The Muse in Music

In this episode of The Muse in Music , I welcome Robert Kahn, Music Director of the Great Falls Symphony and Assistant Conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, for an engaging conversation about the art of conducting and inspiring musicians and audiences. We explore his musical influences, his approach to programming, and the growing connections between living composers, orchestras, and audien...

In this episode of The Muse in Music, I talk with Knoxville Symphony Orchestra Music Director Aram Demirjian about the music and people who inspire his work. We discuss bringing orchestral music into the community, building trust with audiences, and making new music an exciting act of discovery. Aram also shares his passion for American music and his thoughts on the evolving partnership between co...

In this episode of The Muse in Music , I speak with conductor Brian Dollinger about the joy of helping musicians perform beyond what they thought possible. He discusses his love of musical storytelling, his preference for accessible contemporary music, and the ways conductors can prepare audiences to embrace unfamiliar works. We also explore the practical considerations that help new orchestral mu...

In this episode of The Muse in Music, I speak with conductor Anthony LaGruth. He reflects on how his early life as a trumpeter and aspiring composer led him toward conducting and toward the collaborative act of turning notation into living music. He discusses enduring inspiration from composers such as Mahler, Shostakovich, and Tchaikovsky, while making a strong case for conductors’ close, practic...

In this episode of The Muse in Music , I speak with Grammy-winning conductor James Blachly, Music Director of the Johnstown Symphony and Artistic Director of New York City's Experiential Orchestra, about the profound experiences that inspire his work. James shares his philosophy of conducting as an act of service, explores how orchestras can build meaningful relationships with audiences throu...

Please join me as I talk with Charles Latshaw, Music Director of the Grand Junction Symphony and Flagstaff Symphony, about what inspires him as a musician and his approach to conducting. We discuss the challenges of conducting, his continuous learning, and the importance of score study. Charles highlights some of his favorite composers, Brahms and Ravel, and their contrasting styles. He also empha...

In this episode, I talk with Nick Palmer, Music Director of the Altoona Symphony and North Charleston POPS!, and conductor of the Evenings Under the Stars Music Festival, about the passion that drives his work as a conductor. We discuss the unique excitement of live performance, the importance of connecting with audiences, and his perspective on building relationships between composers, performers...

Please join me as I talk with Tito Muñoz, former music director of the Phoenix Symphony and interim principal conductor of the Cleveland Institute of Music orchestra, as he discusses his journey from violinist to conductor, driven by his interest in leadership and fascination with the conductor's role. He emphasizes the importance of genuine, authentic expression in compositions, whether hist...

Please join me as I talk with Dirk Meyer, Music Director of the Augusta Symphony, Duluth Superior Symphony, and Lyric Opera of the North, as he discusses his passion for conducting, emphasizing the continuous learning and the unique connection with musicians and audiences. He particularly admires late Romantic and Early Modern music, citing composers like Mahler and Strauss. Dirk also appreciates...

Please join me as I talk with Robert Moody, Music Director of the Memphis Symphony, Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, and Arizona MusicFest, as he discusses his passion for conducting, inspired by a childhood experience with the Chicago Symphony.  He emphasizes the importance of diversity in music, citing influences from Mahler to contemporary composers such as Mason Bates.  Moody highlights the need f...

In this episode of The Muse in Music , I speak with violinist William Shaub, concertmaster of the Knoxville Symphony and guest concertmaster of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (UK), Arctic Philharmonic (Norway), and the New Zealand Symphony, about artistic inspiration, leadership from the concertmaster’s chair, and what it means to nurture growth within an orchestra. We dive deeply into...

Please join me as I talk with Merwin Siu, Artistic Administrator of Live Arts Toledo and Principal Second Violin of the Toledo Symphony, about how thoughtful programming, local partnerships, and long-term trust shape successful orchestral seasons. Merwin describes programming as a kind of “menu,” balancing the familiar and unfamiliar to create coherent musical experiences that resonate with specif...

