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A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. For this episode of “Obbligato,” a show dedicated to AAPI classical musicians, composers, and scholars, host Isabel Li interviews Indian American composer Reena Esmail, who blends Hindustani musical themes with western classical compositional styles. Music in this episode: – This Love Between Us “Prayers for Unity”: II. [Sikhism] – Lacrimosa (from Malhaar: a Requiem for Water) – Terra infirma: IV. roaming the ghost forest Transcript Isabel Li: I'm Isabel Li, here for a new edition of “Obbligato,” which explores the AAPI community in the classical music world. Today, we're featuring the Indian American composer Reena Esmail and her unique compositions that blend Hindustani music with Western classical styles and how she writes music about religion, spirituality, and even environmentalism. Welcome, Reena, to Apex Express. Reena Esmail: Hey! It's so great to be here. IL: My first question for you is one that's probably a little bit loaded, but how do you identify and what's your story? RE: I don't know, it's interesting because I work in many different situations, and I think I always identify as the thing that isn't whatever the dominant situation is that I work in. Right? So it's like when I'm in America, I identify as an Indian American. When I'm in India, I identify as an American. When I'm working in Western classical music, I'm the person who knows stuff about Hindustani music. When I'm working in Hindustani music, I'm the person who knows stuff about Western music. So really. Actually, I think of identity not as a fixed thing, but as how you, um, delineate yourself, how you're unique in the situation you're in. You know, it's interesting because especially in the case of Asian Americans, Asia is such a broad thing, right? There are so many more East Asians in Western classical music than there are South Asians. Certainly in my generation. You know, I was surrounded by Chinese, Korean, some Japanese people who were always, you know, playing the piano when I was playing the piano. And, um, there really was not many other Indian people. And, you know, I'll, I'll actually say that even within India, um, you know, if you look at me in America, I'm just Indian. If you look at me in India, I have a very unusual lineage, which is that my dad is from the region of Gujarat and his family is Muslim. My mom is from the region of Goa and her family is Catholic. And so because of that, when I was expressing interest in music, My mom was the one who had more of kind of a musical knowledge in her family, even though there's no professional musicians in her family. So because Goa was colonized by Portugal, there is this element of Western classical music in Goan culture. And so because of that, my mom was like, oh, let's give her guitar lessons, let's give her piano lessons. And so that's how I landed up in Western classical music as opposed to doing Indian classical music. Um, so yeah, I kind of went through the Western classical scene. I was very interested in being a pianist. And, you know, I'm glad that I'm glad I'm a failed pianist in all honesty, because I see what my colleagues who are real, you know, professional pianists have to go through. And I just don't think I have what it takes to do that. It's really an intense job. Um, but when I was in high school, um, one of my theory teachers kind of said, hey, you know, you might be a composer. It seems like you think like a composer thinks, why don't you try composing and why don't you try writing things down? and one thing led to another. And basically a year and a half to two years after studying, I got one of a very few spots in the undergrad program in composition at Juilliard. And that was a point where my parents kind of said, okay, you know, we don't know a lot about the music world, but it seems like if she got into Juilliard, she's probably like somewhat good at this. Maybe we should kind of see how this goes. And, you know, from there on, I pursued composition. IL: And when and why did you start to study Indian classical music, which is a big element in your compositions now? RE: Yeah, absolutely. So I think it's interesting because in every generation, I've seen so much change in how the diaspora views itself. And certainly when I was growing up, you know, I know this is hard to believe, but there were not if you were an Indian going to school, you were kind of the only one. If you were an Indian music, you were kind of the only one. So there was this element where when I went to Juilliard, um, there were I to my knowledge, two Indians in the entire school, me and an actress who had actually come from Calcutta. And so people were trying to, you know, make conversation with me and they'd be like, well, you know, do you do stuff with Indian classical music? And I would just be like, no, I'm trying so hard to even write music for orchestra and, you know, string quartet and all the things that my peers are trying to do. Like, is that not enough? Because I'm Indian, I also have to be doing all this other stuff. And so I resisted it for a long time because I was just trying so hard to do one thing well. But then, you know, I think what, what made me kind of unique is that, you know, I stood out, I was Indian and then, you know, when I was young, that felt really cool. The older I got, the more I thought, well, you know, I know I'm from this culture that has incredible music and I know it when I hear it, I know nothing about it, and maybe I should actually pursue it. And so I really separately kind of started meeting Indian musicians who lived in New York, and I would just ask them questions, and I got to know them. And I realized that while we didn't share a type of music, we did share a culture and we did share a love of music because it is interesting that the culture of Indian classical music is actually quite similar to the culture of Western classical music. You know, you study with a teacher over a really long period of time. You're practicing for hours a day. The kind of personality that would love Western classical music would also love Indian classical music. And so I just made friends with some of these Indian classical musicians. And of course, being a composer, I thought, why don't I put them in my music? You know, how do I do that? And so it was really just curiosity that led me down that path. And for many years, that path was very separate. Because again, I know it's very hard to believe now, but there was a time where people really did not want these cultures to be combined, and people just really looked down on cultures that were not, you know, the dominant Western European classical culture. And so I kept them really separate. And even when I started combining them, people were like, oh, that's sweet. She does stuff with Indian music, you know? And it was really not taken seriously. It's only really in the last decade that people have been embracing other musical cultures. And I mean, how glad I am that that's happening. But it was very, very hard fought and very separate at first. IL: And on that note, how do you navigate the unique challenges of composing with both these cultures in mind, but also being situated in the United States, where people come from all different backgrounds? And how do you as a composer approach that in this context? RE: I mean, I think it's interesting because first of all, I am musically bilingual now, so I can. I went to India, I studied Indian classical music. Seriously. I still work with Indian classical musicians very closely. And so, you know, I can be working on a piece that has Indian classical musicians in it, and I can turn to them and immediately speak in their language and their musical language. And then I can turn to the Western musicians and speak in their musical language. So every single piece I write, especially the ones that involve Indian classical musicians. There is a way through those pieces, both through the Western lens and through the Indian lens. And so I think I'm working in a position where I actually do know how to speak both those languages. And when you do speak both those languages, you know, just the way that if you speak any two, you know, verbal languages, you would know that there are sounds that are cognates. And so you're like, oh, I say the sound. So maybe and it means one thing in one culture and one thing in another culture. But you know that that sound is the same. And so with musical language, you can actually use those musical cognates to connect across cultures by saying, just listen for this thing. And when you listen for this thing, interpret it through the lens of your own culture. So that's certainly how I work. But, you know, I mean, again, I want to say that's not the only way to work. I don't think that you have to be, you know, I mean, again, there's probably most people who are listening to this probably have one musical culture and then maybe they know much less about the other musical culture. That is also fine. You know, you don't need to be an expert in order to want to explore and, and love a thing that's just, you know, where I am because it's the, the center of my musical practice. IL: Well, let's hear a selection from Reena Esmail's oratorio, “This Love Between Us.” This is the second movement titled Sikhism. David Hill conducts Juilliard415 with the Yale Schola Cantorum. [MUSIC: This Love Between Us “Prayers for Unity”: II. Sikhism] IL: That was Sikhism, the second movement from the oratorio This Love Between Us by Reena Esmail, who is here in conversation with me today on KPFA for APEX Express. Something that I really found interesting in especially your work — and I'm sure this has been asked many times, but This Love Between Us: Prayers for Unity. This oratorio that you wrote, beautiful work where you use words from the seven major religions of India. And each movement of the choral work is also named after a different religion. In what ways did you adhere to or challenge norms of spiritual music? Because religion is so religion and music are so deeply tied together. How did you challenge those norms or how did you express those norms when you wrote this work? RE: You know, I think it's interesting because my own spiritual background is very kind of multi spiritual multi-faith. But like I said, my, my father is, is my father's side of the family is Muslim. My mom's side of the family is Catholic. My husband is Hindu. All of them grew up in a very singular practice in each of their religions. But for me, I grew up, you know, around my mom and my dad and then, you know, my husband later. And just there's a part of me that takes in the essence of each of these spiritual traditions. And, you know, I'm trying to kind of find what feels true to me in each of those places. And so to me, you know, this love between us is, is a place where I'm trying to essentially say, yes, we express things differently through whatever cultural, uh, history, that language or that that religion emerged through. And yet we're all trying to get at that same numinous thing. And, you know, I mean, I'm not saying, oh, all religions are the same. Definitely not. You know, there's, there's many different ways to practice things. And, you know, your unique way into your spirituality is your own. And that's, that's amazing. But also, we all kind of our cultures form religions for a certain reason, and it's because we want to try to understand things that are beyond ourselves. And so that's essentially what the piece is saying. So I know I'm sure there are purists who are like, you shouldn't be combining these things, but, you know, there's always going to be purists who do that and there's a role for that. But that's not really my role. So, I mean, I picked the pieces and I picked the religion specifically because of the numbers of people who practice that religion currently within India. And so it is like the largest, um, populations, you know, like Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, all, all of those things. And then there's one little tiny religion, Zoroastrianism. And while they are not, there's not many of them within India. They are the ones who are practicing Western classical music in India. So people like Zubin Mehta and all, they are Parsis that are Zoroastrians. So I thought, you know, it's important to include them too, because it's a piece that involves a lot of Western classical musicians. IL: I'm wondering now, as a composer who's working with music of different languages and religions and origins and also evoking a lot of these spiritual truths that are pretty universal in nature. What is your view on the function of music? There's the platitude that music is a universal language. Do you how to what extent do you agree with that? RE: You know, yeah, it's hard to, to, um, to think of music as a universal language. But I think sometimes we, how can I say this? It's such a broad question. When we are working in a form that isn't completely narrative, it gives us a little more chance to get at things that don't have to follow logically after one another. They're just feelings that we're able to feel. And I like working even when there are words, you know, there are certainly words in all of these, these, uh, pieces in this love between us. But I feel like sometimes we just feel something within us. And, you know, I experience this a lot when I have a piece performed, people will come up to me and say like, oh, this made me feel like this. And then the next person will come up to me and say, oh, this made me feel exactly the opposite thing. And I, I really love that we can have those experiences. And, you know, recently it's been really interesting because people have been asking these questions like interviewers, you know, before performances will be like, well, what do you want the audience to feel? And I'm like, oh, I don't want to answer that question. I want you to feel whatever you feel. There's nothing right to feel. And often, I mean, I'm not the one to ask. I'm so close to the music because when I'm listening, I'm thinking like, okay, was that C sharp in tune? Okay, you know, that's what I'm feeling. And I certainly don't want them to feel that. So I don't know. I think it's, it's just exciting to see how when we get out of these, what we should do this and this is the right thing to do. And this is the only way to do it. Um, how do we behave? And there are so few spaces left where if we don't say exactly the right words at the right time to the right people, you know, if we don't have exactly the right opinions that everyone around us has, We are so condemned and music might be one of the last places that we're allowed to feel whatever's inside of us. IL: Mhm. That's really interesting to think about. I think art in general is very beautiful because it allows people to interpret it in many different ways. I think for your music, you really draw on cultural specificity in terms of Hindustani music. What advice would you give to other young composers or also maybe artists of different mediums in creating that balance between specificity and universality? RE: Yeah, I think the thing is that the way into a deep practice is specificity. You know, I know people have asked me like, oh, you've done stuff with Indian music. Are you going to do stuff with other music? And I'm like, gosh, there's still so much to explore. I could have like three lifetimes and still not explore everything I want to explore just in the relationship between Indian and Western classical music. I mean, goodness knows I have four degrees in Western classical music, and I still am barely scratching the surface of it. Right. So I kind of feel like specificity is important because it allows you to access depth. And yet, you know, when you are specific about a certain thing, um, like for instance, like a scholar who only speaks Italian, I mean, they're going to know more than someone who maybe speaks five words of each language, right? So they can transfer over at a higher level and make more sophisticated points and understand the world with a more universal lens if they've gone really deep on one thing. So I would say, you know, to young composers, to young musicians, pick one practice and know it really, really well and deeply become go as far as you possibly can and then, you know, try to see if you can find relations between your primary practice and a different practice. Um, and I mean, some people, you know, I know in this generation that's coming up, that's like in their teens and twenties, there are South Asian, uh, kids who are here whose parents have come from India that are learning Indian and Western classical music side by side. And I think that's great. I mean, that's awesome. But I would also say make sure you don't just learn halfway. Both of those things, you know, if you're going to learn them, if at least with one thing, try to go as absolutely far as you can. IL: Let's hear another example of Reena Esmail's bilingual musicality with her work, Malhaar: A Requiem for Water, which was recorded fairly recently. The vocalist is Graycen Gardner with the choir conducted by Amy Fogerson. [MUSIC: Lacrimosa (from Malhaar: a Requiem for Water)] IL: Composer Reena Esmail used Indian classical instruments in that work, titled Malhaar: A Requiem for water. The vocalist was Graycen Gardner, with the choir conducted by Amy Fogerson. Percussionist was Rohit Panchakshari. I'm Isabel Li in conversation with composer Reena Esmail on this edition of Apex Express here on KPFA 94.1 FM. So when you integrate Hindustani classical Hindustani music, Indian classical music and those instruments into your scores, did you happen to did you have to develop a way to translate the notation of those notes in Western classical music notation, or vice versa? RE: Yeah, it it begs the greater question of what is notation for? Right? Because notation is essentially a way for Western musicians who read notation to look at a thing and be able to associate sounds with that thing. And so when I'm notating for Western classical musicians, I'm saying, okay, what is a cellist typically seeing and what are they doing based on what they're seeing? And then how can I take that language that they know really well that they play in Bach suites, that they play in Elgar, Cello Concerto, whatever it is, how can I take that language and just move it, you know, a couple degrees outward so that they're able to express different things, right? And so it's very much a psychological thing. You know, it's not a science the way that we think of it as and we learn it as this, oh, you know, eighths and sixteenths, and they divide this way. There's a lot you can do just to make someone feel a certain way with notation. On the other hand, if I'm writing for a sitar or tabla, the question is what? What is the role of the notation? Because the role of the notation for tabla player who has only Hindustani training and doesn't read music. It's certainly not for the tabla player that I'm doing the notation. Usually what I'll do is sit down with the tabla player in a, you know, more Hindustani style and say, hey, this is what I want. I want you to have like six overtones of teental. It should be at this tempo, blah, blah, blah. And they're like, oh, got it. I see what you want me to do. Right? And so all you need to figure out is the alignment points with the Western classical musicians. And so then the notation I put in the score is not really for them. It's for a conductor, for the Western musicians to be able to understand what they are doing and to be able to cue them in and help them kind of be in dialogue to one another. So it's interesting because, I mean, these days now I'm finding that there are tabla players who are both Indian and Western classical trained, and they want a part, but parts are not a thing. When I first wrote This Love Between Us, there were no parts for the tabla and sitar player. I actually had a cue sheet that I would actually point to as they were going, so that they knew, you know, what the different cues were because a part, you know, counting rests and stuff is not going to help them at all. So I think it's mostly trying to understand how is someone perceiving something and how can you give them the information they need in the most seamless way possible so that you can express what you want to express? IL: I love how technical that entire rundown was. I also wanted to talk a bit about your work, Terra Infirma, which is pretty recent. I had the honor of attending the premiere of Terra Infirma, a harp concerto that you composed based on your experiences with the Los Angeles fires in January of 2025. Um, it was such a wonderful work. I personally really loved hearing how you musically depicted the progression of a wildfire from despair to hope. It's also not the first environment based piece that you've written. YYou've written, for example, Earth Speaks in 2015. How do you approach composing works that are so rooted in environmentalism? And of course, have, have the undertones of speaking to the larger climate crisis at hand? RE: The thing that is interesting is, you know, someone was asking me about that piece, you know, you, you're, they're asking like, how do you kind of deal with activism in your work? And I was saying like, you know, I don't really think of myself as an activist because I think these issues are so fundamental to all of us, right? It's like you turn on your tap and you're just afraid that there's only going to be so long before water stops coming up. That's not, um, it doesn't feel like activism. It just feels like, you know, fear and it feels like we're tapping into these human emotions where people are so worried about what's going to happen. We don't really know what to do. And I think, you know, with anything, most people who have fear about things, you're going to just clam up if you feel that it's too, um, too much to deal with. And it is I mean, the environmental crisis is so huge that I think most people are just clamming up. And I guess, you know, what is our role as musicians? I think it's maybe to have some moments where we're not just like on our phones, seeing pictures of things burn down and freaking out where we can actually take some time to just reflect and be with one another. Because if we're going to solve this, it's going to be together and we need to come to some kind of like calm understanding of what is happening. And so a lot of my pieces are not accusatory. They're not, you know, pointing a finger. They're not supposed to rile people up. They're supposed to actually depict that experience of what it feels like to really sit with a hard thing for a long time and come to terms with it and then figure out how to move forward. And that's certainly the case with Terra Infirma and certainly the case with my Requiem. Certainly the case with curiosity, like you were saying, it's from Earth Speaks, which is many years ago. And that piece actually talks about the, the Pasadena institution's. It was actually for an organization called Pasadena Master Chorale. They commissioned the work many years ago. And what's so funny is I now live in Pasadena. I live in Altadena, up in the hills. So it's I wasn't living here at the time, but it is, you know, a place where many scientific institutions like the U.S. Geological Survey, you know, JPL, Caltech, all these places that are really exploring the environment in important ways are based. And so the piece kind of honors that and honors how we can interact positively with our environment. We can get data, we can find ways to do things that are, I mean, beyond my understanding, you'd have to ask a scientist, but but I just love that that we're in this place that sees the environment as something to understand more deeply instead of something that's just going to turn on us at a certain point. IL: Certainly. And I'm really curious, because Terra Infirma is also a work that was paired with multimedia animation and performance. Was there anything in your compositional process that differed when you're collaborating across these different mediums? RE: Yeah. So it's interesting because so the, there was, there were projections that were happening. And also in addition to that, it was a harp concerto, but a harp concerto where the harpist was also playing percussion. And so there were some elements that were so different than what would be typically like if harpist was like, I want a concerto. You would just be like, okay, you know, she sits there, she plays these notes. They're in that one position. That's all fine. Um, there was so much more, you're right with this piece than with, um, with my normal pieces. Um, and to me it's both, how can I say this? There's, there's such a different way I have to think about it, but I think that way starts with collaboration. So Yolanda Kondonassis, the incredible harp player, and Camilla Tassi, who was the production designer. These are people I know well and I've had multiyear relationships with. And so when you're thinking about how to build something, you're totally aware of what their work is like. I knew kind of the not even what Camilla's projections were going to look like, but the way that they interact with things. We've done projects together before. And so I pretty much had the sense of how she was going to respond. And I knew what she needed to know in order for her to do her work and make things kind of match up with one another. And then also with Yolanda, a lot of the stuff I put in that was like harp and percussion together. It wasn't something that I was making her do, right? It were things that we came up with together. We've spent so long workshopping things in percussion studios in, um, you know, we've met in all these different cities and we're basically like banging things against a harp and doing, you know, just so much experimentation. So for every technique you see in the concerto, you, um, you basically there's like ten things that we didn't do that didn't put in. So you're really only seeing the best of all the kind of crazy stuff that we tried. So I do think the thing is that when you're trying to invent something new and you're trying to invent new styles and new techniques, I mean, you can think of anything, but you're trying to find the things that A practically work and B allow the performers and the artists to really express themselves. So I found that I was actually choreographing the piece before I was composing it, um, that I had to figure out, okay, where are these percussion setups going to be? What are the instruments that I want? Okay. Are these chimes going to be like over her head? Or is she going to have to reach really far to get them? Are they going to be near the low end of the harp? Things like that that seem so practical. But the difference between having to reach out far and slowly versus having to like, quickly swat something near your ear, right? It makes a different choreography. And so I thought that way first. And then I kind of put the notes and rhythms and melodies and stuff in. IL: Let's now hear a selection from Reena Esmail's Terra Infirma. This is the fourth movement titled “Roaming the Ghost Forest.” Yolanda Kondonassis is the harpist with the Interlochen Center for the Arts Orchestra. [MUSIC: Terra infirma: IV. roaming the ghost forest] IL: The harpist was Yolanda Kondonassis with the Interlochen Center for the Arts Orchestra, playing the fourth movement of Terra Infirma by composer Reena Esmail. I'm Isabel Leigh, and in this episode of Apex Express, I'm joined by Reena Esmail, the composer, in conversation about her music and her approach to making art. Something else that I really was fascinated with on your on your Instagram account. You actually made a post a while back that I found to be very powerful. It's pinned as the letter to the young artists' immigrant parents. It's such an empathetic message that I also really relate to as a daughter of immigrants in the arts. And you kind of argue that these children's pursuit of the arts is a tribute to their parents immigrant struggles. Um, what motivated you to write this letter? RE: You know, I'm so glad you asked about that because so much has changed since I wrote that letter in a really good way. You know, first of all, I will say that when I wrote that letter, if you weren't a child of, you know, like Asian immigrant parents, you. And actually, I think this is true for most immigrant parents who, you know, have kind of given up everything to move to America so that their kids can explore all these opportunities they wouldn't get in their country of origin. When I first wrote this letter, it was really just, I felt like I was saying something really new. And now I think what's really interesting is that we have both parents who understand this and, um, kind of almost this parody way of seeing what Asian parents are like. Right. For me, one thing that I, that just makes my heart sing is the comedy of Zarna Garg. I don't know if you know who she is, but she is like an Indian American comic and she plays this role of being like this very typical Indian parent. And I will say, my parents weren't really like this because again, they were two different religions and married one another. So they were already quite open minded. But like 99% of Indian parents and even my parents, sometimes they have this thing of like, well, ‘why are you going into this?' Like you should make money, you should do this stuff. And I feel like, um, since Zarna's comedy came into the world, it's such an easy way to just point a finger at that and say, hey, this is what we're really dealing with as Indian immigrants. And, you know, we all just laugh at it. And I find that, you know, sometimes my friends who are just, you know, white Americans who have been in this family has been in this country for many generations. They don't get it. But like anyone who's a child of immigrant is like, oh yes, I completely understand what she's saying. So we have that. And I think that's really healthy and awesome. And she's very talented. Um, and on the other hand, I found that when I was first going into music and I mean, I, you know, when I was 18 and I was going to go to Juilliard, my parents were certainly supportive and curious and wanted me to do whatever they thought I might be good at enough to make a living and didn't want to optimize for, oh, you need to earn the most money or you need to, etc. but most other Indians around us were like, oh my God, she's so smart. Why is she like wasting her life doing music? You know, that was kind of the dominant narrative. And so I had to become very good at explaining why. And imagine my complete disbelief when I would go to conservatory and meet people whose parents had encouraged them to do music. I was like, what is happening? Like, we're like, there'd be four siblings and all of them would be in the arts. And I was like, oh wait, you're not the black sheep of your family. Like, I mean, half of my family, I don't think really knows what I do still even. Right? And so to me, it was so important to provide some kind of context. And like you said, it's like to, to come to this country and be an immigrant and to come with a lot of skills, but to have to just work in silence for so many years with no congratulation, with no one just constantly propping you up. That is what being an artist is. And you know, it's only maybe the past 10 years of my career that I've even been visible to people. Before that, it was just me doing my thing and like, no one cared about it. It was not not glamorous at all. And for me, that's what built the kind of strength in me to be able to sustain the career that I have now. And so I think if it had been a little too easy, I don't know that I would be able to handle, um, the, what I have now. So I think what's great though is that the Indian parents of kids who are teenagers and in their twenties nowadays are not coming to me being like, oh my God, what do I do with this kid who wants to be a musician? I've failed as a parent. Which again, for those of you who are not Asian, this is totally a true thing out there. They will come to me and say, hey, look, my, my child doesn't wants to be a musician. I want to help them. I can't tell like, are they good at this? Where should they be? Can you help me understand things? And that is really what my parents did. And I will, you know, kind of go further to say — PBS did a special on me a number of years ago, and I insisted on putting my parents in this special because I wanted people to see what it looked like to have really encouraging Indian parents who, again, they weren't going in blind. They were. They would go to my teachers and be like, well, I mean, is she good? Can she do this? We don't know what these answers are. Can you help us understand? And they really relied on the right people to be able to help me get to places that they couldn't get, but they also weren't just immediately dismissive of it. And that's what allowed me to kind of have a massive advantage, because I didn't have to also go back to school and do a medical degree. Or like most of my my peers of my age actually did. So I wanted to put them on that special to actually show that that is possible. And I'm seeing more and more that it is. There are many more parents like that now. And oh my goodness, I love every one of them. IL: That's wonderful. When you look back at your compositional career and how everything has changed since then, how do you think your work has evolved? RE: Oh, so you mean like since I began being a composer? IL: Yeah. Or maybe in the past ten years, even. RE: Yeah. It's interesting because I think one of the big inflection points in my work was when I did my Fulbright in India. So before that, I really didn't know very much about Indian classical music. And then the year before that, I really started to get deeper and started to integrate my Indian and Western classical world with one another. And then, you know, I from 2011 to 2012, I went to India and what was so different was actually seeing the music in its culture and actually getting to participate as an Indian in India, studying Indian classical music. Right. Because there's no filter. You're not going through a Western filter. You're just there in this culture. And I know that many of my Indian teachers, they kind of had this attitude of like, look, we don't know what kind of music you were doing before, but we're so glad you're here and studying your own music. And this is great. And so there wasn't this sense of having to go through another culture to get to their, their music. And to me, that really changed things because I don't see myself as writing music. That's one through the conduit of the other. I just see it as two streams that are equally incredible and equally independent, and they just meet each other in these interesting places. IL: And looking ahead into the future, is there an ensemble or an artist who you haven't worked with before that you'd love to work with? Ooh. It's interesting because, like, almost everyone who comes to mind is not a musician. Um, I've worked with so many. I mean, truly, I've been so lucky to work with musicians like Gil and Orli Shaham. Yolanda Kondonassis. I'm writing a piece for Hilary Hahn and Matthias Goerne right now. It's I mean, just like literally anyone who I could ever ask to work with, I have. I don't know. I mean, to me, it's like, gosh, someone like Misty Copeland would be amazing. Like, you know, there are so many actors like the world of Indian/South Asians in comedy and in drama and stuff like that is just incredible. People like Mindy Kaling who have done incredible things to me, people like that are just going outside of just music would be fascinating to me. IL: Absolutely. And I will put a link to your website, as well as the links to the music that will also be aired on this in this episode on KPFA.org, so our listeners can learn more about you and your wonderful work. Well, Reena, thank you so much for your time and thank you for talking to me today. RE: Absolutely. The post APEX Express – 8.06.26 – Obbligato – In Conversation with Composer Reena Esmail appeared first on KPFA.

