Creative Baggage

In this episode, we talk to violist Eddy Malave about the various aspects of his career, from teaching Alexander technique and the Suzuki method to subbing on Broadway, and how these pieces have shifted during the pandemic. Eddy gets real with us about his struggles during this difficult year, and he tells us about his work with Unison Orchestra - which is aimed at educating musicians on remote re...

In this episode, we talk to small business owner Frankie McDonald about his journey from working in the corporate world to founding Boonton Coffee Company. He shares his philosophy of community-building and creating a low-stress work environment, as well as some fun community stories! We discuss the benefits and struggles of being your own boss, and Frankie gives us his best advice on making it wo...

In this episode, we open up about the realities of making a living in the music industry. Coming from the perspective of young (recently graduated) professionals, we discuss how we've navigated finding work opportunities, negotiating our pay, and gotten creative with the digital space. We also talk about the idea of having multiple streams of income and share the non-musical and music-adjacent way...

In this episode, we have a very special guest who wishes to remain anonymous. Our guest has a background in classical violin and music technology, and he writes music that fuses classical harmony with modern sounds. We discuss the importance of listening to and taking influence from all genres of music, concluding that having a hierarchy of musical genres only detracts from the realm of possibilit...

In this episode, we continue our conversation with John Littlejohn about his unique career path as both a musician and a pastor. He tells us that in both of these professions, the end goal is to teach people about life and help others succeed. We also discuss the importance of finding motivations beyond wanting validation, as well as holding the people in your life accountable and having them do t...

In this episode, we talk to violinist and pastor John Adidam Littlejohn about the boxes we put ourselves in when making music or thinking about our careers. John shares his journey learning the violin without a private teacher, describing the freedom of not being told what was difficult or easy, as well as the freedom of not being constrained by a single genre. John brings these ideas into his own...

We are taking a short mid-season break, and we wanted to share this hilarious conversation our co-hosts, audio engineer, and biggest fan (allegedly). We are also launching our patreon, where we will be uploading exclusive content, including deleted scenes from our interviews and more after hours episodes! https://www.patreon.com/creativebaggage

In this episode, we talk to percussionist Gloria Yehilevsky about the value of interdisciplinary art. We discuss the benefits and challenges of working with people of other disciplines, as well as what it takes to manage ourselves and our teams. We also share our personal experiences coming up with ideas for and completing interdisciplinary projects. www.gloriaymusic.com www.soundingeye.com GY You...

In this episode, we talk to cellist, educator, and activist Sasha Ono about changing the culture of classical music. Sasha tells us about her group, Lotus Chamber Music Collective, and how they tackle important issues such as racism and injustice through the lense of classical music in their programming, concert discussions, and book club. She also shares her personal journey constructing a new, h...

In this episode, we talk to husband, father, children’s book author, and early childhood educator Christopher Singleton about the impact of parents and teachers on the trajectory of a child’s life. Chris tells us about his new book, “Chris & Frankie: Intro to Our Ebony & Ivory Keys,” which introduces the piano to young readers through a pair of relatable characters. He shares his journey a...

In this episode, we talk to multi-hyphenate Grayson Villanueva about his freelance career and pursuing multiple passions. We share our struggles with the societal expectation that we stick to one thing and discuss the benefits of having a variety of interests. Grayson also shares his strategies for being your own boss, including tips on how to stay motivated, manage your time, and take care of you...

In this episode, we talk to cellist Arlen Hlusko about the power of music and the power of social media. We discuss the value of having an online presence and how to maintain authenticity in a digital space. We also share stories of how music and art can be a healing force for both the people creating and experiencing them. In the end, we conclude that the positive impact that our platforms and ar...

In this episode, we talk to singer/songwriter Meghan Pulles about finding empowerment through music-making. She tells us about her journey from classical opera singer to emo-positive artist, and the tough questions she had to ask herself along the way. We also discuss the therapeutic nature of both creating art for ourselves and connecting with others through art, asserting the importance of makin...

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Erica Peel about learning to trust ourselves. We discuss our tendencies to become obsessive in our practice and go too far in any direction, asserting that taking things to the extreme is often a result of our need to impress others. We also acknowledge that life isn’t as clean-cut as we would like it to be, and that it’s okay to feel like a mess....

In this episode, we talk to piccolo player of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Erica Peel about the wonders of playing and teaching piccolo. We discuss the underappreciated beauty of the piccolo, and how we have grown to love it and treat it as its own instrument. In the process, Erica shares the struggles she has faced as both a performer and teacher, and we agree that being open and honest about thes...

In this episode, we talk to bassist and member of the Kansas City Symphony, Caleb Quillen about the psychological impacts of the orchestral audition process. We discuss the financial and emotional insecurities that many musicians face in addition to the pressures of the audition and assert the importance of mindfulness both in the practice room and the audition room. Caleb leaves us with some food...

In this episode, we talk to flutist Susan Palma-Nidel about her experiences playing in Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and her more recent endeavors performing and recording world music. We discuss the internal and external push-and-pull that is required for music-making, concluding that we should embrace discomfort as a means for growth and satisfaction. http://www.susanpalmanidel.com/

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Mimi Stillman about exploring careers in music. She tells us about the beginnings of Dolce Suono Ensemble, and we share our hopes for interdisciplinary artistic careers. We discuss all of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into running an arts organization, and how our experiences serving as program assistants for DSE have helped us in running t...

In this episode, we talk to our flute teacher and mentor Mimi Stillman about having a lifelong relationship with music. She tells us about her experiences studying at the Curtis Institute of Music as a young flutist, as well as her time studying history at the University of Pennsylvania. We share our thoughts on going to a university versus conservatory and how having knowledge of other subjects i...

In this episode, we deconstruct the notion that classical music is always sophisticated and put-together with Steinway Artist Mark Livshits. We have a candid conversation about his experiences with ADHD, performance injuries, and loneliness in classical music. Despite these struggles, we also share fun and hilarious stories of the joys of being a musician. https://www.steinway.com/artists/mark-liv...

In this episode, we continue our discussion with Kristy Drutman about setting boundaries in our creative work. We acknowledge how difficult it can be to say “no” to a project and brainstorm ways to overcome this barrier. We also talk about whether and/or how much to charge, as well as how to maintain artistic integrity while trying to make money. Kristy inspires us to see ourselves as multi-dimens...

In this episode, we talk to Kristy Drutman, founder of the Brown Girl Green podcast and media series, about the power and responsibility that comes with having influence. We discuss finding our personal roles in movements that we care about, as well overcoming imposter syndrome and learning to be open and honest with our communities. We also highlight the importance of setting personal and ethical...

In this episode, we talk to percussionist and music educator Joe Bergen about the importance of exploring and expanding the new music repertoire. Joe walks us through his journey in forming Mantra Percussion, a group that both performs and provides students with opportunities to enter the world of new music. We also share our experiences with being exposed to contemporary music at a young age and...

In this episode, we discuss the ups and downs we’ve experienced in our relationships with the flute. We talk about the guilt associated with not practicing, as well as the feeling that there is something fundamentally wrong with the way we play our instrument. Even though we feel lost, we are learning to have trust in our own abilities and the tools we’ve been given.

In this episode, we talk to composer/saxophonist/music educator Miguel Bolivar about his experiences building successful music programs in public schools. We discuss the bureaucratic and logistical obstacles that teachers face, as well as the breakthroughs and accomplishments that make those struggles worth it. Finally, we cover the role of technology and innovation in improving the education syst...