected with and the algorithm promotes things where it has already has high
692
00:50:19,920 --> 00:50:21,000
engagement.
693
00:50:21,000 --> 00:50:26,880
So if you are an emerging musician, if you are an emerging arts organization and you
694
00:50:26,880 --> 00:50:32,440
were working really hard to build your audience and cultivate your audience and connect with
695
00:50:32,440 --> 00:50:36,600
your audience, social media is barely helping you.
696
00:50:36,600 --> 00:50:43,120
Like, and it, and it for, for all of the reasons that we know, and they are a business and
697
00:50:43,120 --> 00:50:46,160
they, they need to generate revenue.
698
00:50:46,160 --> 00:50:51,960
And so they're going to turn to, you know, organizations and individuals and say, pay
699
00:50:51,960 --> 00:50:53,840
us money and we'll advertise for you.
700
00:50:53,840 --> 00:50:55,760
We'll bump up your information.
701
00:50:55,760 --> 00:50:57,200
We'll put it in front of people.
702
00:50:57,200 --> 00:51:02,360
But if you don't pay us money, then we're going to basically just like hide all of this,
703
00:51:02,360 --> 00:51:03,360
right?
704
00:51:03,360 --> 00:51:07,900
It's going to just be only the people who are already very active around you are going
705
00:51:07,900 --> 00:51:13,560
to see that information and live music project just doesn't work that way.
706
00:51:13,560 --> 00:51:14,560
Works the opposite way.
707
00:51:14,560 --> 00:51:19,640
It just says, you don't have to pay us, you know, thousands of dollars to surface the
708
00:51:19,640 --> 00:51:21,580
information about your concert.
709
00:51:21,580 --> 00:51:26,920
We want, we want to create this environment in which people are seeking this out and they
710
00:51:26,920 --> 00:51:34,200
want to go be in person or virtual and, and connect with other listeners and performers.
711
00:51:34,200 --> 00:51:41,540
So I know that I am obviously a big fan of social media, but the ebbs and flows of how
712
00:51:41,540 --> 00:51:48,760
it works can be very difficult for artists and creative folks to navigate and really
713
00:51:48,760 --> 00:51:53,760
connect with people when it comes to your performances, right?
714
00:51:53,760 --> 00:52:00,040
Your performance itself is probably not generating a lot of like, you know, rage algorithm points
715
00:52:00,040 --> 00:52:06,720
and stuff like, if you're not, you know, saying something really inflammatory with your like,
716
00:52:06,720 --> 00:52:13,040
hey, here's my concert that's coming up next week, then it's not being shared as widely
717
00:52:13,040 --> 00:52:21,400
and we just deserve to create platforms and spaces where you don't have to say anything
718
00:52:21,400 --> 00:52:25,280
inflammatory to connect with people who want to hear your music.
719
00:52:25,280 --> 00:52:32,600
So that's not to say that I'm just saying that the algorithm of social media prioritizes
720
00:52:32,600 --> 00:52:35,160
high emotional reaction to things.
721
00:52:35,160 --> 00:52:41,920
And so that may not always work in conjunction with us trying to encourage people to, you
722
00:52:41,920 --> 00:52:44,040
know, come out to concerts.
723
00:52:44,040 --> 00:52:46,480
And I think that that's important.
724
00:52:46,480 --> 00:52:54,080
Yeah, we really need a platform just strictly for classical musicians, right?
725
00:52:54,080 --> 00:52:58,080
So that's exactly what your organization is providing.
726
00:52:58,080 --> 00:53:03,780
And I always tell people that are interviewing with Live Music Project, you know, our scope
727
00:53:03,780 --> 00:53:09,360
is classical music, but not because we think that classical music is somehow, you know,
728
00:53:09,360 --> 00:53:11,960
more important than other kinds of music.
729
00:53:11,960 --> 00:53:17,080
But the way that our brains connect with information is that, you know, we know we're trying to
730
00:53:17,080 --> 00:53:18,520
find something.
731
00:53:18,520 --> 00:53:23,480
And so Live Music Project raises their hand and says, you can find this kind of information
732
00:53:23,480 --> 00:53:24,480
here, right?
733
00:53:24,480 --> 00:53:25,640
This is what we do.
734
00:53:25,640 --> 00:53:30,560
And so it doesn't mean that we shouldn't be supporting all kinds of music.
735
00:53:30,560 --> 00:53:36,360
It just means that if you're looking for this, we're specifically, you know, kind of coalescing
736
00:53:36,360 --> 00:53:42,760
and collecting and collating this information for you in a way that tries to make it easier
737
00:53:42,760 --> 00:53:50,360
and also tries to make it easier for the people who are working and in the field actively,
738
00:53:50,360 --> 00:53:51,360
you know.
739
00:53:51,360 --> 00:53:59,200
So that's really important to me is that, you know, it's not about saying like, oh,
740
00:53:59,200 --> 00:54:03,240
we classical music is the highest of the arts.
741
00:54:03,240 --> 00:54:05,140
Like, that's just not our vibe.
742
00:54:05,140 --> 00:54:09,520
And we just want to make sure that people feel like this is super welcoming because
743
00:54:09,520 --> 00:54:14,000
classical music fits in your life just as much as any other genre.
744
00:54:14,000 --> 00:54:16,000
And we there's a place for you here.
745
00:54:16,000 --> 00:54:20,240
You know, there's this is a place where we want you to feel welcomed into trying this
746
00:54:20,240 --> 00:54:26,640
out or looking and listening for things that really suit you and feel exciting and and
747
00:54:26,640 --> 00:54:28,440
enjoyable in so many ways.
748
00:54:28,440 --> 00:54:31,160
Hey there, TPP family.
749
00:54:31,160 --> 00:54:36,800
The PianoPod is now into our fourth season and it's all thanks to you.
750
00:54:36,800 --> 00:54:42,760
Since 2020, you've been with my journey with the TPP exploring this burning question.
751
00:54:42,760 --> 00:54:47,960
How do we make classical music resonate with today's audience in fresh and captivating
752
00:54:47,960 --> 00:54:48,960
ways?
753
00:54:48,960 --> 00:54:52,760
Four years in and the journey has been nothing short of magical.
754
00:54:52,760 --> 00:54:54,720
The PianoPod isn't just a podcast.
755
00:54:54,720 --> 00:55:01,240
It's a movement, a space where pianists, composers and educators brainstorm, debate
756
00:55:01,240 --> 00:55:05,880
and reimagine classical music's place in our fast paced world.
757
00:55:05,880 --> 00:55:11,600
We're together on a mission to ensure classical music doesn't just survive but thrives in
758
00:55:11,600 --> 00:55:12,880
our modern age.
