Education Through Music Podcasts

"I don't know where I'd be without music." This comes from Ben Hayes, ETM board member and Vice President at Goldman Sachs where he serves as a member of the legal team within Goldman Sachs Asset Management. Long before law school, Ben performed with a number of orchestras, concert bands, jazz groups, and brass ensembles, including tours with the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps. He also performed and...

We're delighted to release our next Notables podcast episode with Keanan Duffty, musician, co-founder of the rock band Slinky Vagabond, award-winning fashion designer, and educator. In this inspiring conversation, Keanan shares with us his formative experiences with music and fashion as well as his invaluable perspectives on the importance of collaboration, self-expression, and forging one's own c...

We had the great privilege to speak with GRAMMY-nominated composer, curator, and activist Carlos Simon. Carlos is Composer-in-Residence for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and holds the inaugural Composer Chair of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, the first in the organization’s 143-year history. And coming up this April, Gustavo Dudamel will lead the world premiere of Simon’s Good...

For our first episode of 2025 we go inside the modern band movement with an esteemed group of music educators with decades of experience among them. Joining us is Dr. Scott Burstein, Director of Professional Development & Higher Education with Music Will; Dr. Tom Zlabinger, Associate Professor of Music at York College and President of MEANYC; Alfredo Hernandez, Music Director of All Hallows Hi...

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Ryan Zellner, CEO of the International Society for Music Education (ISME) and a lifelong advocate for music education. From first being inspired by music in the fourth grade when hearing a brass band to leading music education programs across the globe, Dr. Zellner shares his incredible journey. We explore Dr. Zellner’s career path, from starting as a music te...

“Until we start understanding each other, how can we play together? How can we be together? Not just musically, but as a society…”  - Dr. Alice Hammel  In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Alice Hammel–renowned music educator, scholar, author, and clinician–dives into the transformative power of music education and how it can be used as a tool for building inclusivity and understanding. Drawing...

In this episode of Notables, GRAMMY-nominated musician Scott Sharrard delves into the profound connection between music and storytelling, and why it’s an essential skill. From sharing personal anecdotes about his music education and inspirations, to reflecting on the evolution of the music industry, Scott offers deep insights for aspiring musicians. He also gives practical advice for today’s artis...

Did you know that music education can have immense benefits for the entire community? In this episode of Education Through Music: The Podcast, host Noah Teachey sat down with principal Greta Ratjen, music teacher Jess Parr, students, and their parents from our partner school P.S. 72.  During the last school year, Greta and Jess worked with ETM to start a new band program. The results have been inc...

In this episode of Notables, host Noah Teachey is joined by GRAMMY-winning artist Israel Houghton and music industry executive Chris Atlas to discuss their personal experiences with music education, the power of relationships in driving change, and the impact of arts programs in underserved communities. Israel and Chris share their perspectives on the role of music in their lives and the significa...

Over half of NYC schools do not have a full-time certified music teacher on staff. This reality, in combination with a national teacher shortage, has caused music educator vacancies at far too many schools. In response, ETM launched its Music Teacher Workforce Development Program during the 2023-2024 school year to create pathways for musicians interested in teaching music to receive the opportuni...

We speak with Anne-Marie McDermott, a classical pianist and member of the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. She is also the artistic director of numerous music festivals, including the Bravo! Vail Music Festival, which just kicked off its 2024 season. Anne-Marie talks about her early exposure to music and the impact her family and music teachers had on her journey as a musician and finding...

This spring, we connected with Gina Costanza, a music educator who has spent the last 18 years teaching general music and chorus and is currently the president of the Music Educators Association of New York City (MEANYC). It's clear: Gina truly loves what she does. In our conversation, we learn how she was inspired to pursue the profession as a student as well as some of the challenges during the...

We had the privilege to sit down with one of the world's most esteemed violinists, Anne Akiko Meyers. Grammy-nominated and a trailblazer in her field, Anne has collaborated with today’s most important composers, conductors, orchestras and presenters, creating a remarkable collection of new violin repertoire for future generations. We speak with Anne about her journey as an artist, from her earlies...

