Podcasts about shepherd school

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Norman Fischer. Norman is Professor of Cello, and Chair of Chamber Music at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. Norman shares his story of how he first developed his insatiable love of contemporary music. He also talks about his journey forming the Naumburg winning Concord String Quartet to joining the faculty at Dartmouth, then Oberlin, and he gives the inside story of how Rice became one of the most sought after music schools! For more information on Norman Fischer:https://music.rice.edu/faculty/norman-fischerYou can also find Norman on Facebook and Instagram @theFischerDuoTo listen to the album 2020 Visions:https://www.navonarecords.com/catalog/nv6444/If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.comFollow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Bluesky @theCelloSherpaFor more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com 

This episode of The Other Side of the Bell, featuring trumpet legend and women's trumpet trailblazer Marie Speziale, is brought to you by Bob Reeves Brass. This episode also appears as a video episode on our YouTube channel, you can find it here: "Marie Speziale trumpet interview" *Note to listeners and viewers: we're rebalancing our podcast release schedule, to alternate The Other Side of the Bell with our other two podcasts: Trombone Corner and The Horn Signal. Hence the back-to-back episode of TOSOTB this week!  If you haven't already, check out our other two shows for more fantastic interviews with horn-playing legends!   Trombone Corner The Horn Signal     About Marie Speziale:   Acknowledged as the first woman trumpeter in a major symphony orchestra, Marie Speziale retired from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in 1996 after having served as Associate Principal Trumpet for thirty-two years (1964-1996).   A graduate of the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati (CCM), Ms. Speziale studied with Robert Price, Eugene Blee and Arnold Jacobs. Her tenure with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (CSO) included playing with the Cincinnati Opera, Cincinnati May Festival, Cincinnati Ballet and Cincinnati Pops Orchestras. She performed under the batons of Igor Stravinsky, George Szell, Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Eugene Ormandy, Eric Leinsdorf, Max Rudolf and so many more.   In addition to solo appearances with the Cincinnati Symphony, Cincinnati Pops and Cincinnati Chamber Orchestras, she was featured on NBC's Today Show at age 15, in an impromptu jam session with Duke Ellington shortly after joining the orchestra, and with Dave Brubeck on the Johnny Carson Tonight Show, the CSO European tour, and at the Interlochen Arts Academy. While a student at CCM, she recorded sound tracks for James Brown, whose career was launched by the historic King Records in Cincinnati.   Marie served on the CCM faculty, 1964 -1973, on the faculty at Miami University of Ohio, 1973 - 1979, and returned to CCM as Adjunct Associate Professor, 1979 - 2002. She was appointed Professor of Music at Indiana University 1999, serving there until a year after her 2001 appointment as Professor of Trumpet and Brass Department Chair at the prestigious Shepherd School of Music at Rice University.   In 1999, Marie was one of six Americans (and the only American woman) to be invited by the Tokyo International Music Festival to perform in its first Super World Orchestra. In addition to the National Trumpet Competitions, she has served as adjudicator for the ITG, IWBC and the prestigious Fischoff National Chamber Music competitions.   In 1996, Ms. Speziale performed with the Monarch Brass on its inaugural tour. She conducted the Monarch Brass at the 1997 and 2014 conferences, and played, toured and recorded with Monarch Brass Quintet and Monarch Brass Ensemble until retiring from playing.   President of IWBC, 1997 - 2001, Marie hosted the 2000 conference at CCM and served on the Board of Directors.   Ms. Speziale has won many awards and honors, including Leading Women in the Arts Award from the Greater Cincinnati Coalition of Women's Organizations, the Outstanding Woman of the Year in Music Award from the Tampa Tribune, the SAI Chapter, Province and National Leadership Awards, the Pioneer Award from the International Women's Brass Conference, the Golden Rose Award from the Women Band Directors International, the Woman of Excellence Award from the Italian Club of Tampa, the Distinguished Alumna Award from CCM and the Outstanding Alumni Award from the University of Cincinnati.   In 2018, Marie was inducted into the Cincinnati Jazz Hall of Fame as part of their recognition of the Symphony Jazz Quintet, of which she was a founding member. She was presented with the prestigious Honorary Award from the International Trumpet Guild at their 2018 conference. In 2019, Ms. Speziale was one of 100 women recognized by Cincinnati Arts Wave in their Celebration of Women in the Arts: Power of Her.   Marie Speziale retired as Professor Emerita from Rice University in 2013. She currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the American Classical Music Hall of Fame and the Emeritus Board of the IWBC.   Podcast listeners! Enter code "podcast" at checkout for 15% off any of our Gard bags! Visit trumpetmouthpiece.com for more info.     Episode Links: International Women's Brass Conference, May 19-24, Hartford, Connecticut. Register: myiwbc.org Sign up sheet for valve alignments: bobreeves.com/iwbc International Trumpet Guild Conference, May 27-31, University of Utah, Salt Lake City. Sign up sheet for valve alignments: bobreeves.com/itg William Adam Trumpet Festival, June 19-22, Clarksville, Tennessee. williamadamtrumpet.com  Sign up sheet for valve alignments: bobreeves.com/williamadam   Podcast Credits: “A Room with a View“ - composed and performed by Howie Shear Podcast Host - John Snell Cover Art - courtesy of Marie Speziale Audio Engineer - Ted Cragg  

Nicholas Peterson-Hunt is currently pursuing his Bachelor of Music degree in trumpet performance at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University in Houston, Texas with Barbara Butler. Recently, he performed Légende by George Enescu with the Salem Youth Symphony after winning the concerto competition. Some of his accomplishments include winning the Oregon Solo Trumpet Championship three years in a row, advanced into semi-finals at the National Trumpet Competition in the high school solo division and placing second at the National Trumpet Competition in the high school ensemble division.

How does a young boy from Lima, Peru grow up to become a world-renowned conductor? What is the role of the conductor in the music their orchestra is performing? What new goals do the Shepherd School of Music have for the 2025-2026 school year?Miguel Harth-Bedoya is an Emmy-winning and Grammy-nominated conductor, and also the Mary Franks Thompson Professor of Orchestral Studies at Baylor University and overseer of the Shepherd School's preeminent orchestral programs in the 2025-26 season. Miguel and host David Mansouri discuss Miguel's journey to finding a love for music and he explains some about his philosophy on conducting. They talk about Miguel's educational initiatives, his thoughts on the future of classical music - the surprising reason why he wouldn't use that word himself, and his commitment to community engagement, working with kids, and broadening the audience for orchestral music. Harth-Bedoya also discusses conducting Peter and the Wolf featuring John Lithgow in both English and Spanish, his upcoming role at Rice and his plans to enrich and expand the school's musical outreach. Let us know you're listening by filling out this form. We will be sending listeners Beyond the Hedges Swag every month.Episode Guide:01:21 Miguel Harth-Bedoya's Early Life and Musical Beginnings03:18 First Steps into Conducting07:34 The Role of a Conductor14:27 Working With People Instead of Instruments16:08 Joining the Shepherd School of Music20:06 Community Engagement and Future Plans23:27 Creating More Opportunities for Young People27:43 Caminos del Inka and Musical Legacy35:04 Rapid Fire Questions and ConclusionBeyond The Hedges is a production of the Office of Alumni Relations at Rice University and is produced by University FM.Show Links:Shepherd School of Music at RiceRice AlumniAssociation of Rice Alumni | FacebookRice Alumni (@ricealumni) | X (Twitter)Association of Rice Alumni (@ricealumni) | Instagram Host Profiles:David Mansouri | LinkedInDavid Mansouri '07 | Alumni | Rice UniversityDavid Mansouri (@davemansouri) | XDavid Mansouri | TNScoreGuest Profiles:Faculty Profile at BaylorMiguelHarth-Bedoya.comInstagramEpisode Quotes:Conductors works with people, not just with instrument14:23: [David] How do you build a relationship with, or chemistry with, the musicians that you're conducting? What does that look like? Are there things that work particularly well, or things that don't work as well, in building that chemistry or relationship?14:39: [Miguel] Well, you've hit another big, important aspect of what we do, is we work with people. And conductors need to remember that we are working with people, not with instruments. These are human beings, and each of them have their own lives, their own emotions, their own feelings, their own knowledge, their own background. And we all are sharing the same piece of music. Now, unfortunately, or fortunately, we are the individuals that have to bring units. And sometimes you have to agree to disagree or have others understand that maybe you did it this way, but I think it's this way. So understanding people's willingness and desire to sound good is number one.On building connections beyond music26:22: I love being very active in connecting with non-musicians. As a matter of fact, what I bring to Rice, or what I will be doing at Rice, is what I've been doing officially since I joined academia, which is: I teach musicians, I teach artists, music teachers, and I teach music lovers. We, as musicians, have to know people in every aspect if we want to think about doing what we're talking about. You cannot have a plan about engaging people in what we do and not be part of it. So, in other words, you have to get your hands dirty. If you want to plant the soil, you cannot just correct from above and let others.How Miguel is opening doors to music and life beyond performance34:26: In the current times that we live in, the 21st century, and with the technologies that we have available to connect throughout the world, I think creating the doorway—it's both literally a door to get into a building but also a virtual door to expose, first of all, what a musician is and what life as a musician is as well. And because we see somebody performing surgery, it doesn't mean we know the life of a surgeon. In creating more of that, in promoting that, that gateway is there early on, rather than waiting until you're out of high school before you dare to come to my building. And the one way I do this, personally, is by keeping in touch with the younger crowd.

Happy New Year! We'd love to see you in 2025 and we have 3 upcoming concerts to share with you. San Francisco Performances Pivot Festival (San Francisco, CA) Wednesday, January 29, 2025 Herbst Theatre Carla Kihlstedt and Del Sol Quartet will perform Kihlstedt's 26 Little Deaths, inspired by Edward Gorey's macabre alphabet book, The Gashlycrumb Tinies. Moving between art song, pop song, and cabaret, this hour-long song cycle captures the pathos, humor, and wit of Gorey's iconic images. Kendrick Scott at SF Jazz (San Francisco, CA) Saturday, February 1, 2025 Miner Auditorium  Del Sol is honored to be a part of the West Coast premiere of Kendrick Scott's multimedia project Unearthed. Combining poetry, visuals, string quartet, and a jazz ensemble, this moving work memorializes the Sugar Land 95 – the 95 unidentified Black prisoners and forced laborers found buried in the Texas town of Sugar Land in 2018. Chamber Music America National Conference (Houston, TX) Friday, February 14, 2025 Duncan Recital Hall, The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University We are excited to announce Del Sol Quartet as one of Chamber Music America's inaugural Ensembles in Residence! The Quartet will be presenting a program (TBA) as part of CMA's Friday Festival event. Learn more about these and other upcoming events at delsolquartet.com/calendar.    

