Talking Shop | Artist Talks

Sarah Moulton Faux is a prominent opera singer and a masterful art song interpreter. Opera News has lauded her for her “full, silvery soprano,” the Brooklyn Spectator has described her performances as “mesmerizing,” and the New York Classical Review has praised her “pure intonation and excellent articulation.” Her performances span opera’s most famous heroines to contemporary works. She is an Opera America National Trustee Recognition Award Winner for her work as Co-President of the Board of American Opera Projects, a non-profit organization at the forefront of developing new works and supporting contemporary composers. She has unearthed previously overlooked works of artists including Marianna Martines, Lola Williams, and most recently, Julia Weissberg Rimsky-Korsakov.

In this episode we cover:

* How Sarah’s personal perspective about being an opera singer has changed over time

* Her unique first experience with opera

* Her process of coming to art song from the world of opera

* How Sarah prepares for a role, particularly her favorite role, Violetta

* What sparked her interest in overlooked composers, especially women composers

* The different ways she approached her research for each of her albums

____________

Website: https://sarahmoultonfaux.com

IG: @sarahmoultonfaux

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𝐄𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩? 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰:

■ Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening so new episodes land right in your feed.

■ Get exclusive Talking Shop Insider Episodes! Sign up for my free Substack to access subscriber-only episodes and get notified the moment a new one drops: http://lisaruthmusic.substack.com/subscribe

■ Loved this episode? A quick rating & review on Apple Podcasts helps so much more than you know — it only takes a minute!

■ Follow along on Instagram for behind-the-scenes moments: instagram.com/lisaruthmusic

■ Know someone who'd love this conversation? Share it with them!

🎶 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜?!

It’s from my debut album, Whitewater - The Whitewater Suite, III. Essence

Take a listen on Spotify or Apple Music

🫶 Talking Shop is branded, edited, and produced by Tiffany Valvo.

Konstantin Soukhovetski is a pianist and a composer, an original, creative force among pianists of his generation. He concertizes in the US, Africa, Asia, and Europe, gaining audiences’ tributes and critics’ accolades. He is the recipient of 17 awards and the winner of top prizes at the Cleveland, Naumberg, and UNISA competitions. The NY Times praised his debut at Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall as “Romanticism so intense it warms up Phillip Glass.” Konstantin recently made an album titled, “Yulia” with Sarah Moulton Faux of the art songs composed by Julia Weissberg Rimsy-Korsakov. The album is currently available on all streaming platforms.

In this episode we cover:

* Konstantin’s fascinating beginning as a composer at age 5

* The prescience he had at such an early age and his fortitude in

staying true to himself

* The science behind audience engagement

* The evolution of Narrative Musicianship

* The role of method acting in performance and narrative musicianship

* The many facets of an artist’s life and how they come together in unique ways

___________________

Website: www.konstantinthepianist.com

IG: @konstantinstar

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𝐄𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩? 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰:

■ Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening so new episodes land right in your feed.

■ Get exclusive Talking Shop Insider Episodes! Sign up for my free Substack to access subscriber-only episodes and get notified the moment a new one drops: http://lisaruthmusic.substack.com/subscribe

■ Loved this episode? A quick rating & review on Apple Podcasts helps so much more than you know — it only takes a minute!

■ Follow along on Instagram for behind-the-scenes moments: instagram.com/lisaruthmusic

■ Know someone who'd love this conversation? Share it with them!

🎶 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜?!

It’s from my debut album, Whitewater - The Whitewater Suite, III. Essence

Take a listen on Spotify or Apple Music

🫶 Talking Shop is branded, edited, and produced by Tiffany Valvo.