An independent investigation commissioned by the Interlochen Center for the Arts documented approximately 70 firsthand accounts of alleged sexual misconduct by adults affiliated with the prestigious Michigan arts school and summer camp. Investigators conducted about 180 interviews and identified 47 accused individuals, including faculty members, teachers, residence staff, donors, trustees and visitors. The reported conduct stretched from the 1950s through the 2010s and ranged from grooming, sexual comments and inappropriate touching to allegations of rape, oral sex and long-term sexual relationships between adults and students. Former students described lasting consequences, including PTSD, damaged relationships, extensive therapy and abandoning musical or artistic careers because Interlochen had become inseparable from the abuse they said they experienced.The investigation began after a former student reported alleged misconduct by longtime faculty member Byron Hanson, leading Interlochen to invite other alumni to come forward. Seven alumni gave firsthand accounts involving Hanson from the 1960s and 1970s, while numerous other employees and associates were accused of misconduct across later decades. The report also expanded scrutiny of Jeffrey Epstein's access to the campus: two alumni reported sexual contact by Epstein after meeting him through Interlochen, where he was a donor and maintained a lodge. Interlochen said none of the 47 accused individuals remains employed there, referred the names to prosecutors and law enforcement, and announced additional safety, accountability and survivor-support measures while acknowledging that the institution must confront the harm described by its former students.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:70 Interlochen students allege past grooming, sex assaults by 47 adults

