Samantha Ege is both a leading scholar and interpreter of Florence Price. In this interview, she talks about her recent book “South Side Impresarios: How Race Women Transformed Chicago’s Classical Music Scene”. I was fascinated to learn about this compelling history of Chicago’s Black Renaissance with women such as Nora Holt,  Margaret Bonds, and Katherine Dunham.  Dr. Ege shared how the scholarship side of her work informs both her identity as a pianist and also how this research and storytelling cause her to reflect on some of her own challenges. We also talked about some of her other recent recording projects, including the upcoming Avril Coleridge-Taylor piano concerto and chamber music with Castle of our Skins, and she reflected candidly on her personal creative life as a writer, performer and composer.

Like all my episodes, you can watch this on my YouTube channel or listen to the podcast on all the podcast platforms, and I’ve also linked the transcript to my website

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You may be also interested in the following episodes: 

 Gerry Bryant

Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser 

 Vahn Black

Rebeca Omordia

Omo Bello

DeWitt Fleming Jr.

 Destiny Muhammad

among so many https://www.leahroseman.com/about

Troubled Water by Margaret Bonds

from concert in Chicago for Crossing Borders Music

Fantasie Negre no. 1 in E minor by Florence Price:

from concert in Chicago for Crossing Borders Music

https://www.samanthaege.com/

Timestamps: 

(00:00) Intro

(02:11) book Southside Impresarios, Race women, Florence Price

(05:07) racism, Florence Price, John Powell

(10:50) Margaret Bonds “Troubled Water” from live performance (link to video in show notes)

(15:46) Southside Impresarios, Black Chicago Renaissance, Florence Price

(18:08) Wannamaker competition, Florence Price, Margaret Bonds

(21:47) Nora Holt, Florence Price

(30:43) Samantha’s practice diaries, Avril Coleridge-Taylor piano concerto

(38:03) other episodes you’ll like and ways to support this series

(38:56) composing, identity and confidence

(41:17)the importance of storytelling, upcoming Chicago concerts, community of Black researchers

(44:59) Katherine Dunham, ballet

(47:05) Boston Six, Amy Beach, exclusion of Black composers

(48:55) excerpt from Fantasie Nègre by Florence Price from live performance (link to video in show notes)

(51:52) Chamber music album with Castle of Our Skins, Undine Smith Moore, Bongani Ndodana-Breen

(55:08) Cambridge Companion to Florence Price, Rae Linda Brown, Alexandra Kori Hill

(57:16) Southside

Ian Maksin holds a special place in the hearts of his fans worldwide,  with his unique concerts of cello and songs in over 37 languages. It was really interesting to learn about how he has forged a unique path as a solo touring performer, and he shared his insights on finding commonalities between cultures, mindfulness practice and how he stays healthy with such an intense touring schedule. You’ll hear about his childhood, his need to break out of a strict classical music career, how his love of languages started and some suprises, including how he became a pilot as a teenager. 

Like all my episodes, you can also watch this on my YouTube channel or listen to the podcast on all the podcast platforms, and I’ve also linked the transcript to my website

Ian Maksin website

Gelino video

Buy me a coffee?

Merchandise store to support this series

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I’ve linked some episodes to this one that you’ll enjoy, with Margaret Maria

Kelly Thoma

Raphael Weinroth-Browne

Colin Aguiar

Bad Snacks

Dorothy Lawson

Jean Rohe  is an acclaimed song-writer and singer, as well as a devoted  mentor, working with incarcerated song-writers,as well as at the New School and privately. She writes powerful narrative songs, and is widely known for her "National Anthem:  Arise! Arise!" an aspirational alternative which has been performed extensively across the US. She shared with me her perspectives on love, grief, identity, community and creativity.   One of her beautiful collaborations is the wonderful album Beautalina with the band Eureka Shoes, with Skye Soto Steele,  Charlie Burnham and Rashaan Carter. We are featuring music from that project as well as with  Robinson & Rohe. 

 Like all my episodes, you can also watch this on my YouTube or listen to the podcast on all the podcast platforms, and I’ve also linked the transcript to my website : https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/jean-rohe

Jean Rohe Website

Eureka Shoes album Beautalina

Robinson & Rohe

This weekly podcast is in Season 5 and I send out an email newsletter where you can get access to exclusive information about upcoming guests: Sign-up!

