Acclaimed cellist, pedagogue, and mentor Daniel Rothmuller shares his uniquely personal insights and perspectives on the universality of art, honing one's craft, and the difference between being a professional or amateur - his conclusions may be surprising.

Mike Stoller, with his writing partner Jerry Leiber, literally changed the course of music history. Their deep love of the Blues as teenagers in the early 1950s, virtually unheard of in the segregated America of the time, influenced such hits as "Love Me," "Jailhouse Rock" and "Hound Dog," all made famous by Elvis Presley. In all, Leiber and Stoller wrote or co-wrote over 70 chart hits. They were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

In this episode Mike shares some amazing stories about how the music was made and gives us an insight into the truly unique creative genius that invented Rock and Roll.

This episode features percussionist, educator, and music publisher Raynor Carroll. Mr. Carroll served as Co-Principal Percussionist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic for 33 years, founded Batterie Music Publishing and is a noted educator and clinician. He is further distinguished as an expert in 20th and 21st Century music.

Mr. Carroll shares his unique insights into effective practicing, preparing for auditions, the importance of being musically open-minded and much more.

Connections is a podcast produced by the Young Musicians Foundation for anyone who's interested in a career in music; film, television and recorded music; or interesting stories told by highly successful musicians and artists. Episode 1 features legendary trumpet player player and session musician Malcolm McNab.