The Arts Salon

Una despedida a Miguel Uribe Turbay. Para la versión escrita de este episodio, visite mi página web .

Today, a sad off-topic on the recent assassination of Colombia's senator, Miguel Uribe Turbay. For a written version of this, go to my website.

Today we’re unpacking the myths and realities of American arts funding. While many artists envy Europe’s government subsidies, the U.S. actually sustains a vast cultural sector through a decentralized system of tax incentives that channel billions of private dollars into the arts each year. This approach empowers individuals to decide which projects to support, sparking innovation and independence...

Today’s guest is Peter Rotter, one of the most respected figures in the world of film and television music. As a music contractor, he has supervised the orchestral recordings for countless major studio projects and helped create opportunities for musicians in Los Angeles for decades. He's also the founder of Encompass Music Partners, which plays a crucial role in connecting musicians with proj...

On the last episode , Sarah and I discussed the trappings of academic careers, orchestral careers, and orchestral economics! Today, we discuss the importance of grit and persistence despite adversity, and the importance of this trait to every artist. I hope you enjoy it!

Sarah Viens is Principal Trumpet of the Pacific Northwest Ballet Orchestra and Symphony Tacoma, and is an active performer in the Pacific Northwest. Sarah frequently performs with the Seattle Symphony, Oregon Symphony, Auburn Symphony, Oregon Ballet Theater, and the Seattle and Portland Operas. She is Second Trumpet with the Sunriver Music Festival, and has performed with the Britt Festival Orches...

This episode of The Arts Salon is an exploration of the philosophical tensions between historical inevitability and artistic freedom. We delve into the ideas of Hegel and Hume, questioning whether art follows a predetermined arc of progress or exists on a more fluid and open-ended plane. Through the lens of Picasso’s insights on artistic creation, the episode challenges the notion that innovation...

I hope you enjoyed my talk with Håkan Hardenbeger ! Today, Ben Neill returns to The Arts Salon to discuss his new book, Diffusing Music: Trajectories of Sonic Democratization ! This book explores the diffusion and democratization of music in our current era through the proliferation of digital technologies. Music has become ubiquitous and increasingly intertwined with everyday life, rendering prev...

Håkan Hardenberger returns to the Arts Salon to share his thoughts on what it means to be an interpreter of music and how cultural consumption informs his artistic process. If you have not listened to episode 64 , I highly encourage you to do so, as it serves as a primer for this conversation. I hope you enjoy it!

In this episode of The Arts Salon, we prepare for our conversation about interpretation with international soloist Håkan Hardenberger ! We talk about how universities and conservatories are failing their student bodies, and how artists can improve the quality of their cultural consumption and bolster their artistic education. For a transcript of this read, visit my website .

In this episode, I deal with the debate surrounding the role of AI in the creative industries, which exposes deeper tensions within society regarding labor, creativity, and human value. Join me in exploring the distinctions between craft and art and the complications that we face in the creative economy. To hear more from Jan Swafford listen to my talk with him . If you would like a transcript of...

On this episode of "The Arts Salon," we explore the current challenges facing cultural organizations like classical music presenters, museums, and non-profits. With programs shrinking, ticket sales declining, and costs rising, many institutions are looking for new leadership to navigate these troubled times. The prevailing thought is that entrepreneurial leaders—akin to founders—are the...

Find a comfy chair or get ready for that drive...this is a long one! Today we have Geoff Baker and Catalina Lobo-Gerrero to discuss the complex subject of Venezuela and it's "El Sistema." If you remember my episode demystifying Cuban propaganda , you will know I have a deep suspicion of programs that emerge from undemocratic regimes. Catalina, a prominent journalist and author of Los...

In this episode, I discuss my visit to the International Trumpet Guild (ITG) conference. I was there for two events: a panel honoring the late Tom Stevens and a recital by Håkan Hardenberger and Roland Pöntinen . This episode is a reflection on Stevens' efforts to elevate the trumpet beyond flashy technical pieces, and his plight to create a catalog of new music for trumpet players. I also dis...

