An interview with Dr. Lisa Brooks, Dean of the Jordan College of the Arts and Professor of Violin at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. Lisa is an active performer and is the principal second violin of the Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra. We discuss her views on Butler's role in the community, turning student artists into good citizens, reforming curriculum in a large institution, and her own journey as a player and a leader.

Highlights

• Dr. Lisa’s childhood - 6:56
• Using sports metaphors in her teaching - 11:33
• You have to choose one sport and do it - 12:29
• We need better citizens - 15:55
• The notion of diversity - 19:22
• The dance program - 24:23
• What’s the biggest tension? - 25:12
• Getting engaged with the community - 34:32
• A direct impact in the community - 37:23
• Everybody needs to be welcomed - 44:35
• Losing students - 49:22
• Being a teaching artist - 55:45
• Arts integration - 56:16
• Having an academic spirit - 1:01:23
• The stronger characteristic of this job - 1:04:12
• Dr. Lisa’s recommendations - 1:07:20

Episode Resources

• Connect with Robert Hunt Simonds:
• roberthuntsimonds@gmail.com
• http://roberthuntsimonds.com/
• Performing Labor's music: http://craigwagnermusic.blogspot.com
• Writing mentioned in the intro:
• Washington Examiner: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/columnists/for-tens-of-thousands-trump-was-just-something-to-believe-in
• "On Thinking Institutionally" by Hugh Hello: https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Institutionally-Politics-Hugh-Heclo/dp/0199946000
• "These Truths" by Jill Lepore: https://www.amazon.com/These-Truths-History-United-States-ebook/dp/B07BLKWBYT/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2YHAZNRI4T53D&dchild=1&keywords=these+truths+jill+lepore&qid=1610147660&s=books&sprefix=these+tr%2Cstripbooks%2C166&sr=1-1
• Connect with Dr. Lisa Brooks:
• Lisa's bio: https://www.butler.edu/directory/user/lbrooks
• Butler University Jordan College of the Arts: https://www.butler.edu/jca
• Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra: https://www.icomusic.org
• Lisa's Recommendation:
• The Departed: https://decider.com/movie/the-departed/
• Sophie's World: A Novel About the History of Philosophy: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003TSDI0E/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
• Dying of Whiteness: How the Politics of Racial Resentment Is Killing America's Heartland: https://www.amazon.com/Dying-Whiteness-Politics-Resentment-Heartland-ebook/dp/B07F669F71/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1ZU8DS3H7GERY&dchild=1&keywords=dying+of+whiteness&qid=1610147403&s=digital-text&sprefix=dying+of+wh%2Cdigital-text%2C178&sr=1-1
• The Queen's Gambit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDrieqwSdgI

An interview with Alanna Tonetti-Tieppo, the sub-principal second violin of the Royal Northern Sinfonia in England. Before earning her current position in the Sinfonia, the Massachusetts native attended college in London and won awards with the Jubilee String Quartet. We discuss her education, auditions, and her professional philosophy and approach.

Highlights

• What movement requires -  5:09
• Her love for music - 7:31
• What a good sound is - 11:37
• Work hard and do your best - 14:12
• How she got started - 16:48 
• Attention to details - 21:00
• The repertoire attracted her - 24:58
• Having an amazing coach - 30:15
• Not being an impulsive person - 32:16
• Being a total perfectionist - 35:33
• Do your best and try your best - 38:08
• Who helped her with sound production and intonation - 40:37
• Her orchestra’s activities during the health crisis - 49:12
• How the job can be different when we come back - 53:16
• Music is necessary for our soul and well-being - 54:44

Episode Resources

• Connect with Robert Hunt Simonds:
• roberthuntsimonds@gmail.com
• http://roberthuntsimonds.com/
• Connect with Alanna Tonetti-Tieppo:
• Alanna performing with the Jubilee String Quartet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsoJhZbbBEE
• Royal Northern Sinfonia: https://sagegateshead.com/royal-northern-sinfonia-alanna-tonetti-tieppo/
• Alanna's recommendations:
• Metropolis (movie): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvtWDIZtrAE
• "Natives" by Akala: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Natives-Class-Empire-Sunday-Bestseller/dp/1473661218
• http://craigwagnermusic.blogspot.com
• Agents of Change: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009NYHXOK/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

An interview with guitarist and educator Craig Wagner from Louisville, KY. A virtuoso jazz guitarist, Craig also regularly plays as a soloist with major symphony orchestras and has toured and recorded with the platinum-selling rock band Days of the New.