What is Montessori education? Tune in as Joann Schulzetenberg, head of Way of the Shepherd School in Blaine, shares the many benefits of the Montessori method and why it's becoming an increasingly popular choice for schools. Like what you're hearing? Leave us a review, subscribe, and follow us on social media @practicingcatholicshow!  Facebook⁠  Instagram⁠  YouTube 

In this episode of One Symphony, conductor Devin Patrick Hughes sits down with renowned composer Pierre Jalbert to explore Jalbert's musical journey, creative process, and the spiritual influences that shape his work. Jalbert shares intimate stories about his childhood in Vermont, his collaborations with world-class musicians, and the importance of resonance and reverberation in his compositions. He also pays tribute to his mentor, the late Larry Rachleff, and discusses his genre-bending project with the Apollo Chamber Players. Throughout the interview, Jalbert offers insights into the challenges and rewards of writing for both chamber groups and large ensembles and reveals how he strives to create music that serves the audience. Join us for a fascinating glimpse into the mind of one of today's best composers. Earning widespread notice for his richly colored and superbly crafted scores, Pierre Jalbert's music has been described as “immediately captures one's attention with its strong gesture and vitality” by the American Academy of Arts and Letters.  Among his many honors are the Rome Prize, the BBC Masterprize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the Fromm Foundation commission.   Jalbert's music has been performed worldwide in such venues as Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and the Barbican.  Recent orchestral performances include those by the Boston Symphony, the National Symphony, the Houston Symphony, the Cabrillo Festival Orchestra, and the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.    He has served as Composer-in-Residence with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the California Symphony, and Music in the Loft in Chicago. Select chamber music commissions and performances include those of the Ying, Borromeo, Maia, Enso, Chiara, Escher, Del Sol, and Emerson String Quartets, as well as violinist Midori.  Three new CDs of his music have been recently released:  Violin Concerto, Piano Quintet and Secret Alchemy, and Piano Trio No. 2.   Jalbert is Professor of Music at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music in Houston, and he is a co-founder of Musiqa, a Houston-based new music collective.  His music is published by Schott Helicon Music Corporation, New York.   Thank you for joining us on One Symphony. Thanks to Pierre Jalbert for sharing her music and stories. You can find more info at https://www.pierrejalbert.com.   Pierre Jalbert composed all music featured in this episode, with one exception.   String Theory was performed live by the Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra.   Mystical and With Great Energy, from Secret Alchemy, from the album Music From Copland House performed by Curtis Macomber, Danielle Farina, Alexis Pia Gerlach and Michael Boriskin.   The first movement from From Dusk to Starry Night “The Night in Silence” on a text by Walt Whitman features Sasha Cooke and the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra.   Violin Concerto, featuring Steven Copes on violin. Performed by The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra with Thomas Zehetmair as the conductor.    “Fiddle Dance” from L'espirit du nord. Performed by the Apollo Chamber Players.    Mozart Piano Concerto K488 in A major, first movement improvised cadenza performed by Robert Levin with the Cluj-Nacopa Philharmonic in Romania with Nicole Moldovenau as the conductor.    “Chanson de Lisette” from Le'spirit du nord. Performed by the Apollo Chamber Players.   “Music of air and fire” performed by the Houston Youth Symphony conducted by Michael Isadore.   You can always find more info at OneSymphony.org including a virtual tip jar if you'd like to support the show. Please feel free to rate, review, or share the show! Until next time, thank you for being part of the music!  

Worship led by Mary Garcia

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Desmond Hoebig, Professor of Cello at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music. They talk about his experience performing with 5 major orchestras, including Principal Cello of the orchestras of Cleveland, Houston and Cincinnati, and making the transition to full-time teaching. Desmond also offers advice on how to perform at your best for college and orchestral auditions. For more information on Desmond, visit: https://music.rice.edu/faculty/desmond-hoebigFor more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.comFollow us on Instagram and Threads @theCelloSherpa

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Desmond Hoebig, Professor of Cello at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music. They talk about his experience performing with 5 major orchestras, including Principal Cello of the orchestras of Cleveland, Houston and Cincinnati, and making the transition to full-time teaching. Desmond also offers advice on how to perform at your best for college and orchestral auditions. For more information on Desmond, visit: https://music.rice.edu/faculty/desmond-hoebigFor more information on our sponsor: www.CLEAResources.com If you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.comFollow us on Instagram and Threads @theCelloSherpa

Scott Thom of Cross Christian Fellowship joins us for a ministry update and to talk about the Shepherd School- a ministry and theology training program for men in the Albuquerque area. The post Scott Thom appeared first on ABQ Connect.

Dr. Thomas Irvine is a global historian of music from 1500 CE to the present. After studying viola at conservatoire (at the Shepherd School of Rice University and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music) he moved to Germany and played professionally, mostly in Early Music ensembles but also in symphony orchestras. He also taught for a year at the Frankfurt International School and worked as a manager for a large Early Music organization. In 1999 he found his way to musicology and back to the US, studying performance practice and musicology at Cornell University, where he took his PhD in 2005. His current research focuses on global music history, historical sound studies and the use of machine learning techniques in jazz. He is the author of Listening to China: Sound and the Sino-Western Encounter 1770-1839 (University of Chicago Press, 2020) and the co-editor, with Neil Gregor, of Dreams of Germany: Musical Imaginaries from the Concert Hall to the Dance Floor (Berghahn, 2019).

"I listen to classical music very specifically because I need to be able to feel at the end of what I'm listening to like I'm able confront the darkest sides of what I'm experiencing as well. I feel comforted by Beethoven. I feel comforted by his ability to say something to me that cannot be said any other way. A sense of hopelessness that is not without giving us some worth." This is a rebroadcast of Ep. 80, aired originally in February 2021. The conversation was recorded in October 2020. Jorja Fleezanis died on September 9th, 2022. To read Daniel Lelchuk's written appreciation of Jorja Fleezanis, click here. Violinist Jorja Fleezanis is here to talk music and the staying power of music, the spell it casts, over children and adults alike. From the first time she heard a violin record as a young child to right now, after a career of more than five decades-- what does music say to her today that it didn't then? How do the names she thinks of as the 'Mt. Rushmore' -- Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann -- sustain her and grow with her? And why is she currently listening to every song The Beatles ever recorded? Jorja and Daniel explore what it is to be in an orchestra, and how the will of the ensemble must rise above political and personal fractures. Please consider supporting Talking Beats via a one-time or recurring donation. You will contribute to us presenting the highest quality interviews with the world's most compelling people. Jorja Fleezanis is adjunct professor emerita of music in orchestral studies at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Fleezanis was concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra from 1989 to 2009—the longest-tenured concertmaster in the orchestra's history and only the second woman in the U.S. to hold the title of concertmaster in a major orchestra when appointed. Prior to Minnesota, she was associate concertmaster with the San Francisco Symphony for eight years and a member of the Chicago Symphony. A devoted teacher, Fleezanis became an adjunct faculty member at the University of Minnesota's School of Music in 1990. She has also enjoyed teaching roles with other organizations: as teacher and artist at the Round Top International Festival Institute in Texas (1990-2007); artist-in-residence at the University of California, Davis; guest artist and teacher at the San Francisco Conservatory, where she served on the faculty from 1981 to 1989; artist and mentor at the Music@Menlo Festival (2003-2008); teacher and coach at the New World Symphony (1988-present); and faculty of the Music Academy of the West since 2016. She has been a visiting teacher at the Boston Conservatory, The Juilliard School, The Shepherd School of Music, and Interlochen Academy and Summer Camp. She is also a frequent guest mentor at Britten Pears Center at Snape Maltings, England, in programs for both young musicians and professional orchestral violinists. Fleezanis has had a number of works commissioned for her, including by the Minnesota Orchestra with the John Adams Violin Concerto and Ikon of Eros by John Tavener, the latter recorded on Reference Records. Her recording of the complete violin sonatas of Beethoven with the French fortepianist Cyril Huvé was released in 2003 on the Cyprés label. Other recordings include Aaron Jay Kernis' Brilliant Sky, Infinite Sky on CRI, commissioned for Fleezanis by the Schubert Club, and, with Garrick Ohlsson, Stefan Wolpe's Violin Sonata for Koch International. Fleezanis studied at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Creston Herron is the current Director of Fine Arts for the Klein Independent School District and the Conductor of Rice University's Campanile Orchestra. He is the former Director of Orchestras at Klein High School and the former Director of Strings for the Yes Prep Public Schools. Mr. Herron's many engagements as a guest conductor include work with Regional and All State ensembles in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee and throughout Texas. He has also served on the summer faculty of the AFA Summer Music Festival, Stephen F. Austin University Summer Music Camp and the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music Summer Music Clinic. As a dedicated pedagogue, Mr. Herron enjoys working with current and future educators and young performers. He has presented masterclasses and guest lectures at The Midwest Clinic, Rice University, Shepherd School of Music, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, University of Houston, Moores School of Music, Sam Houston State University, Texas Tech University, The American String Teachers Association, The League of American Orchestras, and the NAMM Believe in Music Webinar Series, American. He also gives professional development workshops to educators locally and nationally and is involved in judging UIL competitions and solo and ensemble contests. Mr. Herron enjoyed national recognition both as an educator and musician in tenure with the Klein High School orchestra who earned multiple national titles under his direction, including being named national winner of The American Prize, Grand Champions of the ASTA National Orchestra Festival, Texas Music Educators Association State Honor Orchestra, Grand Champions of the New York Orchestra Cup and invited group at the 75th Midwest Clinic held in Chicago, Illinois. Individually he has been recognized for his work in music education as Teacher of the Year at Klein High School, awarded the Marjorie Keller Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award by the state board of the Texas Chapter of ASTA and the Spec's Charitable Award for Excellence in Music Education awarded by the Houston Symphony. Alongside his work as an educator, Mr. Herron continues to hone his performing skills as a violinist, having collaborated with artists such as Renee Fleming, Mark O'Connor, and Rachel Barton-Pine. He has performed with Da Camera of Houston, CCM Spoleto Festival in Italy, Galveston Symphony, Trans-Siberian Orchestra Pasadena Philharmonic, Eutiner Festspiele Opera in Eutin, Germany and the Houston Latin Philharmonic. Creston Herron is a graduate of the University of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, where he received his B.M. in music performance, Rice University, Shepherd School of Music in Houston, TX, where he received his M.M. on scholarship as a Provost Fellow and a Brown Scholar, and recently received a M.Ed in school leadership from Sam Houston State University. Creston Herron lives in Houston with his wife, orchestra director Dawn Herron and two children. Mr. Herron can be reached at cherron1@kleinisd.net or on Twitter: @CrestonHerron --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/orchestrateacher/support