Today's guest is Alex Mansour ! Alex is a composer, cellist, and jazz pianist, and one of the true multi-hyphenates of Los Angeles. In this talk we discuss many issues related to the film music scene, the challenges facing the symphony (again lol), and many more issues. We will announce exciting things during our 60th episode so stay tuned!

Lucy Humphris and I sat down to talk about a great many things including the state of the arts, the attention economy (with comments on the great article by Ted Gioia ), Chosen Vale , the decay of artistic education, and many more subjects. We will close out the month with a conversation with LA composer/cellist/jazz pianist Alex Mansour .

The news of the closure of the American Youth Symphony has sent shockwaves through the music community, especially in Los Angeles. AYS was not just another youth music program; it was a vital stepping stone for many musicians, offering a gateway into the competitive Los Angeles freelance scene. Alumni of AYS have gone on to become prominent figures in the classical music world, shaping the landsca...

Today's guest is Maggie Kilgour , she is Molson Professor of English Language and Literature at McGill University —my Alma Mater . She sat down to talk with me and Andres Caro about John Milton and his epic poem Paradise Lost . Although this conversation is technically part of our "off-topic" series with Andres as co-host, the conversation is very much about the arts. Paradise Lost i...

Otto Sauter is well-known as one of the world‘s leading trumpet soloists. As a specialist on the piccolo trumpet, the German musician has already appeared in all major concert halls. Otto Sauter⁠ and I sat down to talk about his illustrious career as a trumpet soloist specializing in baroque music. We discuss many issues including the changing listening habits of current students, his World Brass...

This conversation is a real treat. I talk with Conductor ⁠⁠Ryan Bancroft⁠⁠ , and trumpeters ⁠⁠Edward Carroll⁠⁠ , ⁠⁠Dave Bilger⁠⁠ , Dovas Lietuvninkas , and Bailey Paugh about the Chosen Vale International Trumpet Seminar . We discuss the powerful environment, the unrivaled faculty, and many subjects about art making and directing a career in music in 2024. We will close off January with our monthl...

In this solo episode we dive into the challenges that are facing the Los Angeles movie music industry as the decade evolves. I lay down the following as the main challenges facing the industry: Changing fashions where less movies and TV shows use orchestras The (currently) unprofitable streaming platforms threaten the movie studios as a whole International markets favor competition Union protectio...

We launch this February with this conversation with economist Robert Flanagan professor emeritus at Stanford Business School, and author of the great book The Perilous Life of Symphony Orchestras . We discuss the effects of Baulmol's "Cost Disease" on performing arts organizations, the proclivity of orchestras towards "silver bullet solutions" to long-term issues, and many...

We close out January with another Arts Salon "Off-Topic" with co-host Andres Caro ( ⁠episode 45⁠ ) featuring economist ⁠⁠Tyler Cowen⁠⁠ , leader of ⁠⁠Marginal Revolution⁠⁠ and host of ⁠⁠Conversations With Tyler⁠⁠ . In our conversation, we delved into the art of thinking like an economist and how this mindset can shed light on various aspects of life. Tyler shared insights into the interse...

We continue this January with the return of Susana Castellanos to discuss the second generation of Olympian Gods (Athena, Hermes, Apollo, Artemis, Hephaestus, Ares....and Aphrodite...sort of). Listen to episode 46 of the podcast to hear about the first generation of Olympian Deities. If you speak Spanish, also listen to Susana's podcast ⁠Relatos de Sherezade⁠ . We will close out January with a...

Peter Evans returns to The Arts Salon to talk about his artistic practice, the cultish nature of "new music," the 30 Years War, Bach, John Coltrane, American education, music education, and how Peter is convinced the internet is just a fad (lol not really). If you are unfamiliar with Peter, you can listen to episode 8 of the podcast to get acquainted with his work. Later this month we re...