Art Works Podcast

In the second part of our conversation with 2024 NEA Jazz Master trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard , we explore the emotional and creative depths of his work, from his jazz innovations to his evolution as an opera composer. Blanchard shares the challenges of scoring the documentary When the Levees Broke and discusses how his Grammy -winning album A Tale of God’s Will emerged from those them...

In part one of this two-part interview, trumpeter, composer, and 2024 NEA Jazz Master Terence Blanchard speaks about his deep musical roots in New Orleans and how the city’s rich traditions shaped his artistry. He reflects on growing up in a household filled with music, his early piano lessons, and the pivotal moment when he switched to trumpet after hearing Alvin Alcorn. Blanchard discusses the e...

Koto musician and 2024 National Heritage Fellow June Kuramoto shares her remarkable journey from Japan to Los Angeles, recounting the challenges of adapting to a new culture as a young child and how a chance encounter with the koto reconnected her with her heritage. Kuramoto discusses her rise as one of the few koto masters in America, her deep exploration of the instrument’s traditional roots, an...

A conversation with Hana S. Sharif , Artistic Director of Arena Stage since August 2023. Sharif discusses her transformative first year at the helm and her inaugural season as Arena’s producing artistic director. She reflects on the vibrant theatrical community in Washington, D.C., and her commitment to amplifying dynamic voices in American theater. With an ambitious 2024/25 season featuring eight...

To mark the rare convergence of Christmas and Chanukah, we’re revisiting a conversation with one of the nation’s most extraordinary musicians 2012 National Heritage Fellow Andy Statman . A virtuoso clarinetist, mandolin player, and composer, Statman has defied musical boundaries throughout his career. Starting with his early love for bluegrass and mentorship under David Grisman, Statman later embr...

Opera is being transformed into a more inclusive and innovative art form, and Opera Praktikos (OPrak) is one of the companies leading this movement. Co-founded by librettist Marianna Mott Newirth and opera journalist Greg Moomjy , OPrak is New York City’s first disability-forward opera company, committed to breaking down barriers for artists and audiences. Today, a conversation with Marianna Mott...

Today we revisit our 2020 interview with Charles Yu , whose novel Interior Chinatown received the National Book Award for fiction and has been recently adapted into a Hulu series by Yu who is also the showrunner. A novel told in the format of a screenplay, Interior Chinatown follows Willis Wu, a bit player in a TV procedural, as he wrestles with his dreams, identity, and the limitations imposed by...

In this special Thanksgiving episode of Art Works , we’re revisiting our interview with Nick Spitzer, folklorist, radio host, and the 2023 Bess Lomax Hawes National Heritage Fellow . Nick discusses his path from college radio to producing the award-winning American Routes , a program that has spent 25 years exploring the intersections of Cajun, Creole, jazz, blues, gospel, and more. He shares stor...

Last week, the music world lost two titans of jazz: drummer Roy Haynes and saxophonist Lou Donaldson , both NEA Jazz Masters who reshaped the genre with their artistry. This special episode of Art Works  pays tribute to their immense contributions through archival interviews and timeless performances. From Roy Haynes' crisp, innovative drumming that defined the evolution of jazz over seven decades...

In honor of Veterans’ Day, we’re revisiting an episode of Art Works that tells the origin story of the transformative project  Theater of War Productions . Co-founded by classicist, translator, and director Bryan Doerries , Theater of War began with a simple yet profound concept: presenting staged readings of Sophocles' plays Ajax and Philoctetes to military communities as a means of addressing bo...

We mark Native American Heritage Month with artist Rose B. Simpson (Santa Clara Pueblo) who discusses her work in large-scale public art, and her journey as a creative rooted in Santa Clara Pueblo heritage. Simpson reflects on her process, exploring themes of protection, generational healing, and the deep connection between her art, identity, and community.  Simpson explains how her background in...

In time for Halloween—a conversation with author Christina Henry who has written 19 books of horror.  We discuss her latest book— The House That Horror Built , a chilling story set during the pandemic. The novel follows Harry, a single mother navigating the struggles of parenthood and financial instability, as she takes a job working for a reclusive horror film director.  Henry talks about the sto...