It’s a joy to be able to bring these meaningful conversations to you, but this project costs me quite a bit of money and lots of time; please support this series through either my merchandise store 

or buy me a coffee Thanks!

You may be also interested in these episodes:

  Kavisha Mazzella

Ceara Conway

Renée Yoxon

Sophie Lukacs

Shakura S’Aida

Diane Nalini

Megan Jerome

among so many!  

photo: Krysta Brayer 

Timestamps: 

(00:00) Intro

(01:48) Euraka Shoes, Looking Glass Arts, Marika Hughes, Charlie Burnham, Skye Soto Steele, Rashaan Carter

(04:28) Jean’s childhood and musical family

(07:19) Beautalina album, about the song “Go Easy”

(09:26) “Go Easy” with Eureka Shoes (link in show notes to album Beautalina)

(12:42) Eureka Shoes, creativity, dealing with grief

(18:35) excerpt from “Everyone Is Dying” Eureka Shoes

(19:05) Jean’s educational path, jazz at New School, Alexandra Montano

(22:47) Eureka Shoes, about “Barn Hymn”, Looking Glass Arts

(26:23) “Barn Hymn” Eureka Shoes

(28:30) The End of the World show, touring Brazil

(31:42) other episodes you’ll like and ways to support this series

(32:29) Republic of Georgia, Ilusha Tsinadze

(34:50) teaching song writing, working with incarcerated people, New School

(48:03) Eureka Shoes, about “I Wanna Be”

(50:54) clip of “I Wanna Be”

(52:58) songwriting, touring

(56:56) Liam Robinson, Robinson&Rohe, Woody Guthrie

(01:03:46) “Where I’m Coming From” Robinson & Rohe from Into the Night (link in show notes)

(01:07:48) songwriting, the voice as instrument

(01:14:29) 74

Edwin Barker is recognized as one of the most gifted bassists on the American concert scene. In this wide-ranging interview, you’ll hear about how when he was still a student, he won a job with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and then at age 22, he was appointed to the position of Principal Bass of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, a position he has now held for nearly 50 years. He shared memories of his mentors, and his valuable perspectives on learning and teaching the bass, playing in orchestra, conductors, auditions, acoustics and more. We’re featuring his wonderful recent album of solo bass music, Basso Profundo, both J.S. Bach’s Suite no. 5 and Weinberg’s Sonata Op. 108.

photo of Edwin Barker: Sam Brewer

Brittany Haas is widely regarded as one of the most influential fiddlers of her generation. In this wide-ranging conversation you’ll be hearing about her early career, touring with Darol Anger at age 14, the bands Croooked Still, Hawktail and Punch Brothers with Chris Thile. She reflected on the challenges and thrill of a touring life, the Nashville scene, her teaching through Artistworks, and dynamics of being a woman in Bluegrass. We talked about mentors Bruce Molsky and Tony Trishka, her time at Princeton studying Evolutionary Biology, and the need for self-care and boundaries. 

We are featuring music from several of her albums, including her recent projects with sister Natalie and the Swedish musician Lena Jonsson.

 Like all my episodes, you can also watch this on my YouTube channel or listen to the podcast on all the podcast platforms, and I’ve also linked the transcript to my website: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/brittany-haas

See below for other suggested episodes, linked for your convenience, along with links for newsletter and support pages! 

 Brittany Haas website

Hawktail

The Snake with Lena Jonsson

Haas with sister Natalie

Impromptu Sessions (banjo album)

Brittany Haas debut album

the Punch Brothers website (Energy Curfew Music hour podcast)

 I’m sure that you’ll enjoy my conversations  with Adam Hurt

Janie Rothfield

 Joe K. Walsh

 Martin Hayes

  Tracy Silverman

 Alexis Chartrand 

 Gina Burgess 

  Guy Donis

 and  Kirsty Money

It’s a joy to bring these meaningful conversations to you, but this project costs me quite a bit of money and lots of time; please support this series through either my merchandise store or buy me a coffee on my Ko-fi page

For the merch, it features a unique design by artist Steffi Kelly and you can browse clothes, stickers, notebooks, water bottles and more, everything printed on demand https://www.leahroseman.com/beautiful-shirts-and-more

Why not sign up for my newsletter where you’ll get access to exclusive information about upcoming guests?