An independent investigation commissioned by the Interlochen Center for the Arts documented approximately 70 firsthand accounts of alleged sexual misconduct by adults affiliated with the prestigious Michigan arts school and summer camp. Investigators conducted about 180 interviews and identified 47 accused individuals, including faculty members, teachers, residence staff, donors, trustees and visitors. The reported conduct stretched from the 1950s through the 2010s and ranged from grooming, sexual comments and inappropriate touching to allegations of rape, oral sex and long-term sexual relationships between adults and students. Former students described lasting consequences, including PTSD, damaged relationships, extensive therapy and abandoning musical or artistic careers because Interlochen had become inseparable from the abuse they said they experienced.The investigation began after a former student reported alleged misconduct by longtime faculty member Byron Hanson, leading Interlochen to invite other alumni to come forward. Seven alumni gave firsthand accounts involving Hanson from the 1960s and 1970s, while numerous other employees and associates were accused of misconduct across later decades. The report also expanded scrutiny of Jeffrey Epstein's access to the campus: two alumni reported sexual contact by Epstein after meeting him through Interlochen, where he was a donor and maintained a lodge. Interlochen said none of the 47 accused individuals remains employed there, referred the names to prosecutors and law enforcement, and announced additional safety, accountability and survivor-support measures while acknowledging that the institution must confront the harm described by its former students.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:70 Interlochen students allege past grooming, sex assaults by 47 adultsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-moscow-murders-and-more--5852883/support.

