beyond ArtLess

Send us Fan Mail Season 1 - "Hope" Season 2 - "Return of the Jackasses" Season 3 - "The FCC Strikes Back" Season 4 - "Still Unfunded, Still Unfunny"  - Episode one drops Saturday, Aug 30. Support the show

Send us Fan Mail You've heard the phrase, "needs no introduction." Well, our final guest of Season 3 truly fits the bill—Dr. Tim Lautzenheiser joins us for an inspiring conversation about leading through turbulent times, serving others, and making the most of every moment. If you’re only tuning in for one episode this season (and we know that’s a real possibility), this is the one t...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you get three Gleasons who play tuba in the same ArtLess episode? Chaos. Pure, brass-fueled chaos. Fortunately, we’re joined by the ever-talented Matt Pivec, who brings not only his impressive musical accomplishments but also a touchdown story you truly have to hear to believe. Matt shares insights on balancing multiple interests, pushing back against the pressur...

Send us Fan Mail Show Notes: A week late, you say? So is our comedic and musical timing. You know who does have great timing? Dr. John Lynch, Director of Bands at UW-Stevens Point. It was a real treat to hear about his musical journey—one that’s taken him all around the globe (literally). In this episode, Dr. Lynch shares his perspective on cultural differences between Australia and the U.S., the...

Send us Fan Mail There are leaders and there are followers. Thankfully, Fran Kick joins us this week to lead us through a delightful conversation. Granted, Peter, Phil and Chris DO get lost multiple times but Fran gracefully get us back on track. Check out Fran's amazing videos, resources, and books including the "Have to, Get to, Want to" video and article in the show notes! Show N...

Send us Fan Mail We saved the best for last. Enjoy our final interview from our Midwest 2024 booth. This interview features our good friend Owen. Where is he from? Don't know. What does he do? Not sure? What does he look like? Don't have a picture. Was he fun to interview? YES - in fact, he was amazing! Too bad you won't get to hear it.  We know we continue to meet, and perhaps, sur...

Send us Fan Mail This Beyond ArtLess Short was captured during our live recording sessions at the 2024 Midwest Clinic. A heartfelt thank you to Eric Songer and John Stewart for stepping in as guest hosts for several episodes. We’re especially grateful to everyone who willingly stopped by to participate in an interview—and to those who accidentally wandered down the wrong aisle and found themselves...

Send us Fan Mail Phil asked one truly insightful question—alongside a few not-so-great ones—but we’re incredibly proud of how much he’s grown. Peter made an impressive comeback in PPTD, while Chris continues to meet challenges head-on (bless his heart). This week’s guest is the complete opposite of your usual hosts—thoughtful, intelligent, kind, and wildly creative. What a joy it was to chat with...

Send us Fan Mail Maybe Chris should learn how to take notes.  Maybe Peter should learn how to arrange travel for guests.  Maybe Phil should learn how to interview.  Our guest Dr. Laura Dunbar can do all of these things better than our hosts and is also a world class educator!  Dr. Dunbar is head of music education studies at UW Eau Claire and also coordinates the Chippewa Valley Youth Choirs and d...

Send us Fan Mail It’s hard to mess up a podcast when you have a guest like Omar Thomas. In this episode, we talk with Omar about his incredibly busy and creative schedule, the release of his new album Griot Songs , and the behind-the-scenes process of recording it with the Omar Thomas Large Ensemble. Omar reflects on his compositional approach, the art of crossing genres, and the importance of tea...

Send us Fan Mail March Madness is in full swing and our guest is providing us all the knowledge our commuter will ever need about Gonzaga basketball.  Bill Drury shares with us about his career as Associate Director of Wind Ensembles at New England Conservatory.  And also his journey to NEC by way of the railroad, parking valet attendant and more.  Not to forget his parallel career as a military s...

Send us Fan Mail Join us this week as we learn from a young teacher who is much brighter than we are! Mickaela Pasch is a recent Concordia grad changing lives all around the state of Minnesota. Intentional, passionate, a volunteer, and visionary in music education (all the things we are not), Mickaela has so many gifts to share with our audience about the real ways to be a successful music teacher...

Send us Fan Mail This week, Eric Songer steps in for Phil, delivering a strong performance as co-host. After helping Peter tackle a minor wardrobe noise issue, we dive into a fantastic conversation with Dr. Mary Land, Associate Professor of Music Education at Western Michigan University. We explore her journey in music education, the power of community in teaching, the impact of mentorship, and th...