Highlights

• Craig’s unique technique - 11:48
• Improvisation and playing - 14:15
• How you can improvise - 21:04
• Rock music and Pop music - 22:27
• Craig’s College experience - 29:19
• Learning with imitation at first - 30:57
• Trying to avoid things - 34:48
• Listening to it over and over again - 40:59
• How the pandemic has affected his teaching - 41:57
• The nature of music - 43:06
• Years of training for a five-minute audition - 47:06
• Guitar heroes that inspired him - 48:47
• Craig’s life - 52:22
• Being a solo player - 53:07
• Different versions of similar repertoires - 59:49
• His experience playing at orchestras - 1:03:37
• A big learning experience for him - 1:08:21
• Finding a way to approach music - 1:12:31
• Having an amazing trajectory - 1:15:04
• Barriers between two sides of thinking - 1:16:49

Episode Resources

• Connect with Robert Hunt Simonds:
• roberthuntsimonds@gmail.com
• http://roberthuntsimonds.com/
• https://www.instagram.com/simondsviolin/?hl=en
• https://twitter.com/simondsviolin?lang=en
• Connect with Craig Wagner
• https://www.facebook.com/craigwagnerguitar
• http://craigwagnermusic.blogspot.com
• The Craig Wagner Trio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B5qG2Tzu9k8&t=532s
• Craig's "Autumn Leaves" solo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ep15H1X321s
• Craig with Carly Johnson live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lX9ItvRGeU8
• Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized: https://www.amazon.com/Range-Generalists-Triumph-Specialized-World/dp/0735214484

An interview with conductor, clarinetist, pianist, improviser, composer, and my former boss, Teddy Abrams, music director of the Louisville Orchestra and the Britt Festival in Oregon. We discuss the roots of his eclecticism, his vision for the future of orchestras, and how music can be a driving force for positive change in a community.

Highlights

• Teddy’s background - 8:29
• Listening to music at home - 9:05
• His awakening - 11:26
• Learning about composers - 14:51
• How he became a Jazz pianist - 18:20
• Learning so much - 26:46
• The DNA of an orchestra - 29:06
• We should all be learning - 30:34
• Activating our individuality - 31:33
• How people experience music - 42:58
• Being the creative people for your organization - 49:51
• Conservatories and audition process - 52:06
• Playing an invisible game - 59:20
• Training for musicians - 1:10:19
• Accessibility to our music - 1:19:54
• One of his favorite experiences during the pandemic - 1:21:00
• Talking about religion and journalism - 1:31:56
• Creating a culture that retains talent - 1:44:03
• We should have an aspiration of greatness - 1:45:42
• An idea of what an orchestra is - 1:49:48
• Music brings people together - 1:51:50

Episode Resources

• Connect with Robert Hunt Simonds:
• roberthuntsimonds@gmail.com
• http://roberthuntsimonds.com/
• http://craigwagnermusic.blogspot.com
• Connect with Teddy Abrams
• https://www.teddyabrams.com
• https://twitter.com/teddyconducts?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor
• https://www.instagram.com/teddyconducts/?hl=en
• https://www.facebook.com/teddyconducts
• Teddy, Jim James, and LO musicians on The Tonight Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFYutf2VSqI
• "Excellence: Can We Be Equal And Excellent Too?" by John W. Gardner: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XG5CDZF/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

An interview with Grace Browning, principal harpist of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra and the Santa Fe Opera. We discuss her vision for a thriving 21st-century arts institution-- one that engages audiences, empowers musicians, experiments in new formats, and is accessible to all.