759
00:55:12,880 --> 00:55:13,880
But here's the thing.
760
00:55:13,880 --> 00:55:19,440
To keep bringing you these insightful bi-weekly episodes, I need your help.
761
00:55:19,440 --> 00:55:25,280
Every bit of support goes into the podcast's essentials from hosting to high quality recording
762
00:55:25,280 --> 00:55:28,980
tech and the countless hours behind the scenes.
763
00:55:28,980 --> 00:55:31,320
So do you want to be part of this journey?
764
00:55:31,320 --> 00:55:36,400
Click the PayPal link in the show notes or head to thepianopod.com to donate.
765
00:55:36,400 --> 00:55:44,440
And as a token of appreciation, I will personally mail you the PianoPod's snazzy logo sticker.
766
00:55:44,440 --> 00:55:49,920
So hit the subscribe button, spread the word and let's continue our mission and journey
767
00:55:49,920 --> 00:55:52,120
as classical musicians.
768
00:55:52,120 --> 00:55:55,160
Now let's continue with the show.
769
00:55:55,160 --> 00:56:02,280
Before we go any further with this project, you know, live music project, I want to know
770
00:56:02,280 --> 00:56:04,800
who Megan is.
771
00:56:04,800 --> 00:56:12,480
So you, as I can see, you are such a passionate person and as I was researching about this
772
00:56:12,480 --> 00:56:15,800
project and about you, you wear so many hats.
773
00:56:15,800 --> 00:56:18,920
I mean, yeah, yeah, yeah.
774
00:56:18,920 --> 00:56:19,920
Incredible.
775
00:56:19,920 --> 00:56:22,160
So tell us about you.
776
00:56:22,160 --> 00:56:29,600
Maybe you're a celebrated mezzo soprano, but maybe how your musical journey started
777
00:56:29,600 --> 00:56:34,640
and maybe who or what have been your greatest influences.
778
00:56:34,640 --> 00:56:37,080
Oh, sure.
779
00:56:37,080 --> 00:56:41,680
So as a musician, so I'm from the Midwest originally.
780
00:56:41,680 --> 00:56:45,160
I grew up in a very musical and dramatic family.
781
00:56:45,160 --> 00:56:48,000
We were involved in music and theater and all sorts of stuff.
782
00:56:48,000 --> 00:56:55,480
And so that felt very natural and wonderful to me growing up in that environment.
783
00:56:55,480 --> 00:57:02,680
And as my kind of the way that I think about my professional life really breaks down into
784
00:57:02,680 --> 00:57:04,600
kind of three pillars.
785
00:57:04,600 --> 00:57:09,440
So we talked about like the arts administration side that is the role that I have as executive
786
00:57:09,440 --> 00:57:12,120
director with the live music project.
787
00:57:12,120 --> 00:57:14,820
And there's also the performing side of my life.
788
00:57:14,820 --> 00:57:17,320
So I'm a mezzo soprano.
789
00:57:17,320 --> 00:57:21,840
I always liked my little tagline for that is like, I like to say that I'm dedicated
790
00:57:21,840 --> 00:57:27,080
to the performing commissioning and proliferation of new music.
791
00:57:27,080 --> 00:57:35,040
And so I specifically work in contemporary classical music and experimental music.
792
00:57:35,040 --> 00:57:39,800
And I love that it just feels like that's my happy place as a performer.
793
00:57:39,800 --> 00:57:46,400
And I love working with composers to bring their sound world to life.
794
00:57:46,400 --> 00:57:49,840
And so that's the kind of performing side of my life.
795
00:57:49,840 --> 00:57:52,000
It doesn't mean that I don't do all sorts of things.
796
00:57:52,000 --> 00:57:56,400
I love to perform all different time periods of music.
797
00:57:56,400 --> 00:58:00,120
I just specialize in this one.
798
00:58:00,120 --> 00:58:05,320
And then the third pillar of my professional life is my coaching and teaching.
799
00:58:05,320 --> 00:58:11,880
So I run a coaching studio for individual performers and composers on how to just feel
800
00:58:11,880 --> 00:58:19,120
like they're running their business instead of it running them and feeling burnt out.
801
00:58:19,120 --> 00:58:21,200
We're like an anti burnout factory over here.
802
00:58:21,200 --> 00:58:27,400
I just want to make sure that people are feeling like they know what they're doing and able
803
00:58:27,400 --> 00:58:32,600
to do the kind of work that they want to do, be paid for the kind of work that they want
804
00:58:32,600 --> 00:58:38,040
to do, and really do that on a replicable basis.
805
00:58:38,040 --> 00:58:45,680
So a lot of the things that we work on in coaching is about how to understand your offers,
806
00:58:45,680 --> 00:58:52,400
your clients, and your systems so that you can do this in what feels like a manageable
807
00:58:52,400 --> 00:58:53,400
way.
808
00:58:53,400 --> 00:58:54,560
It just feels like, oh, I know this process.
809
00:58:54,560 --> 00:58:55,560
I'm doing this.
810
00:58:55,560 --> 00:59:01,720
I know that I wanted to grow my business or have more of these experiences.
811
00:59:01,720 --> 00:59:04,360
I know what I would do to make that happen.
812
00:59:04,360 --> 00:59:06,640
It doesn't feel like it's by chance.
813
00:59:06,640 --> 00:59:13,400
It feels like you have agency in your creatively professional life, professionally creative
814
00:59:13,400 --> 00:59:16,400
life.
815
00:59:16,400 --> 00:59:22,920
That and then I also teach for the Peabody Institute in their breakthrough curriculum.
816
00:59:22,920 --> 00:59:24,440
I really love that.
817
00:59:24,440 --> 00:59:30,920
I am in New Orleans, so I get to teach remotely for them, which is really, really wonderful.
818
00:59:30,920 --> 00:59:34,160
What is this breakthrough curriculum?
819
00:59:34,160 --> 00:59:40,080
So this is Peabody's professional studies department program.
820
00:59:40,080 --> 00:59:42,840
The breakthrough curriculum is this.
821
00:59:42,840 --> 00:59:45,080
I'm just so impressed with them.
822
00:59:45,080 --> 00:59:52,560
That's why I'm involved as a faculty member is because they've really designed this required
823
00:59:52,560 --> 00:59:53,560
curriculum.
824
00:59:53,560 --> 00:59:57,640
All of the undergrads and all of the graduate students go through the breakthrough curriculum,
825
00:59:57,640 --> 01:00:04,160
and it's designed to give them access to faculty members who are working professionals all
826
01:00:04,160 --> 01:00:05,880
over the United States.