Andrew Buchanan is principal timpanist of the Orquesta Sinfónica de Puerto Rico, a post he has held since 2018. Prior to joining the OSPR, he served as principal timpanist of the Fox Valley Symphony in Illinois. Dr. Buchanan has been a part of several symphony orchestras over the past twenty years. He was principal timpanist of Orchestra X in Houston, TX and the Prairie Ensemble in Champaign, IL. He also served as principal percussionist with the Prairie Ensemble and section percussionist with the Champaign-Urbana Symphony, the Peoria Symphony, and the Sugar Creek Festival of Symphony and Song in Watseka, IL. Dr. Buchanan has also performed as extra percussionist with the Houston Symphony and with the New World Symphony in Miami, FL. Dr. Buchanan trained at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, The Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, and the University of Arizona. He completed his Doctorate of Musical Arts in Percussion at the University of Illinois in 2015 where he was a University Fellow. Dr. Buchanan has studied timpani with David Herbert and percussion with William Moersch and Richard Brown. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/digresscast/message

Broadway Drumming 101 is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Based in NYC since 2011, Adam came to New York by way of Houston, TX where he completed his Master's Degree at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music (2008). Adam grew up in Northeast Ohio where he attended Cleveland State University (2006). Formally studying classical percussion throughout his education, Adam also actively performed as a freelancer on drum set. His classical background combined with his drum set skills gave him a unique set of skills that turned out to be very well-suited for working in musical theater. After playing its out-of-town tryout at Houston's Alley Theatre, Adam was offered the drum set chair on Frank Wildhorn's WONDERLAND when it transferred to Broadway (Spring 2011). With his foot in the door from his first Broadway show, Adam set about the work of subbing and building a reputation in and around the city. Subbing on shows as diverse as RENT, EVITA, MATILDA the Musical, AVE Q, CATS, HELLO DOLLY, ANASTASIA, THE PROM, and many more, Adam routinely demonstrates a wide-ranging versatility. A unique hybrid player, Adam is equally at home playing drum set and percussion and excels in situations that demand both contemporary drum set styles and legit classical/orchestral sensibilities. Adam's most recent NYC chairs include 2017's BANDSTAND on Broadway (TONY Nomination for Best Orchestrations and TONY WINNER for Best Choreography), Jerry Springer the Opera, and CLUELESS the Musical.When not in the theater, Adam is often found in NYC recording studios playing for singer/songwriters and composers like Desi Oakley, The Jack Mosbacher Band, Michael Mott, and David Mallamud, playing at cabaret spots like Feinstein's 54 Below, and downtown concert venues such as Rockwood Music Hall, Piano's, or The Bitter End. Adam also maintains an active teaching practice at his studio in Midtown Manhattan and produces music and drum tracks from his at-home project studio. Connect with Adam on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram or use the contact form for bookings and any other inquiries. Thank you for reading Broadway Drumming 101. This post is public so feel free to share it.Broadway Drumming 101 is your one-stop shop for everything you'll need to know about playing drums for broadway musicals. When you subscribe to The Broadway 101 Newsletter, you'll learn about what it takes to be a successful pit musician with content delivered directly to your email inbox two to three times a week.For $5 a month, or $50 a year, you'll have a backstage pass to the world of a broadway drummer playing on a hit show. As a paying subscriber, you will receive behind-the-scenes access to the life of a musician who makes a living on Broadway. You'll also be able to read every post (not just the occasional free ones), you'll get access to all newsletter issues in the archives, and have the ability to participate in subscriber-only comments and events.The Broadway Drumming 101 Podcast is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.The podcast features conversations with my colleagues who currently hold drums chairs showcases talks with broadway drumming legends, and highlights up-and-coming drummers breaking into the scene.There is a lot to learn. Subscribe now, so you don't miss out on the latest posts and podcasts!Clayton Craddock hosts the Broadway Drumming 101 Podcast and Newsletter. He has held the drum chair in several hit broadway and off-broadway musicals, including Tick, tick…BOOM!, Altar Boyz, Memphis The Musical, Lady Day At Emerson's Bar and Grill and Ain't Too Proud.The Broadway Drumming 101 Instagram page: InstagramThe Broadway Drumming 101 YouTube page: YouTubeFor more about Clayton, click HERE Get full access to Broadway Drumming 101 at broadwaydrumming101.substack.com/subscribe

Creative Journeys with Austin KuOn this episode, I welcome Austin Ku. Austin is a New York City-based actor, performer, former lawyer and 2021 Grammy Award nominee. He shares his powerful and circuitous journey to becoming an actor, and tells us about playing the lead in an exciting new musical in development, Shanghai Sonatas. Austin offers ideas about how to nurture inspiration, reveals what he'd create with a magic wand, and explains his technique to lovingly guide family members into a more supportive scripts with their artistic children - of any age! Join us as we celebrate Story and Horse's 20th podcast with Austin Ku! Please note this episode contains brief mentions of drug use and sexual behavior that may not be appropriate for all listeners (at approximately 8:50 - 10:30)About Austin from Austin-Ku.com:I was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, where I played a lot of violin as a kid and then got more into choir and theater as a teen. I went to Rice University, where I did a LOT of campus theater, and waffled by transferring in and out of The Shepherd School of Music as a Vocal/Opera Performance major, graduating with a degree in Asian Studies (Chinese History, Culture and Language, magna cum laude).Seeking a "practical" career in the arts, I went to the UC Berkeley School of Law and became an entertainment lawyer in S.F.--briefly. I was still having WAY more fun doing theater on the side, started doing on-camera and print work too, and even joined AEA & SAG-AFTRA.So I decided to finally fully go for it, and went to The Boston Conservatory (at Berklee) where I obtained a Master's Degree in Musical Theater.Now I live in NYC, and am having the time of my life doing musicals and plays, film and TV, commercials, voiceovers, modeling and hand modeling!I still play the violin every now and then.... I also love cooking and all things food-related. Connect with Austin:Austin-Ku.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/secretaustinmanInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/secretaustinman/Twitter: https://twitter.com/secretaustinmanShanghai Sonatas: https://shanghaisonatas.com/Click here for Soft Power Original Cast Recording download & listen optionsFind out more about Soft Power on The Public Theatre siteHost Hilary Adams is an award-winning theatre director and coach. She is all about supporting people's creative expression and sharing stories with the world.Connect with Story and Horsewww.storyandhorse.comFacebook: @storyandhorseInstagram: @storyandhorse Support the show

Hear from Sandy Skorput, Director at Good Shepherd School, on all the fun and exciting news at this wonderful, neighborhood pre-school - a partner with Good Shepherd Episcopal Church and a true blessing for the Lookout Mountain community. Sandy was so gracious and kind and giving with her time and we are very thankful for that.  Thank you Sandy!March 2022

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Brinton Smith, principal cellist of the Houston Symphony,  faculty member of the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University and the Aspen Music Festival. They talk about the rigorous process of taking auditions, what works, and what doesn't, and Brinton offers creative solutions to help improve upon the current system.For more information on Brinton Smith, check out his website www.brintonaverilsmith.comIf you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com

The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Brinton Smith, principal cellist of the Houston Symphony,  faculty member of the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University and the Aspen Music Festival. They talk about the rigorous process of taking auditions, what works, and what doesn't, and Brinton offers creative solutions to help improve upon the current system.For more information on Brinton Smith, check out his website www.brintonaverilsmith.comIf you are looking for in person/virtual cello lessons, or orchestral repertoire audition coachings, check out www.theCelloSherpa.com

Intro - 0:00Tune called Planxty Sir Festus Burke | Randal Bays/fiddle, Chris Smith/tenor banjo, Roger Landes/bouzouki | composition by Turlough O'Carolan, from the album “Coyote Banjo” by Chris SmithPart I, Path to Soundscapes - 01:05Relating to Tom Irvine's experience in history, music, and the vernacular, elaborating on global soundscapes.Part II, "Listening to China" - 24:40Relating to a vast and diverse  environment and the different soundscapes one encounters.Book blurb for "Sound and the Sino-Western Encounter.'Part III, The Past/Present/Future is Music - 47:48Relating to  coming back and rebuilding after a Global Pandemic, especially with the arts.Outro - 01:00:36Planxty Sir Festus Burke Thomas Irvine is Associate Professor and Director of Undergraduate Programmes in Music, and an Alan Turing Fellow.“Like many students and staff in our department and university I have an international background. I was born in Munich to American parents and grew up in Stony Brook, NY, USA. After studying viola at conservatoire (at the Shepherd School of Rice University and Indiana University Jacobs School of Music) I moved to Germany and played professionally, mostly in Early Music ensembles but also in symphony orchestras. I also taught for a year at the Frankfurt International School and worked as a manager for a large Early Music organisation.In 1999 I found my way to musicology and back to the US, studying performance practice and musicology at Cornell University, where I took my PhD in 2005. In 2002 I crossed the Atlantic again as a DAAD scholar at the University of Würzburg Institute of Musicology, where I stayed on as a postdoctoral fellow in 2005/06. I have lived and worked in Southampton since 2006.I am a Fellow of the Alan Turing Institute (the UK's national institution for AI and data science), a Non-Executive Director of the Southampton Web Science Institute and currently serve as an external examiner at the Royal Academy of Music. I co-chair the American Musicological Society study group ‘Global East Asia.' Outside of my teaching and research I am trying to learn Chinese and follow Southampton FC. Both can be challenging! I also sing a little.” VVMC Book ClubVVMC: Friends & Voices, a Collaborative PlaylistVoices from the Vernacular Music Center

I interview Brett Baggett from https://www.rescuethose.com/ and we discuss his Shepherd School that was started at Ekklesia Muskogee, define family worship and encourage men toward that end, and the abolition of abortion. This episode was born out of my desire to teach people what abolition is and what it is not so that people may be freed from the errors of what is commonly known as the pro-life movement. I ask that you listen with teachable spirit. We discuss things like heartbeat bills and other pro-life strategies regarding abortion.

