Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman Leah Roseman

Jessica Cottis is an acclaimed orchestral conductor, and in this wide-ranging interview you’ll gain insights into the special world of orchestral conductors and also some of Jessica’s interests in the natural world and the arts. She spoke to me about her musical path, from how she made her first trumpet, to life on a sheep farm, to her transition from a career as a concert organist, to lessons learned from conducting mentors including Colin Davis and Colin Metters. Jessica is such an articulate champion of the value of music and the arts, and I’ve also been privileged to have worked with her in my role as a violinist in Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra. 

 I have a special interest in synesthesia, so I was interested in hearing her experience of sound through colour, and if you look at the description of this episode, you’ll find detailed timestamps for the many topics covered, inluding some beautiful music from Julie Cooper’s new album Oculus with Jessica Cottis conducting. Jessica also shared her difficult recovery from a concussion and how her senses were further mixed for a period of time. 

Like all my episodes, you can also watch this on my YouTube channel and I’ve also linked the transcript to my website as well: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/jessica-cottis

Jessica Cottis website: https://www.jessicacottis.com/about

Angel in Dark Green by composer Julie Cooper is featured in this episode from her album Oculus (conducted by Jessica Cottis): https://juliecoopermusic.com/

Can you buy this independent podcaster a coffee? ⁠https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman⁠

Complete Catalog of Episodes: ⁠https://www.leahroseman.com/about⁠

Newsletter sign-up: ⁠https://mailchi.mp/ebed4a237788/podcast-newsletter⁠

Linktree for social media: ⁠https://linktr.ee/leahroseman⁠

photo of Jessica Cottis: Gerard Collett

Timestamps:

(00:00) Intro

(02:46) Jessica Cottis transition from organist to conductor

(13:57) the experience of conducting an orchestra

(16:57) Julie Cooper Oculus project, synesthesia, chromesthesia

(20:41) Angel in Dark Green by Julie Cooper from Oculus

(25:45) synesthesia

(26:22) please support this listener-supported series! 

(26:58) synesthesia, random assault and recovering from concussion

(37:08) childhood and the sheep farm, butterflies

(42:08) childhood musical education, trumpet, piano

(43:45)programming orchestral programs

(48:52) presenting and interpreting contemporary music

(52:20) equity and inclusion in classical music

(56:19) conducting mentor Colin Davis 

(01:00:18) conducting mentor Colin Metters, the art of conducting

(01:07:41) how Jessica learns scores, listening to historical recordings

(01:16:00) inspiration from books

(01:17:34) time-space synesthesia 

(01:19:16) childhood and using music to understand and express emotions

(01:20:52) early conducting experiences, founding the Bloomsbury Opera and getting sponsors


---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/leah-roseman/message

Vahn Black is a vocalist based in Atlanta, and in this episode we focused on her project celebrating Gladys Bentley, including Vahn’s fantastic  album Petrichor. Born and raised in Detroit, Vahn  grew up in a melting pot of music and this aided her in cultivating her soul-charged, jazz infused sound, marrying her reverence for vocalists like Sarah Vaughn with her love of producers like J Dilla. We talked about her musical education, her career path,  her research into Black history and culture, her joy of collecting vinyl and some of her other creative outlets. It was interesting to hear about her contrasting experiences with work, life and music in Detroit, New York and Atlanta. 

As a composer Black has lent her artistry to various art mediums from short films to interactive performance art. In 2023 she was selected to perform at NPR's Tiny Desk on the Road Tour stop in Atlanta, and for those listeners who are fans of Vahn Black and those who are discovering her, I hope you’ll enjoy this conversation which is punctuated with her music.

Vahn Black Website: https://www.vahnblack.com/about

Vahn Black's Care Too Much video NPR submission: https://youtu.be/B09NXWSoSWc?si=_f3SeS18fgN_MLB6

The transcript and video version of the podcast are linked here on my website: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/vahn-black



Can you buy this independent podcaster a coffee? ⁠https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman⁠

Complete Catalog of Episodes: ⁠https://www.leahroseman.com/about⁠

Newsletter sign-up: ⁠https://mailchi.mp/ebed4a237788/podcast-newsletter⁠

Linktree for social media: ⁠https://linktr.ee/leahroseman⁠



Timestamps: 