827
01:00:05,880 --> 01:00:10,480
They're also working on real life concerns.
828
01:00:10,480 --> 01:00:13,640
So things like building your brand and portfolio.
829
01:00:13,640 --> 01:00:15,860
We're just finishing my spring class right now.
830
01:00:15,860 --> 01:00:21,520
So that's your pitch, your creative idea, which is about at its core helps students
831
01:00:21,520 --> 01:00:28,600
understand the parts and pieces of a grant application, how to create projects, understand
832
01:00:28,600 --> 01:00:33,320
your audience, do a budget, do a timeline, understand who the stakeholders are, and then
833
01:00:33,320 --> 01:00:39,880
they go through many, many rounds of pitching through written proposals, video pitches,
834
01:00:39,880 --> 01:00:40,880
live pitches.
835
01:00:40,880 --> 01:00:47,320
So they get really confident talking about their creative ideas and asking people to
836
01:00:47,320 --> 01:00:52,520
invest in that, and they can actually go up for money, which I just really love, is that
837
01:00:52,520 --> 01:01:00,160
Peabody believes so much in this that any of the Peabody students can go up for the grant,
838
01:01:00,160 --> 01:01:06,280
the Peabody Launch Grant, and they have access to actually getting real funding for their
839
01:01:06,280 --> 01:01:07,280
project ideas.
840
01:01:07,280 --> 01:01:12,620
Like I said, it can be any of the Peabody students, but it just shows that Peabody really
841
01:01:12,620 --> 01:01:18,680
is walking their talk when it comes to we want you to be thinking creatively about the
842
01:01:18,680 --> 01:01:25,040
kinds of projects that you want to make and be a part of, and then we're going to put
843
01:01:25,040 --> 01:01:30,000
resources behind that so that you can see this through and really bring that to your
844
01:01:30,000 --> 01:01:31,000
community.
845
01:01:31,000 --> 01:01:34,760
So I love those things.
846
01:01:34,760 --> 01:01:40,040
I wish I were much younger and being able to go back to college and take this course.
847
01:01:40,040 --> 01:01:41,960
It sounds amazing.
848
01:01:41,960 --> 01:01:47,440
This is exactly the thing that we struggle to figure it out, right?
849
01:01:47,440 --> 01:01:50,440
As an adult.
850
01:01:50,440 --> 01:01:54,240
I think the reason, well, and I'm going to, if you don't mind, I'm going to go back just
851
01:01:54,240 --> 01:01:59,200
a little bit farther, which is when I was a student, I finished my masters, completed
852
01:01:59,200 --> 01:02:07,040
my masters, and I was thinking, okay, well, I don't have access to a lot of financial
853
01:02:07,040 --> 01:02:11,100
resources, so I'm going to be working full time, but then I also want to feel like I'm
854
01:02:11,100 --> 01:02:14,920
moving my music career forward.
855
01:02:14,920 --> 01:02:15,920
And what does that look like?
856
01:02:15,920 --> 01:02:20,240
And I started a blog because back in 2009, that's what we did.
857
01:02:20,240 --> 01:02:23,040
That's right.
858
01:02:23,040 --> 01:02:31,240
And I started writing about these professional experiences or kind of the work that goes
859
01:02:31,240 --> 01:02:36,840
into creating and maintaining a career in the arts.
860
01:02:36,840 --> 01:02:42,040
And that, as you mentioned, that kind of turned into my podcast, so both the Cyboradix Singer
861
01:02:42,040 --> 01:02:49,800
is the blog platform, Studio Class is the podcast that kind of came out of me figuring
862
01:02:49,800 --> 01:02:53,920
out, okay, well, how do people actually do this?
863
01:02:53,920 --> 01:03:01,800
I need to be able to pay my bills, and I also need to be able to have these artistic experiences
864
01:03:01,800 --> 01:03:02,800
in my life.
865
01:03:02,800 --> 01:03:05,500
I want to be a professional musician.
866
01:03:05,500 --> 01:03:06,600
So what does that mean?
867
01:03:06,600 --> 01:03:13,600
How do you go beyond just as a composer, how do you go beyond applying for call for scores?
868
01:03:13,600 --> 01:03:18,840
As a performer, how do you go beyond a cattle call audition where you're showing up, especially
869
01:03:18,840 --> 01:03:23,280
as vocalists, you're showing up with like 3000 other people on the same day and being
870
01:03:23,280 --> 01:03:30,000
like, please pick me.
871
01:03:30,000 --> 01:03:31,000
And that's part of it.
872
01:03:31,000 --> 01:03:39,000
It's obviously part of what we do in our professional experiences, but there's so much more than
873
01:03:39,000 --> 01:03:40,880
that.
874
01:03:40,880 --> 01:03:45,960
And I felt like I had, I definitely had people that I was talking to about that while I was
875
01:03:45,960 --> 01:03:50,880
in school, but not to the extent that we're teaching it now.
876
01:03:50,880 --> 01:03:55,980
And I definitely see more and more institutions around the United States that are actively
877
01:03:55,980 --> 01:04:02,280
putting this into their curriculum, and I really appreciate that so that students, even
878
01:04:02,280 --> 01:04:07,760
if they're not ready to act on those things quite yet in their music careers, they know
879
01:04:07,760 --> 01:04:08,900
what it's called.
880
01:04:08,900 --> 01:04:11,480
They know who to talk to if they have a question about it.
881
01:04:11,480 --> 01:04:18,680
They know what makes, I think there's just even so much of like, what makes a business,
882
01:04:18,680 --> 01:04:24,240
you know, that as we start to think about it, and I don't mean to say that every musician
883
01:04:24,240 --> 01:04:30,000
should be out there thinking of themselves as, you know, that everything that they do
884
01:04:30,000 --> 01:04:32,000
musically should be business focused.
885
01:04:32,000 --> 01:04:37,840
I'm just saying it's okay to have the knowledge of this so that it feels more efficient in
886
01:04:37,840 --> 01:04:43,920
your life and it feels like something that you get to spend more time on the music making
887
01:04:43,920 --> 01:04:50,720
because the business infrastructure of what you're doing as an artist is working.
888
01:04:50,720 --> 01:04:53,080
It does what it's supposed to do.
889
01:04:53,080 --> 01:04:58,680
And yeah, I think that that's, I think that's just really important knowledge for us to
890
01:04:58,680 --> 01:05:06,000
pass on to each other and feel like everybody's experience is so unique and individual.
891
01:05:06,000 --> 01:05:14,480
That's also why I really love coaching is being able to actually talk about somebody's
892
01:05:14,480 --> 01:05:19,940
personal goals, what are personal and professional goals, and let's really work towards that.