"I listen to classical music very specifically because I need to be able to feel at the end of what I'm listening to like I'm able confront the darkest sides of what I'm experiencing as well. I feel comforted by Beethoven. I feel comforted by his ability to say something to me that cannot be said any other way. A sense of hopelessness that is not without giving us some worth." Violinist Jorja Fleezanis is here to talk music and the staying power of music, the spell it casts, over children and adults alike. From the first time she heard a violin record as a young child to right now, after a career of more than five decades-- what does music say to her today that it didn't then? How do the names she thinks of as the 'Mt. Rushmore' -- Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann -- sustain her and grow with her? And why is she currently listening to every song The Beatles ever recorded? Jorja and Daniel explore what it is to be in an orchestra, and how the will of the ensemble must rise above political and personal fractures. A longtime mentor, friend, and teacher of Daniel, the conversation goes in many directions-- and the emotions run high. Support Talking Beats with Daniel Lelchuk on Patreon. You will contribute to continued presentation of substantive interviews with the world's most compelling people. We believe that providing a platform for individual expression, free thought, and a diverse array of views is more important now than ever. For more information, visit talkingbeats.com Jorja Fleezanis is adjunct professor emerita of music in orchestral studies at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Fleezanis was concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra from 1989 to 2009—the longest-tenured concertmaster in the orchestra's history and only the second woman in the U.S. to hold the title of concertmaster in a major orchestra when appointed. Prior to Minnesota, she was associate concertmaster with the San Francisco Symphony for eight years and a member of the Chicago Symphony. A devoted teacher, Fleezanis became an adjunct faculty member at the University of Minnesota's School of Music in 1990. She has also enjoyed teaching roles with other organizations: as teacher and artist at the Round Top International Festival Institute in Texas (1990-2007); artist-in-residence at the University of California, Davis; guest artist and teacher at the San Francisco Conservatory, where she served on the faculty from 1981 to 1989; artist and mentor at the Music@Menlo Festival (2003-2008); teacher and coach at the New World Symphony (1988-present); and faculty of the Music Academy of the West since 2016. She has been a visiting teacher at the Boston Conservatory, The Juilliard School, The Shepherd School of Music, and Interlochen Academy and Summer Camp. She is also a frequent guest mentor at Britten Pears Center at Snape Maltings, England, in programs for both young musicians and professional orchestral violinists. Fleezanis has had a number of works commissioned for her, including by the Minnesota Orchestra with the John Adams Violin Concerto and Ikon of Eros by John Tavener, the latter recorded on Reference Records. Her recording of the complete violin sonatas of Beethoven with the French fortepianist Cyril Huvé was released in 2003 on the Cyprés label. Other recordings include Aaron Jay Kernis' Brilliant Sky, Infinite Sky on CRI, commissioned for Fleezanis by the Schubert Club, and, with Garrick Ohlsson, Stefan Wolpe's Violin Sonata for Koch International. Fleezanis studied at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music.

We chat this week with one of Stephanie and Mike's most influential teachers at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music, Maestro Larry Rachleff. Larry has conducted all over the world including right here with the Kansas City Symphony, but many musicians know him best as the conductor of the student orchestras at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music. He has touched the lives of an untold number of aspiring young musicians. We chat with Larry and learn more about how he has truly shaped the culture of music, this week on Beethoven Walks into a Bar. https://open.spotify.com/playlist/04Q0kFJU6SYgQ00MShNyDw?si=s3ht_gwsSp2103S3Na0EaA (Episode 304 Playlist) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtJ9FhwtthE (Debussy La Mer) - Recommended by Michael Gordon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8yOP9EUIY8 (J.S. Bach B Minor Mass - "Dona Nobis Pacem") - Recommended by Jason Seber https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFifaY_eZU0 (Beethoven Symphony No. 5) - Recommended by Larry Rachleff https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TI5hoBGwOZw (Prokofiev Suite from Romeo and Juliet) - Recommended by Stephanie Brimhall

Highlights:  [9:00] The connection between motivation and creativity   [22:30] Why creativity can't be rushed   [39:20] How to bend, break, and blend ideas   Meet Dr. Anthony Brandt:    Dr. Brandt is a Professor of Composition and Theory at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. He is also an expert on CREATIVITY.     Dr. Brandt and best selling author and neuroscientist David Eagleman have co-authored The Runaway Species: How Human Creativity Remakes the World. Their book is being published in fourteen countries and inspired the Netflix documentary The Creative Brain.     Dr. Brandt has also contributed chapters to the Oxford Handbook of Music and the Brain and Mobile Brain Imaging and the Neuroscience of Art, Innovation and Creativity, and has co-authored papers in the journals Frontiers and Brain Connectivity.  He is currently a co-investigator in an NEA Research Lab examining the benefits of musical creativity for the elderly and a study at Methodist Hospital examining music and stroke recovery.     Dr. Brandt’s musical catalogue includes three chamber operas, as well as orchestral, chamber, vocal, theater, dance, and television scores.  His honors include a Koussevitzky Commission from the Library of Congress.  His music is available on the Albany, Crystal, and Navona Live labels.   He is the Artistic Director of the new music ensemble Musiqa, where he presents inter-disciplinary public concerts,, and free educational programming that have served nearly 60,000 public school students at over 240 Houston area schools.     Bottom line: this is one powerfully creative human being.   And if you think about it, creativity affects every aspect of our lives. From our companies, to our relationships, to the joy we experience in our day to day life.  Whether you are an entrepreneur, corporate executive, scientist, stay at home parent, or high school or college student… so much of your success depends directly on the strength of your creative muscle.    What I love about Dr. Brandt, is that he is a literal doorway into this crucial pillar of true success. He is a living example of what creativity looks like in action. And he has dedicated his life to sharing the secrets he’s learned along the way so that you can open yourself up to the full creative potential you were destined to experience.   Connect with Dr. Brandt:  Twitter: @anthonykbrandt: https://twitter.com/anthonykbrandt?lang=en Book site: https://runawayspecies.com/ Website: http://anthonybrandt.net/index.html

Episode 3: Miah Im, conductor, pianist, and Director of Opera at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, and Music Director of Houston Grand Opera Studio joins Tim for a pre-holiday Gin Martini, and a discussion about Miah’s work at Rice and at the L. A. Opera prompting on Ghosts of Versailles with Patti Lupone.  Miah’s upbringing in Canada, and her father’s defection from North Korea, and his poetry made into a piece premiered by the L.A. Master Chorale. Also, Miah shares her views on casting in opera. Join these two old friends…long time friends?...as they catch up before the holidays. Links: Here is more information on the Shepherd School of Music’s Opera program, and Der Kaiser von Atlantis the program’s digital production from the Fall of 2020 which Miah shared at the end of the episode. The L. A. Master Chorale performance of Mungunghwa: Rose of Sharon by Mark Grey- a choral piece based on the poetry Miah’s father wrote. Keep an eye out at Foundry Arts for a blogpost from Miah with more about her father’s poetry. L.A.Opera’s Production of John Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles can be found here.  Please note both Ms. Lupone and Miah’s prompt box hood. You can find Tim's Website here: timothylongmusic.com Special Thanks to Martha Redbone for her permission to use her song "Medicine Man" for the opening credits.Martha’s work can be found here. and you can subscribe to her Youtube channel here. More information on Foundry Arts, the producer of Unequal Temperament, is available at www.thefoundryarts.com Foundry Arts is a lab for opera using collaboration and partnership to invest in artist development, dialogue, and expression, to sustain a rich, diverse, equitable, inclusive, and sustainable cultural landscape.

In this inspiring and motivating conversation, National Symphony double bass player Ira Gold shares his wisdom on practicing and on leading a meaningful musical life. Ira expands on: How the things he does are reflections of his passions How serving the community and those who are following the artistic path has become vital part of his career How his career grew out of him making the conscious decision of seriously dedicating himself to his musical education The important of adopting a growth mindset and of being mindful of the information that is available to you and how you can apply it to nurture your long-term goals The importance of being teachable The new metrics he uses to define success How the pandemic has allowed him to take a step back and reflect Practicing strategies: Constructing and deconstructing Adding and subtracting How to bring life experiences into your art – everything you experience and everything you are influences your playing How to maximize your learning experience – in college and beyond       MORE ABOUT IRA: Website: https://irajgold.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BassRabbi   Ira Gold made his Carnegie Hall solo debut in 2011, performing the Vanhal Bass Concerto with the Catholic University of America Symphony Orchestra. Prior to joining the National Symphony in 2005, he performed with several American orchestras, as Section Bass with the Minnesota Orchestra and as guest Principal Bassist with the San Francisco Symphony and Detroit Symphony.  He has attended festivals such as Grand Teton Music Festival, Domaine Forget Music Academy, Bach Festival Leipzig, Aspen, and Tanglewood.  Mr. Gold spent several summers at the International Festival Institute at Round Top both as a student and faculty.  He is continually in demand for recitals and masterclasses, including recent visits at The Colburn School, University of Southern California, The Moscow State Conservatory, Boston University, New England Conservatory, Boston Conservatory, University of Colorado (Boulder), The Juilliard School, Boston University Tanglewood Institute,  The International Society of Bassists Convention, and The Manhattan School of Music.   Mr. Gold maintains a studio of private students, has taught lessons and coached chamber music in the National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellowship program, and has been a Double Bass Faculty member of Peabody Conservatory since 2009.  He is also a co-founding member of Peabody Bass Works, a one week bass camp held every July at Peabody Conservatory. Mr. Gold has been interviewed multiple times by Jason Heath for the podcast Contrabass Conversations, and more recently as a featured guest on The Audition Breakthrough Summit, which launched in March 2017. In 2016 he published an article for the ISB's journal Bass World, in which he discusses the qualities of teaching that affect the relationship of teacher and student. An active chamber musician, Mr. Gold has performed with East Coast Chamber Orchestra, the NSO Millenium Stage Prelude Series, Peabody Conservatory Faculty, and the New Orchestra of Washington. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree at Boston University's College of Fine Arts, and his Master of Music degree at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music, where he won the strings division of the 2005 Concerto Competition.  His primary teachers include Edwin Barker and Paul Ellison, and additional studies with Albert Laszlo, Kenneth Harper, Dennis Whittaker, Mark Shapiro, and Harry Lantz.   Visit www.mindoverfinger.com and sign up for my newsletter to get your free guide to a super productive practice!  This guide is the perfect entry point to help you bring more mindfulness and efficiency into your practice and it's filled with tips and tricks on how to use that wonderful tool to take your practicing and your playing to new heights!   And don't forget to join the Mind Over Finger Tribe for additional resources on practice and performing! If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review on iTunes!  I truly appreciate your support!     THANK YOU: Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme!  Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson. Thank you to Susan Blackwell for the introduction!  You can find out more about Susan, her fantastic podcast The Spark File, and her work helping creatives of all backgrounds expand their impact by visiting https://www.susanblackwell.com/home. Also a HUGE thank you to my fantastic producer, Bella Kelly!   MIND OVER FINGER: www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/

Join Robby, Eric, Matt and for the first time ever, a special guest, (Chelsea de Souza) as they journey into the realm of the forgotten. This week the crew travels to the UK to listen to the comedic genius of Russ Abbot on his track "Only One Man." (2:07) Next it's time to head to Boston to get a little funky, we listen to "My Turn" by Miss Fairchild. (12:36) After that it's time to take a trip to New York City, where we discover a surprising genre fusion, Ragtime Trip-Hop! We listen to Mark Birnbaum's title track on his album "Ragtime Trip-Hop." (22:00) Finally we take a trip into the past to hear some Blues. Willie Headen performs, "You Can Be Replaced." (33:00)  Finally, find out what we listened to this week! (38:59) About the guest!Chelsea de Souza is a multi award winning pianist and Steinway Young Artist hailing from Mumbai, India. She is well versed as a performer in music from all genres and holds degrees from the Oberlin College and Conservatory, Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University and is currently pursuing her DMA at the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University. Her music has been heard by audiences around the world, find out more about her on her website at: https://www.chelseadesouza.com!  