July 30, 2026 ~ Detroit Free Press investigative reporter Dave Boucher discusses a major independent investigation that found allegations of abuse and exploitation involving dozens of adults and students at the Interlochen Center for the Arts over several decades. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

An independent investigation commissioned by the Interlochen Center for the Arts documented approximately 70 firsthand accounts of alleged sexual misconduct by adults affiliated with the prestigious Michigan arts school and summer camp. Investigators conducted about 180 interviews and identified 47 accused individuals, including faculty members, teachers, residence staff, donors, trustees and visitors. The reported conduct stretched from the 1950s through the 2010s and ranged from grooming, sexual comments and inappropriate touching to allegations of rape, oral sex and long-term sexual relationships between adults and students. Former students described lasting consequences, including PTSD, damaged relationships, extensive therapy and abandoning musical or artistic careers because Interlochen had become inseparable from the abuse they said they experienced.The investigation began after a former student reported alleged misconduct by longtime faculty member Byron Hanson, leading Interlochen to invite other alumni to come forward. Seven alumni gave firsthand accounts involving Hanson from the 1960s and 1970s, while numerous other employees and associates were accused of misconduct across later decades. The report also expanded scrutiny of Jeffrey Epstein's access to the campus: two alumni reported sexual contact by Epstein after meeting him through Interlochen, where he was a donor and maintained a lodge. Interlochen said none of the 47 accused individuals remains employed there, referred the names to prosecutors and law enforcement, and announced additional safety, accountability and survivor-support measures while acknowledging that the institution must confront the harm described by its former students.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:70 Interlochen students allege past grooming, sex assaults by 47 adultsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Interlochen Center for the Arts is moving to demolish Green Lake Lodge, a building originally funded by Jeffrey Epstein and once named for him before the school stripped his name from campus after learning of his 2009 criminal conviction. Epstein had attended Interlochen's summer camp in 1967 and later donated to the institution from 1990 to 2003. The lodge, built along Green Lake, was used to house donors and, at times, Epstein himself. Interlochen says it previously investigated his activities on campus after his first conviction and again after his 2019 arrest, claiming it found no evidence that Epstein committed crimes at the school. Still, the building has become impossible for the institution to separate from Epstein's legacy, and Interlochen's board says demolishing it is now the appropriate step.The renewed scrutiny comes after recently released Justice Department files and prior reporting showed Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell met alone with at least one student at the lodge, an encounter the woman later described as the beginning of grooming behavior. Interlochen says it does not allow unsupervised donor-student visits, but that claim only raises more questions about how Epstein and Maxwell ended up alone with a student in the first place. Michigan lawmakers have signaled plans to investigate Epstein's activities at Interlochen, while the school says it has cooperated with investigators and will respond to oversight bodies as needed. The demolition may remove the physical structure, but it does not erase the larger issue: Epstein was embedded deeply enough in elite institutions that even a children's arts camp in northern Michigan became part of the long, ugly paper trail.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Interlochen to demolish lodge tied to Jeffrey Epstein | News | abc12.com

Interlochen Center for the Arts is moving to demolish Green Lake Lodge, a building originally funded by Jeffrey Epstein and once named for him before the school stripped his name from campus after learning of his 2009 criminal conviction. Epstein had attended Interlochen's summer camp in 1967 and later donated to the institution from 1990 to 2003. The lodge, built along Green Lake, was used to house donors and, at times, Epstein himself. Interlochen says it previously investigated his activities on campus after his first conviction and again after his 2019 arrest, claiming it found no evidence that Epstein committed crimes at the school. Still, the building has become impossible for the institution to separate from Epstein's legacy, and Interlochen's board says demolishing it is now the appropriate step.The renewed scrutiny comes after recently released Justice Department files and prior reporting showed Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell met alone with at least one student at the lodge, an encounter the woman later described as the beginning of grooming behavior. Interlochen says it does not allow unsupervised donor-student visits, but that claim only raises more questions about how Epstein and Maxwell ended up alone with a student in the first place. Michigan lawmakers have signaled plans to investigate Epstein's activities at Interlochen, while the school says it has cooperated with investigators and will respond to oversight bodies as needed. The demolition may remove the physical structure, but it does not erase the larger issue: Epstein was embedded deeply enough in elite institutions that even a children's arts camp in northern Michigan became part of the long, ugly paper trail.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Interlochen to demolish lodge tied to Jeffrey Epstein | News | abc12.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-moscow-murders-and-more--5852883/support.

Interlochen Center for the Arts is moving to demolish Green Lake Lodge, a building originally funded by Jeffrey Epstein and once named for him before the school stripped his name from campus after learning of his 2009 criminal conviction. Epstein had attended Interlochen's summer camp in 1967 and later donated to the institution from 1990 to 2003. The lodge, built along Green Lake, was used to house donors and, at times, Epstein himself. Interlochen says it previously investigated his activities on campus after his first conviction and again after his 2019 arrest, claiming it found no evidence that Epstein committed crimes at the school. Still, the building has become impossible for the institution to separate from Epstein's legacy, and Interlochen's board says demolishing it is now the appropriate step.The renewed scrutiny comes after recently released Justice Department files and prior reporting showed Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell met alone with at least one student at the lodge, an encounter the woman later described as the beginning of grooming behavior. Interlochen says it does not allow unsupervised donor-student visits, but that claim only raises more questions about how Epstein and Maxwell ended up alone with a student in the first place. Michigan lawmakers have signaled plans to investigate Epstein's activities at Interlochen, while the school says it has cooperated with investigators and will respond to oversight bodies as needed. The demolition may remove the physical structure, but it does not erase the larger issue: Epstein was embedded deeply enough in elite institutions that even a children's arts camp in northern Michigan became part of the long, ugly paper trail.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Interlochen to demolish lodge tied to Jeffrey Epstein | News | abc12.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Interlochen Center for the Arts is moving to demolish Green Lake Lodge, a building originally funded by Jeffrey Epstein and once named for him before the school stripped his name from campus after learning of his 2009 criminal conviction. Epstein had attended Interlochen's summer camp in 1967 and later donated to the institution from 1990 to 2003. The lodge, built along Green Lake, was used to house donors and, at times, Epstein himself. Interlochen says it previously investigated his activities on campus after his first conviction and again after his 2019 arrest, claiming it found no evidence that Epstein committed crimes at the school. Still, the building has become impossible for the institution to separate from Epstein's legacy, and Interlochen's board says demolishing it is now the appropriate step.The renewed scrutiny comes after recently released Justice Department files and prior reporting showed Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell met alone with at least one student at the lodge, an encounter the woman later described as the beginning of grooming behavior. Interlochen says it does not allow unsupervised donor-student visits, but that claim only raises more questions about how Epstein and Maxwell ended up alone with a student in the first place. Michigan lawmakers have signaled plans to investigate Epstein's activities at Interlochen, while the school says it has cooperated with investigators and will respond to oversight bodies as needed. The demolition may remove the physical structure, but it does not erase the larger issue: Epstein was embedded deeply enough in elite institutions that even a children's arts camp in northern Michigan became part of the long, ugly paper trail.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comsource:Interlochen to demolish lodge tied to Jeffrey Epstein | News | abc12.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-moscow-murders-and-more--5852883/support.

After Jeffrey Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting sex from a minor became public, one of the most controversial aspects of his continued influence was how he managed to maintain deep ties to elite academic institutions — particularly Harvard University. Despite being a registered sex offender, Epstein retained an office connected to Harvard through his relationship with the university's Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, which had originally been established during the presidency of Lawrence Summers. Epstein had donated money to the program and continued visiting campus regularly even after his conviction, meeting with professors, scientists, and prominent intellectuals while presenting himself as a wealthy patron of science and academic research. Reports later revealed that Epstein's name was associated with office space and university access long after many institutions publicly claimed to have distanced themselves from him. Critics argued that Harvard's willingness to keep the door open to Epstein after his conviction reflected the broader culture of elite protection surrounding powerful donors, where wealth and influence often appeared to outweigh moral accountability.Another troubling element of Epstein's academic and social network involved his association with a secluded cabin property tied to the prestigious Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan. Epstein reportedly sponsored and maintained access to a private cabin near the campus, using it as part of his broader network of elite social spaces connected to young artists, intellectuals, and rising talent. Former associates and reporting on Epstein's movements described the cabin as one of several properties and retreat-style locations where Epstein cultivated relationships with academics, performers, scientists, and influential figures away from public scrutiny. The revelations fueled further questions about how Epstein embedded himself so deeply into elite educational and cultural institutions for years after his criminal conduct was already widely known, with critics arguing that institutions repeatedly ignored glaring warning signs because of the prestige, money, and connections Epstein brought with him.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-moscow-murders-and-more--5852883/support.

After Jeffrey Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting sex from a minor became public, one of the most controversial aspects of his continued influence was how he managed to maintain deep ties to elite academic institutions — particularly Harvard University. Despite being a registered sex offender, Epstein retained an office connected to Harvard through his relationship with the university's Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, which had originally been established during the presidency of Lawrence Summers. Epstein had donated money to the program and continued visiting campus regularly even after his conviction, meeting with professors, scientists, and prominent intellectuals while presenting himself as a wealthy patron of science and academic research. Reports later revealed that Epstein's name was associated with office space and university access long after many institutions publicly claimed to have distanced themselves from him. Critics argued that Harvard's willingness to keep the door open to Epstein after his conviction reflected the broader culture of elite protection surrounding powerful donors, where wealth and influence often appeared to outweigh moral accountability.Another troubling element of Epstein's academic and social network involved his association with a secluded cabin property tied to the prestigious Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan. Epstein reportedly sponsored and maintained access to a private cabin near the campus, using it as part of his broader network of elite social spaces connected to young artists, intellectuals, and rising talent. Former associates and reporting on Epstein's movements described the cabin as one of several properties and retreat-style locations where Epstein cultivated relationships with academics, performers, scientists, and influential figures away from public scrutiny. The revelations fueled further questions about how Epstein embedded himself so deeply into elite educational and cultural institutions for years after his criminal conduct was already widely known, with critics arguing that institutions repeatedly ignored glaring warning signs because of the prestige, money, and connections Epstein brought with him.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.com

After Jeffrey Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting sex from a minor became public, one of the most controversial aspects of his continued influence was how he managed to maintain deep ties to elite academic institutions — particularly Harvard University. Despite being a registered sex offender, Epstein retained an office connected to Harvard through his relationship with the university's Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, which had originally been established during the presidency of Lawrence Summers. Epstein had donated money to the program and continued visiting campus regularly even after his conviction, meeting with professors, scientists, and prominent intellectuals while presenting himself as a wealthy patron of science and academic research. Reports later revealed that Epstein's name was associated with office space and university access long after many institutions publicly claimed to have distanced themselves from him. Critics argued that Harvard's willingness to keep the door open to Epstein after his conviction reflected the broader culture of elite protection surrounding powerful donors, where wealth and influence often appeared to outweigh moral accountability.Another troubling element of Epstein's academic and social network involved his association with a secluded cabin property tied to the prestigious Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan. Epstein reportedly sponsored and maintained access to a private cabin near the campus, using it as part of his broader network of elite social spaces connected to young artists, intellectuals, and rising talent. Former associates and reporting on Epstein's movements described the cabin as one of several properties and retreat-style locations where Epstein cultivated relationships with academics, performers, scientists, and influential figures away from public scrutiny. The revelations fueled further questions about how Epstein embedded himself so deeply into elite educational and cultural institutions for years after his criminal conduct was already widely known, with critics arguing that institutions repeatedly ignored glaring warning signs because of the prestige, money, and connections Epstein brought with him.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.com

After Jeffrey Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting sex from a minor became public, one of the most controversial aspects of his continued influence was how he managed to maintain deep ties to elite academic institutions — particularly Harvard University. Despite being a registered sex offender, Epstein retained an office connected to Harvard through his relationship with the university's Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, which had originally been established during the presidency of Lawrence Summers. Epstein had donated money to the program and continued visiting campus regularly even after his conviction, meeting with professors, scientists, and prominent intellectuals while presenting himself as a wealthy patron of science and academic research. Reports later revealed that Epstein's name was associated with office space and university access long after many institutions publicly claimed to have distanced themselves from him. Critics argued that Harvard's willingness to keep the door open to Epstein after his conviction reflected the broader culture of elite protection surrounding powerful donors, where wealth and influence often appeared to outweigh moral accountability.Another troubling element of Epstein's academic and social network involved his association with a secluded cabin property tied to the prestigious Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan. Epstein reportedly sponsored and maintained access to a private cabin near the campus, using it as part of his broader network of elite social spaces connected to young artists, intellectuals, and rising talent. Former associates and reporting on Epstein's movements described the cabin as one of several properties and retreat-style locations where Epstein cultivated relationships with academics, performers, scientists, and influential figures away from public scrutiny. The revelations fueled further questions about how Epstein embedded himself so deeply into elite educational and cultural institutions for years after his criminal conduct was already widely known, with critics arguing that institutions repeatedly ignored glaring warning signs because of the prestige, money, and connections Epstein brought with him.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-moscow-murders-and-more--5852883/support.