893
01:05:19,940 --> 01:05:26,480
It's not a one size fits all solution, you know, you have to really help people see like,
894
01:05:26,480 --> 01:05:28,480
what is your business look like?
895
01:05:28,480 --> 01:05:34,480
What does your infrastructure look like so that you're living the life you want to live?
896
01:05:34,480 --> 01:05:40,400
Oh yeah, and every artist is so different, right?
897
01:05:40,400 --> 01:05:45,160
People tend to stereotype classical musicians, but we're so different and then you can really
898
01:05:45,160 --> 01:05:50,240
make it your own way of livelihood, right?
899
01:05:50,240 --> 01:05:51,240
Yeah, yeah.
900
01:05:51,240 --> 01:05:57,920
Oh man, some of those things that like we were told, like diversify your income streams
901
01:05:57,920 --> 01:06:00,760
or make your own opportunities.
902
01:06:00,760 --> 01:06:04,720
That's a big one that I come back to time and time again is that a lot of people told
903
01:06:04,720 --> 01:06:09,280
you that, but then they didn't tell you what that means or how to do it or how to help
904
01:06:09,280 --> 01:06:12,520
navigate that in what you want to do.
905
01:06:12,520 --> 01:06:19,360
And I think that that's so necessary that we move beyond kind of the sound bite quality
906
01:06:19,360 --> 01:06:22,440
of that or the platitudes.
907
01:06:22,440 --> 01:06:26,920
Make your own opportunities and be like, hey, this is what making your own opportunities
908
01:06:26,920 --> 01:06:28,120
actually looks like.
909
01:06:28,120 --> 01:06:33,560
We can extrapolate that and apply it to all these different scenarios and really talk
910
01:06:33,560 --> 01:06:34,560
about that.
911
01:06:34,560 --> 01:06:38,840
So yeah, I know that I'm definitely soapboxing in this.
912
01:06:38,840 --> 01:06:41,840
Yeah, yeah, yeah, please do.
913
01:06:41,840 --> 01:06:45,640
This is for that.
914
01:06:45,640 --> 01:06:52,640
Maybe I should change the title of the podcast, soapbox for musicians.
915
01:06:52,640 --> 01:06:58,600
Obviously, that's just how I want to keep showing up for people.
916
01:06:58,600 --> 01:07:05,960
I feel like there is no part of being, even though we spend so much time in individual
917
01:07:05,960 --> 01:07:16,000
aspects of our musical lives, there's no part of music making that is totally alone.
918
01:07:16,000 --> 01:07:23,140
The way that most of us want to do it is not just only playing in our own private spaces
919
01:07:23,140 --> 01:07:24,440
for ourselves only.
920
01:07:24,440 --> 01:07:27,420
Otherwise, we would never need to connect with anybody.
921
01:07:27,420 --> 01:07:29,040
And that's great.
922
01:07:29,040 --> 01:07:35,720
I find that most musicians want to make music for other people and they want to play either
923
01:07:35,720 --> 01:07:40,480
their music for people, other people, or they want to play the music of other people for
924
01:07:40,480 --> 01:07:43,960
other people.
925
01:07:43,960 --> 01:07:51,960
With that in mind is that how do we just get to that point where we're able to all of that
926
01:07:51,960 --> 01:07:58,620
work that we're putting in, in the studio, turn that into really supportive and wonderful
927
01:07:58,620 --> 01:08:01,280
experiences with other people.
928
01:08:01,280 --> 01:08:07,920
We're here and we're making sounds for each other in a way that to delight and comfort
929
01:08:07,920 --> 01:08:15,880
and engage and inspire other people.
930
01:08:15,880 --> 01:08:21,920
That core concept of audience development is I'm making this for you.
931
01:08:21,920 --> 01:08:25,760
Let's see if we can come into the same space and have the best possible experience.
932
01:08:25,760 --> 01:08:26,880
Wow.
933
01:08:26,880 --> 01:08:30,080
You sound like a really amazing coach.
934
01:08:30,080 --> 01:08:38,200
I would love to get a little bit of energy from you because we all need it.
935
01:08:38,200 --> 01:08:40,240
Wow.
936
01:08:40,240 --> 01:08:49,680
So, if my audience members are interested in your coaching, maybe getting a little bit
937
01:08:49,680 --> 01:08:54,800
of a taste of what you do, where's a good place to go?
938
01:08:54,800 --> 01:09:02,840
Follow me on social media at mezzoenen.
939
01:09:02,840 --> 01:09:06,640
That's the first place where you can get a sense of, you've heard me here, but if you
940
01:09:06,640 --> 01:09:11,240
want a little bit more sense of the vibe, things that we're going to talk about or any
941
01:09:11,240 --> 01:09:14,120
of that kind of stuff, following me on social.
942
01:09:14,120 --> 01:09:20,280
Then I definitely want to make sure that people know that I do this semi-monthly $5 coaching
943
01:09:20,280 --> 01:09:21,280
giveaway.
944
01:09:21,280 --> 01:09:33,400
If you sign up for my email list, and you can just do that on my website, meganenen.com.
945
01:09:33,400 --> 01:09:39,400
If you just sign up for the email list, you'll find out, send out that giveaway.
946
01:09:39,400 --> 01:09:45,360
It's a chance for people to try out coaching, especially if the financial part feels like
947
01:09:45,360 --> 01:09:46,640
a barrier.
948
01:09:46,640 --> 01:09:51,240
That $5 coaching feeling can really be like, I'm going to give this a try.
949
01:09:51,240 --> 01:09:54,480
Let's see if this can work out for me.
950
01:09:54,480 --> 01:10:02,440
I really want people to feel like they have access to trying it without something being
951
01:10:02,440 --> 01:10:08,320
an overwhelming financial barrier, because I know so many of us are really figuring,
952
01:10:08,320 --> 01:10:15,840
having to be strong in our priorities about where our finances go.
953
01:10:15,840 --> 01:10:17,560
That's important to me.
954
01:10:17,560 --> 01:10:24,520
I try to make coaching available for people at all different income levels.
955
01:10:24,520 --> 01:10:27,840
The great place to start is your podcast.
956
01:10:27,840 --> 01:10:31,680
Even from the very first episode I listened to, I learned so much.
957
01:10:31,680 --> 01:10:34,120
It's like, oh, hi.
958
01:10:34,120 --> 01:10:35,120
Very educational.