Join us on a musical journey where love and melodic harmony intertwine, with The Shepherd School of Music Herbert S. Autrey Professor of Cello, Norman Fischer! Get to know more about Norman as he and arts and culture expert St. John Flynn chat about his early musical influences, his time as a member of the Concord String Quartet and extraordinary journey with the Fischer Duo and his participation in the recording process of Grammy® Award-winning album Duruflé: Complete Choral Works. Watch or listen to the episode and take a take a glimpse into his musical taste in this Spotify Playlist!

Tom Pierson has been an operatic tenor soloist, licensed massage therapist, and oil & gas consultant. He teaches yoga and loves to cook. Enneagram 4. How to connect with Tom: Schedule an online yoga class or a free centering session at www.guiding-vision.com. Listen to one of his performances at the Shepherd School of Music, Rice University: 04/22/2003 Poem "Coral Castles" by Carol Bialock. Teachers: Richard Rohr of the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) in Santa Fe, NM The Cooking Gene by Michael W. Twitty On Earth We're Briefly Gourgeous by Ocean Vuong Yoga: Baba Hari Dass and the Sankat Mochan Hanuman How to connect with April: Facebook @aprilific IG: @april.the.poet www.aprilific.com How to connect with Scheffy's Sandbox: Facebook: @thesandboxpod IG: @thesandboxpod Email your dream, questions, or comments to us at thesandboxpod@gmail.com! We'd love to feature your voice, so record a voicememo and email it to us for us to play on the show. Also, please take a moment to "like" and rate our show on whatever platform you use to listen. Thank you so much! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thesandboxpod/message

Tom Pierson has been an operatic tenor soloist, licensed massage therapist, and oil & gas consultant. He teaches yoga and loves to cook. Enneagram 4. How to connect with Tom: Schedule an online yoga class or a free centering session at www.guiding-vision.com. Listen to one of his performances at the Shepherd School of Music, Rice University: 04/22/2003 Poem "Coral Castles" by Carol Bialock. Teachers: Richard Rohr of the Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) in Santa Fe, NM The Cooking Gene by Michael W. Twitty On Earth We're Briefly Gourgeous by Ocean Vuong Yoga: Baba Hari Dass and the Sankat Mochan Hanuman How to connect with April: Facebook @aprilific IG: @april.the.poet www.aprilific.com How to connect with Scheffy's Sandbox: Facebook: @thesandboxpod IG: @thesandboxpod Email your dream, questions, or comments to us at thesandboxpod@gmail.com! We'd love to feature your voice, so record a voicememo and email it to us for us to play on the show. Also, please take a moment to "like" and rate our show on whatever platform you use to listen. Thank you so much! Those listening via Anchor will hear 30-seconds of the song "I Am Loving Awareness" by East Forest, Ram Dass, Krishna Das --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/thesandboxpod/message

Being in a quartet is like being in a marriage, says Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, violist and founding member of the world renowned award-winning Dover Quartet & our guest for Episode 5 of the So This Is My Why Podcast. Holding dual citizenship in the US and the Netherlands, Milena considers herself to have grown up “a little bit of everywhere” including in Oxford (UK), Baltimore and Jacksonville. Her father taught her the piano before, feeling fed up with the instrument, she chose the violin as her next musical endeavour. An instrument she picked up after hearing a musician busk on the streets of Oxford. At the age of 10 years old, having moved back to Jacksonville by then, she picked up the trombone and also (eagerly!) volunteered to play the viola when her younger brother wanted to form a quartet. We explore all that including a pivotal moment in the summer of 2005, where she met and learned from Michael Klotz, violist of Amernet Quartet & her first viola teacher, at the Bowdoin International Music Festival. A meeting that resulted in her “ sudden immersion in the viola world ”. *Curtis Institute of Music* We also discuss the considerations she had in place when applying for music schools and how she dropped all other applications the moment she got into her dream school - the Curtis Institute of Music! There, she studied with the likes of Michael Tree (of the Guarneri Quartet) & Roberto Diaz (President & CEO of the Curtis Institute of Music). It was also at Curtis that the members of what would be the Dover Quartet came together - not unlike the tentative start of a budding relationship! They bonded so well, one of their teachers, Shmuel Ashkenasi (Vermeer Quartet) asked them, “Have you considered getting married (to each other)?” because you're always together. To which Milena said: We could not have been more giddy than when he said that to us because we had looked up to him so much and he notoriously is one of the most demanding coaches we've ever had. And so to get that kind of encouragement from someone we looked up to… I think that definitely had a huge thing to do with our morale and decision to be kind of brave enough to commit to one another. From there, they decided to show “commitment” to each other by attending the graduate residency program at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music as a quartet. *Realities of Life As a String Quartet Member* The life of a string quartet member is so very unique & some of the things we explore include: * What is your schedule like as a string quartet? How often are you on the road? * What was it like participating in competitions (e.g. Fischoff Competition) and in particular, your memories of those incredible wins at the Banff Competition 2013 which launched the Dover Quartet into the spotlight? * Importance of competitions to the careers of string quartets * Ways of dealing with disagreements between quartet members, particularly in musical interpretations of pieces * Managing personal space while on the road; * Staying in touch with loved ones while on the road * Collaborations with other musicians & how that comes about * Giving live performances versus making studio recordings; * The role of social media & the power of collaborations - e.g. with Avi Avital, Edgar Meyer, Ray Chen, Roomful of Teeth & the Brooklyn Duo; * The Importance of public speaking as a means of connecting with the audience; * Dealing with concert reviews * Giving back to the community through Music For Food ( https://musicforfood.net/index.php/artist/dover-quartet/ ) ; and * “Balancing” a solo career with being in a quartet. *String Instruments* As the instrument itself is so important to a musician, we talk about: * The two violas she plays on & their different purposes * Modern v old instruments - which is better? Does it even matter? * How do you choose your violin? * Are violins with an unknown maker a good investment? * Impact of COVID-19 on her personal life & the life of the Dover Quartet *Role of Parents in a Child's Education* For parents with young kids or those thinking of pursuing music, we also deal with questions on: * Should all children be exposed to music / have music lessons? * How should parents handle children who don't want to practice, especially if they want to just quit after trying it for a short while? * At what age should a child learn a musical instrument? * What should people looking to pursue music think about & do? *Show notes:* https://www.sothisismywhy.com/5/ ** *Official Bio of the Dover Quartet* The phenomenal Dover Quartet catapulted to international stardom following a stunning sweep of the 2013 Banff Competition, at which they won every prize. Named the Cleveland Quartet Award-winner, and honored with the coveted Avery Fisher Career Grant, the Dover has become one of the most in-demand ensembles in the world. The Quartet's rise from up-and-coming young ensemble to occupying a spot at the top of their field has been “practically meteoric” ( Strings ). With its burnished warmth, incisive rhythms, and natural phrasing, the Quartet's distinctive sound has helped confirm its status as “the young American string quartet of the moment” ( New Yorker ). The Quartet serves as the quartet-in-residence for the Bienen School of Music at Northwestern University, Chamber Music Northwest, Artosphere, the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, and Peoples' Symphony in New York, and was recently named the first-ever quartet-in-residence for the Kennedy Center. In 2018-19 the Dover Quartet performs more than a hundred concerts around North America, including performances at the Kennedy Center, San Francisco Performances, the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, Spivey Hall, Boston's Celebrity Series, the Chamber Music Society of Detroit, and Carnegie Hall. In addition, the Dover's season features tours of Hong Kong, Europe, and Australia, collaborations with Emanuel Ax, Inon Barnatan, Peter Serkin, Anthony McGill, and Roomful of Teeth, and premieres of new works by Caroline Shaw and Matan Porat. The Quartet was thrilled to be invited by the maverick filmmaker and cultural icon David Lynch to be featured at his Los Angeles Festival of Disruption. Cedille Records released the Quartet's sophomore album, entitled Voices of Defiance: 1943, 1944, 1945 in October 2017. The recording takes listeners on a powerful journey through works written during World War II by Viktor Ullmann, Dimitri Shostakovich, and Simon Laks. The 2016-17 season saw the release of its all-Mozart debut recording on the Cedille label, a nod to the 1965 debut album of the Guarneri Quartet, whose founding violist, the late Michael Tree, joined the Dover Quartet on the recording. In addition, the group has participated in three complete Beethoven quartet cycles, including the University at Buffalo's famous “Slee Cycle” – which has presented annual Beethoven quartet cycles since 1955 and has featured the likes of the Budapest, Guarneri, and Cleveland Quartets – and will record the cycle over the next three seasons. The group's world-class collaborators have included pianists Anne-Marie McDermott, Emanuel Ax, Marc-André Hamelin, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Peter Serkin, and Jon Kimura Parker; violists Roberto Díaz and Cynthia Phelps; bassist Edgar Meyer; and the Pacifica and Escher Quartets. In the spring of 2016, the Dover Quartet was recognized with the Hunt Family Award, one of the inaugural Lincoln Center Emerging Artist Awards, and in past years has taken top prizes at the Fischoff Competition and the Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition. All four Quartet members are consummate solo artists: first violinist Joel Link took first prize at the Menuhin Competition; violinist Bryan Lee and violist Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt have appeared as soloists with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Tokyo Philharmonic, respectively; and cellist Camden Shaw released a solo album debut on the Unipheye Music label. As Strad observes, “With their exceptional interpretative maturity, tonal refinement, and taut ensemble,” the Dover Quartet is “pulling away from their peers.” Hailed as “the next Guarneri Quartet” ( Chicago Tribune ), the Dover Quartet draws from the lineage of that distinguished ensemble, as well that of the Cleveland and Vermeer Quartets; its members studied at the Curtis Institute of Music and Rice University's Shepherd School of Music, where they were mentored extensively by Shmuel Ashkenasi, James Dunham, Norman Fischer, Kenneth Goldsmith, Joseph Silverstein, Arnold Steinhardt, Michael Tree, and Peter Wiley. It was at Curtis that the Quartet first formed, and its name pays tribute to Dover Beach by fellow Curtis alumnus Samuel Barber. The group has since returned for residencies to Rice in 2011-13, and to Curtis, where it became the conservatory's first Quartet-in-Residence, in 2013-14. In addition, in 2015 the Dover was appointed the first Resident Ensemble of Peoples' Symphony Concerts in the 116-year history of New York City's oldest concert series. The Dover Quartet is dedicated to sharing its music with under-served communities and is actively involved with Music for Food, an initiative enabling musicians to raise resources and awareness in the fight against hunger. The Dover Quartet plays on the following instruments: *Joel Link* : Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume, Paris circa 1857, on loan by Desirée Ruhstrat *Bryan Lee* : Riccardo Antoniazzi, Milan 1904 *Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt* : Michele Deconet, Venice, 1780, the ‘Kroyt,' generously on loan from the grandson of Boris Kroyt of the Budapest Quartet *Camden Shaw:* Frank Ravatin, France, 2010

