Redefining the Musician

Ashley Roberts

Redefining the Musician shares stories from classical musicians who have decided to redirect their career path into something new. This podcast takes you through a variety of stories from former performers and music educators, while building community with those who have left music or are considering leaving music.

  1. Episode 17: Overcoming The Mental Health Struggles As A Musician (Tyler's Story)

    APR 20

    Episode 17: Overcoming The Mental Health Struggles As A Musician (Tyler's Story)

    Throughout this episode, Tyler takes us through his mental health struggles as a student and performer. We hear his story not only of his struggles, but also how he was able to overcome them, and become a successful band director. He has some fantastic takes on how we can improve mental health for ourselves and our students, and you won't want to miss this one! If you're interested in sharing your story on the show, you can fill out this Google Form: https://forms.gle/AAWCePqFBVHwaetp7 Tyler Lee's Bio Tyler is originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Tyler earned his Bachelor of Music degree in Trombone Performance from Kansas State University (2019), his Master of Music degree in Trombone Performance as well as a Graduate Certificate in Wind Band Conducting from the University of Central Arkansas (2021,2022). While at K-State, Tyler participated in the Wind Ensemble, Wind Symphony, Pride of Wildcat Land, Cat Band, CJE, KSU Symphony Orchestra, Brass Ensemble and Trombone Choir, as well as the Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity. During his time at the University of Central Arkansas, he served as a graduate assistant with the band area. He assisted with the day-to-day operation of the UCA band program and was on staff for the Bear Marching and the Purple Rage Basketball Band. He was also heavily involved in the trombone studio at UCA, performing with the Natural Slides trombone choir, the top trombone ensemble at UCA. Tyler was part of featured performances with the Natural Slides trombone choir that have been with world-renowned trombonists at the International Trombone Festival in Columbus, Georgia in 2021 as well as being a staff member/performer at the International Trombone Festival that was hosted at UCA in 2022. Tyler’s professional associations include the Arkansas Music Educators Association, Arkansas School Band and Orchestra Association, Texas Music Educators Association, Kansas Music Educators Association, College Band Director’s National Association, International Trombone Association, the Conductor’s Guild, and Kappa Kappa Psi – National Honorary Band Fraternity. Tyler is currently an assistant band director at USD 443 Dodge City High School.

    50 min
  2. Episode 16: Choosing the Next Chapter - A Fulfilling Life in Music (Natalie's Story)

    APR 13

    Episode 16: Choosing the Next Chapter - A Fulfilling Life in Music (Natalie's Story)

    Tune in with us to listen to the amazing career of Dr. Natalie Mannix. Dr. Mannix has had a career that has traveled from being a performer in the United States Navy Band, to being a college professor, and now to retiring to spend more time with her family. Even in her retirement, Dr. Mannix is an avid performer, teacher, activist, and mother, who's words are inspiring for all. Her work in promoting women in music has been prolific, and you won't want to miss hearing it all! If you would like to share your story on the podcast, you can fill out this Google Form: https://forms.gle/FhzQPGZQVRYpxUhN7 Natalie's Bio:Natalie Mannix is an accomplished trombone soloist, chamber musician, orchestral performer, and educator. She is currently trombonist with the Stiletto Brass Quintet and Lantana Trio. Previously, she was Professor of Trombone at the University of North Texas, Principal Trombone in the Delaware Symphony for 14 years, and a member of the United States Navy Band in Washington, DC for over nine years where she performed with the brass quintet, concert and ceremonial bands. Dr. Mannix has appeared as guest artist and clinician at colleges and conferences throughout North America, including the 2023, 2022, 2018, 2016 and 2013 International Trombone Festival, the International Women’s Brass Conference, the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic, and the American Trombone Workshop. She has performed with the Dallas Symphony, Dallas Opera, Baltimore Symphony, National Symphony, the Washington National Opera and Kennedy Center Orchestras, the Washington Trombone Ensemble, the Monarch Brass, and several regional orchestras and brass ensembles. A new music advocate, she has commissioned several works for trombone, maintains an online database of trombone music written by women composers, and continues to perform and promote music by emerging composers.Her recordings include a solo album, Breaking Ground: A Celebration of Women Composers, and chamber music CDs: Crossing Barriers with Lantana Trio, Scarpe! with the Stiletto Brass Quintet, And If All Were Dark with Dave Taylor and the Washington Trombone Ensemble, Mozart’s Requiem with the Dallas Chamber Choir and Orchestra, and Shadowcatcher: Music for Winds, Brass and Percussion. An avid brass pedagogue, Natalie has adjudicated international solo and ensemble competitions, serves on the Executive Board and as chair of the Advisory Council for Diversity for the International Trombone Association and on the Executive Board as Treasurer for the International Women’s Brass Conference. Natalie received her degrees from the University of Michigan, The Juilliard School, a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from Catholic University, and an MBA in Strategic Management from University of North Texas. She is a performing artist for Greg Black mouthpieces.

    50 min
  3. Episode 12: Music Doesn't Have to Pay The Bills - Finding the Joys in Performing Again (Jenny's Story)

    MAR 9

    Episode 12: Music Doesn't Have to Pay The Bills - Finding the Joys in Performing Again (Jenny's Story)

    Jenny takes us through her story of switching to the data science field. Through an entry level position, a new degree, and certifications, she has found her way at Microsoft. But, this has not stopped her from gaining professional musical experiences as well. Take a listen as she shows us how she balances her job at Microsoft, her gigs, and being a mom. Google Form: https://forms.gle/PhnJsHCBpLDigsfM8 About Jenny Jenny Ney is a data specialist and former professional French horn player whose career spans Broadway orchestras, Carnegie Hall, and the world of cloud data platforms. As a musician, she was praised for her “heroic” and “graceful” playing and performed at venues including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Radio City Music Hall. She has appeared with ensembles such as the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, the New York City Ballet, the Harrisburg Symphony, the Stamford Symphony, the Sarasota Orchestra, the American Classical Orchestra, the West Point Band, and the Radio City Orchestra, and has performed in numerous Broadway and television productions. Jenny trained in both performance and arts outreach as a fellow of Ensemble Connect, the highly selective program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, and the Weill Music Institute in partnership with the New York City Department of Education. She earned a Bachelor’s degree and Performer’s Certificate from the Eastman School of Music and a Master’s degree from The Juilliard School. After years as a performing musician, Jenny transitioned into technology and now works as a Solution Engineer at Microsoft, helping organizations modernize their data platforms and adopt cloud technologies. With expertise in data engineering, governance, and DevOps automation, she has led large-scale cloud modernization efforts and built enterprise lakehouse environments that enable secure analytics and AI workloads. Jenny holds certifications as an Azure Data Engineer, Data Scientist, and Databricks Data Engineer Associate, and earned a Master of Applied Data Science from the University of Michigan. She now lives in Connecticut with her two children, a dog, and an ever-growing collection of fish.

    44 min

About

Redefining the Musician shares stories from classical musicians who have decided to redirect their career path into something new. This podcast takes you through a variety of stories from former performers and music educators, while building community with those who have left music or are considering leaving music.

You Might Also Like