We had the honor to speak with internationally acclaimed conductor, Leonard Slatkin. Maestro Slatkin is Music Director Laureate of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO), Directeur Musical Honoraire of the Orchestre National de Lyon (ONL), Conductor Laureate of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO), and Principal Guest Conductor of the Orquesta Filarmónica de Gran Canaria (OFGC). He also maintains...

What are the steps to establishing a great music program? In this episode, we take a behind-the-scenes look at ETM's unique and exemplary model for music education. ETM's Davian Alleyne (Teacher at P.S. 236), Stephanie Nantell (Senior Director of Programs), and Arielle Lewis (Instructional Supervisor) share the many levels of planning and support that go into making a successful program, starting...

In part 2 of our conversation with Deb Confredo, 43-year veteran music educator, Professor of Music Education at Temple University, and President-Elect of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), we delve deeper into the work of the Music Teacher Profession Initiative (MTPI) . The MTPI was initiated by NAfME in 2021 with the perspective of widening the path to the profession by cultiv...

In this two-part episode, we speak with Dr. Deb Confredo , Professor of Music Education at Temple University and President-Elect of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). A 43-year veteran music educator, Deb shares with us her early inspirations to pursue music education, the trajectory of her career, as well as the origins and development of the Music Teacher Profession Initiative...

To kick off 2024, we speak with none other than the CEO of Education Through Music, Dr. Janice Weinman. Weinman boasts a five decade career, including top leadership positions of international and national non-profit organizations. She also served in two presidential administrations and was recently named a 2023 Politics NY and amNY Metro Power Player in Education for her contributions to the fiel...

Modern band can be a tremendously popular and educational music offering, especially for a school that is starting a new music program. To prove this, we look no further than the success of the modern band at All Hallows High School, an ETM partner school located in the Bronx. For nearly 40 years, All Hallows lacked a formal music program and in the short span of two years, the band has risen to p...

We had the honor to speak with the internationally celebrated and Pulitzer Prize winner composer, Anthony Davis. Davis is one of the “great living American composers” (New York Times). Opera News calls him “a National Treasure, and in 2023, Opera America inducts him into its Hall of Fame. Davis was the first to write a new American genre: opera on a contemporary political subject. His X: The Life...

What is culturally responsive music education? What is it not? And what are some starting points that educators can take to build a culturally responsive teaching practice? We're delighted to be joined by Ashley Cuthbertson to explore these questions and more. Ashley is the Founder & CEO of A. Cuthbertson Consulting, LLC, an educational consulting firm that helps K-12 music educators connect w...

In part 2 of our episode with the incredibly talented musician, author, and singer-songwriter Wé Ani, we pick up the conversation with a dive into her experiences as a finalist on American Idol . She speaks about how shes brings her true self to her performances, as well as a behind-the-scenes look into the production of the popular show. Wé also talks about her experiences working with children's...

Part 1 with the remarkable singer/songwriter and musician Wé Ani! You may recognize Wé and her powerful voice from the most recent season of American Idol where she became a top five finalist. Before American Idol, her talents caught the public's attention when she secured a 3rd place finish on the TV show, The Voice. Wé honed her skills at the prestigious Harlem School of the Arts, and since then...

What does it take to build a successful music program? We explore this question with guests Elizabeth Guglielmo and Barbara Murray, current and former Directors of Music at the NYC Department of Education, respectively. Covering nearly two decades of leadership in the position - plus many more as music teachers and administrators - Elizabeth and Barbara join us for a spirited discussion about what...

In this episode, we had the honor to speak with award-winning conductor Michael Repper. With work spanning five continents, Repper has an international reputation for engaging and exciting audiences of all spectrums, and for promoting new and diverse musical talents. In 2023, Michael became the youngest North American conductor to win a Grammy Award in Best Orchestral Performance for his album wit...