Highlights

• Dealing with the technique and body tension - 7:34
• Giving the students a chance to learn - 10:54
• Social media as a gift to share music - 11:54
• Her teacher at Juilliard - 13:36
• Having fear and being unaware about where you fit in - 16:30
• The age of social media - 17:19
• Feeling anxiety - 18:32
• It is impossible to not compare yourself - 20:05
• No audition is going to be perfect - 22:31
• Making investments to teaching artists? - 41:22
• What teacher artists can do - 42:49
• Inspired by the Philadelphia Orchestra - 48:40
• The biggest difference between Dallas and Santa Fe - 53:05
• How important social interaction is - 1:02:50
• Grace’s recommendations - 1:05:44

Episode Resources

• Connect with Robert Hunt Simonds:
• roberthuntsimonds@gmail.com
• http://roberthuntsimonds.com/
• http://craigwagnermusic.blogspot.com
• Connect with Grace Browning
• Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication: Warfighting: https://www.amazon.com/WARFIGHTING-Marine-Corps-Doctrinal-Publication/dp/1557423091
• Grace's recommendations:
• David Wallace: "Reaching Out: A Musician's Guide to Interactive Performance": https://www.amazon.com/Reaching-Out-Musicians-Interactive-Performance/dp/0073401382
• Brené Brown's podcast on burnout: https://brenebrown.com/podcast/brene-with-emily-and-amelia-nagoski-on-burnout-and-how-to-complete-the-stress-cycle/
• Website: https://www.gracebrowningharpist.com

An interview with Bharat Chandra, principal clarinetist of the Sarasota Orchestra, the Nordic Symphony in Estonia, and the Cabrillo Festival of Contemporary Music in California. We discuss the state of the music business during COVID-19, its impact on artists and institutions, and the potential for a rejuvenation going forward.

Highlights

• His experience in the Sarasota Orchestra - 9:52
• The Orchestra’s project - 12:21
• A broadcasting Orchestra - 14:53
• Creating a safe environment - 18:18
• The goal of connecting with audiences - 25:45
• The Covid situation for orchestras - 29:16
• Talking about post-COVID - 32:51
• Streaming as a tool - 37:33
• Examples to younger people - 53:28
• It is all about communication - 55:48
• A recommendation for listeners - 1:13:52

Episode Resources

• Connect with Robert Hunt Simonds:
• roberthuntsimonds@gmail.com
• http://roberthuntsimonds.com/
• http://craigwagnermusic.blogspot.com
• Connect with Bharat Chandra:
• Bharat's bio: http://www.bharatchandra.info
• Bharat's recommendation: "Caste" by Isabel Wilkerson: https://www.amazon.com/Caste-Origins-Discontents-Isabel-Wilkerson/dp/0593230256/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=caste&qid=1602864856&sr=8-2
• Public Value by Mark H. Moore: https://www.amazon.com/Creating-Public-Value-Management-Government/dp/0674175581/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=public+value+moore&qid=1602864951&s=books&sr=1-1

An interview with NYC-based conductor Tara Simoncic, music director of the Louisville Ballet. We discuss her unique journey from being a serious trumpet player to becoming a conductor. Tara specializes in ballet and conducts major companies in America and internationally.

Highlights

• The past three months for New York - 5:33
• New York has been changing over the last months - 9:19
• Competition in a city like New York - 9:54
• Thinking like an optimist - 13:19
• The music director role in ballet - 19:20
• What’s the real challenge? - 20:51
• The online season - 27:02
• Being a ballet conductor - 28:16
• How the ballet world is changing - 38:41
• 10 years of doing auditions - 44:53
• Loving the theatre - 49:09
• Having a connection with opera - 52:09
• Her early days - 53:20
• Dancers are smart musically - 1:11:19

Episode Resources

• Connect with Robert Hunt Simonds:
• roberthuntsimonds@gmail.com
• http://roberthuntsimonds.com/
• Performing Labor's music: http://craigwagnermusic.blogspot.com
• Connect with Tara Simoncic:
• Tara's website: https://tarasimoncic.com
• Louisville Ballet: https://www.louisvilleballet.org
• "Mastery" by Robert Greene: https://www.amazon.com/Mastery-Robert-Greene/dp/014312417X

An interview with trumpet player Herb Smith of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. We discuss his performing and teaching adaptations to the COVID lockdown, the many facets of his career, the Black Lives Matter movement, and how we must seize the opportunities presented in this current crisis.