A conversation with Todd Goings , a 2024 National Heritage Fellow renowned for his work restoring and building carousels. Goings shares stories from his early days in woodworking, his path to becoming a master of carousel restoration with a shop, Carousels and Carvings , that employs 18 artisans, and the lasting impact of his craftsmanship. He reflects on the magic of carousels and how his work pr...

Today, we’re bringing  Hispanic Heritage month to a resounding close  and celebrating Juan Felipe Herrera’s recent MacArthur Fellowship by revisiting my 2015 interview  with the former U.S. Poet Laureate and two-time NEA Literature  Fellow .  In this podcast, Herrera reflects on his upbringing, his love for language, and how his mother’s storytelling shaped his own creative voice. He also shares h...

A conversation with Soo Hugh , showrunner and head writer of the critically acclaimed series Pachinko . Based on the bestselling novel by Min Jin Lee , the series follows four generations of a Korean family navigating life under Japanese occupation, war, and displacement. Soo Hugh discusses the deep emotional core of Pachinko , its exploration of family, identity, and survival, and how the charact...

In this episode of Art Works, a conversation with Jocelyn Bioh , the brilliant and funny mind behind Jaja's African Hair Braiding , a play set in a Harlem salon that explores the lives of African immigrant women. Bioh shares how her childhood visits to New York City's hair braiding shops inspired the play and discusses the influence of current immigration debates on its themes. She also discusses...

We’re celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month by revisiting my 2023 conversation with Meg Medina , author and the Library of Congress’s 2023-24 National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature . As the first Latina to serve in this role, Meg discusses how her own immigrant background and experience growing up in Queens, New York, shape her writing. Her work, which includes the Newbery Medal -winning...

Art Works  is celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month and the National Heritage Awards with a conversation with Chicano muralist and 2024 National Heritage Fellow Fabian Debora . Debora discusses his remarkable journey from growing up in the gang culture of Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, to becoming an acclaimed artist and advocate.  He shares how art became his lifeline during difficult times and the pr...

We’re celebrating Arts Education week with James Rees , an accomplished visual artist and arts educator who has spent decades advocating for the importance of arts education. Rees talks about his early inspirations, his time at Brigham Young University, and his unexpected path to teaching. He emphasizes the need for student-centered learning in the arts and the importance of allowing students to f...

As students across the country head back to school, we have a conversation with Dr. Thalia Goldstein about the significant impact of theater education on child development. Dr. Goldstein is an associate professor and director of the Applied Developmental Psychology program in the Department of Psychology at George Mason University where she directs the Play, Learning, Arts and Youth Lab (PLAYlab)...

A conversation with 2024 NEA Heritage Fellow Bril Barrett, a Chicago tap dancer and educator. Barrett discusses his early exposure to the arts through his grandmother’s encouragement, which led him to fall in love with tap dance at a young age. He recounts his journey from learning under Carlton Smith at a community center to meeting his mentor Ayrie “Mr. Taps” King, who introduced him to the impr...

Today, we revisit my 2023 conversation with Dr. David Fakunle, a storyteller, scholar, and public health expert whose work embodies the healing potential of the arts. Dr. Fakunle’ s  own story from a boy in Baltimore to a leader in public health and cultural advocacy is deeply rooted in his belief that storytelling and creativity are essential to individual and community well-being. Dr. Fakunle di...

An interview with renowned jazz pianist, composer, innovator, and MacArthur Fellow Vijay Iyer.  In this podcast, Vijay Iyer discusses his debut orchestral album "Vijay Iyer: Trouble," his classical music roots, and his dynamic journey through various musical genres. From his early violin lessons to his groundbreaking work in jazz and contemporary classical music, Iyer shares insights into his crea...

We’re marking Disability Pride Month by revisiting my 2022 interview with Dr. Joel Snyder, a pioneering force in the field of audio description. Dr. Snyder delves into the origins and evolution of audio description, a crucial service that makes visual media accessible to those who are blind or have low vision. He shares his journey from theater and voice work to becoming a key advocate and innovat...

Bonnie Jo Campbell discusses her novel, "The Waters," its fictional setting in Southwest Michigan, and the focus on the intricate dynamics within a family of women living in a swamp:  Hermine, the herbalist grandmother; her restless daughter, Rose Thorn; and Rosie’s mathematically gifted daughter, Dorothy.  Campbell discusses how the landscape shapes the characters' identities and lives, reflectin...