Think Music

From Juilliard to Paris: Mosa Tsay on Fulbright, Groupmuse, and Music Administration

Join us in this intriguing episode featuring Mosa Tsay a Juilliard trained cellist and Groupmuse Executive. Mosa recounts her journey from studying environmental science and music at UC Berkeley to being awarded a Fulbright scholarship that granted her a transformative year in Paris. We delve into her deep reflections on the role of silence in music, her passion for house concerts through Groupmuse, and insights on overcoming challenges for musicians. Discover how Mosa navigates her multiple roles, including her work for the Groupmuse Foundation and The Juilliard School, all while balancing being a new parent.

00:00 Introduction to the Fulbright Year in Paris

00:11 Discovering Groupmuse

00:33 A Conversation with Mosa

01:23 Mosa’s Journey from Childhood to College

03:06 The Intersection of Music and Environmental Science

04:12 Exploring Silence in Music

11:27 The Fulbright Experience in Paris

18:27 Understanding Groupmuse

25:12 Exploring Arts Administration

25:41 The Concert Organizing Process

27:52 How to host a Groupmuse 

31:24 Groupmuse Foundation's Mission

37:59 Challenges for Young Musicians

43:09 Balancing Motherhood and Career

45:47 Final Thoughts and Reflections

In this episode, Dr. Philip Lasser, a prominent music theorist and composer, shares his extensive journey through the realms of classical music and art. The conversation covers his early musical life, rigorous compositional training, and influential mentors from the Boulanger school. He discusses the concept of contrapuntal voices, the spiraling tapestry of music, and the delicate balance between knowledge and original voice in composition. Dr. Lasser also delves into his family's remarkable history of fleeing the Holocaust and their deep roots in the art world, enriching the discourse with poignant personal anecdotes. The episode concludes with reflections on tonality, the evolution of music, and the profound question of how much of ourselves we're willing to suspend to truly listen and connect through music.

00:00 Introduction to Contrapuntal Voices

00:37 Meet Dr. Philip Lasser

01:04 Dr. Lasser's Musical Journey

02:58 Influence of Nadia Boulanger

07:05 The Rigorous Training of Composition

11:42 Understanding Counterpoint and Harmony

14:42 The Spiraling Tapestry and Dr. Lasser's Philosophy

26:50 Demonstrating Contrapuntal Voices

37:11 The Complexity of Schumann's Music

38:55 Counterpoint vs. Harmony

45:18 Conclusion and Moving Forward

45:39 Exploring the Evolution of Musical Composition

47:19 Influences and Individuality in Modern Composition

49:48 The Impact of Recording on Composers

50:54 Navigating Musical Styles and Isms

52:33 Challenges for Young Composers Today

01:02:57 The Role of Counterpoint and Harmony in Composition

01:10:34 Collaborations and Inspirations

01:27:23 Tonality and the Evolution of Musical Rules

01:31:38 Understanding Tonality and Its Evolution

01:32:31 The Rise of Chromaticism

01:36:16 Schoenberg and the Emancipation of Dissonance

01:48:46 A Personal Family History

02:03:41 The Intersection of Art and Music

02:10:31 Final Thoughts and Reflections

Charles Yang is a classically trained violinist, graduate of the Juilliard School and member of the Grammy winning ensemble Time for Three.

In this episode we talked about how he found his way into playing with Time for Three, going against the grain as a classical violinist, musical inspirations, the journey to winning a Grammy, scoring music for film and more.

00:00 Introduction and Early Struggles

00:41 Welcome to Think Music

01:07 Charles Yang's Musical Background

02:03 Growing Up in Austin

02:20 The Bird Scooter Incident

03:59 Charles Yang Day

06:34 Joining Time for Three

12:56 The Role of Improvisation

13:29 Family Influence and Musical Journey

22:43 The Impact of Music

24:01 Recording the Grammy-Winning Album

45:44 Reflecting on the Grammy Nomination

47:02 The Grammy Experience

54:26 Scoring the Film 'Land'

55:22 Creating Music During the Pandemic

01:04:24 The Solo Album and Collaborations

01:09:48 Challenges and Setbacks

01:18:49 Musical Inspirations and Heroes

01:22:15 Rapid Fire Questions and Fun Stories

01:26:51 Closing Thoughts and Audience Question

Justin Abrams is a classically trained cellist, had a decade-long career in Marketing at Red Bull North America, and is the founder of Flagship, a software company that provides retail brands with a data science platform, helping them unlock millions of dollars of revenue by enriching their first-party data with machine learning algorithms.

In this conversation we talk about growing up in New York City as a musician, Justin’s studies at McGill University as a Music Major, finding his way to RedBull, interning on Wall Street, Parallels between music and business, starting a company right before the world shut down, inventory as a problem to solve in retail, and how he discovered a solution in AI.

00:00 Introduction and Early Musical Influences

01:18 Family and Musical Upbringing

02:48 Meadowmount and Musical Competitions

09:03 Deciding Between Music and Business

23:54 Red Bull and Transition to Business

29:15 Skills from Music Applied to Business

38:21 Starting a New Venture

41:17 Making Decisions Right

42:05 Bringing AI to Market

42:38 Challenges in Inventory Planning

45:54 The Role of Machine Learning49:45 Building a Successful AI Engine

53:09 Finding Product-Market Fit

01:04:35 The Importance of Networking

01:19:52 Balancing Music and Business

01:23:00 Final Thoughts and Advice

"Hosted by John-Henry Crawford, Think Music is where musicians, industry professionals, and passionate listeners come together to uncover the stories, struggles, and triumphs behind the music we love. Through deep conversations and actionable insights, we explore the evolving landscape of the music industry, the creative process, career paths, cultural impact, and the transformative power of music in life and education.

Whether you're an artist honing your craft, an industry insider navigating the business, or a fan eager to understand the magic behind your favorite sounds, Think Music is your backstage pass to the heart of the music world. Here, we don’t just listen to music—we think, feel, and live it, empowering the entire music community to reach their full potential."

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