Classical Schmassical

Send a text Join me in conversation with Asher Laub about his career path as a multidisciplinary musician, shaped by changing goals, influences, and even his physical health. ____________________________________ Guest Bio Asher began classical violin training at the tender age of 2 and had already performed with the Buffalo philharmonic by age 13. Asher’s expertise in improvisation across multiple...

Send a text Join me in conversation with Emi Ferguson about her work as a flutist, composer, and most recently, author, with the release of her new book Iconic Composers. ____________________________________ Guest Bio Emi is very proud to be named a 2023 Avery Fisher Career Grant awardee, and can be heard live in concerts and festivals around the world as a soloist and with groups including AMOC*,...

Send a text Join Murph and Alexa as they talk with composer, educator, and publisher Adrian Gordon about his career and new book, Note to Self: A Music Director’s Guide for Transitioning to a New School and Building a Thriving Music Program ___________________________________ Adrian Gordon is an internationally performed composer and seasoned music educator. After 17 years of teaching music in the...

Send a text Join me (new host Murphy Severtson!) as I talk with Joshua Roman on what it means to be a soloist, artistry, collaboration, and chronic health. _________________________________ Joshua Roman is a cellist, composer and curator whose performances embrace musical styles from Bach to Radiohead. Before setting off on his unique path as a soloist, Roman was the Seattle Symphony’s principal c...

Send a text Join me as I talk with the members of the newly formed Mosaic Composers Collective, of which I am a member! Collective Mission Statement: Mosaic Composers Collective, featuring Kevin Arthur Jr., Aidan Arbona, Naamia Rivera, Murphy Severtson, Alexa Letourneau, and Athos Maelstrom, is a gathering of composers in pursuit of an intimate – yet fearless – sound exploration of humanity’s many...

Send a text Join me as I talk with Robert Dillon of Third Coast Percussion about his work as a percussionist, composer, and ensemble member, including working with Philip Glass and their exciting upcoming season, both in Chicago and around the world.  _________________________________ Robert Dillon is an Ensemble Member and Development Director of Third Coast Percussion. He has also performed as a...

Send a text Join me as I talk with arts administrator Christina Salerno about her artistic practice! Guest Bio: Appointed the Executive Director of Illinois Philharmonic Orchestra in January 2017, Ms. Salerno joined the symphonic world having spent seven years as Executive Director of Salt Creek Ballet (SCB). While at SCB, Ms. Salerno led a campaign to build all new sets and costumes for the compa...

Send a text Join me as I talk with composer Reinaldo Moya about his artistic practice! Guest Bio: Reinaldo Moya is a graduate of Venezuela’s El Sistema music education system. He is the recipient of the Charles Ives Fellowship from the American Academy of Arts and Letter, the McKnight Composers Fellowship, the Van Lier Fellowship, and the Aaron Copland Award. He was the winner of the Ellis-Beaureg...

Send a text Join us as Joy Guidry and I talk about their new album, identity in music, and how to fix the problems with the music community as a whole.  Guest Bio: Radical self-love, compassion, laughter, and the drive to amplify Black artmakers and noisemakers comprise the core of NYC-based bassoonist and composer Joy Guidry’s work. Their performances have been hailed by The San Diego Tribune as...

Send a text Join me as I chat with Wang Lu and Kelly Rourke about what it means to write an opera, as well as their most recent project, "The Beekeper." Guest Biographies: Composer and pianist Wang Lu writes music that reflects a very natural identification with influences from traditional Chinese music, urban environmental sounds, linguistic intonation and contours, and freely improvise...

Send a text Join me as I chat with Lidiya Yankovskaya about her work as the first female conductor of a multi-million dollar opera company! https://www.facebook.com/ClassicalSchmassical Guest Bio:  Russian-American conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya is a fiercely committed advocate for Russian masterpieces, operatic rarities, and contemporary works on the leading edge of classical music. She has conduct...

Send a text Join me for a discussion with violinist Caitlin Edwards as we discuss her career as a violinist, the relationship and intersection between Classical and Black music, and her recent grant from 3arts Entertainment. Guest Bio: Caitlin Edwards is a classically trained violinist, arranger, recording artist, and teacher based in Chicago. She has performed with the Sphinx Symphony Orchestra,...

Send a text Elijah Daniel Smith and I discuss compositional process, pedagogical development, and his upcoming piece for the Chicago Symphony's Homecoming concert.  Guest Bio: Described by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as a “rising star”, composer Elijah Daniel Smith is quickly establishing himself as one of today’s leading young composers. From orchestral compositions to multimedia and inte...

