Awareness: Live Broadcast Streaming
Last year I set out to solve one of the most common problems faced by performing musicians: someone I know lives in another state/country and cannot watch me perform. I was spurred on by a colleague in the saxophone studio whose parents were in South Africa during his Senior recital. I thus investigated live streaming options for use in Esber Recital Hall, which slowly turned into a side business: CW Studios.
The reception to this project has been fantastic. While the main goal is to allow friends and family to participate in life acheivements even if they are not in Pennsylvania, it also has broader implications. Increased viewership of concerts and recitals means increased awareness of Penn State's music program. It also means greater connections to alumni that have the potential to contribute financially to the program. Additionally, the increased awareness contributes to a greater sense of community, as we can now all participate in performances even if we're in a different country.
In the first semester of live streaming, we averaged approximately 500 unique visitors per month. As awareness has grown, this number swelled to over 1,000 unique viewers per month in the spring. It is my hope that this project becomes integrated into the school of music to the point that we become recognized as a leader in broadcast technologies in the musical arts.
If you would like to view videos of performances from this past year, you can do so at: