Kronos Quartet Artistic Administrator Sidney Chen recently spoke with the Future of Music Coalition for a podcast, in which he discusses the role the internet has played in the life of Kronos. From allowing for greater connectivity with existing fans and accessing new audiences via social networks and blogs, to opening the Quartet to new sounds and even new collaborations—like the highly successful Requiem for a Dream soundtrack, which came about after an unexpected e-mail, through the group's site, from the film's producer—the freedom and openness of the internet has had a significant impact on the group.

Kronos is a founding member of Future of Music's Rock the Net, a campaign to promote net neutrality. (Wilco has contributed a live version of "Impossible Germany" to a compilation album benefiting the organization.) Chen tells Future of Music:

We feel that a free and open internet, where the content isn't prioritized by another entity, whether it's the government or a private interest ... should be considered essential by every artist whose work doesn't fit into the narrow focus of consolidated mainstream media. And, it should also be considered essential for every listener whose interests extend beyond those limits ... Having an open internet has provided inspiration to Kronos. It has really influenced the work that we do ... We don't hear the world in a boundaried way, and the internet has allowed us to remove a lot of those boundaries.

There's much more from Sidney in the podcast available now at futureofmusic.org.