Greenroom Conversations

Alex Bender, freelance Trumpeter joined us in the studio, we started by talking about custom mouthpieces then moved quickly into equipment and how he started playing the trumpet. He shared his childhood memories of his exposure to music which forged his love for playing all styles of music. He always knew he wanted to be in New York City playing on Broadway since 8th grade, this goal allowed him to direct his path to his current career. Being accepted for a Masters in orchestral trumpet at the Manhattan School of Music, and landing a job on a cruise ship at the same time he deferred school for a year and took that year on the cruise ships to study on his own, learning to play jazz, big band and while continuing to studying orchestral excerpts. We talked about; his current warm-up practices, auditions, focusing on sound, continuing to study with various teachers and networking for jobs on Broadway.

Producer, Ryan Hugh Mackey. He’s already got a Tony in the bag for his work with A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, but you will have to listen in to find out why he has yet to touch the actual award and why he hasn’t made any money off of it yet. We had Ryan in the studio to start off a multi-part series, The Road to Broadway: From Commission to the Tony’s that will document the ups and downs of producing a show all the way from its infancy to hopefully award season. In this first part, we are introduced to Ryan, a Chicago native who has wanted to produce since age 10. And of course we get introduced to his show, currently titled: EVERLEIGH CLUB, music and lyrics by James Beaton and Storm Large, book by Rinne Groff. Don’t miss this episode as Ryan has great stories about cold calling getting him involved in GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE, as well a deeply honest prospective about being a producer.

• Ryan Hugh Mackey Productions

A photo of Ryan Mackey

Udo Zimmermann, Church Musician, started at age 15 playing the organ in his local church and then made his way to Studium der Kirchenmusik in Rottenburg am Neckar, Germany and later to Frankfurt am Main University becoming a church musician which means studying singing, organ and conducting. He is now head of Church Music (organist) at Pfarrei St. Peter and Paul in Zurich Switzerland. We talked about the path in Germany/Switzerland for a church musician, what they study and the skills they need for their positions. Udo is the Head of Church Music at the Hochschule of Music in Luzern where he teaches liturgical singing and organ playing and the practice of a church musician such as creating music for the mass. We talked about; his own skills of singing, conducting, how he teaches students improvisation at the organ, pipe organs, historical pipe organs, the value of the church tradition in Europe, the choice of traditional and contemporary church music and the hymn tradition of four part singing vs. one line song singing.

Catherine Cho, Musician, Violinist, Teacher, and Performer chatted with us about her teaching and performance focus. As a teacher she focuses on the ‘total person’, ‘how to practice’ and developing a balance in life between practicing and life. From her own experience preparing for competitions she offers her current students a view of the full picture of how to become a well rounded performer and competitor. We talked about the process of learning of undergraduate and graduate student and how she guides her students to becoming independent and finding their own pathway to their careers. As a chamber music coach her focus changes to helping students how to rehearse, how to listen to themselves, listen to each other and how to interact/communicate as a group. We also talked about how she manages her own practice, manages her own career schedule, her family life with fellow musician Todd Phillipps of the Orion String Quartet and how she communicates with parents of young violin students of how to support their child in their learning.

Dan Knechtges (“connect-us” he graciously explained). Dan is a Tony nominated choreographer, who also loves directing, and could not have been more fun for us to hang out with. He sat down with us in the studio to explain his very “A CHORUS LINE” story of going from a nine year old boy stealing the spot light in his sister’s dance class, to choreographing basement shows to Mozart, to eventually earning a Tony nomination for his work on XANADU. Of course the road is never easy, and Dan has some great stories including what he did after being told he was the worst choreographer ever, and why he was ready to walk away to be a paralegal. Dan has a wealth of knowledge, and gives it out in a very entertaining fashion. Listen in to find out what inspired Bill Finn (while they were working on The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) to yell across the theatre, “You’re so gay Knechtges!”

• DanKnechtges.com

A photo of Dan Knechtges

Fresh of his Off Broadway debut, Max sat down with us to chat about his experience in MAD LIBS LIVE at New World Stages. Being no stranger to children shows, Max also talks about one of the toughest experiences in his life being cast in Theatreworks USA’s CURIOUS GEORGE. We really do have a lot of laughs chatting about car totaling wrecks, rendezvous in St. Louis, and of all people: John Cena, an idol of his. Listen in to find out Max’s dream roles, why he no longer thinks he’s bad at improv, and how at heart he’s just a “family man.”

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• Mad Libs Live

A photo of Max Joseph

Denson Paul Pollard, Bass Trombonist of the MET Opera Orchestra, talked with us about his most recent sabbatical leave to play with the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Helsinki Finland. He took the audition after spending a few weeks playing with the orchestra, taking the risk along with 50 other bass trombonists he won the audition. The year was a superb experience, he talked about how the culture in Finland values and supports the arts, and how his experience of auditioning again gave him the opportunity to validate what he tells his students at Juilliard, Bard and Mannes. We talked about; the difference between European and American Conservatory student’s learning focus, what did he learn about himself going through the process of auditioning, the struggle of maintaining the excellent of performance in the MET orchestra given the demands of the schedule, demands of playing the trombone, the learning curve in learning the repertoire, how he relaxes away from his job, the rationale of his youtube channel examples, his exploration of new repertoire, how he learned the bass trombone and what lays ahead in the future.

Woodwind Quintet “Windscape” members, Tara Helen O’Connor, Randall Ellis, Alan R. Kay, David Jolley and Frank Morelli joined us for a lively conversations about their collaboration for over two decades of performing. We talked about their start, their first program and how they became associated with the Manhattan School of Music. Known for their thematic programing, they discuss how they; create arrangements, the process in road testing their new arrangements, finding new music, create programs and how to talk to an audience. We also spent time on the mundane logistics of getting five busy people together for rehearsals and how they have learned to rehearse efficiently. Throughout our conversation they focused on the importance of offering great music to audiences and focusing on the audience’s experience. From our conversation you can hear how much “joy” they have working together and their mutual esteem as colleagues allow them to work together so effectively.

French Hornist, Tony Cecere, is a freelancer in the New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania areas. He has played with the New Jersey Symphony, New Orleans Symphony, American Chamber Players, Bach Choir in Bethlehem, PA., is a current member of the Philadelphia Brass, plays on Broadway and is a substitute with the MET Opera Orchestra. We talked about; his career and vast experience, how his playing has changed along with his career, what the challenges are within different ensembles and how to learn to play in varying acoustics. For students we discussed; the importance of learning ensemble skills, importance of learning how to produce a vocal musical line, and gaining listening skills by listening to recordings and just not one recording but learning how to discriminate the difference between interpretations and style. Our discussion lead to the recording industry past and present and later the workings of being a member of the Philadelphia Brass from arranging music, talking to the audience and choosing a new member.

Tony's Philadelphia Brass Page

Caroline Kaiser. This week we chatted with the former Casting Director/Associate Artistic Director of Theatreworks USA, Caroline Kaiser. Caroline is self professed “musical theatre nerd.” She started out acting and quickly learned she understood the business side of show business for more than she loved the politics of performing. Listen in as she talks about getting her start with Jay Binder Casting, her time at Theatreworks, and what’s next. Caroline is truly a casting director that is “actor positive.” She love working in a community of artists that share the same goals, and she offers some wonderful insight into the audition room that will help actors as well as aspiring casting directors. Oh and for those of you who know Caroline… Henry was there too.

• Theatreworks USA
• Florida Studio Theatre

A photo of Caroline Kaiser