Katarzyna (Kate) Skarpetowska began dancing at age 13 in her native city of Warsaw, Poland. By age 15, she made her Broadway debut at the Minskoff Theatre in METRO, a Polish musical directed and choreographed by Janusz Józefowicz, with music by Janusz Stokłosa. She is a graduate of the NYC High School of Performing Arts and The Juilliard School. After a long performing career as a principal dancer with Parsons Dance and The Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Kate currently works as a freelance choreographer and serves as the Lubovitch Dance Foundation’s répétiteur, staging works by Lar Lubovitch and choreographing her own ballets on prestigious companies across the globe including our own dancers at Richmond Ballet. For her choreographic achievements, Kate was named Dance Magazine’s “25 to Watch” and was nominated for a NY Dance and Performance Award, The Bessie. She is also an educator, lecturing in contemporary techniques, improvisation, choreography, and repertory at the University of California at Irvine.

In this episode we cover:

* Fascinating detail of the work of a répétiteur

* Contrasting the discovery aspects in choreography and in being a répétiteur

* The “brilliant accidents” that happen while choreographing

* The “strokes of paint” in the work of Lar Lubovitch

* What Kate loves about collaboration

______________

Kate’s website: www.skarpetowska.com

IG: @skarpetowska

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𝐄𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩? 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰:

■ Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening so new episodes land right in your feed.

■ Get exclusive Talking Shop Insider Episodes! Sign up for my free Substack to access subscriber-only episodes and get notified the moment a new one drops: http://lisaruthmusic.substack.com/subscribe

■ Loved this episode? A quick rating & review on Apple Podcasts helps so much more than you know — it only takes a minute!

■ Follow along on Instagram for behind-the-scenes moments: instagram.com/lisaruthmusic

■ Know someone who'd love this conversation? Share it with them!

🎶 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜?!

It’s from my debut album, Whitewater - The Whitewater Suite, III. Essence

Take a listen on Spotify or Apple Music

🫶 Talking Shop is branded, edited, and produced by Tiffany Valvo.

Anastasia Petrunina is a visiting assistant professor of violin at Furman University. She is also concertmaster for the Augusta Symphony and a passionate proponent of contemporary music. She co-founded a unique performance duo with her husband Denis. Together, they form the ViMaDeAn Duo (Violin, Marimba, Denis, Anastasia) and they are in the process of recording an album featuring compositions they have commissioned about the environment. Anastasia presents thought-provoking perspectives on mind-body health as well as managing performance anxiety.

In this episode we cover:

1. The “voice” of the violin

2. How a childhood experience with percussion circled back to become an integral component of her career as a violinist

3. The importance of mind-body health for musicians...

4. The “truth” of being on stage

5. Is “just go perform more” really the answer to managing performance anxiety?

___________

Website: Anastasia Petrunina | Furman University

IG handle: @anastasia.petrunina

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𝐄𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩? 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰:

■ Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening so new episodes land right in your feed.

■ Get exclusive Talking Shop Insider Episodes! Sign up for my free Substack to access subscriber-only episodes and get notified the moment a new one drops: http://lisaruthmusic.substack.com/subscribe

■ Loved this episode? A quick rating & review on Apple Podcasts helps so much more than you know — it only takes a minute!

■ Follow along on Instagram for behind-the-scenes moments: instagram.com/lisaruthmusic

■ Know someone who'd love this conversation? Share it with them!

🎶 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜?!

It’s from my debut album, Whitewater - The Whitewater Suite, III. Essence

Take a listen on Spotify or Apple Music

🫶 Talking Shop is branded, edited, and produced by Tiffany Valvo.

Maria Cecilia Baumegger is an Austrian-Brasilian soprano and actor. She has degrees in both drama and vocal performance and she is known for her dynamic stage presence and captivating singing-acting capabilities.

In this conversation we talk about:

1. The connection between acting, singing opera, and the concept of Gesamtkunstwerk

2. To be pretty is not enough, yet they tell us that it is

3. Giving an “honest” performance: the role of method acting in creating art

4. Is opera really a dying genre?

5. What to look for in a vocal teacher or coach

___________

Learn more about Maria Cecilia:

* mariaceciliabaumegger.com

* Instagram: @mceciliabaumegger

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𝐄𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩? 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰:

■ Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening so new episodes land right in your feed.