TBJ136: Boston Brass joins Andrew & Lance sharing stories both new and old. The five current members of Boston Brass catch us up with how the quintet is dealing with quarantine, swaps stories, and future plans.  From their website: For 31 years, Boston Brass has set out to establish a one-of-a-kind musical experience. Performing exciting classical arrangements to burning jazz standards, Boston Brass treats audiences to a unique brand of entertainment captivating all ages. The ensemble’s lively repartee, touched with humor and personality, attempts to bridge the ocean of classical formality to delight audiences in an evening of great music and boisterous fun. The philosophy of Boston Brass is to provide audiences with a wide selection of musical styles in unique arrangements, provided in a friendly and fun atmosphere. Through over 100 performances each year, the members of Boston Brass play to audiences at concerts, educational venues, and jazz festivals. In addition to solo performances, Boston Brass regularly performs with orchestras, wind ensemble, brass bands, marching bands, and a variety of other ensembles. They have performed in 49 states and 30 countries and have conducted master classes around the world including sessions and residencies at the Eastman School of Music, The Julliard School, Shepherd School of Music at Rice University, Peabody Conservatory of Music, University of North Texas, Royal Academy of Music in London, Yong Siew Toh Conservatory at the National University of Singapore, Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts and Mahidol University in Bangkok.  Boston Brass is a Yamaha Performing Group and has been featured educators and performers at the Mid West Band and Orchestra Clinic, World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles, Japan Band Clinic, Music Educators National Conferences, American Bandmaster Association Conference, The American Band College, Western International Band Clinic and Texas Bandmasters Association Convention. Boston Brass has been featured on The CBS Early Show, National Public Radio’s Performance Today, The Great American Brass Band Festival and has recorded many diverse albums. Their latest recording “Concerto Grosso” is a collaboration with Eric Rombach-Kendall and University of New Mexico Wind Ensemble, “Reminiscing” is a tribute to Rolf Smedvig of the Empire Brass, “Rewired” features new arrangements by the members of Boston Brass, Latin Nights, features a collection of some of the greatest classical and jazz works by Latin composers and performers and features the legendary drummer Steve Gadd, the beautiful voice of Talita Real, percussion and guitar. Other albums include Ya Gotta Try, featuring music from Horace Silver, Chick Corea and Dizzy Gillespie, produced by legendary jazz recording genius Rudy van Gelder and Within Earshot, featuring classical works by Shostakovich, Ginastera, Dvorak, Liszt, and others.  Boston Brass has two holiday recordings, Christmas Bells are Swingin’, and The Stan Kenton Christmas Carols, featuring the Boston Brass All-Stars Big Band playing the truly phenomenal charts made popular by the Stan Kenton Orchestra. Boston Brass tours a vibrant holiday show each year featuring many of the charts from these two albums, combined with a variety of solo and combo selections and some fun surprises, which has quickly established the show as a perennial audience favorite.  2011 marked the 25th Anniversary of Boston Brass and was celebrated with the “25 Fanfares Project,” wherein 25 fanfares were premiered by composers from all over the country.  Boston Brass also premiered a new major commission by noted wind ensemble composer Brian Balmages and new arrangements by the legendary Sam Pilafian. Additionally, Boston Brass was very excited to have the opportunity to collaborate in the 2010/2011 season with the fabulous Imani Winds in a program entitled “Sketches of Spain,” featuring the music of Miles Davis and Gil Evans. In the 2012/2013 season, the quintet began touring their “Notes from the Balcony” program with the Enso String Quartet. The program features music based on “Romeo and Juliet”. In this fun and lively discussion, we cover: Taps Boston Brass intros How they’re staying busy Planning for the future Videos by Jose, Chris, and Domingo Where they were when it all blew up Chris on a plane Will in Chicago Will leads a double life Jose’s teaching schedule Chris at Walmart in the cereal aisle Domingo taking advantage of the downtime Domingo reconnecting with his roots in Latin America Domingo working with Sam on a solo project just before he passed “Then fire me.” Sam’s impact in Boston Brass William replacing Sam in the group Chris Bill is sitting in Lance’s lap Brass Recording Project The Pickle Test New projects Jeff sigh “Blues for Sam” for the new Boston Brass album Busting Jeff’s chops for fun and profit Bose Wave radio Pray for Jens apron The Facebook Jeff ate a bug in Brazil Wichita leave-behind Random Christopher Bill LINKS: Boston Brass site Yamaha Artist Page Pray for Jens merch!!! Want to help the show? Here are some ways: Unlock bonus episodes galore by becoming a Patreon patron. Help others find the show by leaving a rating and review on iTunes or Apple Podcasts. Show us some love on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Show some love to our sponsors: The brass program at The Mary Pappert School of Music at Duquesne University and Parker Mouthpieces (including the Andrew Hitz and Lance LaDuke models.) Buy Pray for Jens and The Brass Junkies merch at The Brass Junkies online store! Tell your friends! Expertly produced by Will Houchin with love, care, and enthusiasm.

Jesus exhorts Peter to feed the sheep of God.

We are chatting with Daniel Smith on today’s podcast!  Daniel recently joined the San Francisco Symphony as associate principal bass after spending two seasons in the San Diego Symphony double bass section. About Daniel Smith: A native to Southern California, bassist Daniel Smith was recently appointed Associate Principal Bass of the San Francisco Symphony after performing for two seasons with the San Diego Symphony.  Mr. Smith graduated from Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music in 2013 under the tutelage of Timothy Pitts. After four years of pursuing music, as well as a biochemistry minor, Mr. Smith travelled to Bali, Indonesia, where he spent four months volunteering and teaching music at an orphanage known as Bali Life. Two months following his return home, Mr. Smith was appointed Principal Bass of the Santa Barbara Symphony in February of 2014. As an active freelancer, Mr. Smith has performed with ensembles such as the New World Symphony, Pacific Symphony, Hawaii Symphony, California Chamber Orchestra and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. His festival appearances include the Music Academy of the West, Idyllwild Festival Orchestra and Pacific Music Festival in Hokkaido, Japan. Mr. Smith loves collaborating with other artists in pursuit of alternative forms and styles of music. Much of this pursuit has been spent writing and touring with Nashville-based Sony singer/songwriter Tim Timmons. Mr. Smith is equally passionate for the discovery of new music as for travel and experiencing world cultures. He has spent time at orphanages and cultural centers in Bali, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Honduras and Mexico teaching proper hygiene, practical life skills, surf lessons and music. Listen to Contrabass Conversations with our free app for iOS, Android, and Kindle! Contrabass Conversations is sponsored by: D'Addario Strings This episode is brought to you by D'Addario Strings! Check out their Kaplan strings, which have versatility and control throughout the dynamic spectrum, rich tonal color palette, superb bow response, and beautiful balance. Robertson & Sons Violins For more than four decades, Robertson & Sons has specialized in providing the highest quality stringed instruments and bows to collectors, professional musicians, music educators, and students of all ages. Their modern facility is equipped with three instrument showrooms as well as a beautiful Recital Hall available to our clients to in their search for the perfect instrument and/or bow. 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. The English Double Bass Book The English Double Bass Book examines the great English double bass makers of the 18th and 19th Century, illustrating in fine detail the incredible work they produced. It also explores the fascinating story of how the double bass came to England, its development guided by the great Venetian virtuoso Domenico Dragonetti, and the rise and fall of the English double bass makers. To pre-order your limited-edition copy, please visit www.theenglishdoublebass.com. Contrabass Conversations production team: Jason Heath, host Michael Cooper and Steve Hinchey, audio editing Mitch Moehring, audio engineer Trevor Jones, publication and promotion Subscribe to the podcast to get these interviews delivered to you automatically!

What lies at the heart of humanity’s ability―and drive―to create? New York Times bestselling author and neuroscientist David Eagleman teams up with internationally acclaimed composer and Associate Professor at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music Anthony Brandt in a wide-ranging exploration of human creativity. In their new book, The Runaway Species: How Human Creativity Remakes the World, the pair studies hundreds of examples of human creativity from landing on the moon to paintings by Picasso to connect what creative acts have in common. By uncovering the essential elements of human innovation and examining them through the lens of cutting-edge neuroscience, Eagleman and Brandt consider how we can harness creativity to better our lives, schools, businesses, and institutions. Join us for an inspiring look at humanity’s unique ability to use the powerful tools of arts, technology, science, and more to improve our future.

Today, we take a look at the remarkable impact that Paul Ellison has had on the double bass world as a teacher.  This episode includes our original interview with Paul from 2016 as well as thoughts on Paul as a teacher from five former students: Kaitlyn Kamminga Nina DeCesare Peter Seymour Nicholas Walker Jory Herman About Paul Ellison Performing solo and ensemble concerts as well as giving master classes on the double bass and period instruments on four continents, Paul Ellison is the Lynette S. Autrey Professor of Double Bass and chair of strings at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, Visiting Artist-Faculty University of Southern California and guest tutor at the Yehudi Menuhin School, the Royal College of Music, and Bass Club, England. Current summer positions include principal bass at the Grand Teton Music Festival, faculty/performer at the Sarasota Music Festival and faculty/performer at Festival Domaine Forget, Quebec. Former students hold titled positions in major ensembles and institutions of higher learning on five continents. Previous positions include principal bass of Houston Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Aspen Festival Orchestras (also faculty), professor of double bass and chair of strings at the University of Southern California, and president of the International Society of Bassists. Ellison was the first to receive both the diploma and teaching certificate from Institut International Rabbath, Paris. Contrabass Conversations is sponsored by: D’Addario Strings Check out their Zyex strings, which are synthetic core strings that produce an extremely warm, rich sound. Get the sound and feel of gut strings with more evenness, projection and stability than real gut. Robertson & Sons Violins For more than four decades, Robertson & Sons has specialized in providing the highest quality stringed instruments and bows to collectors, professional musicians, music educators, and students of all ages. Their modern facility is equipped with three instrument showrooms as well as a beautiful Recital Hall available to our clients to in their search for the perfect instrument and/or bow. The Bass Violin Shop The Bass Violin Shop offers the Southeast's largest inventory of laminate, hybrid and carved double basses. Whether you are in search of the best entry-level laminate, or a fine pedigree instrument, there is always a unique selection ready for you to try. Trade-ins and consignments welcome! A440 Violin Shop An institution in the Roscoe Village neighborhood for over 20 years, A440's commitment to fairness and value means that we have many satisfied customers from the local, national, and international string playing communities. Our clients include major symphony orchestras, professional orchestra and chamber music players, aspiring students, amateur adult players, all kinds of fiddlers, jazz and commercial musicians, university music departments, and public schools.

