A virtual choir 2,000 voices strong | Eric Whitacre

TL;DR

Eric Whitacre shares his journey from aspiring pop star to classical composer and conductor, and explains his concept of creating virtual choirs through YouTube videos.

Transcript

I wanted to be a rock star. I dreamed of it, and that's all I dreamed of. To be more accurate, I wanted to be a pop star. This was in the late '80s. And mostly I wanted to be the fifth member of Depeche Mode or Duran Duran. They wouldn't have me. I didn't read music, but I played synthesizers and drum machines. And I grew up in this little farming ... Read More

Key Insights

• 🎵 The speaker dreamed of being a pop star but ended up being a classical composer and conductor after joining a choir in college.
• 💡 The transformative experience of joining a choir and feeling a part of something bigger than oneself.
• 🌍 The creation of a virtual choir, where individuals from all over the world submit videos of themselves singing a piece of music.
• 💻 The power of technology to connect people and create a sense of community, even in a virtual setting.
• 🎶 The success and popularity of the virtual choir, with millions of views and participants from 58 different countries.
• 🎤 The emotional impact and personal stories shared by participants in the virtual choir.
• ✨ The idea that human beings will go to great lengths to find and connect with each other, regardless of the technology used.
• 👥 The sense of camaraderie and belonging that participants in the virtual choir experienced, despite never having met in person.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Eric Whitacre's experience in college lead to his passion for choir?

When Eric Whitacre was invited to join the college choir, he initially declined due to stereotypes, but eventually joined and had a transformative experience hearing the choir sing together.

Q: How did Eric Whitacre come up with the idea of creating a virtual choir?

Eric Whitacre was inspired by a fan video of a young woman singing one of his pieces and decided to create a virtual choir by inviting singers from around the world to record their parts and post them on YouTube.

Q: How did the first virtual choir video perform?

The first virtual choir video, "Lux Aurumque," went viral and gained a million hits in the first month, attracting attention from viewers around the world.

Q: What was the goal for Virtual Choir 2.0?

The goal for Virtual Choir 2.0 was to surpass the number of participants in an MTV video where people from different countries sang a melody together, aiming to beat the record of 900 participants.

Q: How did the virtual choir experience impact participants?

Participants in the virtual choir felt a sense of connection and community, even though they had never met in person. They formed friendships and shared their experiences through testimonials on Facebook.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Eric Whitacre wanted to be a pop star but found his passion for choir through a college invitation.

• He started composing and conducting and eventually came up with the idea of creating a virtual choir through YouTube videos.

• The virtual choir gained viral attention and led to the creation of Virtual Choir 2.0, which had over 2,000 participants from around the world.