 Please check out my back catalogue, with episodes going back to 2021.

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(02:31) Valley of the Moon Scottish Fiddling School, childhood mentors Bruce Molsky Darol Anger, Alasdair Fraser, family support

(05:43) sister cellist Natalie, new album Haas

(08:26) The Rose Gardener from the album Haas (link in description

Cellist and composer Dorothy Lawson is one of the founding members and Artistic Directors for ETHEL, ‪ a string quartet celebrating 25 years of setting the standard for contemporary concert music. In this episode, you’ll hear about many fascinating and meaningful collaborations with musicians including Alllison Loggins-Hull, Robert Mirabal, and Layale Chaker. It was really inspiring to hear how they got started with adapting the concert experience into something less-predictable, and ways to connect with new audiences. Dorothy also shared her insights into playing and teaching the cello and staying healthy. We also talked about many of the long-term relationships with the Metropolitain Museum, Denison College and the Grand Canyon Music Festival’s Native American Composer Apprentice Projecct. You’ll be hearing excerpts from 3 of ETHEL’s recent albums, including wonderful music by Leilehua Lanzilotti, Sam Wu and Migiwa “Miggy” Miyajima, and everything is linked to ETHEL’s website: https://ethelcentral.org/

Transcript and YouTube video of this episode:
https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/dorothy-lawson-ethel

This is my final podcast for this year, Episode 51 of Season 4, and Season 5 starts in a couple of weeks in January. Please check the links for different ways to support and follow this independent podcast. I really do need the help of my listeners; I do all the many jobs of research, production and publicity.

Katherine Needleman is a wonderful oboe player, who has been the principal oboist of the Baltimore Symphony since 2003. She’s also active as a solist and chamber musician, and is on faculty at the Curtis Institute of Music. She is a champion of music of our time and you’ll find her recordings and many projects on her website. To many listeners in the Classical Music world, she’s probably better known for her Substack articles and posts on social media that address misogyny, sexual misconduct and assault, and the lack of diversity and equity in the Classical music world. In this conversation you’ll hear about some of her activism and advocacy work , and different aspects of Katherine’s life as a musician, including her work as a composer and educator, and mentors including Jennifer Higdon. Please note the timestamps to navigate the episode. I regret that I didn’t get into improvisation with her, because she’s also an excellent improvisor and has put out an album of improvised chamber music “The Marmalade Balloon”. Perhaps we can get into this next time she comes on the podcast!

Shakura S'Aida, acclaimed Americana roots soul singer and songwriter has thrilled global audiences in 31 countries over many years.

You may be also interested in my episodes with Kellylee Evans, Vahn Black, Colleen Allen, Jah’Mila, Kat Raio Rende, Cliff Beach and Edison Herbert, among so many. (linked above to my website or look in your podcast player).

Yann Passabet-Labiste is a French violinist with a beautiful warm intensity to his playing, and in this episode we’re focussing on his album “Robert Schumann et son univers” with pianist Bertrand Giraud. Yann talks about some of his mentors in France and Switzerland, many interesting and inspiring musical highlights and his perspectives on how music has helped him through some difficult challenges.  

YouTube video of this episode, and Transcript linked here on my website:

https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/yann-passabet-labiste

Video of Sonata No. 1 “A mon fils Yann pour sa Maman” by Gérard Passabet-Labiste https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DBUxSJjXeM

Yann Passabet-Labiste website: https://www.yann-passabet-labiste.com/

Schumann et son univers album (also on your favourite streaming service): https://www.fnac.com/a20143665/Robert-Schumann-Robert-Schumann-et-son-univers-CD-album

Brahms Scherzo video from Paris concert: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=stk09FVUh7w⁠

It’s a joy to bring these inspiring episodes to you every week, and I do all the many jobs of research, production and publicity. You can support this independent podcast through both the unique collection of merchandise: https://www.leahroseman.com/beautiful-shirts-and-more

Buy me a coffee? https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman

Sign up for my newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/ebed4a237788/podcast-newsletter

You may also be interested in my episodes with: Nimrod Borenstein, Omo Bello, Julia MacLaine, the Euclid Quartet, Jeeyoon Kim,  and many more going back to 2021. 