After Jeffrey Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting sex from a minor became public, one of the most controversial aspects of his continued influence was how he managed to maintain deep ties to elite academic institutions — particularly Harvard University. Despite being a registered sex offender, Epstein retained an office connected to Harvard through his relationship with the university's Program for Evolutionary Dynamics, which had originally been established during the presidency of Lawrence Summers. Epstein had donated money to the program and continued visiting campus regularly even after his conviction, meeting with professors, scientists, and prominent intellectuals while presenting himself as a wealthy patron of science and academic research. Reports later revealed that Epstein's name was associated with office space and university access long after many institutions publicly claimed to have distanced themselves from him. Critics argued that Harvard's willingness to keep the door open to Epstein after his conviction reflected the broader culture of elite protection surrounding powerful donors, where wealth and influence often appeared to outweigh moral accountability.Another troubling element of Epstein's academic and social network involved his association with a secluded cabin property tied to the prestigious Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan. Epstein reportedly sponsored and maintained access to a private cabin near the campus, using it as part of his broader network of elite social spaces connected to young artists, intellectuals, and rising talent. Former associates and reporting on Epstein's movements described the cabin as one of several properties and retreat-style locations where Epstein cultivated relationships with academics, performers, scientists, and influential figures away from public scrutiny. The revelations fueled further questions about how Epstein embedded himself so deeply into elite educational and cultural institutions for years after his criminal conduct was already widely known, with critics arguing that institutions repeatedly ignored glaring warning signs because of the prestige, money, and connections Epstein brought with him.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Grammy®-nominated harpist Yolanda Kondonassis has released the new album "Terra Infirma" just ahead of Earth Day. In this interview, our very own harpist Christa Grix speaks with Yolanda about the album which includes world premiere recordings of major new works by acclaimed composer Reena Esmail. The album also includes violinist Vijay Gupta, the Interlochen Center for the Arts Orchestra and Chorus, conductor Andrew Grams and choral director Carter Smith.

iIt's not just college basketball Madness – the bracket busters extend into the halls of Congress where two of Donald Trump's legion of incompetents got busted over the administration's war on Iran … and on the American people.  Michigan's two Senators took part in the Homeland Security Committee's grilling of onetime MMA fighter and plumber Markwayne Mullin who is set to inherit Kristi Noem's office … presumably minus any romancing with Corey Lewandowski. Elissa Slotkin tried to get a commitment that ICE agents won't be showing up at voting precincts in November … with a response that wasn't exactly reassuring. Gary Peters reminded Mullin that it's Republicans who are voting against getting paychecks for TSA employees at airports. Peters re-emphasized what he said on last week's episode of this podcast about the growing mess at airports. Also on our poli-radar this week The Trump grift-and-grab family found another opportunity for personal enrichment. Jared Kushner, the not-a-government-employee who is taking the lead on Middle East negotiations, is simultaneously soliciting $5-billion from Middle East potentates in the form of investments in the Kushner wealth management company. In Michigan, state House Speaker MAGA Matt Hall is taking a page out of the Donald Trump Ego-Massage Manual, bragging about winning an apparently fictitious award for government transparency. The problem with the organization honoring Hall? It apparently doesn't exist. State Democrats responded by offering Hall with the equally bogus SAD Award, or Speaker's Asinine Decision Award. Oakland County hosted Vice President James Donald Bowman – or is it James David Hamel? Or is he sticking with J.D. Vance? Whatever he calls himself, the self-proclaimed Appalachian Hillbilly checked in to tell Michiganders “don't believe your eyes and ears: the economy is really just peachy.” The Jeff Epstein web of debauchery threatens to tarnish Michigan's famed Interlochen Center for the Arts, with state Democrats calling for an investigation into what they described as disturbing connections between Epstein, his associate Ghislaine Maxwell and the northern Michigan arts institution.  Donald Trump says a former living President privately supported the Middle East War and wishes he had done it, with all four former living Presidents denying that they've even talked with Trump about the war. But … we haven't heard denials yet from President Jeb Bartlet or President Frank Underwood, or the ghost of the late great Abraham Lincoln. Michigan is a national political center of attention. Governor, U.S. Senator, Secretary of State, Attorney General, the entire congressional delegation and the entire legislature are all on the ballot in November. Covering all of this is Bridge Michigan's outstanding political reporter Lauren Gibbons. Lauren covers state politics and policy for Bridge Michigan. Prior to joining Bridge’s Capitol team, she worked at MLive, where she led coverage of the state Legislature and the redistricting process, and before that covered the state Senate for MIRS News.  She has covered the ins and outs of Michigan politics for nearly a decade and has won awards both for her political coverage and her work documenting the Larry Nassar sexual abuse case. Lauren grew up in the Lansing area and graduated from Michigan State University, majoring in journalism and history. She lives in Ferndale, and her party tricks include Irish dancing and telling friends what political districts they live in without looking. We’re now on YouTube every week! Click here to subscribe. A Republic, If You Can Keep It is sponsored by © Clay Jones — https://claytoonz.substack.com  

We've been pulled into a few different rabbit holes this week, and it's yet again a crazy ass ride. First, we look into Epstein's ties to the Interlochen Center for the Arts summer camp in Michigan, and its infamous “Epstein Lodge”. We also learn the whistleblower's identity who worked at the jail who posted on 4Chan the night of Epstein's death (and what he said was pretty damning to say the least!). And lastly, we discuss the fact that the FBI willingly wiped the jail cell tapes to destroy all of the evidence from the night. Not sketchy at all!

Clarinetist Katia Waxman, oboist Daniel Gurevich and pianist Ya-Ju Chuang played the final movement of the Trio for Oboe, Clarinet and Piano by Bill Douglas and spoke with IPR's Amanda Sewell. These three Interlochen faculty musicians will perform with guest flutist Alisa Smith in two recitals of woodwind chamber music with piano. The program features works by Eugène Bozza, Joseph Horovitz, Claude Debussy and Bill Douglas will be held on Saturday, February 28 at 7:30 p.m. at the Alluvion, part of the Interlochen in Town series. The musicians will also give an informal preview of the recital in the Music Center at Interlochen Center for the Arts on Thursday, February 26 at 7:30 p.m.

Trey Devey is President of Interlochen Center for the Arts, where he leads one of the world's most influential institutions for the education and development of young artists. Since assuming the presidency in 2017, he has guided Interlochen through a period of transformation—completing a decades-long campus plan, launching new global and online programs, and navigating the profound disruptions of the pandemic while strengthening the institution's mission and long-term sustainability. Prior to Interlochen, Trey served as President of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Pops Orchestra, and Cincinnati May Festival, where he led a financial turnaround, restored artistic capacity, and helped raise more than $225 million to secure the organization's future. In this episode, we trace Trey's journey from trombone student to consultant, orchestra executive, and president of a global arts institution—exploring the decisions that shaped him, the realities of leading through uncertainty, and his vision for educating not just exceptional artists, but citizen artists prepared to shape the future.

In the late 1990s, Jeffrey Epstein donated money to the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan, a relationship that later drew scrutiny after it was revealed he had access to a private cabin on or near the Interlochen campus. Reporting and survivor accounts indicate Epstein used the cabin while visiting the school, raising serious concerns about safeguarding and oversight, particularly given what is now known about his long-running pattern of sexual abuse of minors. At the time, Epstein was presented as a wealthy patron of the arts, and there is no evidence that Interlochen officials were publicly aware of the full scope of his criminal behavior, which had not yet been exposed.Critics argue, however, that the arrangement exemplifies how elite institutions failed to apply adequate due diligence or enforce strict boundaries when accepting money and access from powerful donors. While Interlochen has stated that it has no evidence abuse occurred on its campus and that it severed ties with Epstein once his crimes became public, the episode has continued to trouble survivors and advocates as a case study in institutional blind spots. The presence of a secluded cabin connected to Epstein, in a setting dedicated to young students, has become part of the broader reckoning over how Epstein leveraged philanthropy and cultural credibility to embed himself in environments that demanded far greater scrutiny than they received.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

Interlochen is a small town in NW Lower Michigan near Traverse City and is home to the Interlochen Center for the Arts and WIAA Radio. I grew up near there and it's  a great little town.   Check out: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interlochen,_Michigan   - Episode Title: "Welcome to Interlochen" - Host: Mike Dell - Location: Interlochen, Michigan, 15 miles from host's home - Personal Connection: Frequent visits for brunch and family gatherings - Key Feature: Interlochen Center for the Arts - a renowned performing and visual arts school - Population: 694 (2020 census), significantly increased by summer music camp attendees - Nearby Family: Sister lives in the area - Geographical Context: Reference to US highways nearby - Town Status: Unincorporated, with its own post office and ZIP code - Infrastructure: Small airport with two grass runways; ongoing tension with township regarding its existence - Name Origin: "Interlochen" - Latin for "between" and Scottish for "lakes," located between Green Lake and Duck Lake - Concert Venue: Arts academy venue accommodates ~4,000, with views of Green Lake - Winter Activities: Ice fishing on Green Lake, driving across a frozen ice bridge - Community Memories: Hanging out at state park beach, deep-fried smelt culinary experience - Graduation Venue: Traverse City Public Schools holds ceremonies at Kresge Auditorium in Interlochen - Notable Alumni: Includes Chip Davis (Mannheim Steamroller) and singer Jewel - Next Episode Tease: Focus on an interesting building in Traverse City