■ Get exclusive Talking Shop Insider Episodes! Sign up for my free Substack to access subscriber-only episodes and get notified the moment a new one drops: http://lisaruthmusic.substack.com/subscribe

■ Loved this episode? A quick rating & review on Apple Podcasts helps so much more than you know — it only takes a minute!

■ Follow along on Instagram for behind-the-scenes moments: instagram.com/lisaruthmusic

■ Know someone who'd love this conversation? Share it with them!

🎶 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜?!

It’s from my debut album, Whitewater - The Whitewater Suite, III. Essence

Take a listen on Spotify or Apple Music

🫶 Talking Shop is branded, edited, and produced by Tiffany Valvo.

Damien Geter is an acclaimed American composer experiencing a meteoric rise. His works include chamber, vocal, orchestral, and full operatic works. He is an opera singer himself, the recently appointed music director of the Portland Opera, and his credits include TV and musical theatre as well as the opera stage. Damien is also composer-in-residence at the Richmond Symphony. He was recently recognized by the Library of Virginia with its honorary Patron of Letters degree, received the 2025 Strong Men and Women award, and selected as a 2025 Bravo! honoree by the Chesterfield Educational Foundation.

In this episode we talk about:

* The broad spectrum of Damien’s compositions

* The point of opera

* Serving the art, touching the audience

* Damien’s philosophy when he is making art; using his artistic voice as a call to action

* See the link below to Damien’s fabulous podcast, ARTillery

____________________

Learn more about Damien:

damiengetermusic.com

ARTillery Podcast — Damien Geter Music

IG: @dgeter

FB: Damien Geter

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𝐄𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩? 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰:

■ Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening so new episodes land right in your feed.

■ Get exclusive Talking Shop Insider Episodes! Sign up for my free Substack to access subscriber-only episodes and get notified the moment a new one drops: http://lisaruthmusic.substack.com/subscribe

■ Loved this episode? A quick rating & review on Apple Podcasts helps so much more than you know — it only takes a minute!

■ Follow along on Instagram for behind-the-scenes moments: instagram.com/lisaruthmusic

■ Know someone who'd love this conversation? Share it with them!

🎶 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜?!

It’s from my debut album, Whitewater - The Whitewater Suite, III. Essence

Take a listen on Spotify or Apple Music

🫶 Talking Shop is branded, edited, and produced by Tiffany Valvo.

Joe Jaxson is a conspicuously rising composer. His music melds a variety of styles that challenge the expectations of audiences, engaging them with delightful and thought-provoking surprises. Jaxson grew up with influences of smooth jazz, R&B, and soul on his father’s side and with Christian gospel and classical music on his mother’s side. This eclectic set of influences gave birth to Jaxson’s philosophy as stated on his LinkedIn page, “To bridge communities together the same way my music bridges styles together.”

In this convo we talk about:

1. The giddiness and joy of composing

2. How COVID inspired Joe’s incredible piece, “Persevering”

3. The influences of smooth jazz, R&B, soul, gospel, and classical music on Joe’s career

4. Instruments as ‘characters’

Learn more about Joe:

* joejaxsonmusic.com

* Instagram

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𝐄𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩? 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰:

■ Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening so new episodes land right in your feed.

■ Get exclusive Talking Shop Insider Episodes! Sign up for my free Substack to access subscriber-only episodes and get notified the moment a new one drops: http://lisaruthmusic.substack.com/subscribe

■ Loved this episode? A quick rating & review on Apple Podcasts helps so much more than you know — it only takes a minute!

■ Follow along on Instagram for behind-the-scenes moments: instagram.com/lisaruthmusic

■ Know someone who'd love this conversation? Share it with them!

🎶 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜?!

It’s from my debut album, Whitewater - The Whitewater Suite, III. Essence

Take a listen on Spotify or Apple Music

🫶 Talking Shop is branded, edited, and produced by Tiffany Valvo.

Emily Monroe is a section violinist with the Richmond Symphony Orchestra, a chamber player having performed with the Central Music Society of Central Virginia, the Washington National Cathedral, and baroque chamber group Three Notch’d Road. She recently became artistic director of the Richmond Chamber Players.

