ABA & GLP | Innovation Field Notes
Through their innovative online platform, Groupmuse brings professional musicians together with new audiences in the living rooms of local community hosts. These intimate classical music events have swept across the United States, making Groupmuse the “Airbnb of classical music.” Despite its recent arrival, the concept of GroupMuse harkens back to the tradition of 19th century European salon culture in which an artist like Franz Schubert would often perform for friends gathered around a piano in the privacy of someone’s home. In the spirit of these Schubertiades, Groupmuse invites audiences to listen to live music while sitting on the floor or on a couch a few feet away from performers. This provides the opportunity to observe the interaction among the musicians and talk with them while sipping a glass of wine. Ranging from intimate events with 30 people to large Massivemuse shows with hundreds of attendees, Groupmuse opens up new professional employment opportunities for musicians.
The growth of Groupmuse raises the prospect of diverse new possibilities for performers and audiences in wide-ranging settings from private homes, to concert halls, and online. At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Groupmuse kept supporting musicians by implementing online activities, pivoting to digital streaming concerts from performers’ studios. Groupmuse has recently added a not-for-profit foundation to their structure to support further growth. Plans include increasing minimum payments to musicians, promoting inclusion and celebration of works by artists of African descent, and providing tools and training to assist the 21st century musician in acquiring the skills and know-how to livestream and re-enter concert spaces safely.
Find out more about Groupmuse here.
Authored by GLP 2022 Cohort members
Alberto Acquilino (Canada & Italy), Steven Edwards (United States), Francesco Rocco (Italy), Kelly Suthers (United States).
