Choral History: A Podcast with Josh Bronfman Josh Bronfman

If you’ve ever seen her run a rehearsal you are familiar with the incredible combination of ferocity, passion, liveliness, and extraordinary musicianship that is Elena Sharkova. Fresh off her engagement with the BBC Singers, Josh and Elena meet to talk on the day of her guest appearance with the Houston Chamber Choir, where she led a program of Russian music. They cover her unusual path to professional conducting, the conducting education program in Russia, and what it’s really like to lead a professional choir.

Few loom as large in influence as Dr. Judy Bowers, former professor of Choral Music Education at Florida State University and soon to be Biedenharn Chair in Music at at University of Louisiana Monroe. A humble southerner with impeccable credentials, her influence on the training of choral music educators in the United States is close to unparalleled. Josh talks to her at his old place of work, and with a wicked cold, but the conversation manages to shed some light on Judy’s path, her grounded focus on work and family, and inevitably, what it means to be a woman in this profession. Listen to this fascinating conversation with another huge influence in the choral world.

If you don’t know Tim Sharp, the dynamic and charismatic Executive Director of ACDA, you are missing out. Tim is a man of many talents, a raconteur, a gadfly, and just a ton of fun to hang out with. Tim has a really interesting story and knows how to tell it with humor and insight. Not only that, but Tim has real vision about what ACDA is and what he wants ACDA to become in the future. This interview with Tim took place in 2016 at the North Central ACDA conference in South Dakota, on the top floor of the Washington Pavilion in Sioux Falls, and covers the gamut from some impromptu singing, to the future of choral music in America. Come hear Josh and Tim solve all the world’s choral problems.0

In case you didn’t know, Dominick DiOrio, Associate Professor at Indiana University and conductor of NOTUS Contemporary Vocal Ensemble, is a young dude. Younger than you. And probably more accomplished than you too. So let that sink in and make you feel old and unworthy. But seriously, Dominick is a great conductor, composer, and all around nice person. This is Josh’s second interview in Sweden, which took place at the Scandinavian Choral Conference in Malmö, and he and Dominick talk about all sorts of issues, ultimately deciding that the next ACDA conference should be run entirely in German. Hope you enjoy this conversation.

On a visit to the choral mecca of Sweden, Josh spends some time with the amazing Gary Graden, conductor of the St. Jakob’s Chamber Choir (one of the best amateur choirs in the world). Josh and Gary talk about his background, how he came to call Sweden his home, and of course Eric Ericson. Listen to the idilic sounds of the Swedish countryside rushing by (and also some Swedish girls texting and playing cards), as Josh interviews Gary on the train from Kalmar to Stockholm after a gig. Be warned that you’ll want to visit Sweden after listening to this episode…and also be warned that you should definitely go!

Choral History is back from the dead! Josh briefly discusses the effects of life on podcast production and previews upcoming episodes.