Creative Baggage

In this episode, we continue our conversation with John Littlejohn about his unique career path as both a musician and a pastor. He tells us that in both of these professions, the end goal is to teach people about life and help others succeed. We also discuss the importance of finding motivations beyond wanting validation, as well as holding the people in your life accountable and having them do the same for you.

In this episode, we talk to violinist and pastor John Adidam Littlejohn about the boxes we put ourselves in when making music or thinking about our careers. John shares his journey learning the violin without a private teacher, describing the freedom of not being told what was difficult or easy, as well as the freedom of not being constrained by a single genre. John brings these ideas into his own playing and teaching, showing us that our musical careers can also be free.

https://www.adidammusic.com/

We are taking a short mid-season break, and we wanted to share this hilarious conversation our co-hosts, audio engineer, and biggest fan (allegedly). We are also launching our patreon, where we will be uploading exclusive content, including deleted scenes from our interviews and more after hours episodes!

https://www.patreon.com/creativebaggage

In this episode, we talk to percussionist Gloria Yehilevsky about the value of interdisciplinary art. We discuss the benefits and challenges of working with people of other disciplines, as well as what it takes to manage ourselves and our teams. We also share our personal experiences coming up with ideas for and completing interdisciplinary projects.

www.gloriaymusic.com

www.soundingeye.com

GY YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw09sHqVHdYu0GKBDSuuBCg

Sounding Eye YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC65ywr9KX1N7_07nsair1ww

GY Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gloriaymusic/

Sounding Eye Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soundingeye/

GY Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gloriaymusic

Sounding Eye Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoundingEye

In this episode, we talk to cellist, educator, and activist Sasha Ono about changing the culture of classical music. Sasha tells us about her group, Lotus Chamber Music Collective, and how they tackle important issues such as racism and injustice through the lense of classical music in their programming, concert discussions, and book club. She also shares her personal journey constructing a new, healthier relationship with classical music, expressing the importance of teaching younger generations of musicians to do the same.

https://www.lotuschambermusiccollective.com

IG: @LotusCMC

Facebook.com/LotusCMC

https://sashaono.com

IG: @CelloSasha

Book Club Sign Up: https://forms.gle/nNoMXJzQYWLc6B5x5

In this episode, we talk to husband, father, children’s book author, and early childhood educator Christopher Singleton about the impact of parents and teachers on the trajectory of a child’s life. Chris tells us about his new book, “Chris & Frankie: Intro to Our Ebony & Ivory Keys,” which introduces the piano to young readers through a pair of relatable characters. He shares his journey and inspirations for becoming an author, and how he was able to make the book come to life with the tools at his disposal.

Chris’s book: https://fflat-books.com/product/chris-frankie-intro-to-our-ebony-and-ivory-keys/

In this episode, we talk to multi-hyphenate Grayson Villanueva about his freelance career and pursuing multiple passions. We share our struggles with the societal expectation that we stick to one thing and discuss the benefits of having a variety of interests. Grayson also shares his strategies for being your own boss, including tips on how to stay motivated, manage your time, and take care of your wellbeing.

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Grayson's Info:

Websites:

www.graysonvillanueva.com (Singer / Performer)

www.graysonv.me (Vocal Arranging / Audio / Video Services)

Instagrams:

@hellocolorgray - (Singer / Performer)

@graysonv.me - (Vocal Arranging / Audio / Video Services)

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Resources Grayson shared:

TED Talk:

https://www.ted.com/talks/emilie_wapnick_why_some_of_us_don_t_have_one_true_calling?language=en

The book: https://www.audible.com/pd/How-to-Be-Everything-Audiobook/B06XD9642Y?source_code=GO1DH13310082090P1&ds_rl=1262685&ds_rl=1263561&ds_rl=1260658&gclid=CjwKCAjw7diEBhB-EiwAskVi1xfGGmczH5qNw7pDFGLvwz74hFpr3BQ8GviPDk4KCH6gdvsLy1VtNxoCG3sQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

In this episode, we talk to cellist Arlen Hlusko about the power of music and the power of social media. We discuss the value of having an online presence and how to maintain authenticity in a digital space. We also share stories of how music and art can be a healing force for both the people creating and experiencing them. In the end, we conclude that the positive impact that our platforms and art can bring to this world--no matter how small--is worth all of the effort we put in.

September Solo Cello project (https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/septembersolocello/)

In this episode, we talk to singer/songwriter Meghan Pulles about finding empowerment through music-making. She tells us about her journey from classical opera singer to emo-positive artist, and the tough questions she had to ask herself along the way. We also discuss the therapeutic nature of both creating art for ourselves and connecting with others through art, asserting the importance of making the arts accessible to everyone.

Instagram: instagram.com/meghanpulles

Facebook: facebook.com/megpulles

Twitter: twitter.com/meghanpulles89

Patreon: patreon.com/meghanpulles

Website: meghanpulles.com

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Erica Peel about learning to trust ourselves. We discuss our tendencies to become obsessive in our practice and go too far in any direction, asserting that taking things to the extreme is often a result of our need to impress others. We also acknowledge that life isn’t as clean-cut as we would like it to be, and that it’s okay to feel like a mess. At the end of the day, all we can do is find a sincere reason to be doing what we’re doing and put ourselves out there.