959
01:10:35,120 --> 01:10:39,960
If you're looking to elevate your classical music career, don't miss Studio Class with
960
01:10:39,960 --> 01:10:46,840
Megan Enen, tuning today for actionable entrepreneurship tips and inspiring journeys from successful
961
01:10:46,840 --> 01:10:51,680
artists and masterclass episodes available on your favorite podcasting platform.
962
01:10:51,680 --> 01:10:55,320
Anyway, we can go on and on about this.
963
01:10:55,320 --> 01:11:01,480
You have to come back and then just solely focusing on this topic next time.
964
01:11:01,480 --> 01:11:02,480
Right?
965
01:11:02,480 --> 01:11:03,480
Yeah.
966
01:11:03,480 --> 01:11:04,480
Anytime.
967
01:11:04,480 --> 01:11:07,400
This is so enjoyable to talk to you.
968
01:11:07,400 --> 01:11:14,480
I'm just so grateful that you allowed me to come talk to your community about Live Music
969
01:11:14,480 --> 01:11:19,000
Project, about all these things that I'm super passionate about.
970
01:11:19,000 --> 01:11:21,360
And I just really appreciate that.
971
01:11:21,360 --> 01:11:22,360
Thank you so much.
972
01:11:22,360 --> 01:11:23,360
Of course.
973
01:11:23,360 --> 01:11:27,880
So looking forward, what are some of the goals or new initiatives you hope to introduce at
974
01:11:27,880 --> 01:11:28,880
LMP?
975
01:11:28,880 --> 01:11:31,000
Oh, yeah.
976
01:11:31,000 --> 01:11:32,000
So exciting.
977
01:11:32,000 --> 01:11:37,240
I think that as I kind of teased a little bit earlier, one of the biggest ones is going
978
01:11:37,240 --> 01:11:39,960
to be spontaneous free tickets.
979
01:11:39,960 --> 01:11:45,200
With the new platform, that also means that we can invite so many more people to be involved
980
01:11:45,200 --> 01:11:51,560
with it, which means that we can take spontaneous free tickets to multiple communities.
981
01:11:51,560 --> 01:11:55,320
It can be available in so many different places.
982
01:11:55,320 --> 01:12:00,360
So if anybody's listening and they're excited about having that kind of tool, please reach
983
01:12:00,360 --> 01:12:05,080
out and let me know if you'd like to pilot spontaneous free tickets in your community
984
01:12:05,080 --> 01:12:07,600
when we launch that.
985
01:12:07,600 --> 01:12:11,340
And that part feels so exciting.
986
01:12:11,340 --> 01:12:18,120
So with the Live Music Project concert calendar and with spontaneous free tickets, both of
987
01:12:18,120 --> 01:12:26,320
those are ongoing programs, but both of them are in these amazing points of growth now.
988
01:12:26,320 --> 01:12:31,440
So it's really this exciting time to see both of them with the concert calendar is really
989
01:12:31,440 --> 01:12:38,840
about, can we support more geographic communities in the United States and beyond?
990
01:12:38,840 --> 01:12:41,120
And also spontaneous free tickets, the same thing.
991
01:12:41,120 --> 01:12:43,640
Can we support more new listeners?
992
01:12:43,640 --> 01:12:49,060
Can we support more arts organizations in various communities, especially around the
993
01:12:49,060 --> 01:12:54,240
United States, to welcome people into what they're doing?
994
01:12:54,240 --> 01:12:59,240
And so those are the things that I'm super excited about.
995
01:12:59,240 --> 01:13:05,520
There are definitely lots of tools and things that we're kind of building into the long
996
01:13:05,520 --> 01:13:06,520
term.
997
01:13:06,520 --> 01:13:11,720
And we're not at a place where I get to tease those quite yet, but I'm looking forward to
998
01:13:11,720 --> 01:13:16,760
when next time when I come back, I'll just say a little...
999
01:13:16,760 --> 01:13:23,940
So I hope that people will kind of keep an eye out for Live Music Project.
1000
01:13:23,940 --> 01:13:31,480
And so they can see, like I said, these two growing and then also see as we've unveiled
1001
01:13:31,480 --> 01:13:36,240
those and continue to make those really useful tools that they can see these other tools
1002
01:13:36,240 --> 01:13:42,320
that we've been kind of working and building in the lab, if you will, and then bringing
1003
01:13:42,320 --> 01:13:44,420
that to our community.
1004
01:13:44,420 --> 01:13:45,840
So that's what I'm excited about.
1005
01:13:45,840 --> 01:13:50,320
And musically, I'm just also really excited about...
1006
01:13:50,320 --> 01:13:54,120
I have some exciting performances coming up.
1007
01:13:54,120 --> 01:13:58,520
I'm in a voice and saxophone duo called M.I.A.T.P.
1008
01:13:58,520 --> 01:14:02,920
And we have this kind of abstract narrative show that we do.
1009
01:14:02,920 --> 01:14:03,920
And I'm really...
1010
01:14:03,920 --> 01:14:08,420
I always love sharing that in all of these different performance opportunities.
1011
01:14:08,420 --> 01:14:16,800
So hopefully, anybody who's kind of into that new music from lots of different influences,
1012
01:14:16,800 --> 01:14:21,880
Black Meridian is this show that kind of incorporates... there's a Sara Bareilles song, and then there's
1013
01:14:21,880 --> 01:14:28,640
kind of like a microtonal contemporary classical piece, and there's a Vondelweiser piece, and
1014
01:14:28,640 --> 01:14:31,360
there's a prog rock inspired piece.
1015
01:14:31,360 --> 01:14:36,320
And so if you are the kind of person who likes all those different influences in kind of
1016
01:14:36,320 --> 01:14:41,640
contemporary classical music or this kind of art music medium, then definitely keep
1017
01:14:41,640 --> 01:14:43,200
an eye out for that.
1018
01:14:43,200 --> 01:14:44,720
Yes.
1019
01:14:44,720 --> 01:14:48,160
And I know your recordings are so interesting too.
1020
01:14:48,160 --> 01:14:49,160
So you can...
1021
01:14:49,160 --> 01:14:55,560
For my audience, if you are interested in listening to Megan's recordings, check out...
1022
01:14:55,560 --> 01:15:01,920
She has a page on Spotify and also, I'm sure, other music streaming services as well.
1023
01:15:01,920 --> 01:15:02,920
Yeah.
1024
01:15:02,920 --> 01:15:03,920
Check it out.
1025
01:15:03,920 --> 01:15:09,520
And especially if you are interested in living composers and the music of living composers,
1026
01:15:09,520 --> 01:15:12,320
obviously, that's something that I'm really passionate about.
1027
01:15:12,320 --> 01:15:15,960
And I work with so many different composers and they have...