Interlochen is a small town in NW Lower Michigan near Traverse City and is home to the Interlochen Center for the Arts and WIAA Radio. I grew up near there and it's  a great little town.   Check out: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interlochen,_Michigan   - Episode Title: "Welcome to Interlochen" - Host: Mike Dell - Location: Interlochen, Michigan, 15 miles from host's home - Personal Connection: Frequent visits for brunch and family gatherings - Key Feature: Interlochen Center for the Arts - a renowned performing and visual arts school - Population: 694 (2020 census), significantly increased by summer music camp attendees - Nearby Family: Sister lives in the area - Geographical Context: Reference to US highways nearby - Town Status: Unincorporated, with its own post office and ZIP code - Infrastructure: Small airport with two grass runways; ongoing tension with township regarding its existence - Name Origin: "Interlochen" - Latin for "between" and Scottish for "lakes," located between Green Lake and Duck Lake - Concert Venue: Arts academy venue accommodates ~4,000, with views of Green Lake - Winter Activities: Ice fishing on Green Lake, driving across a frozen ice bridge - Community Memories: Hanging out at state park beach, deep-fried smelt culinary experience - Graduation Venue: Traverse City Public Schools holds ceremonies at Kresge Auditorium in Interlochen - Notable Alumni: Includes Chip Davis (Mannheim Steamroller) and singer Jewel - Next Episode Tease: Focus on an interesting building in Traverse City

Join "Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey and special guest Janet Eilber this episode of  "Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey, host Joanne Carey  speaks with Janet Eilber, the artistic director of the Martha Graham Dance Company. They discuss Janet's early beginnings in dance, her time at the Juilliard School, being a teenager in NYC as well as her experiences with the Martha Graham Technique, and the profound impact of Martha Graham's teachings on her career. Janet shares insights into her roles within the company, the creative process of Martha Graham, and the legacy she aims to uphold as artistic director. They also explore the upcoming celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the company, innovative projects, and the importance of engaging audiences through open rehearsals.Janet Eilber has been Artistic Director of the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance Company since 2005 pioneering new forms of audience access to the Graham legacy. Ms. Eilber is a graduate of the Juilliard School where she was mentored by teachers of the Graham and Limón legacies and directed by José Limón in several of his classics. While still at Juilliard, she was invited to join the Graham Company where she worked closely with Martha Graham for almost a decade. She danced many of Graham's greatest roles, had roles created for her by Graham, and was directed by Graham in most of the major roles of the repertory. She soloed at the White House, was partnered by Rudolf Nureyev, starred in three segments of Dance in America, and worked with Graham's major collaborators such as Isamu Noguchi, Aaron Copland and Halston.  She has since taught, lectured, and directed Graham ballets internationally for companies such as the Dutch National Ballet and the Paris Opera Ballet. Apart from her work with Graham, Ms. Eilber has co-starred in films such as Whose Life is it Anyway? with Richard Dreyfuss, and Romantic Comedy with Dudley Moore.  She was featured in several television series in the 1980s, and danced and acted on and off Broadway directed by such greats as Agnes DeMille and Bob Fosse. For her performance in Stepping Out directed by Tommy Tune, she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Featured Actress in a Play. Ms. Eilber received four Lester Horton Awards for her reconstruction and performance of seminal American modern dance. She served as Director of Arts Education for the Dana Foundation, guiding the Foundation's support for Teaching Artist training and contributing regularly to its publications. She is a Trustee Emeritus of the Interlochen Center for the Arts and was recently honored with a Doctorate of Fine Arts from the Juilliard School.At the 2022 celebration of the 50th anniversary of her first performance with the Martha Graham Dance Company, Ms. Eilber received a congratulatory letter from President and First Lady Biden saluting her half-century contribution to the arts in America.  She is married to screenwriter/NYU professor John Warren, with whom she has two daughters, Madeline and Eva.To find out more⁠https://marthagraham.org/company/⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow the company on Instagram@marthagrahamdance⁠“Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Careywherever you listen to your podcasts. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dancetalkwithjoannecarey.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Follow Joanne on Instagram @westfieldschoolofdance Tune in. Follow. Like us. And Share. Please leave a review! “Dance Talk” ® with Joanne Carey "Where the Dance World Connects, the Conversations Inspire, and Where We Are Keeping Them Real."

Winston "Jack" Budrow, former ISB board member, passed away on September 4, 2024, at age 79 after a brief hospice stay. Jack retired from Michigan State University's College of Music, where he served as professor of double bass and co-chair of the string area. His distinguished career encompassed both performance and teaching, including positions with the Houston Symphony and as principal bass in the North Carolina Symphony. His students have secured positions in prestigious orchestras worldwide, from Atlanta to Oslo. During summers, Jack also taught at the Interlochen Center for the Arts. For his exceptional teaching, Jack received Michigan's 2014 String Teacher of the Year award from the American String Teachers Association and the ISB's 2017 Special Recognition Award for Teaching. He will be remembered for his joyful presence and rollicking humor. This interview was conducted by John Grillo and Jason Heath in 2008, and a partial transcript of the interview is available here.   Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!   Connect with us all things double bass double bass merch double bass sheet music   Thank you to our sponsors! Upton Bass - From Grammy Award winners and Philharmonic players like Max Zeugner of the New York Philharmonic, each Upton Bass is crafted with precision in Connecticut, USA, and built to last for generations.  Discover your perfect bass with Upton Bass today!   Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio is a valued part of an innovative fine arts community in a top research university. Students receive weekly private lessons and solo classes with Micah Howard, and Peter Guild teaches weekly Orchestral Literature and Repertoire. They encourage students to seek lessons and guidance from local bassists. Members of the Symphony, the Opera, and the Ballet provide annual classes and individual attention. Visit Micah's website to sign up for a free online trial lesson here. theme music by Eric Hochberg

Jeffrey Epstein donated and funded a secluded cabin—once known as the Jeffrey Epstein Scholarship Lodge—located on the campus of the Interlochen Center for the Arts, a prestigious performing arts school in northern Michigan. Epstein, a former camper himself, began supporting the school in the 1990s and reportedly stayed at the lodge for up to two weeks annually, including as late as August 2000. The cabin was used by Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell in at least one documented visit in 1998, supported by trial testimony and flight records.The property became a focal point in Ghislaine Maxwell's sex-trafficking trial, where accuser testimony revealed Epstein and Maxwell first approached a 14‑year‑old student between music classes at Interlochen's summer camp in 1994, leading to grooming and abuse that followed for years. In response to the scandal, Interlochen renamed the property the Green Lake Lodge, severing its formal association with Epstein.To contact me:Bobbycapucci@protonmail.comSource:https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12588528/jeffrey-epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-woodland-boarding-school-target-pupils/Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-epstein-chronicles--5003294/support.

On the Season 2 finale episode I sit down with the beautiful, the talented, my partner in crime: Alexandra Cockrell. We discuss everything from her journey as a student then director at Interlochen Center for the Arts to her "witch cackle" as she calls it.If you're looking for handmade wooden home decor then my Etsy shop is perfect for you! For a look at my catalog go to: JohnMadWoodworking.Etsy.com You can find more info about my work as an actor and voiceover artist on my website at: www.johnmaddaloni.com Rate and Subscribe to my show on Apple Podcast, Spotify or wherever you're listening to this podcast!Support the show

Inner Moonlight is the monthly poetry reading series for the Wild Detectives in Dallas. The in-person show is the second Wednesday of every month in the Wild Detectives backyard. We love our podcast fans, so we release recordings of the live performances every month for y'all! On 2/12/25, we featured poet Caitlin Cowan!Caitlin Cowan is the author of Happy Everything (Cornerstone Press, 2024). She has taught writing at the University of North Texas, Texas Woman's University, and Interlochen Center for the Arts. Her work has received support from the Hambidge Center for Creative Arts, the Sewanee Writers' Conference, and the Vermont Studio Center. Caitlin works in arts nonprofit administration for Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, where she serves as Director of International Tours and as Chair of Creative Writing. She also serves as Poetry Co-Editor at Pleiades and writes PopPoetry, a weekly poetry and pop culture newsletter. Caitlin lives on Michigan's west coast with her husband, their young daughter, and two mischievous cats. Find her at caitlincowan.com.⁠www.innermoonlightpoetry.com

What do Terry Crews, Rumer Willis, Josh Groban, Norah Jones and many more artists have in common? They all attended Michigan's Interlochen Center for the Arts!Listen to Interlochen President, Trey Devey, describe Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan. This world-renowned nonprofit institution was founded in 1928 and has nurtured some of the industry's most talented artists, musicians, actors, and performers. Its prestigious art programs and education institutions include the Interlochen Arts Camp, Interlochen Arts Academy and more. This international gem has produced alumni who have gone on to achieve great success in creative fields and has put Michigan on the map as a hub for artistic excellence.

This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpeter Aaron Smith, is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass.  About Aaron : Aaron Smith is an active freelance trumpet player in Los Angeles, CA. He also writes, arranges, and publishes music through his small business, TrumpetSmith Publishing (ASCAP). In addition, he serves on the Hearing Board for the American Federation of Musicians (AFM) Local 47 and on the Board of Directors for the Recording Musicians Association Los Angeles (RMALA).  Raised in an Army household with musician parents who played jazz and r&b, and later to receive classical conservatory training, Smith thrives on versatility, consistency, and accurate delivery of musical intent. As a trusted freelance musician in Los Angeles, he performs regularly for live orchestral events, musical theatre, films, independent recording projects, streaming, television, and video games.  He has recorded on film/tv projects for celebrated composers including Alan Menken, Bear McCreary, Branford Marsalis, Germaine Franco, Heitor Pereira, Kris Bowers, Rob Simonsen, and Terence Blanchard; on sound recordings for Adrian Younge, Austin Wintory, Charles Gaines, Dr. Dre, Joachim Horsley, John Daversa, and X Ambassadors. He has performed as a sideman in bands on the Academy Awards, Dancing with the Stars, Disney's Encore!, Ellen, the LATE LATE Show, and The Voice. He's also appeared as a sideman onscreen for films including Babylon and Joker: Folie à Deux; and tv commercials for Capital One and Microsoft. He's backed major artists including Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, Common, Danny Elfman, Jennifer Holliday, Josh Groban, Kelly Clarkson, Labrinth, Lady Gaga, Sigur Rós, Steve Lacy, and more. He has also performed for contemporary/new music ensembles and series including Alarm Will Sound, the Industry's Hopscotch Opera, Jacaranda, Southwest Chamber Music, wasteLAnd, WildUp, Green Umbrella, Monday Evening concert series, and Noon to Midnight Festival. In the L.A. theater world, Smith performs regularly at the Hollywood Pantages, Dolby, La Mirada Theaters and Pasadena Playhouse. Some notable shows from these theaters with Smith on solo trumpet include Back to the Future, Beetlejuice, Color Purple, Jelly's Last Jam, Les Misérables, Moulin Rouge, Wicked, and the Wiz.  As a composer, Smith strives to curate a top-tier experience for brass players especially. The primary focus is exploring boundaries while expressing a story; both through adapted arrangements structurally sound to the composer's intent and through his own original compositions. His work has been performed internationally. He has also created original chamber music commissioned by Marissa Benedict for University of Minnesota, Jim Self for University of Southern California, also by the Interlochen Center for the Arts, and Stomvi-USA.  Smith's training as a music performance major includes a Master of Fine Arts degree from California Institute of the Arts where he studied with Edward Carroll and John Fumo; and a Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music with professor James Thompson. He is also a graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy with Stanley Friedman.

