A YouTube Orchestra?

In an attempt to increase the amount of classical music on YouTube and build a community of classical music enthusiasts, YouTube and Google have announced that musicians can audition for a special Carnegie Hall concert. Google commissioned Tan Dun to compose a piece for orchestra. Entrants then download the sheet music for their part, and then upload their audition to YouTube. A jury panel picks a shortlist of finalists, and then the winners are chosen by YouTube users. The winners then get to perform in a Carnegie Hall concert conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas. 

Although it is a good opportunity for musicians, a major aim of this project is to raise the quality of content posted on YouTube. This is certainly a revolutionary project, and I'm sure that many highly talented musicians will submit auditions. I do doubt, though, that this one project will significantly increase the amount of interest in classical music on YouTube beyond the length of the concert. It will be very interesting to see the response to this initiative.

Read the NYTimes article 

--Erika