TwtrSymphony: Two Months and Flying High on the Power of our Musicians

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There is a lot of work that goes into creating a symphony orchestra, particularly in terms of gaining an audience. Re-inventing the orchestra takes time too, but we're off to a good start thanks to the power of our musicians!


TwtrSymphony started as a lark (pun intended) two months ago. What originally was as much a challenge, a dare, as an earnest idea is becoming something so much more. The blossoming of TwtrSymphony into the world is really due to the outstanding, enthusiastic musicians. We are followed by other orchestras, leading industry professionals and we are even speaking with potential sponsors all on the power of our social media network. While we approach performance in a very different way than other symphony orchestras, it is our extensive use of social media as a tool for connection which sets us apart.

 Our goal is to have our first piece "Birds of a Feather" --a symphony in four movements, out by mid-June.  This demanding schedule means musicians have to manage their practice time, then juggle recording and any other commitments in a fairly tight turn-around.  For some, this pace just isn't possible right now. After auditions in March, we ended up with 53 musicians.  Since then we have added some and said good-bye to some to bring our numbers to 60. I receive many inquiries each week from new musicians wanting to join our ranks.

Even though we haven't yet shown the fruit of our efforts, we are attracting attention.  Every day we're mentioned 10-20 times on Twitter, and nearly every tweet we post is re-tweeted at least once.  Our Facebook and Tumblr don't have thousands of fans, but we are reaching hundreds of people each day. Those numbers continue to grow.  In a previous post "Is there Still Interest in Playing with a Symphony Orchestra?" I quote a number of our musicians and their enthusiasm for this project.  Musicians want to make music and are eager to talk about the music they're making.

That's really the power behind TwtrSymphony --our musicians.  They are the ones talking us up, re-tweeting, commenting on our posts and spreading the news.  The reason musicians are tweeting, posting, blogging and otherwise talking about TwtrSymphony is because they are enthused about performing with the ensemble. The musicians enjoy the music they're playing, the project they're involved in and want to tell their friends and followers about it. This kind of "advertising" can't be bought. It is the authentic enthusiasm that the musicians bring to the table which makes it so effective.

TwtrSymphony is only two months old. We are still preparing out first recording, making it ready for public consumption. Yet, we're already accomplishing a notoriety unlike anything else I've seen in the classical music industry. We're making noise and not just in the concert hall; we are making the kind of noise that is getting us noticed. It is our musicians who are getting us all this attention, and in return, getting a lot of attention as well. Social Media is a two way street. They talk about us and we talk about them. Most important: they talk to and about each other. TwtrSymphony is a collective of musicians, who are not only interested in making music with TwtrSymphony; they are interested in the success of their fellow musicians. There is no limit to how high we can go with our musicians so dedicated to our success.

Follow our musicians by following this Twitter list.  Find out what they're talking about; it's more than just TwtrSymphony.


If you are interested in learning more about TwtrSymphony visit: http://www.chipmichael.com/TwtrSymphony. Although we are in the midst of recording our first piece, we're always looking for musicians with the dedication and enthusiasm to dare to do something different. Contact us for information on how to audition.  TwtrSymphony - a new concept in the symphony orchestra.

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