1028
01:15:15,960 --> 01:15:21,940
They all have music for piano, they all have chamber music, things to check out.
1029
01:15:21,940 --> 01:15:29,400
So even if you're using that to kind of find a new to you composer to connect with, I've
1030
01:15:29,400 --> 01:15:36,000
worked with so many amazing people and they're always wanting to just work with other performers.
1031
01:15:36,000 --> 01:15:41,860
And so if that's something that your listeners are interested in and maybe they're feeling...
1032
01:15:41,860 --> 01:15:47,600
They want to get more involved with contemporary music or they want to work with living composers,
1033
01:15:47,600 --> 01:15:51,880
come check out my stuff and connect with those composers and see what they have available
1034
01:15:51,880 --> 01:15:54,360
for your instrument.
1035
01:15:54,360 --> 01:15:59,400
What are your thoughts on maintaining the relevance of classical music and ensuring
1036
01:15:59,400 --> 01:16:03,200
the thriving of the industry in this country?
1037
01:16:03,200 --> 01:16:05,360
Yes.
1038
01:16:05,360 --> 01:16:11,160
I think that we are at such an exciting time, but exciting times can also feel very scary
1039
01:16:11,160 --> 01:16:19,360
and uncertain and the way that listening to music overall has changed so dramatically
1040
01:16:19,360 --> 01:16:27,960
in our lifetimes that I really want to continue to stress to people that classical music isn't
1041
01:16:27,960 --> 01:16:31,440
going anywhere, it's not dying.
1042
01:16:31,440 --> 01:16:38,800
I've lived in large and tiny, tiny communities all over the United States and there's always
1043
01:16:38,800 --> 01:16:40,440
classical music there.
1044
01:16:40,440 --> 01:16:47,120
And so I want people to be reminded not to lose hope that there are people that want
1045
01:16:47,120 --> 01:16:52,160
to hear the music that you're making and why you're making it.
1046
01:16:52,160 --> 01:16:57,000
And it can be as easy as starting a conversation with somebody and then just welcoming them
1047
01:16:57,000 --> 01:16:58,000
to check it out.
1048
01:16:58,000 --> 01:17:01,000
Like you said, yeah.
1049
01:17:01,000 --> 01:17:07,720
Yes, I am that weird extrovert person who at the hotel is talking to the person behind
1050
01:17:07,720 --> 01:17:11,760
the desk and getting them to be like, oh, I'll check you out on Spotify.
1051
01:17:11,760 --> 01:17:14,000
And then they listen to you.
1052
01:17:14,000 --> 01:17:22,380
But even if being that extroverted is not your style, there are so many ways to connect
1053
01:17:22,380 --> 01:17:31,360
with people and just allow them opportunities to feel supported and engaged and inspired
1054
01:17:31,360 --> 01:17:33,080
by your music making.
1055
01:17:33,080 --> 01:17:37,600
So one of the key points is don't lose hope.
1056
01:17:37,600 --> 01:17:42,760
And when you're feeling burnt out and when you're feeling dismayed or disheartened about
1057
01:17:42,760 --> 01:17:51,240
it is connect with other people who can remind you that what we do is so inspiring and such
1058
01:17:51,240 --> 01:17:58,560
a gift and go play for two people, go play for 10 people, go play for...
1059
01:17:58,560 --> 01:18:04,880
The number of people that you're playing for is not as important as how you're connecting
1060
01:18:04,880 --> 01:18:12,200
through music and being there for people through music in your lives.
1061
01:18:12,200 --> 01:18:20,280
So it's so important for us not to forget that or get too disheartened in our day to
1062
01:18:20,280 --> 01:18:21,540
day experience.
1063
01:18:21,540 --> 01:18:23,120
We're always going to have to raise more money.
1064
01:18:23,120 --> 01:18:25,400
We're always going to have to communicate with people.
1065
01:18:25,400 --> 01:18:30,440
We're always going to have to share details about things and inform people.
1066
01:18:30,440 --> 01:18:31,840
And that's going to ebb and flow.
1067
01:18:31,840 --> 01:18:36,920
So make sure that you're surrounding yourself with people who keep you inspired to keep
1068
01:18:36,920 --> 01:18:41,200
doing it.
1069
01:18:41,200 --> 01:18:42,200
So that's...
1070
01:18:42,200 --> 01:18:43,200
Yeah.
1071
01:18:43,200 --> 01:18:45,520
I think that that's probably it.
1072
01:18:45,520 --> 01:18:56,440
The relevance of classical music I think is what we make it, is what you're doing in your
1073
01:18:56,440 --> 01:19:02,320
music making relevant to you and relevant to the people that you're making it for, then
1074
01:19:02,320 --> 01:19:03,800
keep going.
1075
01:19:03,800 --> 01:19:09,060
And if you feel like you're engaging in music that isn't relevant to other people, then
1076
01:19:09,060 --> 01:19:13,900
ask yourself if you have a way to influence the decision making.
1077
01:19:13,900 --> 01:19:17,240
So many people forget that they can probably join a board.
1078
01:19:17,240 --> 01:19:26,400
They can probably write an email of support or encouragement or any of that kind of...
1079
01:19:26,400 --> 01:19:33,560
There are so many ways that we can find more agency in what we're doing in classical music
1080
01:19:33,560 --> 01:19:37,560
and to be able to continue to create the world that we want to live in.
1081
01:19:37,560 --> 01:19:41,040
And if you're not seeing that, keep searching.
1082
01:19:41,040 --> 01:19:45,240
I promise you that there are people in your community that want to do the things that
1083
01:19:45,240 --> 01:19:47,920
you want to do.
1084
01:19:47,920 --> 01:19:54,080
And obviously someone who does this classical music advocacy in Tech for Good is that I
1085
01:19:54,080 --> 01:20:00,440
know the value of using the technology tools that we have at our disposal to connect with
1086
01:20:00,440 --> 01:20:04,520
people so that we can join together.
1087
01:20:04,520 --> 01:20:07,220
When you're trying to do it all by yourself, it's so hard.
1088
01:20:07,220 --> 01:20:08,220
It's so hard.
1089
01:20:08,220 --> 01:20:15,960
And we can't forget that it takes a village and we're part of that village.
1090
01:20:15,960 --> 01:20:18,160
We all have to show up for each other.
1091
01:20:18,160 --> 01:20:19,160
Wonderful.
1092
01:20:19,160 --> 01:20:20,560
Well, thank you.
1093
01:20:20,560 --> 01:20:22,720
It's been a really great conversation.
1094
01:20:22,720 --> 01:20:24,440
You inspired me so much.
