Two-time Grammy Award winner, MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient, and folk artist Rhiannon Giddens is a musical polymath. Defying the odds, she enrolled at Oberlin College to study opera without being able to read music, nor having seen a live performance. Rhiannon credits her formal training at conservatory and an apprenticeship with Black string musician Joe Thompson for her success, and sees music as her most powerful vehicle. The Artistic Director of the Silkroad Ensemble talks about her recent collaborations with Yo-Yo Ma and Francesco Turrisi, love of the banjo, and mission to reclaim American musical traditions.

Check out Rhiannon Giddens on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, or the web.

Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram.

Follow David on Instagram.

You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web.

The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper.

Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman. 

This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format.

Episode copyright © 2023 Artful Narratives Media.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.