Song Cycle

The multi-hyphenate singer-composer-pedagogue  David Sisco stops by the virtual recording studio to discuss his musical upbringing, how he got his start in composing, and to share the story behind his brand-new album, Infrastructure . After you enjoy our conversation with him, stream Infrastructure on Apple Music or Spotify to hear his brilliant music! *** Have a question you want answered by Laur...

Laura and Sam have a moment for Brussels sprouts, the key ingredient in a perfect old fashioned, and debriefing on the 2026 Fellowship of the Song festival before welcoming fellow art song organization founder Michael Brofman. Artistic Director of the Brooklyn Art Song Society , Mike has been a trailblazer in curating and producing concerts to bring audiences together and experiencing the best son...

Get ready for this gold mine as we welcome the Dr. Louise Toppin to the pod. She shares her experiences and wisdom with a beautiful sense of purpose, including the importance of mentorship, how we can all engage with Spirituals and art song by Black composers more widely, and that one time she sang five different sets of ornaments for Joan Sutherland and felt very thankful for being extra prepared...

Ever wonder what the composer-librettist relationship is like? We do, too, and that's why we asked our good friend, composer Lori Laitman , and the star librettist Caitlin Vincent to join us and discuss their collaboration. It's a really interesting discussion that provides a glimpse into the process of how song and opera texts come to life when both the author and composer are around to work toge...

You know him as Robert Bosworth, Trained Musician™️ on Instagram and TikTok , but now it's time to get to know the real pianist behind the curtain! Hear directly from the lovable social media personality that's taking off like a rocket on what his journey has been like, what advice he has for the up-and-coming generation of classical artists, and why it's so important that we all develop our own m...

We're wrapping up 2025 by bringing Cincinnati Song Initiative's podcast hosts together for our annual Holiday Party! Join us in looking back on a wonderful year with peaks and pits from all of our hosts, then test your knowledge with games like "Guess that Song" and "Two Truths and a Lie: Composer Edition." Which composer walked the streets of Paris with a hammer in his suit pocket? Which composer...

After inviting a direct deposit from a Nigerian prince to help fund their greatest song commissioning desires, Laura and Sam had the pleasure to speak with Darryl Taylor, countertenor, teacher, founder of the African American Art Song Alliance , and an all-around people connector. Through his advocacy, research, teachings, and recording projects, America has taken significant steps towards celebra...

Please hold for tech... Is this thing on? Oh, there you are, Jamie Barton ! One of the most iconic artists of our generation stops by the pod to chat all things song, share her incredible musical origin story from rural Georgia, and impart invaluable advice for finding one's true, authentic voice that puts you front and center in this crazy industry. (Hint: it involves healthy boundaries.) Happy o...

Our guest celebrity this month, the astounding B.E. Boykin , may seem like an old friend. That's because she's the co-conspirator with last month's guest, Sidney Outlaw, having composed the amazing new cycle 26 Ways of Looking at a Black Man , found on Sidney and Warren Jones' new album, Black Pierrot . We were inspired by her unique story and can-do attitude in her pursuit of composing, despite n...

Coming to us from balmy Brevard, North Carolina, the fame-ish Sidney Outlaw joins the pod, where the stories just keep flowing one after another! From the value of mentorship in shaping one's educational and professional journey, to the importance of creating quality recordings to provide the next generation with stylistic models, to believing that we're right where we're meant to be - all woven t...

The multi-faceted singer/writer/producer Michael Kelly joins the pod, sharing reflections on a career that started in song and have only rippled out from there. Stick around for a conversation about what classical musicians can stand to learn from pop artists, and new song cycles about poets who couldn't keep their hands off each other. Intrigued yet? Dive in with a whole new episode of Song Cycle...

We've done a lot of pulling back the curtain on the life of composers, but we haven't had the chance to hang with another cornerstone of our industry - the publishers - until NOW! Laura and Sam are joined by super-cool-men-on-a-mission Robert Peavler of North Star Music and Dennis Tobenski of NewMusicShelf (where you can pick up Laura's 40@40 Anthology ). These gents share their "why" for starting...