David Eagleman is a neuroscientist at Stanford University. His scientific research is published in journals from Science to Nature, and he is also the author of the internationally bestselling books Sum and Incognito. He is the writer and presenter of the companion BBC television series The Brain. Anthony Brandt is an internationally acclaimed composer and a Professor of Composition and Theory at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. His musical output includes two chamber operas and works for orchestra, chamber ensembles, dance, theatre, film, and television. He is also Artistic Director of the award-winning new music ensemble Musiqa. Anthony and David are the authors of The Runaway Species: How Human Creativity Remakes The World. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Pianist, Shepherd School of Music professor, and recording artist Jon Kimura Parker – or as we like to call him, Captain Jon Solo – talks about the hidden world of the guest soloist. From the singular experience of performing with an orchestra in one ear and a concert hall in the other, to rehearsal times that will give you stage fright just hearing about them, it’s a behind-the-scenes tell-all exposé of concertic proportions. (That’s a word. We swear.) Music in this episode was recorded live with Jon Kimura Parker in the Geary Performance Studio at Houston Public Media except for: Ludwig van Beethoven: Klavierkonzert Nr. 1 C-Dur, op. 15 played by Martha Argerich and the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra P.D.Q. Bach: Concerto for Two Pianos vs. Orchestra, S. 2 are better than one (P.D.Q. Bach). Audio production by Todd “The Tobogganator” Hulslander with a running start by Dacia Clay.

Concert Chamber ensemble Loop38 Described as a “masterpiece” and “monumental work” by the New York Times and The Guardian, respectively, Austrian composer Georg Friedrich Haas’ hour-long work for twenty-four musicians, in vain (2000), creates an unforgettable listening experience. Just as “the natural light that illuminates the murals...accurately show the nuances and subtleties of [Rothko’s] color palette” in Rothko Chapel, the absence of light is used in Haas’ in vain to create an experience of “waves of opulently strange, beautiful sounds”. With most of the music performed in complete darkness as the performers play from memory, the sounds are liberated, and “the focus lies on what is trapped under listening habits”. While many works of Haas have been performed to great acclaim in New York, Los Angeles, Berlin, and London, he has yet to be discovered in Houston. With an emphasis on achieving artistic excellence and a passion to create unique aural experiences for the community, Loop38 is excited to include the Texas premiere of this demanding work in their first season. Co-founded by conductor Jerry Hou and pianist Yvonne Chen at the Shepherd School of Music in 2016, chamber ensemble Loop38 is comprised entirely of Houston transplants, bringing their unique musical experiences from all over the world to share with the Houston community. Its members hold degrees from The Juilliard School, Peabody Institute, Cleveland Institute of Music, Eastman School of Music, Yale University, University of Michigan, University for the Arts in Bremen, Germany, and Oberlin Conservatory. Members of the group have worked with composers such as Steve Reich, Pierre Boulez, Gyorgy Kurtag, Helmut Lachenmann, Bernard Rands, Unsuk Chin, and Mark-Anthony Turnage. www.loop38.org

Late last year, composer and Shepherd School of Music professor Shih-Hui Chen helped bring something called “nanguan” music to Houston. Specifically, she and Asia Society Texas brought the Lâm-hun-koh/Gang-a-Tsui Nanguan Music and Theater Troupe to perform this special kind of traditional Chinese music. We somehow squeezed all of the members of the troupe into our studio, including musician and ethnomusicologist Katie Chen, for this episode. Katie and Shih-Hui talk about nanguan music and some of Shih-Hui’s contemporary pieces that the troupe were to play at their Asia Society performance. We saved this episode for Chinese New Year (shout out to the Year of the Rooster!) which starts on January 28th. You’re welcome! Music in this episode: Traditional Nanguan pieces: Traditional piece Pushing Away The Pillow Shih-Hui Chen pieces: Returning Souls A Plea to Lady Chang’e  Audio production for this episode by Todd “I’m not Todd” Hulslander with meandering by Dacia Clay and assistance from Mark DiClaudio. 

It is time for another special guest. Pastor Scott Thom has brought on another pastor that has completed the Shepherd School and has gone out to start his own church. Today Pastor Jason David is on with his experiences and wisdom for you that he has gained from going out and planting his church. NoOtherDoctrine.org LeadershipFromTheCross.org CCFCollege.com CrossFellowship.org

Pastor Scott Thom brings another Pastor on from the Shepherd School program to give you some great insights on being a leader and some interesting stories. Listen in as Pastor Scott Thom interviews Pastor Rick Sena from Extol Church in Albuquerque, NM. NoOtherDoctrine.org LeadershipFromTheCross.org CCFCollege.com CrossFellowship.org

On this episode Pastor Scott breaks from normal fashion to interview Pastor Chris Torres and discuss his life change, experience in the Shepherd School and the beginning of his Pastoral Ministry. NoOtherDoctrine.org LeadershipFromTheCross.org CCFCollege.com CrossFellowship.org

This week, Dacia Clay has the Dover String Quartet; violinists, Joel Link, Bryan Lee; violist, Milena Pajaro-Van De Stadt; and cellist, Camden Shaw into the studio. They listen to a recording of their own concert from the night before when they played Alban Berg‘s String Quartet Opus 3 for the Chamber Music Houston series.  They introduce Dacia to the twelve-tone system of music composition, and she lives to talk about it. They also discuss serialism, Schoenberg, over-protective fathers, motifs, and that Berg is pronounced like “bare-g”, not burg.       Music in this episode: Alban Berg String Quartet Op. 3  from a live performance recorded at Stude Concert Hall, Rice University, Shepherd School of Music for Chamber Music Houston  Audio production by Todd “One Todd to rule them all” Hulslander, editing by Mark DiClaudio and mind expansion by Dacia Clay.

It is our pleasure to bring you this interview with Paul Ellison. Paul is chair of strings and professor of double bass at Rice University, where he has taught for the past four decades. He is the former principal bass of the Houston Symphony, former president of the International Society of Bassists, and has had a significant impact on the double bass world.  In this interview, we discuss Paul’s early background, his encounters with François Rabbath, being a musical athlete on the bass, gut strings and the adoption of steel strings, the undergraduate experience at Rice University, and many other topics.  Enjoy! About Paul: Performing solo and ensemble concerts as well as giving master classes on the double bass and period instruments on four continents, Paul Ellison is the Lynette S. Autrey Professor of Double Bass and chair of strings at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music, Visiting Artist-Faculty University of Southern California and guest tutor at the Yehudi Menuhin School, the Royal College of Music, and Bass Club, England. Current summer positions include principal bass at the Grand Teton Music Festival, faculty/performer at the Sarasota Music Festival and faculty/performer at Festival Domaine Forget, Quebec. Former students hold titled positions in major ensembles and institutions of higher learning on five continents. Previous positions include principal bass of Houston Symphony, Houston Grand Opera, Santa Fe Opera, Aspen Festival Orchestras (also faculty), professor of double bass and chair of strings at the University of Southern California, and president of the International Society of Bassists. Ellison was the first to receive both the diploma and teaching certificate from Institut International Rabbath, Paris.

Continuing with our Bachtober celebration, we revisit this oldie but goody with Kurt Stallmann.  Bach’s Invention No. 1 contains an entire universe of music as we learn in this episode with Kurt Stallmann, Associate Professor of Music at Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music. It gets metaphysical up in here, you guys. Audio production by Todd “Birthday Boy” Hulslander, with happy claps of approval by Dacia Clay. Music in this episode includes: Johann Sebastian Bach, Invention No. 1 in C Major (from his Inventions and Sinfonias BWV 772–801, aka the Two- and Three-Part Inventions), played by Kurt Stallmann.

The HAL 9000 that we use to produce these little gems has met an untimely demise. Fear not! We’ve got a brand new HAL 9001 on order. Until next week, please enjoy this old gold from the Classroom vault. ——————————— Was Tchaikovsky’s Symphony VI (aka “Pathetique”, aka “Suicide Symphony”) a suicide note or did he die of cholera, per the Official Word? You decide after this intweeging lesson with clarinetist and Shepherd School of Music Professor of Music, Michael Webster! Audio production by Todd “Toddsy Woddsy” Hulslander with roof raising by Dacia Clay.

What makes creativity? Is it money? Is it a gift from the Powers That Be? Is it won through trials and tribulations? Shepherd School of Music Professor of Violin Kenneth Goldsmith unveils the ancient formula. He looks at how Haydn, Grieg, and Ravel – composers from different life circumstances and different times – all used their mysterious powers of creativity to explore the same theme. Audio production by Todd “Tether Ball King” Hulslander with a really good try at defense by Dacia Clay. Music in this episode: – Josef Haydn: Symphony #6 “Le Matin” – Edvard Grieg: Morning Mood from Peer Gynt Suite #1 – Maurice Ravel: Daphnis and Chloe, Suite #2 Professor Kenneth Goldsmith. Photo courtesy of Shepherd School website.   For more about Kenneth Goldsmith:www.music.rice.edu/facultybios/goldsmith.shtml

Like an Around the World and Back snap, Bach’s Suite in B Minor for Flute and Strings takes the listener pretty much everywhere. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll dance fast and slow, you’ll wonder if you’re Polish or French, yet feel German. But don’t worry: Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music professor and flutist Leone Buyse will be your guide on this musical (spiritual?) journey. Flutist Leone Buyse. Photo by David Long. Courtesy of leonebuyse.com. Audio production by Todd “Tobias” Hulslander with Fünke by Dacia Clay. Music in this episode: – J.S. Bach – Suite in B-Minor for Flute and Orchestra as played by Barthold Kuijken and Emmanuel Pahud (respectively) For more about Leone Buyse: www.leonebuyse.com

How are the Black Keys and Beethoven alike? They both had the low-down dirty blues. JK! They both compose(d) music for two instruments! You’ve heard his symphonies. Now hear cellist Norman Fischer – of the Fischer Duo, the Concord String Quartet, and Rice University’s Shepherd School of Music – talk about Beethoven’s chamber works for cello and piano. Why did Beethoven create music for a new, tiny arrangement of instruments? Did he do it for the dolla dolla billz? Did he do it to impress a king? Find out in this episode of Classical Classroom! Audio production for this episode by Todd “Tiddlywinks” Hulslander with no production help whatsoever from that lazy nogoodnik Dacia Clay. All music in this episode performed by the Fischer Duo, and most of this comes from the Fischer Duo’s new CD, “Beethoven: Cello and Piano Complete“.

