Classical Schmassical

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Join me for a discussion on electronic music, education within the classical canon, and allyship in musical practice with Jonathan Baldwin. 

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Guest Bio:
Jonathan Baldwin is an electronics and woodwind musician based out of Dayton, Ohio. Holding a BM in Music Education from Wright state university where he studied Saxophone with John Toerner, and Bassoon with Bill Jobert, and was initiated into the Theta-Eta Chaper of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, he found a love for teaching, performing, and building a community for everyone to experience music. Jonathan began his practice and writing of electronic music during a gap year, in which he composed a short EP of what he describes as “terrible, yet wholesome, macaroni art style” electronic music, which sparked a love for composing, performing, and teaching electronic music. In addition to the Electronic music he writes under the Psuedonym ‘FutureBjard’(pronounced future-bard), he also performs with a brass band called ‘JAMR’(pronounced Jammer), which frequently busks outdoors in their hometown of Dayton. All of this music can be streamed on your platform of choice. Some of Jonathan’s other hobbies and interests include tabletop RPG’s, magic the gathering, Video Games, and talking a lot of smack before ultimately losing at any fighting game.

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Guitarist and composer Duck Armstrong joins me today to discuss guitar, genre, accessibility, and the way that art is all a social construct, and what that means for us as artists. 

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Guest Bio:
Duck Armstrong (they/them) is a multimedia artist currently in Dallas, Texas. They frequently explore visual art and music through use of ink, watercolor, and electric guitar and pedalboard.

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Soprano Jessica Lewis joins for a talk about effective use of the voice and the opera industry at large on today's episode of Classical Schmassical. 

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Guest Bio:
Jessica Lewis is a young American soprano astounding audiences with her shimmering and agile coloratura. She is currently a young artist performing as Violetta in Vincerò Academy’s La Traviata. A recent masters graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music (2020), her staged scene performances of Gilda (Rigoletto), and Despina (Così fan tutte) were cancelled due to the pandemic. Other roles learned include Königin der Nacht (Die Zauberflöte), Baby Doe (The Ballad of Baby Doe), and Musetta (La Bohéme).
 
In 2020, she co-created and produced a virtual benefit concert supporting racial justice initiatives that featured more than 30 artists and benefitted grassroots racial justice organizations. As an interpreter and advocate of new music, Ms. Lewis is becoming known for her interpretations of Larsen and Laitman. 
Jessica currently resides in Cleveland, Ohio, and studies with soprano Kathryn Lewek. She can be found on Instagram at @jlewsings.

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On today's episode of Classical Schmassical, Mark Mathison talks about being a multi-instrumentalist with degrees in bassoon performance and physics, and how such diverse interests can find balance in his life. 

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Guest Bio:
Mark Mathison is a multi-instrumentalist composer from Minneapolis. He received his B.M. in Instrumental Performance along with a B.S. in Physics from Illinois Wesleyan University in the spring of 2020. As a composer, he primarily focuses on the intersection of music with the physical world, both acoustically and electronically, as well as the approachability of new music outside of the classically-trained context. He also strives to promote access to education, as well as inclusivity and intersectionality in the fields of music and science.

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In this episode, Connor Johnson talks about trumpet, composing, and accessing new genres of music! 

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Guest bio:
Hi, I’m Connor Johnson and I’m a trumpet player and composer from Michigan. I’m currently finishing up my undergrad at Michigan State University, where I’ve really grown to love playing and writing new music.

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Sam Moffett discusses theory, pedagogy, and the ways education shapes young musicians in today's episode of Classical Schmassical!

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In this episode, Shoshana Klein, one of the two directors of zFestival arts organization, chats about building community, running a festival with only two months notice, and perfectionism in the music education system.

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Guest bio:
Shoshana Klein is an oboist and arts administrator currently(ish) pursuing her master’s degree at McGill University. She received her bachelor’s degree in music and psychology as well as an advanced musical studies certificate from Carnegie Mellon University. Shoshana has worked on the administration and production side of the music industry in the past with CityMusic Cleveland, ChamberFest Cleveland, El Sistema Global, and Alia Musica Pittsburgh. She now acts as one of the administrators for zFestival, an online new music and multidisciplinary festival. Shoshana is particularly interested in contemporary applications and social impacts of music. With a specific interest in new music, she has attended the Fresh Inc and Bang on a Can Festivals, as well as Project Trio's improvisation Studio. She has performed dozens of world premieres and original compositions, including performances at venues in Montreal, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago, North Adams, Massachusetts; and New York City.

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From double bass extended techniques to how new music can fit in to the orchestral audition circuit, Dean Mason and Ian Fales share their thoughts on the music of the past and present.

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Guest Bios:
Dean Mason is a composer and bassist from South Jersey. As a composer, he has created pieces ranging from solo and chamber works to choir, band, and orchestral music, as well as scores for film and video games. As a contrabassist, he currently performs with the Philharmonic of Southern New Jersey, and his concert performance experience consists of everything from the medieval era to the contemporary, as well as jazz, rock, and popular music. Finally, as a bass guitarist, Dean regularly performs around South Jersey and Philadelphia, and is currently the bassist for pop punk band All Systems Go.

Born in Naples, Florida, Ian Fales is a double bassist and educator based in New York City devoted to bringing classical and contemporary art music to new audiences through engaging and thoughtful performances. Ian earned his undergraduate degree from New York University, where he double majored in Double Bass Performance and International Relations and he is currently pursuing a Master of Music degree from Mannes at The New School. Ian’s work has led him to be a musical guest for the ADCA Orchestra, Opera America, and Loro Piana, and he’s participated in a number of festivals, including Music Academy International, the 44th Nordic-German Orchestra Week, and most recently, zFestival, a virtual music festival. As an educator, he provides virtual double bass lessons and has coached youth chamber ensembles and sectionals for various youth orchestras in the Naples, FL area.