Dr. David Fryling is director of choral activities at Hofstra University, where he conducts both the select Hofstra Chorale and Hofstra Chamber Choir and teaches beginning and advanced studies in choral conducting, as well as graduate-level studies in choral conducting and choral literature. In addition, he is an adjunct professor for the Hofstra School of Education, and has served as music director and conductor of the Hofstra Opera Theater. In fall 2014 David was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame as the “Educator of Note” in recognition of his years of leadership in the Long Island music education community, and in the spring of 2017 David was named the winner of the American Prize in Conducting in two categories: community chorus and college & university.In fall 2013 David founded the eVoco Voice Collective, a nonprofit organization of singers of the highest musical, technical, and expressive abilities, who together believe in the transformative and educational power of music. From 2007 to 2013, David served as coordinator of the Vocal Artists program at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan, where he was conductor and music director of the World Youth Honors Choir and Festival Choir & Orchestra.Before his appointment at Hofstra, David served as music director and conductor of the University of Michigan Arts Chorale and assistant conductor of the Michigan Chamber Singers, University Choir, and the internationally acclaimed Michigan Men's Glee Club. While in Ann Arbor, he was also the music director and conductor of the Michigan Youth Women's Chorus, a year-round all-state honors choir composed of select high school sopranos and altos from across Michigan.In addition to his professional teaching and conducting responsibilities, David is the current President of the American Choral Directors Association. To get in touch with Dave, you can find him on Facebook (@david.fryling) or Instagram (@davidnfryling) or email him at david.n.fryling@hofstra.edu or Dfryling@acda.org.Choir Fam wants to hear from you! Check out the Minisode Intro Part 3 episode from February 16, 2024, to hear how to share your story with us.Email choirfampodcast@gmail.com to contact our hosts.Podcast music from Podcast.coPhoto in episode artwork by Trace Hudson

This Sunday, Cristian Macelaru leads the World Youth Symphony Orchestra (WYSO) in their second concert of its 2024 season at Interlochen Center for the Arts. Joining Macelaru is violin sensation Ray Chen performing Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto.

Composer Bobby Ge talks with Interlochen Public Radio about "Sighting the Swallow," a piece that gets its Interlochen premiere with the World Youth Symphony Orchestra this weekend. Co-commissioned by Interlochen Center for the Arts and the New York Youth Symphony, "Sighting the Swallow" had its world premiere at Carnegie Hall in March 2023.

This Sunday, Cristian Macelaru leads the World Youth Symphony Orchestra (WYSO) in their second concert of its 2024 season at Interlochen Center for the Arts. Joining Macelaru is violin sensation Ray Chen performing Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto.

This Sunday, Lazarova launches the World Youth Symphony Orchestra (WYSO) into their first concert at Interlochen Center for the Arts with a program that includes Johannes Brahms's "Academic Festival Overture," Benjamin Britten's "The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra" and "Abstractions" by Anna Clyne.

The Ill-Fitting Skin is layered with surreal storytelling but remains an extraordinarily realistic read, in the sense that even the most solid realities of life—and death—tend to blur and shimmer at their raw edges. The talkative bird that nests in a woman's womb is as real as the “previous tenant.” The love of a mother for her uncontrollable son is as real as the wildness that is in her too. The women of The Ill-Fitting Skin are real women—who work and grieve and create and destroy, who love and do not love, whether at the roll of the dice or because “the pages are paths, and you will have to choose among them.”Shannon Robinson's debut short story collection, The Ill-Fitting Skin, is winner of the Press 53 Award for Short Fiction (forthcoming with Press 53 in May 2024). Her writing has appeared in The Gettysburg Review, The Iowa Review, Joyland, Water-Stone Review, Nimrod, failbetter, and elsewhere. She holds an MFA in fiction from Washington University in St. Louis, and in 2011 she was the Writer-in-Residence at Interlochen Center for the Arts. Other honors include Nimrod's Katherine Anne Porter Prize for Fiction, grants from the Elizabeth George Foundation and the Canada Council for the Arts, a Hedgebrook Fellowship, a Sewanee Scholarship, and an Independent Artist Award from the Maryland Arts Council. She teaches creative writing at Johns Hopkins University and lives in Baltimore with her husband and son. www.shannonrobinson.org

American conductor Gerard Schwarz has led some of the world's finest orchestras for the past half-century. With 9 Emmy Awards, 14 Grammy nominations, and a catalogue of over 350 recordings, it's remarkable to consider that Gerard's illustrious journey began with a pivotal decision—leaving behind his first career as a trumpet soloist. Gerard reflects on this decision and early influences of his musical career including Szell and Bernstein, summers at Interlochen Center for the Arts, and a performance of Aida he saw at age 7. He discusses walking away from the trumpet to pursue a second career as a conductor, why he calls himself a musical traditionalist, and how the audience experience has changed over the years.Check out Gerard Schwarz on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, or the web.Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram.Follow David on Instagram.You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web.Photograph of Gerard Schwarz by Ben VanHouten.The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper.Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman. This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format.Episode copyright © 2024 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The National Writers Series was honored to host Jack Driscoll at the Alluvion on August 27, 2023 with guest host Brittany Cavallaro. Jack Driscoll is a two-time NEA Creative Writing Fellowship recipient, a PEN/Nelson Algren Award winner, and the author of twelve books, including the story collections, Wanting Only to Be Heard (University of MA Press, 1992), winner of the AWP Grace Paley Short Fiction Prize and The World of a Few Minutes Ago (WSU Press, 2012), winner of the Society of Midland Authors Award and Michigan Notable Book Award. His most recent story collection, The Goat Fish and the Lover's Knot(WSU Press, 2017) received a Michigan Notable Book Award and was a finalist for the John D. Gardner Short Fiction Prize. His stories have appeared in The Georgia Review, The Southern Review, Ploughshares, Missouri Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, the Pushcart Prize Anthology, and New Stories from the Midwest. Driscoll was the founding father of the Interlochen Center for the Arts creative writing department, and now teaches in Pacific University's low-residency MFA program. He resides in Mystic, CT. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/nationalwritersseries/message

As an inaugural episode of the new year, we had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Michael Coonrod, a distinguished Classical Pianist, Recording Artist, Educator, and Arranger specializing in music for the Left Hand Alone

We are thrilled to be back with episode one of season 3 for our Amplifying Optimism in Education podcast! Join us for this delightful conversation with David Bondurant (Assistant Vice President of Information Technology) and Samantha (Sam) Charnes (Associate Vice Provost, Education Operations, Research and Technology) of Interlochen Center for the Arts. In this episode we discussed how at Interlochen they have worked hard to weave technology into the fabric of their arts curriculum in order to enhance the experience for their students and to make the lives of their educators easier! In the midst of Covid-19, as so many schools were struggling with how to engage students virtually, Interlochen was trying to keep up with the demand of their growing student base. They found that by providing online access to their classes they were actually able to amplify their audience and meet the needs of even more children looking for high-quality, creative outlets. They even began expanding into Adult education and providing opportunities for kids of all ages (young and young at heart) to interact with their world-renowned faculty. David and Sam talked about how creativity and curiosity are at the center of everything they do as they constantly use their team at the tech department to solve problems that arise for their students and staff in new and fun ways. Don't miss this inspiring conversation, and be sure to reach out to them to learn more about how you can enhance your tech department to more fully promote your school's mission!

In today's conversation, I sit down with Amy Kurzweil, the author of the new graphic memoir, Artificial: A Love Story. Artificial: A Love Story tells the story of three generations of artists whose search for meaning and connection transcends the limits of life. The story begins with the LLM generated chatbot that Amy's father, the futurist Ray Kurzweil, created out of his father's archive, but the story doesn't start and end there. Instead, the story takes us on a journey through new questions that technologies are asking about what it means to be human.  How do we relate to—and hold—our family's past? And how is technology changing what it means to remember the past? And what does it mean to know--and to love--in the age of AI? Amy Kurzweil is a New Yorker cartoonist and the author of two graphic memoirs: Flying Couch, a NYT's Editor's Choice and Kirkus “Best Memoir” of 2016, and Artificial: A Love Story, forthcoming October 2023. She was a 2021 Berlin Prize Fellow with the American Academy in Berlin, a 2019 Shearing Fellow with the Black Mountain Institute, and she's received fellowships from MacDowell, Djerassi, and elsewhere. Her work has been nominated for a Reuben Award and an Ignatz Award for “Technofeelia,” a four-part series with The Believer Magazine. Her writing, comics, and cartoons have also been published in The Verge, The New York Times Book Review, Longreads, Literary Hub, WIRED, and many other places. She's taught writing and comics at Parsons The New School for Design, The Fashion Institute of Technology, Center for Talented Youth, Interlochen Center for the Arts, in New York City Public Schools, and in many other venues, and she currently teaches a monthly cartooning class to a growing community of virtual students all over the world.