1095
01:20:24,440 --> 01:20:30,140
And also I have gained practical tools, practical knowledge.
1096
01:20:30,140 --> 01:20:38,840
So for those who are listening and watching this show, please visit LiveMusicProject.org.
1097
01:20:38,840 --> 01:20:43,480
And also there's an Instagram account at Live Music Project.
1098
01:20:43,480 --> 01:20:51,120
You can follow and so you can check out other artists' upcoming performances.
1099
01:20:51,120 --> 01:20:57,440
And also you can also post your performances and events on its website.
1100
01:20:57,440 --> 01:21:02,800
And also if you are interested in learning more about Megan and Megan's business and
1101
01:21:02,800 --> 01:21:10,720
so on, go to meganeenan.com and I will list all the links in the show notes.
1102
01:21:10,720 --> 01:21:12,000
All right.
1103
01:21:12,000 --> 01:21:16,120
So this has been really a fun, inspiring conversation, Megan.
1104
01:21:16,120 --> 01:21:22,340
But before I let you go, we have one more thing to do, which is called the rapid fire question.
1105
01:21:22,340 --> 01:21:26,140
So this is a part of the show where I get to ask fun questions to each guest.
1106
01:21:26,140 --> 01:21:27,720
But now here's a little twist.
1107
01:21:27,720 --> 01:21:32,840
As silly as these questions may sound, your answers may reveal who you truly are.
1108
01:21:32,840 --> 01:21:38,880
So, but I want you to answer them with the shortest responses as possible.
1109
01:21:38,880 --> 01:21:41,480
No explanation is necessary.
1110
01:21:41,480 --> 01:21:42,480
Okay.
1111
01:21:42,480 --> 01:21:45,760
So let's start with level one.
1112
01:21:45,760 --> 01:21:46,840
Easy ones.
1113
01:21:46,840 --> 01:21:47,840
What is your comfort food?
1114
01:21:47,840 --> 01:21:49,380
What is my comfort food?
1115
01:21:49,380 --> 01:21:53,880
My comfort food is pasta and cheese of any kind.
1116
01:21:53,880 --> 01:21:55,880
Oh, yes.
1117
01:21:55,880 --> 01:21:57,400
He too.
1118
01:21:57,400 --> 01:21:59,880
How do you like your coffee in the morning?
1119
01:21:59,880 --> 01:22:01,020
Black.
1120
01:22:01,020 --> 01:22:05,360
Just plain black and hot.
1121
01:22:05,360 --> 01:22:07,840
Are you a cat person or a dog person?
1122
01:22:07,840 --> 01:22:09,400
A dog person.
1123
01:22:09,400 --> 01:22:10,400
Okay.
1124
01:22:10,400 --> 01:22:11,880
Do you have one or?
1125
01:22:11,880 --> 01:22:13,220
I have.
1126
01:22:13,220 --> 01:22:18,960
He passed away recently and so I miss him very, very much.
1127
01:22:18,960 --> 01:22:20,840
And I have a slight fear of cats.
1128
01:22:20,840 --> 01:22:24,840
So I'm working on it.
1129
01:22:24,840 --> 01:22:26,920
Sunrise or sunset?
1130
01:22:26,920 --> 01:22:27,920
Sunset.
1131
01:22:27,920 --> 01:22:29,920
Summer or winter?
1132
01:22:29,920 --> 01:22:30,920
Summer.
1133
01:22:30,920 --> 01:22:35,600
I'm a summer solstice baby so I have to say summer.
1134
01:22:35,600 --> 01:22:37,680
So now level two.
1135
01:22:37,680 --> 01:22:42,960
What skill have you always wanted to learn but haven't had a chance to?
1136
01:22:42,960 --> 01:22:44,960
Photography.
1137
01:22:44,960 --> 01:22:49,080
Oh, beautiful.
1138
01:22:49,080 --> 01:22:53,320
What is your word or words to live by?
1139
01:22:53,320 --> 01:23:01,080
Oh, my word for this year is effervescent.
1140
01:23:01,080 --> 01:23:05,040
So that's the one that's kind of guiding light for this year.
1141
01:23:05,040 --> 01:23:07,640
And how are you doing so far this year?
1142
01:23:07,640 --> 01:23:08,640
Ups and downs.
1143
01:23:08,640 --> 01:23:09,640
Ups and downs, okay.
1144
01:23:09,640 --> 01:23:13,640
As life is always.
1145
01:23:13,640 --> 01:23:18,840
You know, it's just there to kind of help guide things throughout the day and just be
1146
01:23:18,840 --> 01:23:20,840
like, okay, all right.
1147
01:23:20,840 --> 01:23:21,840
Great.
1148
01:23:21,840 --> 01:23:25,960
What is the most important quality you look for in other people?
1149
01:23:25,960 --> 01:23:29,680
I think the one that's the most meaningful to me is self-awareness.
1150
01:23:29,680 --> 01:23:36,280
I really work well with people that can see themselves and know what their motivations
1151
01:23:36,280 --> 01:23:39,200
are and what their values are and all of that kind of stuff.
1152
01:23:39,200 --> 01:23:46,760
It makes everything so much more enjoyable and clear and you just really feel like you
1153
01:23:46,760 --> 01:23:48,400
know people that way.
1154
01:23:48,400 --> 01:23:53,040
I want you to name three people who inspire you, living or dead.
1155
01:23:53,040 --> 01:23:59,240
Lorraine Hunt-Lieberson is like a singer that passed away, but she has always been just
1156
01:23:59,240 --> 01:24:00,920
such an inspiration to me.
1157
01:24:00,920 --> 01:24:06,280
So that's definitely musically someone that I find really inspiring.
1158
01:24:06,280 --> 01:24:11,760
My mom, I know that's kind of a silly answer, but I really, my mom is just so wonderful
1159
01:24:11,760 --> 01:24:15,440
and just really inspires me all the time.
1160
01:24:15,440 --> 01:24:20,680
As a musician, but also as just the way that she is compassionate and caring with people
1161
01:24:20,680 --> 01:24:24,360
and it means a lot to me.
1162
01:24:24,360 --> 01:24:25,800
And let's see here.
1163
01:24:25,800 --> 01:24:35,880
I also, I'm a giant nerd for Frederick Law Olmsted who is the creator, you know, the
1164
01:24:35,880 --> 01:24:39,200
Central Park, he's the person behind that.
1165
01:24:39,200 --> 01:24:40,200
Landscape person, right?
1166
01:24:40,200 --> 01:24:42,760
The landscape architect.
