Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Ihnen
Hi Megan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
The Live Music Project (LMP) began in 2014 with a simple yet powerful idea: access to live music should be as easy as finding a good book to read or a great restaurant to try. “Access to the arts begins with access to information about the arts,” is how we like to think about it. We know that the desire to experience classical music is there and what’s often missing is clear, accessible information about when and where to go.
At first, LMP focused on Seattle and the Puget Sound region, helping eager listeners connect with local ensembles, orchestras, and artists. Over time, the platform grew beyond Seattle, attracting listeners and practitioners from across the country. Today, we serve over 180,000 users annually, making it one of the most comprehensive classical music discovery tools available. We connect people with live performances, giving audiences the tools to discover music that speaks to them while supporting artists and ensembles in building their audiences.
Our work is deeply community-centered. We believe in celebrating listener agency, meaning we respect the interests and musical tastes of our audience. LMP covers a broad spectrum of classical music, from ancient/early music to traditional classical works to contemporary or experimental compositions. Whether someone is looking for a Mozart symphony, a Baroque harpsichord recital, or a cutting-edge new music performance, they can find it on LMP.
Atlanta is an exciting step forward for LMP. With deep cultural roots and a thriving arts scene, the city is home to extraordinary musicians and innovative ensembles. Our Executive Director has a personal connection to the region, having worked at South Arts, and one of our board members, Rachel Ciprotti, calls Atlanta home, reinforcing our commitment to this community. As we expand our presence here, we’re eager to help strengthen the ties between artists and audiences, ensuring that live classical music is both seen and heard.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road to building something truly impactful is never without its twists and turns. Early on, our biggest challenge was shifting mindsets. Many artists and ensembles were used to traditional promotional methods such as flyers, word of mouth, or their own websites. At the outset of LMP, our Founder, Shaya Lyon, noticed a fundamental problem: many musical organizations were sharing their entire concert seasons as static JPG images on their websites (making them completely unreadable to search engines like Google.) That meant audiences searching for live classical music weren’t finding these concerts at all. Convincing artists and organizations to shift toward a centralized, structured platform wasn’t only about visibility for individual performances. It was about strengthening the entire classical music ecosystem. LMP was designed to be non-hierarchical and to encourage listener agency, but it also has a massive technical advantage: it’s exceptionally strong in SEO. By adding concerts to our calendar, alongside an artist’s own website or social media, musicians increase their own visibility and they benefit from the collective SEO power of the entire classical music scene in their city. Over time, as more organizations saw the impact, trust in LMP grew, and so did its reach.
Funding has also been an ongoing challenge. LMP is free for both audiences and artists, which means our work is sustained entirely by grants, donations, and the generosity of those who believe in our mission. Unlike ticketed platforms that take a cut of sales, we operate as a public service, which ensures accessibility but requires constant fundraising to maintain and expand our reach.
The pandemic posed another major test. With live performances coming to a standstill, we had to quickly pivot, helping musicians and organizations adapt to virtual performances. The resilience of the classical music community during this time was remarkable, and we were honored to play a role in keeping music alive and available.
Through all of these challenges, our belief has remained steady: music is an art form and it’s the real, live thread that connects us as a community. The ability to join your neighbors in a shared space, listening to other neighbors make extraordinary music, is essential. But the ways we’ve historically shared information about these experiences have been gutted. You can see how newspaper listings have vanished, social media is silo-ed, and algorithms favor paid promotions over community-driven discovery. If we don’t build new ways to connect people with live music, we risk losing not just audiences but the very fabric of what makes local music scenes thrive. LMP exists to ensure that doesn’t happen. The work is never easy, but it is always worth it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
At its core, LMP is about creating connections between audiences and performances, between artists and new listeners, between communities and their cultural lifeblood. We believe that we’re both a classical music advocacy and tech-for-good non-profit. We provide an equitable and comprehensive concert calendar that serves musicians, ensembles, and audiences alike.
We specialize in visibility and accessibility.
For audiences, we make it easy to be curious. A beautifully curated concert experience is often just around the corner, but if people don’t know about it, they won’t go. We make it easy for them to find performances that fit their interests, schedule, and budget.
For artists and ensembles, we amplify their work. Whether it’s a chamber group in an intimate venue or a major orchestra in a grand hall, every performance deserves the chance to find its audience.
For the classical music ecosystem as a whole, we champion discovery. Whether someone is searching for a Bach cantata or an avant-garde new music experience, they can find it on LMP.
What sets us apart is that we focus exclusively on classical music, embracing its full breadth—from Medieval choral works to cutting-edge electronic compositions and beyond. And the best part? Everything we offer is free. As practicing musicians ourselves (LMP Executive Director Megan Ihnen, a mezzo-soprano, and Calendar Editor Soren Hamm, a saxophonist) we understand firsthand the challenges of reaching audiences and building community through live performance. That experience fuels our commitment to making classical music more inviting and accessible for both listeners and artists.
A college student looking for an affordable concert? We’ve got them covered.
A small ensemble seeking a bigger audience? We help make that happen.
A curious listener wanting to dip their toes into classical music? We make the experience welcoming and unintimidating.
By making live music easy to find, we are helping to fill concert halls and we’re enriching communities.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
LMP is a collective effort, made possible by a dedicated network of artists, supporters, and visionaries who believe in what we do.
~~ Our board members have been instrumental in guiding our growth. With Rachel Ciprotti based in Atlanta, we’re already deeply invested in the city’s musical landscape.
~~ Our founder, Shaya Lyon, whose continued vision and deep understanding of technology, journalism, and the arts created the foundation for what LMP is today. Our current Executive Director, Megan Ihnen, brings leadership and a deep personal commitment to the arts. Her time at South Arts gave her a firsthand understanding of the region’s rich artistic culture, and she continues to expand LMP’s reach while staying true to its founding mission.
~~ Musicians and ensembles are the heartbeat of our work. Without them, there would be no concerts to share, no performances to attend, and no spellbinding musical experiences.
~~ Our incredible volunteers, from our Software Development Team to Calendar Squad, keep LMP running smoothly. Their generosity of time and talent makes everything possible.
~~ Our funders and grant organizations have provided essential support, allowing us to expand and innovate while keeping our platform free and accessible.
Ultimately, this is a project driven by community. Every person who shares an event, invites a friend to a concert, or donates to support our mission is part of what makes LMP thrive.
Pricing:
- Our commitment to accessibility means that LMP is—and always will be—free.
- Free for listeners—Anyone can browse our concert listings and find performances at no cost.
- Free for artists & ensembles—Musicians and arts organizations can list their events without paying a fee, ensuring that financial constraints never limit visibility.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.livemusicproject.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livemusicproject
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LiveMusicProject
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-live-music-project/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LivemusicprojectOrgCommunity
Image Credits
Michelle Surkan
Scott Colesby
James Holt
Shaya Lyon