Step right up and get learned by Jodi Goble , composer and vocal coach extraordinaire! She drops golden nuggets along the way for how composers and singers can best learn from each other, what's awesome about American art song today and where it's headed, and even her favorite hobby that may or may not involve a blow torch. Stick around for a fascinating #TeamArtSong Mailbag question from Daniel i...

Have you ever wondered if, in all the years you've known Glendower Jones... all the years you've ordered music from him at Classical Vocal Reprints ... all the years you've had wonderful and engaging conversations with him on Facebook... Have you ever heard him speak ? Well, fellow Songsters, prepare to meet the voice behind the online personality! Laura and Sam get to know the omniscient artist w...

We're kicking off Season 5 with a fantastic and varied conversation with the singular Oliver Camacho . This singer, radio host ( WFMT Listening to Singers with Oliver Camacho ), podcast host ( Opera Box Score ), opera reviewer, and all-around smart dude  has great insight and spicy opinions. From the latest trends in song to his favorite new recordings to the podcast pro's advice for newbie host L...

Welcome to Season 5, and meet your new co-host, Laura Strickling ! She's one of the coolest, most entrepreneurial singers around, and we can't wait to get into some great conversations with her and her friends. Got something to say? Share it with our new #TeamArtSong Mailbag! Submit a question for Laura and Sam to answer on a future episode. From career advice to repertoire and programming ideas t...

💥 Power couple alert! 💥 This month's conversation hits on a ton of great topics, featuring the very interesting perspectives of not one, but two titans of the industry - world-class soprano Joélle Harvey and epic artist manager Alex Fletcher . Not only do they bring their unique thoughts to the table as individuals, they give us a glimpse into how their roles in 21st-century American classical m...

If you're interested in hearing a little bit about everything, this one's for you. Rhoslyn Jones brings the most joy to her artistry as a teacher and performer. Grab a listen to hear about her amazing early musical opportunities in Canada, and stay to hear all her hot takes on the industry and celebrity teachers. Oh, and no pigs were harmed during the creation of this episode. 🐷 Visit Rhoslyn Jon...

It's truly the most interesting man alive: English baritone Roderick Williams . Yes, the same Roderick Williams who sang at King Charles III's coronation in 2023. The one you've probably heard on most any English song album. Would you guess the magnitude of his career after listening to this chill conversation he has with Sam? Definitely not. So settle in for an hour of wonderful stories and share...

The great Scottish pianist Iain Burnside joins Sam for a fun and informative conversation.  Come for the sage advice on how to stay active in this ever-changing classical music landscape, stay for the greatest page-turning fail you never knew you needed to hear. Visit Iain Burnside's website. Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative . You can learn more about its network of podcast...

What better way to kick off 2024 and Season 4 than with inspiration for chasing our own authentic selves? Allowing our mindsets to change over time, adopting new attitudes and approaches, and always - always - learning from those around us. It's the best advice for all of us, only from Gwen Coleman, right here on Song Cycle . Visit Gwen Coleman's website. Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati S...

The Season 3 finale crossover extravaganza is here! Sam invites the hosts of CSI's other podcasts, So Lit Song Lit and Follow the Lieder to join him to discuss what their shows are all about. More importantly, though, is your chance to see if you can guess even fewer music trivia questions correctly than this band of hooligans did. Happy holidays to all, and here's to a bright and musically fulfil...

Who better for a gratitude-filled, inspirational, optimistic, and enlightening Thanksgiving conversation than the luminous Sasha Cooke ? From learning to trust the universe when doors of opportunity open, to meaningful commissioning projects that caught fire, to chatting about why Wolf is such a singularly unique song composer, Sasha and Sam cover a wide range of topics that anybody will want to h...

Artist. Administrator. Visionary. Unique. Multi-dimensional. Drag icon. Legend. Just the first few words that come to mind when thinking about renowned singer Stephanie Blythe . Join her and Sam in a no-holds-barred discussion on finding inspiration and meaning from who came before us, the future of classical music, the need for artists to connect with audiences live, and, of course, the drag teno...

This one's for you if you need a little inspiration on turning your passions into action. Meet Laura Strickling , literal creator of the #TeamArtSong hashtag, song advocate, conduit between singers, pianists, and composers, and all-around song cheerleader. Get to know her, her story, and go bookmark her brand new album, 40@40 ! Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative . You can lea...