Get ready for this gold mine as we welcome the Dr. Louise Toppin to the pod. She shares her experiences and wisdom with a beautiful sense of purpose, including the importance of mentorship, how we can all engage with Spirituals and art song by Black composers more widely, and that one time she sang five different sets of ornaments for Joan Sutherland and felt very thankful for being extra prepared. As Director of both the George Shirley Vocal Competition and Singing Down the Barriers workshop at the University of Michigan, she knows firsthand how to walk the walk, not just talk the talk. Dive in and get ready to learn!

Listen to Louise's latest album, Dear Friends and Gentle Hearts
Order Black Song: A Manifesto for Music and Justice
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Nominate a phenomenal artist in your local community for a shoutout in our Songsters in Your Neighborhood segment!
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Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.