Careers in Crescendo: Lessons for Musicians

Institute for Music Leadership
  • 5.0 (7)
  • ARTS
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Podcast by Institute for Music Leadership

  1. S6E16 - Coming Together for Community with the Walker West Music Academy

    MAR 27

    S6E16 - Coming Together for Community with the Walker West Music Academy

    In this episode, Jeff chats with Earl Ross, a teaching artist at the Walker West Music Academy. The Walker West Music Academy creates a music learning community rooted in the African American cultural experience, where people of all ages and backgrounds gather to explore, perform, and grow through music.. Earl is the founder and artistic director of the Kamionge Strings, whose project "Stringocracy!" was the recipient of a Paul R. Judy Center for Innovation and Research grant. Earl is joined by Mukuhi, a student in the program, and together they discuss the history of the Academy, the impact in the community, and how dialogue and collaboration affect both the musical and extramusical experience.

    42 min
  2. S6E15 - Collaboration, Creation, and Contemporary Percussion with Pax Duo

    MAR 13

    S6E15 - Collaboration, Creation, and Contemporary Percussion with Pax Duo

    In this episode, Jeff chats with Tristan Swihart '21E and Micah Detweiler about pax duo: a dynamic new percussion project that aims to break preconceptions of contemporary percussion through collaboration and new creation of genre bending works. Tristan and Micah discuss their personal journeys and the inspiration for this ensemble, along with their other professional ventures and projects. The guests offer their insights and recommendations for those interested in professional chamber music, building a network in a new location, and starting ventures post-graduation.

    38 min
  3. S6E14: Founding a Festival with Scott Lykins '09E, '11E (MM) and John Taylor Ward '10E

    FEB 27

    S6E14: Founding a Festival with Scott Lykins '09E, '11E (MM) and John Taylor Ward '10E

    In this episode, Jeff chats with Scott Lykins and John Taylor Ward about their journey in creating the Lakes Area Music Festival. Scott and Taylor are co-founders of the festival, which began as small performances between semesters at Eastman, and has now grown into a summer of performances in central Minnesota featuring over 250 artists. Scott and John discuss the evolution of the festival, the ways it's impact their journey, and share advice for those with similar interests and goals.

    39 min
  4. S6E13 - A Flutist’s Journey to Wall Street with Justin Berrie '02E

    FEB 12

    S6E13 - A Flutist’s Journey to Wall Street with Justin Berrie '02E

    In this episode, Jeff chats with Justin Berrie about his journey as both a flutist and investment professional. Justin describes his pursuit of an orchestral career, his experiences with Symphonica Arturo Toscanini and the St. Louis Symphony among other orchestras as a substitute, and the realizations that encouraged him to alter his path. Justin details how he entered the investment business and the lessons he learned about leveraging the skills he developed at Eastman.

    40 min
  5. S6E12 - Creating Opportunity for Cultural Ambassadorship with Rena Kraut

    JAN 30

    S6E12 - Creating Opportunity for Cultural Ambassadorship with Rena Kraut

    In this episode, Rachel Roberts chats with Rena Kraut, the Executive Director of CAYO. Through a successful career as a freelance clarinetist and educator, Rena had a pivotal experience in Cuba that encouraged her to create this cultural partnership between musicians in the US and Cuba. Rena shares this experience, more about the weeklong visits to Cuba, and the lessons learned through these opportunities for musicians to connect.

    50 min
  6. S6E11 - Developing Programs and Audiences with Angela Rubin

    JAN 16

    S6E11 - Developing Programs and Audiences with Angela Rubin

    In this episode, Jeff chats with Angela Rubin, a violist, scholar, and educator who was the first recipient of the AMP Up grant. Angela discusses her recital program, musical goals, and approach to programming repertoire by female composers not originally for the viola. Angela shares her marketing approach that won the grant funding, and the lessons learned through executing her project.

    32 min
  7. S6E10 - Exploring Musical Crossroads with Haik Demirchian '24E

    12/31/2025

    S6E10 - Exploring Musical Crossroads with Haik Demirchian '24E

    In this episode, Jeff chats with Haik Demirchian '24E, an award-winning Trombonist and Educator from St. Louis, Missouri. Haik won an IML Mentorship Grant to fund his album, Crossroads, which incorporates Haik's research of folk music in Armenia and the U.S., blending these influences with his jazz and classical training. Haik shares stories of Armenian history, culture, and performance in contrast to the US. Haik also reflects on his experiences touring with Broadway's "Hadestown" and shares his perspective on how musicians can take the necessary steps to reach their goals.

    47 min
  8. S6E9 - How We Hear Music with Charles Limb, Elise Piazza, and Gaelen McCormick '92E

    12/18/2025

    S6E9 - How We Hear Music with Charles Limb, Elise Piazza, and Gaelen McCormick '92E

    In this episode, Jeff chats with Dr. Charles Limb, the Francis A Sooy Professor and Chief of Otology and Neurotology and Skull base Surgery at the University of California, San Francisco, Dr. Elise Piazza, Assistant Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Neuroscience at the University of Rochester, and Gaelen McCormick '92E, the Director of the Eastman Performing Arts Medicine Center. The panel discusses an intersection of music and medicine in researching how people hear music, cochlear implants, and the career journeys of those researching music.

    44 min
See All (81)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
7 Ratings

About

Podcast by Institute for Music Leadership

Information