Skip the Repeat

Bruce Adolphe can dance. Bruce and Kai discuss losing both his parents by the age of nineteen and how that affected him (9:30), how his foray into neuroscience has enhanced him as an artist (16:39), and what exactly it is about new works that is so exciting (34:13). They also discuss his Off the Hook Arts Festival (36:18), and how his fifty-three year old parrot Polly has shaped his life (1:00:16).

Julia Rubio's last name means "blond" in Spanish, but she is neither blond nor Spanish. Julia and Kai discuss her upbringing in Kalamazoo, Michigan, near Ann Arbor, where Kai went to school (3), what risk taking looks like in the classical music industry (22:50), and the parameters the industry places on its artists in an age of self expression (27:15). They also talk about Astral’s unique auditioning process (19:40) and the lessons she has learned from raising two sons (55:45).

Zlatomir Fung is a big time cinema fan. Zlatomir and Kai discuss his upbringing, including his time in Oregon (3), what he has learned about himself from doing competitions (19:30), and dealing with the expectations others place on him (29:30). They also discuss his love for chess (11), his autoimmune disorder (33), and how he views himself racially (54:45).  

Donald Nally believes in the power of counseling. Donald and Kai discuss how important transferring to the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music was for him (11:50), the mistakes he made as a young conductor (19:30), and how counseling has played a pivotal role in his evolution as an artist (22:30). They also discuss his hilarious Grammy winning moment (46) and making an impact on the world as an artist (53).  

Stephen Tyson Jr. aka Ellect, has it on good authority that the Earth is indeed round. Stephen and Kai discuss growing up in rural Pennsylvania (6), how being the only black child at school influenced him as a person (9:30), and being waitlisted at his dream school (18:30). They also discuss the infamous feud between him and the rapper B.o.B about his uncle Neil deGrasse Tyson (35), and why he felt the need to create a collective (50).  

All music heard on this episode are the works of Stephen Tyson Jr. Listen to the full tracks here.

Tim Mead is a proud ginger. Tim and Kai discuss how he began singing (9:40), why he doesn’t keep in touch with anyone he met before the age of 19 (11:30), and his time at Cambridge, where he studied Musicology (24:30). They also discuss the event that changed his entire outlook on his career (40:45) and his mindset towards critics and reviews (58).

All music heard on this episode is from Tim Mead’s newest album, Purcell: Songs & Dances, a collaboration with Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien on the Alpha label. Purchase the album here.

Anne Ishii is fluent in French. Anne and Kai discover they share a rare background story (8:23), and talk about her experience growing up as an Asian American with that complex background (9:53), and how she found gay erotic manga and what drew her to Gengoroh Tagame’s work in particular (48:56). They also discuss the history of the Asian Arts Initiative (58:30) and the directions she wants to take the organization (1:05:08).

When our purpose is taken from us, how do we move forward? In this week's short story from a past Skip the Repeat guest, Raphael Xavier, Breaker/Dancer & Multifaceted Artist, tells us the story of what it took for him to crawl out of his hell: a spine infection that threatened to leave him paralyzed and sent him into a deep depression. 

The Skivvies are a band made up of singers/actors/musicians Lauren Molina and Nick Cearley. They perform stripped down mashups of covers and originals in their underwear. They talk to Kai about their first acting jobs in New York City (21:48), the survival jobs they worked as they pursued acting (40:42), and how they became The Skivvies (49:10). They also discuss the obstacles that they've encountered as a band (61) and how taking off their clothes on stage affects them (1:08:00).

Yes, you read that right. In this week's short story from a past Skip the Repeat guest, Jennifer Montone, Principal Horn of the Philadelphia Orchestra, tells the story of how as a society, there is an expectation for us to disregard our accomplishments and how that is counterproductive.