Highlights

• It is all about being flexible - 7:27
• Videotaping yourself - 9:37
• Doing a lot of lessons - 11:42
• His idea of life - 13:42
• The idea of leadership - 14:31
• This is a danger opportunity - 19:38
• Understand what Black Lives Matter means - 28:06
• Exclusion for black people in classical music - 34:55
• Being in support of diversity - 41:48
• An amazing music festival - 47:40
• Stravinski loved Jazz - 52:16
• What’s classical music - 1:07:00

Episode Resources

• Connect with Robert Hunt Simonds:
• roberthuntsimonds@gmail.com
• http://roberthuntsimonds.com/
• http://craigwagnermusic.blogspot.com
• Connect with Herb Smith
• Herb conducting the RPO at a Black Lives Matter rally: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0NrgSanu20
• Herb's bio: https://rpo.org/musicians/herbert-smith/
• The Effective Executive by Peter Drucker: https://www.amazon.com/Effective-Executive-Definitive-Harperbusiness-Essentials/dp/0060833459

My interview with former Sarasota Ballet dancer Cadence Rolland: We trace her journey from early ballet training, to a professional dance company, to now pursuing a business degree. We discuss how an injury accelerated her career change and the steps she took to move on. Cadence shares where ballet and business overlap, where they differ, and how artists can repurpose their creativity in new and rewarding ways.

Highlights

• What we want as human beings - 2:37
• Her ballet experience - 6:26
• Memorizing ballet performances - 9:49
• What happens in an audition company? - 14:17
• Different dancers perform different roles - 17:20
• Physical demands for professional dancers - 22:22
• How the audition season works - 25:33
• You have to be focused - 31:43
• Pursuing your dreams and passions - 41:38
• Aspirations and ambitions that she has in her life - 44:55
• Being interested in finances - 49:38
• Doing virtual seasons - 52:01
• A very strange time - 53:10

Episode Resources

• Connect with Robert Hunt Simonds:
• roberthuntsimonds@gmail.com
• http://roberthuntsimonds.com/
• http://craigwagnermusic.blogspot.com
• Connect with Cadence Rolland
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cadencerolland/
• Cadence's recommendations:
• Steven Mitchell ballet music: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkYnuGLi4ALrDi7NnMRGlPw
• Firefly Method: https://www.fireflymethod.com

An interview with Quinton Morris, a Seattle-based violinist, professor, educator, founder, filmmaker, radio host, and entrepreneur. We discuss his path from South King County, WA to some of the nation's premier educational institutions and back. Quinton has toured the nation and the world as a violinist and is a professor at Seattle University and the founder of Key to Change, a remarkable educational organization.

Highlights

• Quinton’s background - 8:26
• Creating meaningful changes for students - 9:37
• Playing an instrument to go to college - 12:32
• Having a part-time job to pay for music lessons - 15:37
• Being a very reflective teacher - 17:11
• Keeping kids engaged - 30:09
• Increasing the level of impact - 32:06
• An inspirational person in his life - 47:32
• Quinton’s bad experience at school - 50:18
• Playing in a local community orchestra - 53:31
• His experience in Boston - 59:01
• Quinton’s performing career - 1:12:18
• The importance of relationships- 1:15:10
• Being a cancer survivor - 1:20:10

Episode Resources

• Connect with Robert Hunt Simonds:
• roberthuntsimonds@gmail.com
• http://roberthuntsimonds.com/
• http://craigwagnermusic.blogspot.com
• Connect with Quinton Morris:
• https://twitter.com/quintonimorris?lang=en
• Quinton's bio: https://www.seattleu.edu/artsci/about/faculty-and-staff/quinton-morris-dma.html
• Key to Change: http://keytochangestudio.org
• "Our Declaration" by Danielle Allen: https://www.amazon.com/Our-Declaration-Reading-Independence-Equality-ebook/dp/B00FPT5KYW
• "Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother" by Amy Chua: https://www.amazon.com/Battle-Hymn-Tiger-Mother-Chua-ebook/dp/B004CLYKLI/ref=sr_1_1?crid=RCKCTFFZ6MC3&dchild=1&keywords=battle+hymn+of+the+tiger+mother&qid=1599097297&s=digital-text&sprefix=battle+him%2Cdigital-text%2C167&sr=1-1
• "Ahead of the Curve" by Philip Delves Broughton: https://www.amazon.com/Ahead-Curve-Harvard-Business-School-ebook/dp/B001D6FIQ6/ref=sr_1_1?crid=J3EAVUJW3H48&dchild=1&keywords=ahead+of+the+curve&qid=1599097362&s=digital-text&sprefix=ahead+o%2Cdigital-text%2C172&sr=1-1