The Modern Artist Project Podcast

Jennet Ingle is a passionate oboist, and principal of the South Bend Symphony Orchestra since 2006. She loves performing, teaching, and writing about the oboe. With a focus on new music, she premiered works like "Dreams and Visions" and "Oboe Concertino." In 2020, Jennet built a supportive oboe community through programs like the Invincible Oboist, Reed Club, and Zero to Reedma...

Join us on the 'You Are Not Alone' special podcast episode as we explore the challenges, triumphs, and deep connections of the creative journey. Discover the power of understanding, adding value, and finding support in pursuing your passions. Tune in for heartfelt conversations and inspiring stories that remind you that you are not alone. Hosted by The Modern Artist Project, where we provi...

A hybrid of Minnesota and Wisconsin (with a severe cheese dependency), comedian Mary Mack is a favorite on radio shows and podcasts around the country including, Marc Maron's WTF Podcast, The Bob and Tom Show, and The Grand Ole Opry. Mary co-stars as Jesse in the Hulu cartoon Solar Opposites by the creators of Rick and Morty. She’s appeared in Montreal’s Just For Laughs Festival, HBO’s Andy Ka...

Wanayran Alvarez Angerer, is a singer, cultural promoter, mother, woman’s rights activist, and world traveler.  An ambassador of expressive therapies, the vast list of initiatives and social movements Wanny has her hand in includes Wanny Angerer in Moving Cultures, Cultural Stopovers, Wanny Angerer Music and Dance Therapy, Mujeres en las Artes, Ponchos Wanayran, and countless more. Wanny was born...

Natalie is a dynamic artist focused on social impact. With a diverse range of roles including conductor, teaching artist, composer, writer, and arts administrator, she engages with communities of all ages and backgrounds. As a mezzo-soprano with a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance, Natalie brings her passion for Arabic music to her work as a guest singer, clinician, and choral arranger. Co-fo...

Stanford Thompson  is a musician and educator who serves as the Founder and Executive Director of Play On Philly and Founding Board Chairman of El Sistema USA and the National Instrumentalist Mentoring and Advancement Network. Recognized as a TED Fellow, Stanford believes that music is a powerful tool for positive personal and community change. Mr. Thompson serves on the faculty of the Global Lead...

Sidney Shapiro is an experienced male data professional with a passion for teaching and research. Currently an assistant professor of business analytics at the Dhillon School of Business at the University of Lethbridge, he inspires and guides students in their pursuit of knowledge and excellence in the field of business analytics. With over a decade of experience in data analysis, business intelli...

Juanita Calderón is currently the Communications Coordinator of Colombian NGO Somos CaPAZes. She holds a BA in Language Teaching and is finishing her Music Education and Choral Conducting studies. She has managed Social Media for a wide range of events such as TEDxUnijaveriana and Wimbledon International Music Festival.  She believes art and language are deeply rooted in human culture and is commi...

Margaret, a musician, and educator from Venezuela is a product of El Sistema. Continuing the legacy of the founder of el Sistema, maestro José Antonio Abreu, Margaret uses music as a vehicle for social change, traveling nationally and internationally to share her passion and vision with other Sistema inspired programs through her pedagogy. She grew up in the capital city of Caracas in Venezuela, w...

As a soloist, Julia Heinen has performed hundreds of concertos and recitals around the world including recent performances in Italy, Belgium, Hungary, Poland, France, El Salvador, the Czech Republic, Spain and Portugal. Ms. Heinen has adjudicated countless competitions including chairing the jury of the 9th International Mercadante Clarinet Competition in Noci, Italy and serving on the jury for th...

Evangelos Saklaras, a Greek double bassist, began his music studies in Athens at the age of 25. Three years later, he was granted a scholarship at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London where he studied with Colin Paris, Co-Principal of the London Symphony Orchestra. Evangelos frequently performs with various ensembles and orchestras in both the UK and Greece and has a particular inte...

Jeff Bernett has been playing guitar since he was 13 years old, inspired by his older brother and uncle. Like many young guitarists, he learned to play songs by ear from his favorite bands, such as Nirvana and Creedence Clearwater Revival. He was fortunate to receive lessons from his brother, uncle, and Mark Arneson, a multi-talented musician, producer, and songwriter based in Minneapolis. Jeff ha...

Francesco Rocco is a multi-talented and versatile artist based in the UK and Italy. He graduated from Bologna Conservatoire, attended the Segovia Guitar Academy in Pordenone, and holds an MMus from Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance in classical guitar as well. Aside from his music studies, he is a Bachelor of Environmental Engineering from Università degli Studi di Padova. With a vers...

Adrián Nájera-Coto holds degrees from Universidad de Costa Rica (2005), Western Illinois University (2007), and the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University (2009). As a member of the Youth Orchestra of the Americas (YOA), Nájera-Coto performed in important venues such as Carnegie Hall in New York City, Municipal Theater of Rio de Janeiro, National Theater of Panama, Inter-Americ...

David Alexander Rahbee is currently Senior Artist in Residence at the University of Washington School of Music in Seattle, where he is Director of Orchestral Activities and Chair of Orchestral Conducting. He is the Music Director and Conductor of the University of Washington Symphony Orchestra and founder of the UW Campus Philharmonia Orchestras. He is a recipient of the American-Austrian Foundati...

American saxophonist Nathan Mertens (he/him) currently serves as the Teaching Assistant Professor of Saxophone at the University of Arkansas and in the Fall of 2023 will begin as the Assistant Professor of Saxophone at the University of Colorado Boulder. As an active soloist and chamber musician, he has performed recitals in Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Croatia, Bolivia, the United Kingdom, and t...

Dr. Garrett Hope is an award-winning composer, speaker, and money coach. His focus is on helping people change their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs about money. Since money is the most taboo topic we have in our culture, and since everyone learned about it at a very young age, money beliefs often affect people negatively. His mission is to change that. In 2020 he delivered a TEDx talk on how musi...

As an actor, Eric Booth performed in many plays on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and around the U.S. As a businessman, he started a small company, Alert Publishing, that in seven years became the largest of its kind in the U.S. analyzing research on trends in American lifestyles. As an author, he has had seven books published— The Everyday Work of Art was a Book of the Month Club bestseller, and The Mus...

Dr. Julia Lougheed was recently appointed as the new Executive Director of the New Works Project. The New Works Project is a 501(c)(3) organization that enables musicians to participate in the commissioning of new music at an accessible price. Our programs serve those who are interested in contemporary music but are limited in their capacity to engage in the community, either because of access to...