(00:00) Intro

(02:36) Gladys Bentley project

(10:58) intro to Too Soon from Petrichor

(12:13) live version Too Soon

(16:33) Detroit, Atlanta, finding her place and people

(20:20) The City from Temporary Colors

(23:20) Detroit, Atlanta, studying Classical music at Detroit School of Arts

(26:16) please support this series and sign up for my newsletter

(26:57) inspiring music teachers Connie Malabed and Cheryl Valentine

(29:08) studying Library Science, AI

(31:46) undergrad experience

(33:43) NPR Tiny Desk Block party

(35:22) Care Too Much 

(40:05) Trunino Lowe arrangements, recording spirituals

(41:36) Vinyl collection

(50:55) Gladys Bentley project

(51:45) Lucid Dreams

(55:54) Gladys Bentley project next albums, different inspirations

(59:47) career path choices

(01:02:05) creative outlets crocheting, creative process




---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/leah-roseman/message

Martha Mooke is a pioneer in the field of the electric five string viola and transcends boundaries as a performer and composer. This episode features insights, stories and music, including from the beautiful album by Carla Patullo So She Howls  which just won the GRAMMY® Award for “Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album.” as well as from several of Martha’s solo and collaborative albums. You’ll hear about the unique multi-style string program she’s helped launch at New Jersey City University, and about many of her mentors and collaborators from David Bowie to Tenzin Choegyal to Laurie Anderson to  Jean-Luc Ponty. Martha is passionate about the breadth and diversity needed in music education for the 21st century, and it was a joy and an inspiration for me to be able to hear about the arc of her multi-faceted career so far. 

 Like all my episodes, you can also watch this on my YouTube channel or listen to the podcast on all the podcast platforms, and I’ve also linked the transcript to my website:  https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/martha-mooke

Can you buy this independent podcaster a coffee? https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman

Martha Mooke Website: https://www.marthamooke.com/

Complete Catalog of Episodes: https://www.leahroseman.com/about

Newsletter sign-up: https://mailchi.mp/ebed4a237788/podcast-newsletter

Linktree for social media: https://linktr.ee/leahroseman

photo of Martha Mooke: Ebru Yildiz

The podcast theme music was commissioned from composer Nick Kold, and you can use the timestamps to navigate the episode:

Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(02:59) electric viola demo with explanation of gear and effects Edmar Castaneda

(09:01) Martha’s creative process

(13:41) clip from Ice 4 from No Ordinary Window

(15:40) Martha’s creative process

(18:42) Multi-Style Strings program New Jersey City University

(35:29) Carla Patullo So She Howls 

(38:31) Machine Dreams from Carla Patullo So She Howls 

(43:15) Carla Patullo album concert, vocal group Tonality

(43:51) please support this independent podcast! 

(44:29) Thru the Walls, Scorchio quartet, Tibet House benefit concerts, Tony Visconti, David Bowie, Philip Glass

(01:01:17) Tenzin Choegyal with clip from Sutras of the Heart

(01:03:50) meditation practice

(01:05:46) different types of electric violins and violas, collaborations with Yamaha

(01:12:17) strings education outreach project in Jamaica

(01:17:18) album Buzz, Metachrosis electronic music production using insect sounds with audio clip, Linsey Pollak, sound design

(01:24:46) Jean-Luc Ponty

(01:33:57) clip from Omotion from No Ordinary Window

(01:34:53) Laurie Anderson

(01:39:09) Martha’s perspectives on her career

  




---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/leah-roseman/message

This week’s featured guest is James McGowan, a solo and collaborative pianist at home in jazz, classical and improvised musics. The 14-member James McGowan Ensemble has just released its jazz-classical fusion album Reaching Out, the companion to the previous album Reaching In, and this episode features some of the music from this beautiful project as well as from his jazz-fusion group Modasaurus. Besides James’ work as a composer and pianist, he’s also a Theory Professor, and choral direcctor,  and has served as Carleton University Chair in Teaching Innovation in developing experiences in the arts on campus and in the community. James is so passionate about sharing his love of music and I trust you’ll find this an uplifting conversation.  Besides my role as a podcaster, I’m a violinist, and last year I founded an improvising chamber group with James, Collected Strands,  and we’ll soon be releasing a special podcast episode to celebrate the release of our upcoming album. 

Can you buy this independenat podcaster a coffee? https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman Thanks!

You can also watch this on YouTube or read the podcast, everything linked here to my website: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/james-mcgowan

James McGowan website for all the music featured in this podcast, and his current projects: https://jamesmcgowan.ca/

photo: Kelly McDonald



Timestamps

(00:00) Intro

(02:32) Modasaurus jazz ensemble, 4K album, fusing styles

(05:13) clip from Chaconne and Fugue 4K Modasaurus

(06:41) background and clip of Crazy Ceilidh

(09:27) music career advice

(11:42) Reaching Out and Reaching In, tribute to Chick Corea

(16:43) clip from Corean Poultry on Reaching Out

(18:05) intro and clip from Blue Lament, from Reaching Out

(21:10) intro and Elegy from Reaching Out

(26:44) James’ grad school experience, switching from Composition to Theory 

(29:31) please spread the word about this podcast!

