In my conversation with composer Byron Au Yong, we discuss his works, "Stuck Elevator," "The Ones," and "Activist Songbook," a trilogy that addresses what Americans fear and ways out of oppression; why representation matters and the importance of figuring out alternatives to dominant systems that oppress people; the practice of small, daily activism; and why we need to write our own stories.

In my conversation with composer Byron Au Yong, we discuss why writing well "is a power";  his childhood experiences with bullying and how music was a "shield"; the importance of affinity groups and centering his music in social justice; why love is an agent for change and protest; and the importance of continuing to "counteract the hate" and white supremacy.

In my conversation with composer Augusta Read Thomas, she expresses her heartfelt support of Black Lives Matter; her empathy for the performer in her compositions; why the music profession should be "wildly diverse"; and the three things that one needs to be an excellent composer.

In this conversation with pianist Blair McMillen, we discuss how to manage stage fright and performance anxiety; why being a part-time musician can be a healthy option; why we should talk openly about what a musician's life is really like; and why he wishes classical music could be more about process than product.

In this conversation with violinist, conductor, and scholar, Sean Wang, we discuss the implicit bias Asians experience in white culture; the burden of assimilation placed on immigrants to adjust their behaviors, customs, and personhood for the comfort of the dominant culture;  and why "it seems in order to get to the same place as white colleagues, an Asian has to work almost twice as hard."

In this conversation with violist Celia Hatton, we discuss racism, implicit bias and microaggressions; the illusion of meritocracy in classical music; beauty standards; institutional racism and white supremacy.

Today's special episode features "Ferdinand the Bull" from the beloved children's book “The Story of Ferdinand” by Munro Leaf, illustrated by Robert Lawson. Tricia Park performs the version for solo violin and speaker, composed by Alan Ridout, which includes the original story of Ferdinand, a bull who would rather smell flowers than fight in bullfights.

Praised by Gandhi, and Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, among many others, 30,000 copies of "Ferdinand" were published following the 1945 defeat of Nazi Germany during World War II and they were given out for free in order to encourage peace.

This episode is dedicate to "J."

In this conversation with retired pathologist and yoga instructor, Dr. Nadine Kelly, we discuss how she decided to pivot from her career as a physician to becoming a yoga instructor who specializes in helping mature women; why it's important to learn to be comfortable with being uncomfortable; and why we need to be brave enough to be nice to ourselves.

In this conversation with life coach, Shannon Wilkinson, we discuss how we turn to perfectionism to protect ourselves and "stay in the tribe"; how perfectionists may be struggling acutely with the uncertainty of the pandemic; why "taking a breath" and making things "ridiculously easy" is crucial to opening up our ability to problem-solve; and why "play" and cultivating hobbies helps us open up to new possibilities and options.

On the Mother's Day in the pandemic, many of us are far away from our mothers. Here is a micro-essay/love letter to my mother about why, for many Koreans, "I love you" doesn't always mean having to say the words out loud.