Was Tchaikovsky’s Symphony VI (aka “Pathetique”, aka “Suicide Symphony”) a suicide note or did he die of cholera, per the Official Word? You decide after this intweeging lesson with clarinetist and Shepherd School of Music Professor of Music, Michael Webster! Audio production by Todd “Toddsy Woddsy” Hulslander with roof raising by Dacia Clay. All music used in this episode was played by the Houston Youth Symphony, of which Prof. Webster is the Artistic Director and Conductor. Like what you hear? Go hear HYS play this piece (Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74, Pathétique) live in their Side-by-Side Concert with the Houston Symphony. For more information, go to www.houstonyouthsymphony.com!

Summary of today's show: Catholic early education centers are the latest trend in Catholic schools, serving children from 33 months old right up to Kindergarten. Scot Landry sits down with Nicolette Clifford and Pat Lombard from Good Shepherd School in Charlestown, which got its start in 2009 at St. Mary-St. Catherine of Siena Parish. They discuss Handwriting Without Tears program, TURKS math, and how they incorporate faith formation and serve the various families of the community. Listen to the show: Watch the show via live video streaming or a recording later: Today's host(s): Scot Landry Today's guest(s): Nicolette Clifford, Pat Lombard Links from today's show: Today's topics: Good Shepherd School in Charlestown 1st segment: Scot Landry welcomed everyone to the show and mentioned that a trend in Catholic education is the growth of Catholic preschool programs. Today, we're profiling The Good Shepherd School (GSS) is located in the newly renovated ground floor of St. Mary-St. Catherine of Siena in Charlestown. GSS is an independent Catholic school committed to comprehensive, developmentally appropriate programs that strengthen the school-family partnership and enrich the lives and learning experiences of children. Good Shepherd School students are given the opportunity to work collaboratively and explore friendships but also be nurtured within their individual interests in a structured yet multisensory learning environment. Enrichment activities include Spanish, gym, religious education and music classes. Scot welcomed Nicolette Clifford and Pat Lombard to the show. He said the school was started in 2009. Nicolette said Fr. Ronan said he saw interest in the school in the community and formed the school with a board from the community. They have four classrooms with 70 children now. Scot said a freestanding pre-school is unusual. Nicolette said 95% of their families live in Charlestown, with a few in the North End and one in Cambridge. She said these are the most formative years for children to have a positive experience in school. She said it's a preschool, not a daycare. They have a handwriting program which even the youngest children use. They help children learn in all different ways, not just by sitting at a table practicing letters. You don't get academic experiences in daycare. Scot asked what the goal is when they start at 3 and end by the time they enter kindergarten. Nicolette said they first want them to have a positive experience of school and forming friendships, then start academic experience. At four or five, they want them to be forming words and writing. They discussed their activities within Charlestown where the children interact with seniors and veterans. Pat said she's a native of Charlestown. Scot discussed how Charlestown has a mix of people from all the different communities within the community. Pat said she taught in public schools and retired from there before coming back to Good Shepherd. She said it's a joy to see all the children when she's out and about town. Pat used to teach 2nd and 3rd grades in public school and now she's teaching 3 and 4 year olds and they discussed the differences, such as trying to keep their attention and helping them to be good listeners. Nicolette talked about the scheduled, which has three different day lengths ending at noon, 3pm, and 5:30pm, but most get picked up at one of the two earlier times. She said was always interested in education from when she was a small child. She majored in education in college and got a Master's in early childhood education. They discussed that the school after four years now has a waiting list for students to enter the school. Nicolette said it's a good kind of stress to have to find spaces. She said there are some early childhood settings within the Boston Public Schools as well as daycares like Bright Horizons. 2nd segment: Scot said it's a beautiful school in the basement of one of the most beautiful churches in the Archdiocese. Nicolette said people are amazed that being in the basement doesn't mean it's gloomy, but they have beautiful stained glass windows. They have religious education on Wednesdays by Sr. Nancy, who rotates through each classroom through the day. On Fridays, the whole school comes together in the chapel for prayer. Outside of those times, there's a lot of talking to the school about respect for others and helping others, breaking it down to their level. Scot asked about the TURK math program. Pat said the program is setup for K through 8, but they are adapting the material for the young age level, which gives the kids a head start when they reach kindergarten. Her class is concentrating right now on sorting skills. Scot asked if it's difficult teaching handwriting and dexterity with your hands. Nicolette said they have had nothing but positive experiences with Handwriting Without Tears. She has heard from parents about children wanting to write at home. The children learn in various ways, whether air writing or using various tools. The kids learn from the very beginning, like how to hold a pencil and where to start writing on a page. They hope that at the end the children understand the letters and their goal is for them to be able to write their names by the time they leave. But if they can't, it's not a big deal. They'll eventually learn. They have a Spanish enrichment program, that exposes children to language at this early age. It's so much easier to learn language at very early ages. They learn colors, letters, numbers, animals. They talked about Miss Miranda, who comes in once per week, for gym, getting them active with the Play Ball! program. Happy Feet is a new program that teaches literacy while playing soccer. Pat noted that they have a big indoor space where the kids can play even in bad weather. Sr. Kathleen is their music teacher on Thursdays. They also do a Christmas pageant and spring graduation program. Pat hopes that the most popular part of the day is reading. At this age, you can't read to them enough. You hope that they go home to talk about the stories they read and she hopes that the parents are reinforcing that with reading. 3rd segment: This week's benefactor card raffle winner is Paula Barbosa from Medway She wins the book by Michaelann Martin If you would like to be eligible to win in an upcoming week, please visit . For a one-time $30 donation, you'll receive the Station of the Cross benefactor card and key tag, making you eligible for WQOM's weekly raffle of books, DVDs, CDs and religious items. We'll be announcing the winner each Wednesday during “The Good Catholic Life” program. 4th segment: Nicolette said their hope is to expand someday to add a kindergarten and a first and second grade. They just don't have the space right now. Scot said he's hearing all the time about new Catholic early education centers becoming available. Nicolette said the majority of families are sending children to school earlier and earlier. There's more pressure on children to make sure they can do X, Y, Z by the time they're in kindergarten. Pat doesn't think it's a matter of putting too much pressure on kids, but more and more parents are working and they're wanting to get them to start socializing by the time they're 3. Nicolette talked about scholarships for families that can't afford the full tuition and wanting to provide the same opportunity for all children. They now have a fundraising committee of parents and every spring they have a fundraiser for the school. They discussed many of the schools that kids go to after leaving Good Shepherd. There was also discussion in how Fr. Ronan provides formation to parents and children. Nicolette said they open houses in the spring and fall, including during the day so people can get a real sense of how the school works. Part of the enrollment process is a visit including a half hour in the prospective class and seeing whether it's a good fit for the student.

Ira Gold made his Carnegie Hall solo debut in 2011, performing the Vanhal Bass Concerto with the Catholic University of America Symphony Orchestra. Prior to joining the National Symphony in 2005, Mr. Gold performed with several American orchestras, as section bass with the Minnesota Orchestra and as guest principal bassist with the San Francisco Symphony and Detroit Symphony. He has attended festivals such as the Grand Teton Music Festival, Domaine Forget Music Academy, Bach Festival Leipzig, Aspen, and Tanglewood. Mr. Gold spent several summers at the International Festival Institute at Round Top both as a student and faculty. He is continually in demand for recitals and master classes, including recent visits at The Juilliard School, Boston University Tanglewood Institute, Penn State University, University of North Texas, the International Society of Bassists Convention, and the Manhattan School of Music. Mr. Gold maintains a studio of private students, has taught lessons and coached chamber music in the National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellowship program, and has been a member of the double bass faculty at the Peabody Conservatory since 2009. He is also a co-founding member of Peabody Bass Works, a one-week bass camp held every July at Peabody. An active chamber musician, Mr. Gold has performed with the East Coast Chamber Orchestra, the NSO Millennium Stage Prelude Series, Peabody Conservatory faculty, and the New Orchestra of Washingon. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree at Boston University's College of Fine Arts, and his Master of Music degree at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music, where he won the strings division of the 2005 Concerto Competition. His primary teachers include Edwin Barker and Paul Ellison, and additional studies with Albert Laszlo, Kenneth Harper, Dennis Whittaker, Mark Shapiro, and Harry Lantz.

Ira Gold made his Carnegie Hall solo debut in 2011, performing the Vanhal Bass Concerto with the Catholic University of America Symphony Orchestra. Prior to joining the National Symphony in 2005, Mr. Gold performed with several American orchestras, as section bass with the Minnesota Orchestra and as guest principal bassist with the San Francisco Symphony and Detroit Symphony. He has attended festivals such as the Grand Teton Music Festival, Domaine Forget Music Academy, Bach Festival Leipzig, Aspen, and Tanglewood. Mr. Gold spent several summers at the International Festival Institute at Round Top both as a student and faculty. He is continually in demand for recitals and master classes, including recent visits at The Juilliard School, Boston University Tanglewood Institute, Penn State University, University of North Texas, the International Society of Bassists Convention, and the Manhattan School of Music. Mr. Gold maintains a studio of private students, has taught lessons and coached chamber music in the National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellowship program, and has been a member of the double bass faculty at the Peabody Conservatory since 2009. He is also a co-founding member of Peabody Bass Works, a one-week bass camp held every July at Peabody. An active chamber musician, Mr. Gold has performed with the East Coast Chamber Orchestra, the NSO Millennium Stage Prelude Series, Peabody Conservatory faculty, and the New Orchestra of Washingon. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree at Boston University's College of Fine Arts, and his Master of Music degree at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music, where he won the strings division of the 2005 Concerto Competition. His primary teachers include Edwin Barker and Paul Ellison, and additional studies with Albert Laszlo, Kenneth Harper, Dennis Whittaker, Mark Shapiro, and Harry Lantz.