(30:08) musical dialects, code switching, overtone series

(39:59) teaching music theory

(43:05) Reaching In, spoken word and different art forms

(46:56) Acceptance from Reaching In

(50:50) parenting and music, encouraging children in the Arts

(56:36) dealing with emotions through music

(59:00) voluteer work Discovery Course for Ottawa Mission and Lotus Center 

(01:03:27) teaching musicianship, singing, community music

(01:10) dealing with playing injuries, music education, voice and choral direction

(01:18:26) improvisation, Collected Strands


---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/leah-roseman/message

This is a special re-release with cellist Rachel Mercer,  with added music from some of her recordings. This was orginally recorded and released in Season 2 of this podcast in 2022, and now in Season 4 2024, Rachel and I are including some tracks from some of her albums in the podcast version of this episode. See more below for some of the many topics covered!

The original video is on YouTube with the transcript, everything linked here: ⁠ https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/e9-s2-rachel-mercer⁠

We discussed the arc of her career so far as a chamber musician, soloist, and Principal Cellist of my orchestra, the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada. One of the musical selections added to this podcast is from the album “Our Strength, Our Song" with Rachel’s sister, the wonderful violinist Akemi Mercer-Niewöhner. We also talked about and many other chamber music collaborations and unique projects, as well as her way of approaching music. You’ll also hear some of Rachel’s memories of the late Yehonatan Berick who was an amazing violinist and pedagogue and was Rachel’s life partner. As well,  Rachel very generously made a special recording of the prelude from JS Bach's fifth solo suite for this episode in 2022,  and her heartfelt introduction to the power of this music is right after our conversation, so please keep listening till the end.

Rachel Mercer’s website: http://www.rachelmercercellist.com/

Support link to buy this independent podcaster a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman Thanks!

Complete Catalog of Episodes: https://www.leahroseman.com/about

Newsletter sign-up: https://mailchi.mp/ebed4a237788/podcast-newsletter

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/leahroseman












---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/leah-roseman/message

This week, I’m featuring a wonderful episode from the archive, with Linsey Pollak, which was recorded and released in Season 2 of this podcast, 2022. Linsey Pollak is an Australian musician who is known worldwide as a passionate and creative advocate for community music. His life has been full of unusual opportunities to explore different styles of music, and his inventiveness has spurred him to create countless instruments from found objects. In this episode you’ll get to hear him play 4 different instruments in different improvisatory styles, and I’m sure that everyone will be inspired by stories from his life, describing some of his incredibly unusual, fun and beautiful collaborations and creations.

I take care of all the many jobs of research, production, and publicity and I really do need the help of my listeners to keep this project going; please consider buying me a coffee through my support page which is linked to Paypal:

https://ko-fi.com/leahroseman Thanks so much!

You can watch this on YouTube as well, and I've linked the transcript here too: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/linsey-pollak

Linsey Pollak website: https://linseypollak.com/

My complete catalog of episodes: https://www.leahroseman.com/about

Podcast newsletter sign-up: https://mailchi.mp/ebed4a237788/podcast-newsletter

photo credit: Beat Lehmann

Timestamps:

(00:00 Intro)

(01:58) gaida music

(05:10) Rafting trip, discovering Macedonian bagpipes, first trip to Macedonia

(11:35) trip to Greece to study klarino with Stavros Vasthekis

(13:15) discovering the Macedonian community in Australia, establishing Kulcha

(17:36) Linsey’s start making instruments, London and Early Music scene

(23:14) busking in Europe, learning Macedonian dance,

Živko Firfov Group, Destan Destanovski

(31:48) importance of humour in his solo shows

(33:17) duduk design and music

(39:57) Linsey’s early musical education and projects

(41:27) developing live looping in the early 90s, his solo shows

(50:30) rubber glove bagpipe

(54:36) Linsey’s current project going out to record in the forest with ambient sounds (his album of this music is on Bandcamp), also the frog sounds album

(56:53) Dva with Tunji Beier and now Beier-Griffin-Pollak trio with Philip Griffin

(58:23) Humarimba community music project

(01:09:16) Paranormal Music Society Romano Crivici and Blair Greenberg, and QWERTY with Peter Rowe

(01:13:47) MIDI wind controller Dangerous Song project with demonstration using animal sounds

(01:33:26) Linsey’s drive to create instruments and connect people, his creative process

(01:37:20) Linsey’s decision to stop touring outside of Australia

(01:40:07) Linsey’s advice




---

Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/leah-roseman/message