Please join me as I talk with Jeffrey Robson, Music Director of the Arkansas Symphony, about his musical inspirations and experiences. Geoffrey, a former violinist, discusses his love for symphonic music, particularly from the Romantic and early 20th-century eras, and his admiration for composers like Tchaikovsky, Strauss, and Mahler. He highlights the importance of being a generalist in music and...

Please join me as I talk with Chad Goodman, Music Director of the Elgin Symphony, as he discusses his journey from trumpet playing to conducting, inspired by a transformative experience with Dvorak's New World Symphony. He emphasizes the deep connection and authenticity required in conducting and highlights his love for Beethoven, Sibelius, and various living composers. We talk about the impo...

Please join me as I talk with violin soloist Holly Mulcahy, who is also concertmaster of the Wichita Symphony, about her work in audience engagement. Holly discusses her background coming from a family that was not deeply into "classical" music and how this informs her approach to making classical music accessible. She highlights the importance of inviting non-musical families to concert...

Please join me as I talk with Michael O'Neal, founder and artistic director of The Michael O'Neal Singers, and Reece Windjack, the ensemble’s assistant and cover conductor, about what inspires them in their work. Michael reflects on formative influences from Leonard Bernstein and Robert Shaw, emphasizing storytelling, preparedness, and connecting deeply with audiences. Reece brings a Gen...

Please join me as I talk with Larry Loh, Music Director of the Waco Symphony and Conductor Laureate of the Syracuse Orchestra, who shares what inspires him on the podium.  We explore how narrative elements help audiences connect with new music, the influences of film scoring, and the challenges of programming contemporary works in traditional concert settings.  Included also are insights on engagi...

In this episode, I talk about musical inspiration, transcendence, and the process of working with living composers with Adam Johnson, the Music Director of the Baton Rouge Symphony and Guelph Symphony.  Among many other things, we discuss how programming design that includes new music invites audiences in and moves them beyond their ordinary lives. www.danielperttu.com adamjohnsonconductor.com

In this episode, I talk with Ted Nelson, Vice President of Artistic Planning and Operations at the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance, about musical inspiration and how this influences artistic planning of new music for performances by orchestras in the 2020s and beyond. www.danielperttu.com

Please join me as I talk with Stephen Gunzenhauser, Artistic Director and Conductor of the Endless Mountain Music Festival and former Music Director of the Lancaster and Delaware Symphonies, about his long career and its unique focus on the classical music recording industry.  Maestro Gunzenhauser is the fifth most-recorded American conductor, having recorded for Naxos and other labels.  He also t...

Please join me as I talk with Brett Mitchell, Music Director of the Pasadena Symphony and Artistic Director & Conductor of the Sunriver Music Festival, about his approach to programming strategically for orchestras.  He loves drawing creative connections across music history and compositional style which yields unified programs where classic "masterworks" are seamlessly presented alo...

In this episode, I talk with Matthew Kraemer, Music Director of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra and the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, about how he leads the programming of music for these two very different orchestras in unique communities.  In Louisiana, he blends local talent from many different genres, and in Indianapolis, he pushes the boundaries with innovative new music.  Please join...

Please join me as I talk with Francesco Lecce-Chong, the Music Director of the Santa Rosa Symphony on my spinoff series on strategic orchestra programming.  Francesco was previously a guest on the "Muse in Music" when it was a blog, and I'm thrilled that he has returned to talk about how he balances programming standard repertoire with new and under-heard compositions.  In his progr...

Please join me as I talk with conductor Nicholas McGegan about his long, celebrated career.  From his early days at Cambridge University through his transition to the United States, Maestro McGegan’s career has taken interesting and surprising turns.  While he has spent a lot of his career conducting Baroque music, he also regularly conducts music from the Classical and Romantic Eras, and has also...

Have you ever wondered how your personality might influence the way you create? In this episode of The Muse in Music , I explore the Myers-Briggs Personality Type system and how it provides deep insights into my creative process as a composer. As an INTJ, my compositional journey is guided by introverted intuition (Ni), a cognitive function that helps me develop musical ideas from abstract pattern...