Grace Nikae Interview on Inner Rhythm

Grace Nikae was recently interviewed by Kavit Haria of Inner Rhythm on the subject of how she uses Web 2.0 to grow her audience. Grace utilizes a Flickr photostream, a YouTube channel, a MySpace page, Twitter, her blog Stretching Intervals, and a traditional website as her internet package with the goal of being able to reach out to audiences beyond the concert stage. Here is a short excerpt from the interview:

KH: Can you give a few quick examples of successful experiences you’ve had with social media?

GN: One of the most surprising discoveries that came about from my foray into social media has been meeting so many people who enjoy and like classical music, but are in many ways intimidated and frightened of it. This feeling has led many of them to not attend their local symphony orchestra concert, or to support the classical arts in their community. By connecting with them through social media, answering some of their questions, sharing aspects of my life and my creative process, I hope to bring classical music closer to them. I have also had artists in other creative fields connect with me and say that they realized something about their own work by reading something I wrote. This is really wonderful because it means that social media can also be used as a means of education, and as a means of contributing something to the arts in a way that extends far beyond me. There is a great satisfaction and fulfillment in that.

Although it seems that Facebook has become the most popular social media site among classical musicians (with its status updates, groups, and events proving very successful in filling concerts for those who know how to build networks and leverage them), classical musicians have been quite slow in utilizing other social media services that can allow them to reach an entirely new audience.