Caitlin Cowan is the author of Happy Everything, forthcoming in February 2024 from Cornerstone Press. Caitlin holds a PhD in English from the University of North Texas, an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School, and BAs in English and Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. Caitlin has taught writing at UNT, Texas Woman's University, Interlochen Center for the Arts, and elsewhere. She works in arts nonprofit administration at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, where she serves as Director of International Programs and as Chair of Creative Writing. Caitlin also writes PopPoetry, a weekly pop culture and poetry newsletter, from Michigan's west coast where she lives with her fiancé, their young daughter, and their two mischievous cats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Caitlin Cowan is the author of Happy Everything, forthcoming in February 2024 from Cornerstone Press. Caitlin holds a PhD in English from the University of North Texas, an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School, and BAs in English and Creative Writing from the University of Michigan. Caitlin has taught writing at UNT, Texas Woman's University, Interlochen Center for the Arts, and elsewhere. She works in arts nonprofit administration at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, where she serves as Director of International Programs and as Chair of Creative Writing. Caitlin also writes PopPoetry, a weekly pop culture and poetry newsletter, from Michigan's west coast where she lives with her fiancé, their young daughter, and their two mischievous cats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature

Lynne Golodner first met Anne-Marie Oomen at Goddard College, where Lynne was beginning her MFA in Writing and Anne-Marie was graduating. A fellow Michigan resident who calls the forests and hills of the Lake Michigan shores her home, Anne-Marie serves on the board of Michigan Writers where Lynne is now in charge of Marketing.  In this episode of the Make Meaning Podcast, host Lynne Golodner chats with Anne-Marie about teaching in the Solstice MFA program at LaSalle University and at Interlochen Center for the Arts, the backstory for As Long as I Know You: the Mom Book - which won the Sue William Silverman Prize for Creative Nonfiction - and honing your own voice.   In this episode, Lynne and Anne-Marie discuss:  Family relationships The power of observation and journaling Writing routine Imitating to find your voice Writing communities The Old Testament Links and Resources:  Grimm's Fairy Tales Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert Michigan Humanities Council Pulling Down the Barn Wayne State University Press Michigan Notable Book Award Michigan Writers Dunes Review Chapbook Content Submittable AWP Award   Find Anne-Marie Oomen: Website  Facebook Twitter  Instagram Blog   If you enjoyed this episode, you'll like these other Make Meaning Podcast episodes: Episode 141 - Tom Sleigh - a Lifetime of Poetry Episode 137 - Christopher P. Locke - Breathtaking Essays & Stories Episode 133 - Sara Henning - Poetry about Loss and Redemption Episode 129 - Rosina Lippi - Author of the Wilderness Series Episode 122 - Valoree Gagnon and Karena Schmidt - on the Food & Culture of Indigenous Gardens

We are thrilled to be back with episode one of season 3 for our Amplifying Optimism in Education podcast! Join us for this delightful conversation with David Bondurant (Assistant Vice President of Information Technology) and Samantha (Sam) Charnes (Associate Vice Provost, Education Operations, Research and Technology) of Interlochen Center for the Arts. In this episode we discussed how at Interlochen they have worked hard to weave technology into the fabric of their arts curriculum in order to enhance the experience for their students and to make the lives of their educators easier! In the midst of Covid-19, as so many schools were struggling with how to engage students virtually, Interlochen was trying to keep up with the demand of their growing student base. They found that by providing online access to their classes they were actually able to amplify their audience and meet the needs of even more children looking for high-quality, creative outlets. They even began expanding into Adult education and providing opportunities for kids of all ages (young and young at heart) to interact with their world-renowned faculty. David and Sam talked about how creativity and curiosity are at the center of everything they do as they constantly use their team at the tech department to solve problems that arise for their students and staff in new and fun ways. Don't miss this inspiring conversation, and be sure to reach out to them to learn more about how you can enhance your tech department to more fully promote your school's mission!

Gloria Jones Allgood joined the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra at age 20 in 1984, just before completing her Bachelor's Degree in Double Bass Performance at The University of Michigan.   Born into a musical family in Greenville, SC, she studied violin and piano until age 12 when she started studying the bass. She was a member of the Greenville Symphony Orchestra for five years before college, soloing with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra at age 14. Six of her summers were spent at Interlochen Center of the Arts, studying with Lawrence Hurst, Oscar Zimmerman, and Jack Budrow. She also studied with her late husband, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Principal Bass Ralph Jones for two years in high school.    While at The University of Michigan, Allgood was Principal Bass of the Flint Symphony Orchestra from 1982-1984, and she received the Mitslav Rostropovich Award for Outstanding Musicianship. She studied on Full Fellowship at the Aspen Music Festival in the summers of 1983 and 1984, studying with Stuart Sankey.   Joining the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra as a section player, she was promoted to Assistant Principal in 1989 and to Associate Principal in 2001. Additionally, she served as Acting Principal Bass during the 2013/14 and 2014/15 seasons. She teaches privately, coaches the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra, participates in the Talent Development Program and has performed in many chamber music groups around Atlanta. She presently holds the Lucy R. and Gary Lee Jr. Associate Principal Bass Chair.   Gloria Jones Allgood is married to musician and recording engineer William Allgood.   Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!   Connect with us: all things double bass double bass merch double bass sheet music   Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle. Check out my Beginner's Classical Bass course and Intermediate to Advanced Classical Bass course, available exclusively from Discover Double Bass.   Thank you to our sponsors!   Carnegie Mellon University Double Bass Studio - CMU is dedicated to helping each student achieve their goals as a musician. Every week each student receives private lessons and participates in a solo class with Micah Howard. Peter Guild, another member of the PSO, teaches Orchestral Literature and Repertoire weekly. They encourage students to reach out to the great bassists in their area for lessons and direction. Many of the bassists from all of the city's ensembles are more than willing to lend a hand. Every year members of the Symphony, the Opera and the Ballet give classes and offer our students individual attention. Click here to visit Micah's website and to sign up for a free online trial lesson.   Dorico - Unlock Dorico for iPad – For Life! Want to enjoy all of Dorico for iPad's subscription-only features – including support for unlimited players, freehand annotations in Read mode with Apple Pencil, support for third-party Audio Unit plug-ins, and much more – but don't want to pay a monthly or annual fee? Dorico for iPad now provides a lifetime unlock option, so you can access all current and future subscription-only features for a single, one-off in-app purchase. Visit the App Store today and unlock Dorico for iPad for life!   Upton Bass String Instrument Company - Upton's Karr Model Upton Double Bass represents an evolution of our popular first Karr model, refined and enhanced with further input from Gary Karr. Since its introduction, the Karr Model with its combination of comfort and tone has gained a loyal following with jazz and roots players. The slim, long “Karr neck” has even become a favorite of crossover electric players.     theme music by Eric Hochberg

This week, we're talking to Simon Dunson, a young artist out of Chapel Hill, North Carolina who is pushing the mandolin to new and wild places. Dunson's debut jazz album, 'Chicken Bridge,' blew us away with its great playing, writing, and electric guitar effects... it's not at all what you think when you envision a "mandolin" record. Check out the opening track, 'Sydney,' here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfUHAQivGHI During our talk, we hear how Dunson started out as a bluegrass musician but became enamored with jazz and genre-blurring musicians like Bill Frisell and Chris Thile. We talk about his time as a student at Interlochen Center for the Arts and the New England Conservatory's Jazz Studies program; the gear that he's using today (including Dunson's pedalboard and the custom pickup that he found works best on the 8-string instrument), and a lot more. It's a fun introduction to a player you'll be hearing about for years to come. Julian Lage has stated, "I am constantly knocked out by Simon's mastery as an instrumentalist, improviser, and conceptual artist."  We couldn't agree more. https://simondunson.com http://www.girouardmandolins.com This Fretboard Journal Podcast is sponsored by Peghead Nation (use the promo code FRETBOARD and get your first month free or $20 off any annual subscription); Izotope (use the coupon code FRET10 to save 10% off their plug-ins); Retrofret Vintage Guitars; and Calton Cases. Order the Fretboard Journal here: http://fretboardjournal.com/subscribe and support this podcast and all that we do.

Mary Faber recently joined host Elias in the cave! You can see Mary as Joanne on Apple TV+ 'Life By Ella' Life By Ella - After a life-changing experience, 13-year-old Ella is eager to seize the day; as she learns to appreciate each moment, she faces the fear that once defined her -- and encourages others to do the same. Mary is an award-winning actor, singer, and puppeteer in LA. Her latest show, Life By Ella, premiered on Apple TV+ on September 2nd. Mary's career reflects her range of talent, from being the lead in Boss Baby: Back in the Crib on Netflix to being on Broadway, starring in shows like Avenue Q, American Idiot, and How to Succeed in Business with Daniel Radcliffe and John Larroquette. TV roles include Ashley on HBO's The Brink, Macy in Jim Carrey's Kidding on Showtime, and as fan favorite Sweetums lobbyist Kathryn Pinewood on Parks and Recreation. In addition to Puppet Boot Camp in prep for Avenue Q, Mary trained at the VA Governor's School for the Arts, Interlochen Center for the Arts, and Brandeis University. She studied improv and sketch at Upright Citizens Brigade and Second City: New York, and early on in her career, did murder mysteries at bar mitzvahs, cafetoriums, and corporate team-building events all over the US of A. Currently, Mary has some cool projects in the works she's excited to share in the fall of 2022. A podcast, a new animated series, and some cool live events. She lives with her incredible husband, two children, and some puppets that hopefully don't come alive at night. You can watch this interview on YouTube  https://youtu.be/SpJD96KaQn8 Have a question? Email us  themccpodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Social Media for the latest show updates  www.twitter.com/themccpodcast www.instagram.com/themccpodcast www.facebook.com/themancavechroniclespodcast www.themccpodcast.com  www.youtube.com/c/TheManCaveChronicleswElias  

What's up with worms? How do they sleep? Why are they slimy? How do they move? Here at Brains On, the only way to find out is to embark on an EPIC QUEST! Join co-host Ezra and the worm adventurer extraordinaire Sir Wormus on a journey to find the Golden Worm, a magical artifact! On the way, they'll learn all about the noble earthworm from the Tome of Worms, a magic book containing all the knowledge of worm expert Emma Sherlock from the Natural History Museum in London! Will our heroes find the Golden Worm? Will they select a squirrel's perfect snack? Will they solve the riddle of the Mystery Sound? There's only one way to find out. Come on, friends, it's time to go a-questing!You can support our show by donating (brainson.org/donate), buying our books (brainson.org/books), or telling your friends about the show! This episode was sponsored by: Interlochen Center for the Arts (Interlochen.org/BrainsOn Code: Save10)Staples (Staples.com/printbig)