1167
01:24:42,760 --> 01:24:50,360
And I think that, so randomly, those are the people that, and I find a lot of like inspiration
1168
01:24:50,360 --> 01:24:56,560
from people who get really, they're just really passionate about what they do and then they
1169
01:24:56,560 --> 01:25:00,720
also just find all these ways to like welcome people into that thing.
1170
01:25:00,720 --> 01:25:07,200
So Frederick Law Olmsted is passionate about what makes a good public space and like a
1171
01:25:07,200 --> 01:25:15,240
park and you know, how do we feel invigorated from being in this natural environment without,
1172
01:25:15,240 --> 01:25:21,040
you know, overdoing something, but allowing nature to be so special and wonderful.
1173
01:25:21,040 --> 01:25:27,040
And so I think that that's, anyone that I get inspired by has those qualities of just
1174
01:25:27,040 --> 01:25:35,800
kind of getting really interested in something and then also just welcoming people into it.
1175
01:25:35,800 --> 01:25:37,720
And a little bit of obsession, right?
1176
01:25:37,720 --> 01:25:38,720
Yeah, yeah.
1177
01:25:38,720 --> 01:25:49,280
You know, I just get like so excited about certain ideas or sounds or shapes or timbers
1178
01:25:49,280 --> 01:25:50,680
or any of that kind of stuff.
1179
01:25:50,680 --> 01:25:58,600
And we just, it's like, it's really decorating your life experience in such a way where it's,
1180
01:25:58,600 --> 01:26:02,680
you know, life can be so hard.
1181
01:26:02,680 --> 01:26:11,520
And when we allow ourselves to stay in alignment, connected to our creativity and seeing that
1182
01:26:11,520 --> 01:26:19,400
around us, you know, seeing how things are creative and connected and all of that just
1183
01:26:19,400 --> 01:26:26,400
allows us to kind of, and I think that that's so important as artists is that we keep that
1184
01:26:26,400 --> 01:26:33,040
level of excitement, passion, obsession, you know, focus, that kind of like the hyper focus
1185
01:26:33,040 --> 01:26:42,400
on things that we do because it illuminates what's, you know, small but profound, you
1186
01:26:42,400 --> 01:26:48,100
know, and that's a really important quality that we bring to the world as artists.
1187
01:26:48,100 --> 01:26:51,760
So I want us to kind of stay close to that.
1188
01:26:51,760 --> 01:26:53,000
Now two more to go.
1189
01:26:53,000 --> 01:26:54,000
Okay.
1190
01:26:54,000 --> 01:26:55,000
Oh, okay.
1191
01:26:55,000 --> 01:26:59,480
I'm still rapid fire, rapid fire.
1192
01:26:59,480 --> 01:27:02,840
Name one piece in your current playlist.
1193
01:27:02,840 --> 01:27:03,840
Okay.
1194
01:27:03,840 --> 01:27:11,400
I listened to this artist as an EDM artist named Grizz and they came out with a track
1195
01:27:11,400 --> 01:27:15,600
called Airplane Mode, which is just about like disconnecting from everything and get
1196
01:27:15,600 --> 01:27:17,800
in, you know, having kind of summer feelings.
1197
01:27:17,800 --> 01:27:23,640
And because we are currently, you know, heading into summer, that's high on my playlist at
1198
01:27:23,640 --> 01:27:24,640
the moment.
1199
01:27:24,640 --> 01:27:25,640
Okay.
1200
01:27:25,640 --> 01:27:27,680
What's the name of the artist again?
1201
01:27:27,680 --> 01:27:30,680
His name is Grizz, G-R-I-Z.
1202
01:27:30,680 --> 01:27:36,760
So he is on hiatus at the moment, but definitely check out, you know, anything that he's recorded
1203
01:27:36,760 --> 01:27:41,780
before and created and it just feels, yeah, Airplane Mode is one of those tracks that
1204
01:27:41,780 --> 01:27:45,280
makes me feel like, ah, free.
1205
01:27:45,280 --> 01:27:46,560
Great.
1206
01:27:46,560 --> 01:27:48,040
I will check it out.
1207
01:27:48,040 --> 01:27:49,520
Now last question.
1208
01:27:49,520 --> 01:27:51,760
Fill in the blank.
1209
01:27:51,760 --> 01:27:55,000
Music is blank.
1210
01:27:55,000 --> 01:28:02,800
Well, music is sound ordered in time, but also music is connection for me.
1211
01:28:02,800 --> 01:28:07,480
And I think that that's, you know, so exciting.
1212
01:28:07,480 --> 01:28:08,480
So yeah.
1213
01:28:08,480 --> 01:28:09,480
So music is connection.
1214
01:28:09,480 --> 01:28:12,480
That's, that's what I feel.
1215
01:28:12,480 --> 01:28:13,480
Wonderful.
1216
01:28:13,480 --> 01:28:14,480
Ding, ding, you won.
1217
01:28:14,480 --> 01:28:20,240
This concludes the episode of the Piano Pulse.
1218
01:28:20,240 --> 01:28:28,360
Thank you, Megan, for joining my show and sharing such a positive energy and your stories,
1219
01:28:28,360 --> 01:28:29,360
insights and expertise.
1220
01:28:29,360 --> 01:28:30,800
You are amazing.
1221
01:28:30,800 --> 01:28:36,280
So for the Piano Pulse listeners and viewers, please visit livemusicproject.org to get
1222
01:28:36,280 --> 01:28:42,760
involved with the live music project and visit meganeenan.com to learn more about Megan.
1223
01:28:42,760 --> 01:28:45,800
Of course, I encourage you to follow them on social media.
1224
01:28:45,800 --> 01:28:48,520
All the links are listed in the show notes.
1225
01:28:48,520 --> 01:28:50,760
Thank you to my wonderful audience and fans for tuning in.
1226
01:28:50,760 --> 01:28:55,440
If you enjoyed today's episode, please rate and review it on whatever podcasting platform
1227
01:28:55,440 --> 01:28:56,440
you use.
1228
01:28:56,440 --> 01:29:03,580
Remember to hit the thumbs up button to subscribe to my YouTube channel and follow us on social
1229
01:29:03,580 --> 01:29:08,680
media to get the latest piano news via Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn.
1230
01:29:08,680 --> 01:29:11,000
I will see you for the next episode of the Piano Pulse.
1231
01:29:11,000 --> 01:29:12,000
Bye everyone.
1232
01:29:12,000 --> 01:29:13,000
Thank you, Megan.
1233
01:29:13,000 --> 01:29:14,000
Thank you.
1234
01:29:14,000 --> 01:29:15,000
Thank you so much.
1235
01:29:15,000 --> 01:29:32,040
Thank you so much.