Anthony Plog on Music

Gail Williams has had a remarkable career as an orchestral musician, chamber musician, soloist and teacher. During the course of our conversation, we touch upon all of these creative aspects of her life and how her view of music and life is informed by these many experiences, both in music and in life. In Part 1 of our conversation , I ask Gail about her life growing up on a farm and how that expe...

We begin Part 2 of our conversation with Rob Roy talking about how he transferred his company to Carl Fisher Publications. We then move on to how people and certain companies violate copyright laws, and finally Rob Roy tells how the best selling book on flexibility by Bai Lin came to be published.

In the Bonus Room , Rob Roy talks about his career as a trumpet player, beginning with his lessons with Clifford Llyla and ending with his position in the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra.

Rob Roy was playing trumpet with the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra when he founded Balquhidder Music, a music publishing firm that has brought out a number of very popular pieces and studies in the brass music genre. In Part 1 of our conversation, Rob Roy talks about how and why he started Balquhidder Music and, since he wasn’t an entrepreneur before, how he set about learning to be a music p...

In Part 2 of our conversation, Kim talks about her work with the Amity Trio and also how, as a teacher at Indiana University, she works with both the brass and vocal departments.

Every year, Kim flies to Kenya to be part of a teaching exchange program, and in the Bonus Room , she shares some of her experiences of working with students in Kenya.

Simply put, Kim Carballo is a musician who uses her art to do good in the world, as an entrepreneur, performer, and teacher. She is the founder of Reimagining Opera for Kids (or ROK), a member of the Amity Trio, a teacher at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University, and is also involved in an exchange program in Kenya and the Dominican Republic. In Part 1 of our conversation, I ask Kim to...

In Part 2 , David and Sarah speak about their playing careers, how they started, how they often bounce ideas back and forth and, among other topics, the difference between brass and string chamber music practice mentality.

In the Bonus Room, our focus moves to David and Sarah’s teaching ideas and philosophies.

Trumpeter David Collins and violinist Sarah Sew (pronounced See You) are a married couple who have done amazing work, both as players, teachers, and also entrepreneurs. The story of how and why they started the Dublin Brass Week with no previous experience is a story that is both inspiring and also informative. In Part 1 of our conversation, we talk about why they founded the Dublin Brass Week, so...

In the Bonus Room, Al and I discuss certain aspects of his composing life and, using a piece on which he is currently working, how he enjoys composing under a deadline.

In Part 2, Al and I continue our conversation by talking about his playing career, beginning with his joining the Woody Herman band to the present. And we have many enjoyable detours during this part of our conversation.

Allen Vizzutti is known worldwide as a phenomenal trumpet player and soloist. But he is equally at home as a teacher and composer, and over the course of our conversation we talk about all of these creative areas of his life. I’ve known Allen for a great many years and have always been impressed not only with his playing, but also with his humility... in addition, of course, to his great sense of...

In Part 2, Marcus and I continue our discussion about writing, and eventually we come to the concept of inspiration vs. simply doing the work (spoiler alert: it turns out we are both on the same page). Marcus also discusses how finances work these days for a song writer (which is a business model totally new to me).

In the Bonus Room, Tony asks Marcus to talk about his youth, about the many places he has lived around the world, his beginnings as a singer and songwriter, and how he might just be the only country music song writer to both major in Islamic Studies in college and also be a sports jock.

Marcus Hummon is a songwriter, composer, singer, playwright, and author. As a songwriter he has had a number of #1 songs in the country music genre and a Grammy Award to his credit. He has also written for film and has also written six musicals, 2 operas, and several books.

In Part 2, David speaks on the subject of raising money for a music department and how to cultivate a donor. He also speaks of the importance of role models. And finally we discuss classical music in the world today and how to interest young people in coming to concerts.

In the Bonus Room, David speaks of his beginnings as a tuba player, studying in England (and living on two meals a day with his wife) and studying with Arnold Jacobs (and his almost... almost... meeting Frits Reiner). He also talks about mentoring and the idea that every student should consider having their very own Board of Directors.

David Kuehn has had a varied and rich career in music. He began his career as a tubist and teacher and then moved into administrative duties. Beginning as Assistant to the Dean/Assistant Dean at the University of North Texas, he then became Chairman of the Department of Music at California State University-Long Beach (CSULB), followed by the position of Dean at the University of Missouri-Kansas Ci...

In Part 2, Mark and I discuss differing views of interpretation, specifically with the Hindemith Sonata for Trumpet and Piano. The question is always this: How faithful should the performer be to the exact text of the music? Mark, of course, has some very definite ideas! We also talk about his time with the Metropolitan Opera, and end this part of our conversation with a discussion of historical p...

A section of Mark’s book , Gould on Music deals with music in a post pandemic world. Most of our time in the Bonus Room is spent on this subject, but we also talk about what it is like to teach as a player and also as a non/former player.

Mark Gould is one of the most interesting, controversial, and hilarious musicians on the classical (and jazz) musical scene today. His new book, Gould on Music, is a fascinating look into many aspects of music, especially teaching. So it was interesting to hear Mark’s thoughts on so many different aspects of music and the music business. In Part 1 of our conversation , I ask Mark about a number of...

In Part 2 of our conversation , I ask Justin about the different instruments he plays, the effect tonal keys can have on the nature of the music and why composers choose certain keys. And at the end of Part 2 we get into the weeds when talking about interpretive possibilities of the Haydn Trumpet Concerto.

In the Bonus Room , I ask Justin about how a student might get started playing Baroque music on the natural trumpet. We talk about social media and how it has helped his career, and at the end of our conversation I ask him where he sees himself in ten years.

Justin Bland is a wonderful trumpet player currently living in Copenhagen, Denmark. Specializing in Baroque music on the natural trumpet, Justin is far more than just a specialist. In addition to the natural trumpet, he also plays the modern trumpet, the recorder, the keyed trumpet, and is even a counter-tenor. Oh, and he has also tuned harpsichords! In Part 1 of our conversation, we talk about ho...