The Progressatorium Podcast Notable Values

Erik Gensler, President of Capacity Interactive shares how digital arts marketing can support not only the recruitment process but also help build a strong and connected alumni commnity. He believes that music schools could be doing much more to create and share stories, and tells us how he has supported a range of organisations to deliver curated and targeted content through social media with exceptional results.

Aubrey Bergauer, Vice President, Strategic Communications & Executive Director, Center for Innovative Leadership at San Francisco Conservatory of Music shares her vision for the future of arts management. Having innovated the California Symphony, Aubrey is now building a Centre for Innovative Leadership at the San Franciso Conservatory of Music. She's committed to training and developing talent at all levels of the arts organisation, from graduates through to Chair of the Board. Aubrey thought she had 18 months to build the Centre, but the pandemic and it's effect on our industry meant she's taken on the challenge of launching their progamming a full 12 months ahead of their schedule.

Michael Stepniak, Dean at Shenandoah Conservatory tell us how collaboration is key to the culture and student experience. The school so invested in the value of collaboration, that each year they suspend their teaching for a week to host a festival of student curated performances that challenge their musicians, dancers and theatre makers to work together. Michael shares how he seeks to hire faculty who have a touch of mischief and troublemaker about them and how his willingness to challenge convention led to him coauthor a book that scrutinize arguments for and against radical change, illuminates areas of unavoidable challenge as well as areas of possibility and hope.

Nicole Molumby, Professor of Flute and Music Theory at Boise State University shares her commitment to challenging her students to be independent thinkers and risk takers.

She has really embraced the notion of meta-cognition as a high impact teaching strategy and makes space for her students to have a journey of self discovery on and off the instrument.

By supporting her students to not just play the Flute but to create immersive musical experiences that take risks, Nicole has created a culture where discomfort and challenge are embraced.

Just wait till she drops the bombshell that one of her adult students is an astronaut who played her flute on the International Space Station.

New England Conservatory Community Performances and PartnershipsNew England Conservatory Entrepreneurial MusicianshipABOUT ANDREA
Andrea Kalyn was born in England and grew up in London, Ontario. She trained as a pianist and musicologist. On January 1, 2019, Andrea became the president of New England Conservatory, chosen after what the conservatory called an "intensive" three-year search. Prior, Andrea was the Dean of Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, from 2014 to 2018, and before that served for nine years as the conservatory's associate dean for academic affairs. From 2000-2004, Andrea was the Assistant Dean and Teacher of Music History at University of North Carolina School of Arts.  She received her bachelor's and master's degree from University of Western Ontario and holds an associate diploma in piano performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music. Andrea received her PhD from the Eastman School of Music and wrote a dissertation on American music of the 20th Century. 

In this episode, Cynthia Johnston Turner, Director of Bands and Professor of Music at the Hodgson School of Music, University of Georgia tells us about her commitment to get the music and artists of today into her college Band Room. She has been working on collaborative projects with Hip Hop artists in Athens, Georgia where her school is based and is supporting those artists and her students to create new musical experiences that brings together the best of both worlds. Cynthia's passion for an equal musical playing field is evident in this conversation, and she's right on the money with calling out how the narrow definition of what constitutes musical excellence is backing band programs and music schools into a smaller and smaller corner.