In this conversation we discuss:

* Realizing in middle school that a career is within reach

* Audition advice for symphony player aspirants

* The value of recording oneself

* The re-launch of the Richmond Chamber Players and her vision as artistic director

Learn more about Emily:

https://www.rvaviolinist.com/

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𝐄𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩? 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰:

■ Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening so new episodes land right in your feed.

■ Get exclusive Talking Shop Insider Episodes! Sign up for my free Substack to access subscriber-only episodes and get notified the moment a new one drops: http://lisaruthmusic.substack.com/subscribe

■ Loved this episode? A quick rating & review on Apple Podcasts helps so much more than you know — it only takes a minute!

■ Follow along on Instagram for behind-the-scenes moments: instagram.com/lisaruthmusic

■ Know someone who'd love this conversation? Share it with them!

🎶 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜?!

It’s from my debut album, Whitewater - The Whitewater Suite, III. Essence

Take a listen on Spotify or Apple Music

🫶 Talking Shop is branded, edited, and produced by Tiffany Valvo.

Born in South Africa, Andi Schermoly is resident choreographer at Louisville Ballet and an internationally sought-after freelance artist. She has created and staged works for ballet companies across the globe and has reimagined numerous familiar ballets in innovative ways as well as creating impactful new works. Her work spans commercial and film as well as a robust roster of ballet companies.

In this conversation we talk about:

* The gift of time and the freedom to experiment

* Innovative new perspectives on classics such as Carmen and The Rite of Spring

* A new perspective on working with musicians

* How growing up in a family of artists spanning generations nourished Andi’s creative spirit

* The life-changing impact of acting on the artistic creative process

Learn more about Andi:

* IG: @andi_schermoly

* FB: Andi Giselle Schermoly

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𝐄𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩? 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰:

■ Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening so new episodes land right in your feed.

■ Get exclusive Talking Shop Insider Episodes! Sign up for my free Substack to access subscriber-only episodes and get notified the moment a new one drops: http://lisaruthmusic.substack.com/subscribe

■ Loved this episode? A quick rating & review on Apple Podcasts helps so much more than you know — it only takes a minute!

■ Follow along on Instagram for behind-the-scenes moments: instagram.com/lisaruthmusic

■ Know someone who'd love this conversation? Share it with them!

🎶 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜?!

It’s from my debut album, Whitewater - The Whitewater Suite, III. Essence

Take a listen on Spotify or Apple Music

🫶 Talking Shop is branded, edited, and produced by Tiffany Valvo.

Mark Thress is a renowned musician, vocalist, and vocal coach whose expertise spans classical and commercial music. He was recenty hailed by the Nashville Voyager as a “Rising Star in Nashville.” Soundbetter.com describes Mark’s warm natural sound as one that “moves audiences to tears, blending warmth, power, and agility with a rich lower register that extends seamlessly into a soaring tenor range.”

In this discussion we talk about:

1. The level where different genres balance themselves out

2. Drawing from different genres to create your own thing

3. The foundational family influence that led Mark to singing opera

4. An insightful look into managing performance anxiety

5. Two amazing programs for singers Mark has created

________________________________

Learn more about Mark:

* markthress.com

* Instagram: @markthress

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𝐄𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩? 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰:

■ Subscribe to the podcast wherever you're listening so new episodes land right in your feed.

■ Get exclusive Talking Shop Insider Episodes! Sign up for my free Substack to access subscriber-only episodes and get notified the moment a new one drops: http://lisaruthmusic.substack.com/subscribe

■ Loved this episode? A quick rating & review on Apple Podcasts helps so much more than you know — it only takes a minute!

■ Follow along on Instagram for behind-the-scenes moments: instagram.com/lisaruthmusic

■ Know someone who'd love this conversation? Share it with them!

🎶 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜?!

It’s from my debut album, Whitewater - The Whitewater Suite, III. Essence

Take a listen on Spotify or Apple Music

🫶 Talking Shop is branded, edited, and produced by Tiffany Valvo.