The Offbeat Musician The Offbeat Musician

Why is the music industry so slow to change? As singers, do we really create art, or are we just reproducing it? Why does a music major feel so isolating? And why are we expected to be grateful for the opportunity to work too hard for little pay?
Today Natasha and John sit down with a friend of the pod, Zach Goldman, to talk about sacrificing stability to follow your passions.  Why are young artists led to believe that music must be above everything else in life? Why must we adhere to a certain path to follow our passion, and what does it mean to define your own success?  Listen in as we talk about these issues and how to feel fulfilled from music without sacrificing so much for the industry.
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As we reach our fifth episode of "The Offbeat Musician," we start to reflect on the conversations we have had so far. A big part of that is taking feedback from our listeners, and today we sit down with some friends of the pod - Madeline Huss and Evan Hammond-Leppek. 

We continue to wrestle with some tough questions - Is it our responsibility to drive change? Why are we defined first and foremost by our marginalized traits? Is it too late for opera, or is there really a more inclusive future?

These are the same kinds of topics being discussed by artists in green rooms, backstage at opera houses, and in the halls of conservatories - and we think it's important to peel back the curtain and start to create an open discussion. 

And for our listeners, we would love to hear from you or have you on as a guest! Reach out anytime with thoughts or questions - we’d love to have you join our community. 
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Is there a way to transform the classical music world within its current structures? Is change even possible, and what does it look like?  This week, John and Natasha sit down with Kathleen Kelly to dig deeper into these questions. 

Kathleen is a seasoned conductor, pianist, educator, and mentor. Decades into her career, she has been reflecting on her path up to this point. What change has she seen, and what change still needs to happen? How do established artists turn around and help the next generation? How do we come to terms with our mistakes, and how do we begin to rectify them?

Authors/Books mentioned in the podcast:

Thich Nhat Hanh - https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/9074.Thich_Nhat_Hanh

"Listen Like You Mean It" by Ximena Vengoechea - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/54614554-listen-like-you-mean-it
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It’s all hands on deck for this week’s episode, as your three hosts chat with pianist/coach Janna Ernst. You’ll hear her take on the importance of setting boundaries, supporting each other, and the unreasonable expectations that are put on young musicians.

We dig into the unfortunate and common trend of teacher/mentor abuse in classical music. The people who should be building up their students-especially in a competitive field such as music-are the same ones destroying their confidence and passion for the art. Why do they tear us down to build us back up? And why has it been glorified as an acceptable trend? Take a listen as we dive into the tea that hasn’t necessarily been the easiest to spill  
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In this week’s episode, Henry and Natasha interview opera singers Ardeen Pierre and Nathaniel Catasca. As we heard in episode one, the young artist experience isn't all rainbows and butterflies. There's a pattern of being overworked and threatened, dealing with crazy schedules, conflicts of interest, and racial insensitivity (we told you we were here to talk about the ugly).  Join us as we have an honest conversation about how to navigate the surprisingly common challenges that many young opera singers face and how Nathaniel and Ardeen have come out of them stronger than ever.


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What is it like to leave a professional life in classical music?

We sit down with Evan and Joey Hammond-Leppek to talk about life after YAPs (Young Artist Programs). We discuss opera's selling points - why isn't it more popular, and how does it compete with other forms of music?  We also concluded that everyone should just get married to solve all their problems (just kidding). This first episode is a deep and honest conversation about leaving the music industry, and what young people need to know before entering a career in opera.

Mentioned in the podcast: 
Christine and the Queens
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EIdSORj_dd0





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