Send a text Join me in conversation with powerhouse musicians Renee Baker, Adegoke Steve Colson, and Vanessa Rose discussing the upcoming anniversary concert, put on by the AACM, ACF, and Great Black Music Ensemble.  Guest Bios: A visual artist, filmmaker, composer, violinist and re-contextualist, Renée C. Baker is an multi-disciplined engineer. She utilizes movement, film projections of real and...

Send a text Today on Classical Schmassical, internationallly renowned pianist and commercial musician Emile Pandolfi talks about his career, making his start, and bringing emotion into your playing, as well as his newly released book, "Play it Like You Mean It." Guest Bio: With over 30 recordings in his discography, Emile Pandolfi ranks among America’s most popular piano artists. With th...

Send a text Join me for a short and sweet episode of Classical Schmassical, where I talk to Lena Smith about trombone, mental health, personal identity, and belonging in the music world.  Subscribe to Classical Schmassical: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKHLhYNkfCuZs6lu-7a3-wQ Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/Qc7mnVbB Follow Classical Schmassical: https://www.facebook.com/ClassicalSchmassic...

Send a text Classical Schmassical returns with an incredible discussion featuring Marcus Norris, new composer in residence with the Chicago Philharmonic.  Guest Bio: Marcus Norris’ first foray into making music came in the form of producing rap beats on pirated software, installed on a Windows 98 computer that he Macgyvered together from spare parts while laying on the floor of his childhood bedro...

Send a text Join me as I talk with multi-instrumentalist and musical theater performer Meghan Doyle about guitar in different contexts, gear setup in a big city context, and dealing with imposter syndrome.  Guest Bio: Meghan Doyle is a New Jersey based multi-instrumentalist.  She is primarily a guitarist but also plays drumset, bass, a little bit of keys, and the occasional bit of banjo, mandolin,...

Send a text On today's episode of Classical Schmassical, I'm joined by score-maker James Creed as we talk about a composer's role in music through notation, performance, score, and compositional voice.  Resources mentioned: Piano Studies 1-6 Bandcamp:  https://jamesmcreed.bandcamp.com/album/piano-studies-1-6 James' Scores: https://jamescreedmusic.wixsite.com/website/scores Talk...

Send a text Join me as I talk with astrid [Seamus] hubbard flynn about being a composer-flutist and incorporating equity into artistic practice as white musicians.  Resources mentioned:  Alex Temple's article Composers Performers and Consent: https://nmbx.newmusicusa.org/composers-performers-and-consent/ Resmaa Menakem's book My Grandmother’s Hands: https://www.indiebound.org/book/978194...

Send a text Join me for a discussion on electronic music, education within the classical canon, and allyship in musical practice with Jonathan Baldwin.  Subscribe to Classical Schmassical: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKHLhYNkfCuZs6lu-7a3-wQ Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/Qc7mnVbB Follow Classical Schmassical: https://www.facebook.com/ClassicalSchmassical Guest Bio: Jonathan Baldwin is a...

Send a text Guitarist and composer Duck Armstrong joins me today to discuss guitar, genre, accessibility, and the way that art is all a social construct, and what that means for us as artists.  Subscribe to Classical Schmassical: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKHLhYNkfCuZs6lu-7a3-wQ Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/Qc7mnVbB Follow Classical Schmassical: https://www.facebook.com/ClassicalSch...

Send a text Soprano Jessica Lewis joins for a talk about effective use of the voice and the opera industry at large on today's episode of Classical Schmassical.  Subscribe to Classical Schmassical: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKHLhYNkfCuZs6lu-7a3-wQ Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/Qc7mnVbB Follow Classical Schmassical: https://www.facebook.com/ClassicalSchmassical Guest Bio: Jessica...

Send a text On today's episode of Classical Schmassical, Mark Mathison talks about being a multi-instrumentalist with degrees in bassoon performance and physics, and how such diverse interests can find balance in his life.  Subscribe to Classical Schmassical: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKHLhYNkfCuZs6lu-7a3-wQ Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/Qc7mnVbB Follow Classical Schmassical: ht...

Send a text In this episode, Connor Johnson talks about trumpet, composing, and accessing new genres of music!  Subscribe to Classical Schmassical: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKHLhYNkfCuZs6lu-7a3-wQ Join the Discord: https://discord.gg/Qc7mnVbB​ Follow Classical Schmassical: https://www.facebook.com/ClassicalSchmassical Guest bio: Hi, I’m Connor Johnson and I’m a trumpet player and composer...