How to perform at groupmuses (updated October 10, 2024)

Coordinating with the host

We highly recommend checking in with the host at least once before the groupmuse. You should receive an email with their contact information, and you can also contact them by clicking on their name on the event page (groupmuse.com/events/[your event number] ). Let them know what you’re planning, see if they have any questions, and ask about any special circumstances, like pets, instrument issues, or weather. If you’re worried about not enough people attending, ask the host about it! The closer you coordinate with them, the better the groupmuse will be.

For the privacy of our hosts, we ask that you do not share address information with any groupmusers, including those you invite personally. Please ask your guests, wherever possible, to rsvp at ww.w.groupmuse.com. Not only do RSVP costs contribute to keeping Groupmuse running, it also allows the hosts to prepare based on the number of people they open their homes to.

Day of the groupmuse: Your schedule

Your groupmuse will have a start time listed on the website. That start time is when doors open and when guests should start arriving, not when the music should start. You should plan to show up at the written start time and to start playing 30-45 minutes later, but you can work out a different schedule with the host if you’d like.

The emcee (who is often also the host) will help gather everyone before you start playing, and once everyone is seated, they will give a little speech we call "the Groupmuse spiel." They explain what Groupmuse is and what it’s all about, thank everyone for coming, and remind everyone to pay the musicians after the music. The emcee is also responsible for passing the hat after the performance and giving you the money they collect.

The performance

This is what it’s all about. You should plan to play two sets of about 20-25 minutes each, with a long break of up to 30 minutes in between. At least half of the program should be traditional historical music. Historical music is any music that is steeped in a long history of passing down technique and repertoire.

Before launching into your music, please speak and engage with the audience. They’re right in front of you, not far away in the seats of a concert hall. You can talk a little bit or a lot, whatever you think enhances your performance best. Groupmuse audiences love knowing about you and your music!

Tell a story with your music. It’s not an audition, so don’t worry about being perfect. Groupmuse guests aren’t there to judge you: they want to be taken on a journey. Show them the ups and downs, the developments and the recapitulations, as clearly and powerfully as you can!

Promote yourself. We encourage you to promote yourself anytime during your performance. Bring some CDs to sell, or collect people’s contact info on a signup sheet. Ask if anyone there wants to host you for a groupmuse next month. Bring business cards. It’s all great!

Getting paid

All Groupmuse guests should arrive understanding they’re expected to pay the musician at least $20 in cash or online at the event. (However, we never turn anyone away for lack of funds!) The emcee will remind everyone at least twice throughout the event, and will collect the payments after your performance. Groupmuse ensures that its musicians earn a minimum of $125 (as of May 23, 2024) each (up to 4 performers).

👉🏽 How to Collect Payments 👈🏽

Collect your cash payments from the emcee before the night is over. Online payments will be deposited directly into your account via Stripe. Guests can make online payments using our app or website, but you won’t do anything with either the night of. If you have any problems getting the online payments, send us a message at [email protected].

If you haven’t connected a Stripe account, you can do that here.

After the performance

After performing, check in quickly with the host. Then you are free to hang out longer at the groupmuse (which we recommend!) or to leave, as long as you’ve collected your cash payments.

We’ll send you an email after the performance for you to give us your summary of the event, including payment total and your feedback. You are required to submit this musician review form.

Congratulations on your groupmuse performance!

Protocol for minimum musician payments

Please fill out the musician review form after the groupmuse! This helps us figure out the total amount collected in cash so that we can calculate whether musicians are owed any additional funds.

If the groupmuse is public to the Groupmuse community, the Groupmuse Foundation will cover the difference of up to $125 per musician up to 3 performers. If it is a private groupmuse, the host will agree to cover the musician minimum.

If additional payment is needed, the Primary Musician for the event will need to reply to an automated email from us to confirm the review form was correct, and whether Stripe or Paypal is preferred for the remainder of the musician minimum payment.

Groupmuse staff will send the remainder of the minimum musician payment within 7-14 business days of your event. The primary musician will receive this and send it accordingly to the rest of the ensemble.

Hosting yourself

If you're interested in hosting yourself in your residence or another space, you will need to first get approved as a host. You can do so by filling out a host application form and someone from the Groupmuse Team will follow up with next steps. When hosting yourself, self-hosted groupmuses are not eligible for the musician minimum. To learn more about musician minimums, see the support article how to perform at groupmuses here.

Note: We will consider it the same as "hosting yourself" if you are being hosted by your immediate family or a member of the band that's playing. These events will also not be eligible for the musician minimum.