Timestamps: 

(00:00) Intro

(01:33) album Robert Schumann et son univers

(04:51) Clara Schumann 1st Romance

(04:49) Yann’s childhood, the death of his mother, father composer

(13:11) Sonata No. 1 “A mon fils Yann pour sa Maman” by Gérard Passabet-Labiste

(16:13) Yann’s parents, his start on violin

(22:21) teachers Lilian Rossi Monique Voisin-Vallet

(25:55) Brahms Scherzo from F.A.E. Sonata, live performance 

(31:25) studies in Geneva, member of the Tonhalle orchestra in Zurich

(39:40) Japan, Madagascar

(43:18) collaborating with his father composer Gérard Passabet-Labiste

(44:45)practicing violin technique, yoga

(46:55) other episodes you may enjoy, and different ways to support this series

(47:40) favourite musicians and musical memories

(53:54) living for the moment and need to play for people

(58:07) Second Romance Robert Schumann op. 94

(01:02:09) music education in France

(01:05:18) challenges with a solo career, memorable performance highlights

(01:20:43) favourite concertos

(01:27:51) concert memories Alfred Brendel Concertgebouw, Butterfly Lovers in China

(01:37:13) concert preparation

Ida Gillner is very special musician based in Sweden, and in this episode you’ll hear the powerful story of her personal journey, embracing different cultures, and also the comforting power of music.  Ida is a multi-instrumentalist and composer; her main instruments are soprano saxophone, piano and voice.  In the first part of this episode we focus on her project Shtolstse lider, her songs set to the poetry of some of Yiddish’s greatest women writers. You’ll hear about Ida’s childhood on the island of Asperö, forging her own path in different world music traditions, and  the Finnish tango group Anna Heikkinen and Längtans Kapell. 

We also talked about her solo album “Anna” dedicated to her sister, and how the process of writing and recording this healing music comforted her through the shock of her family’s loss. I have included detailed timestamps for all the topics covered and for the music, and you’ll find links to Ida and her musical projects below.

Like all my episodes, you can also watch this on YouTube; that's linked here with the transcript on my website: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/ida-gillner

The recommended episodes below are also linked directly on my website link to Ida's episode! You may also be interested in my episodes with:  Polina Shepherd, Marilyn Lerner,  Kavisha Mazzella, Ceara Conway, Kirsten Agresta Copely, Sophie Lukacs,  and Yale Strom, among so many.

Ida Gillner Website https://idagillner.se/

Klez Canada complete video Mayn Heym: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_moFp3o_ho

Sign up for my Podcast Newsletter!⁠⁠ ⁠⁠Very Cool Merch⁠⁠

Buy me a coffee? ⁠⁠https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman⁠⁠ Thanks!

Timestamps: 

(00:00) Intro

(02:11)Gothenburg, Sweden, 

(3:09) Sholtse lider project songs Yiddish poetry women writers

(12:06) excerpt from Mayn Heym by Anna Margolin

(16:03)Anna Margolin’s life

(23:50) Shtoltse Lider with Livet Nord and before with Louise Vase

(25:55)Celia Dropkin

(29:17)  Ickh hob dikh nokh nit gezen from the Shtoltse Lider album with vocalist Louise Vase, poem by Celia Dropkin

(31:37) Rachel Korn, Holocaust survivors in Sweden, Yiddish

(35:08) how Ida got interested in Klezmer and Yiddish

(38:21) Ida’s childhood, the Södra Archipelago,  Asperö island Sweden

(42:15) music education and family encouragement

(48:01) Finnish war children in Sweden, Anna Heikkinen and Längtans Kapell quartet

(51:38) Apeltango with Anna Heikkinen and Längtans Kapell quartet, from the album Omenatango

(55:11) other episodes of interest, ways to support this series

(56:11) Jewish Culture Festival in Krakow, learning Yiddish

(01:06:32) Anna, grieving her sister

(01:12:05) “Sommersång it stilla tid och barfotadans på klippor” from Anna

(01:15:21) healing process of creating the album

(01:19:30) Flyga from Anna

(01:23:34) balancing a career in music with family life, working with El Sistema

(01:27:29) upcoming projects, new piano album, collaborations

photo: Ellika Henrikson