Send us Fan Mail It's a BIG week for this below-average podcast! We wrap up our "Inquiring Teens Want to Know" segment (big thanks to Edina HS) and finally put the "What Would Phil and Peter Do" (WWPPD) segment to rest. As if that wasn't enough, our guest Michael Kasper knocks it out of the park, answering poorly conceived questions with brilliance. Tune in to hear Mi...

Send us Fan Mail The Lutheran Mafia has strong representation in this week’s episode! We visit with Dr. Henry Dorn from St. Olaf College and get to hear his southern flare mixed with Midwest appreciation for the cold weather. As usual, Haberman talks too much, Gleason adds in sound effects, and Ostrander sputters sentence fragments. Listen in as we talk about balancing time between family and musi...

Send us Fan Mail That’s it. We’re officially done… with WWPPD. But wait—there’s more good news! This week, we’re joined by the incredible Rachel Maxwell, a renowned middle school music educator and band director from Traughber Junior High in Oswego, IL. We dive into her journey from budding musician to leading her band at the prestigious Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic. Along the way, we cover e...

Send us Fan Mail Show Notes: Learn more about our guests here: JoAnne Harris Alex Tedrow Audio Credits: Flickers by Alex Tedrow, JMU Symphonic Band - Oct. 24, 2023 JMU Symphonic Band Chris DeVona, conductor Audio Recording by Tom Carr https://youtu.be/Xtwweofwo6I?si=2STuOwqyhPJkdl3A 1. NEW - Rising Music Educator Project (RMEP) - Deadline to Apply Feb 28 Are you ready to take your music education...

Send us Fan Mail This Beyond ArtLess Short was captured during our live recording sessions at the 2024 Midwest Clinic. A heartfelt thank you to Eric Songer and John Stewart for stepping in as guest hosts for several episodes. We’re especially grateful to everyone who willingly stopped by to participate in an interview—and to those who accidentally wandered down the wrong aisle and found themselves...

Send us Fan Mail Perhaps the name of the podcast should be changed to “folks smarter than Chris, Phil and Peter.”  Dr. Jamal Rossi has been Dean of the Eastman School of Music for the last decade and has worked as an administrator at some of the country’s finest schools of music.  Trained as a classical saxophonist, Dr. Rossi quickly transitioned into administration and visionary leadership in his...

Send us Fan Mail This Beyond ArtLess Short was captured during our live recording sessions at the 2024 Midwest Clinic. A heartfelt thank you to Eric Songer and John Stewart for stepping in as guest hosts for several episodes. We’re especially grateful to everyone who willingly stopped by to participate in an interview—and to those who accidentally wandered down the wrong aisle and found themselves...

Send us Fan Mail This Beyond ArtLess Short was captured during our live recording sessions at the 2024 Midwest Clinic. A heartfelt thank you to Eric Songer and John Stewart for stepping in as guest hosts for several episodes. We’re especially grateful to everyone who willingly stopped by to participate in an interview—and to those who accidentally wandered down the wrong aisle and found themselves...

Send us Fan Mail Beyond Artless has gone international! This week, we are expanding our horizons with Nacho Piqueras from Oros Travel & Culture. A friend of Peter’s and a music enthusiast, Nacho enjoys connecting people from different cultures through musical and travel experiences that create win-win opportunities for everyone involved. Our conversation covers a wide range of topics: travel,...

Send us Fan Mail What does this week's guest have that this podcast will never have? A GRAMMY! That's right, this week's guest is the 2024 GRAMMY Music Educator of the Year, Annie Ray. Annie currently serves as both the Orchestra Director and Performing Arts Department Chair at Annandale High School (AHS) in the Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) system. Annie is an advocate for pr...

Send us Fan Mail This Beyond ArtLess Short was captured during our live recording sessions at the 2024 Midwest Clinic. A heartfelt thank you to Eric Songer and John Stewart for stepping in as guest hosts for several episodes. We’re especially grateful to everyone who willingly stopped by to participate in an interview—and to those who accidentally wandered down the wrong aisle and found themselves...

Send us Fan Mail This episode has it all.  If all you care about is plastic footwear.  Crocs seem to dominate this week’s episode with our guest - 29 year veteran teacher Jason Gillette.  Jason is the band director at Marquette University High School and is an extraordinary sax player.  Yet another guest is an alumnus of the Disneyland All American College Band.  Thankfully, Chris and Jason agree...