This is the transcript for this episode; the podcast and video with show-notes are linked here. This special episode celebrates Volume 1 with my improvising ensemble Collected Strands. The other musicians in the group have all been featured previously on this series, and you’ll find the links to those episodes in the show notes with cellist Raphael Weinroth-Browne, pianist James McGowan and drummer Mike Essoudry. I’m also delighted that you will get to know the inspiring Australian artist, educator and author Maryanne Moodie who’s woven art graces the cover of this album. You’ll find the links to her work in the show notes as well. I am also releasing the interview with Maryanne as a separate stand-alone bonus episode connected to this episode. I feel that all my listeners who love music and creativity will find that Maryanne’s personal journey and perspectives will resonate strongly with them, and I hope some listeners in the weaving and art world will also be inspired by the musicians!

We are including excerpts from the album during this episode, and you’ll find all the links to buy and stream this music

The transcript of my interview with the trombonist Hillary Simms. The podcast, video and show notes are linked here as well.

Hillary Simms is a virtuosic Canadian trombone player with the esteemed American Brass Quintet and is on faculty at the Julliard School.

Hillary’s warmth and love of music comes through in this candid interview, from her childhood in Newfoundland to playing on the world’s biggest stages, and also the unusual situation she found herself in when  her engagement to her husband became a viral sensation in China. 

As the first woman to join the Amercian Brass Quintet since 1960,  Hillary spoke to me about gender disparity in the brass world and some of her strong female role models.  

 Hillary shares wonderful insights for all of us, whether you pursue music as a career or follow a different path,  of the need to have self-compassion and have an awareness of the big picture of your life. 

Hillary has performed as a soloist a couple of times with my orchestra, Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, and you’ll hear us talk about the arc of her career so far as a chamber musician, soloist, educator and busy freelancer. We decided to delay the release of this episode slightly in order to include a wonderful recent recording of the Amercian Brass Quintet, a movement from David Biedenbender’s wonderful work Sacred Geometry. This is the first recording of the group with Hillary performing,  and you’ll find more information and links

This is the transcript of my interview with James McGowan, a solo and collaborative pianist at home in jazz, classical and improvised musics. The podcast and video versions of this episode are linked here along with the show notes. The 14-member James McGowan Ensemble has just released its jazz-classical fusion album Reaching Out, the companion to the previous album Reaching In, and this episode features some of the music from this beautiful project as well as from his jazz-fusion group Modasaurus. Besides James’ work as a composer and pianist, he’s also a Theory Professor, and choral direcctor, and has served as Carleton University Chair in Teaching Innovation in developing experiences in the arts on campus and in the community. James is so passionate about sharing his love of music and I trust you’ll find this an uplifting conversation.

The transcript of my interview with Pierre Chrétien, who is a Canadian bandleader, multi-instrumentalist and composer who has had international success with his bands The Souljazz Orchestra, Atlantis Jazz Ensemble and his project Cinephonic, and in this episode you’ll learn about all of these and hear highlights from some of these albums on the Marlow Records label. Pierre shares how left his career as an Engineer to devote himself to a full-time career as a performer. The podcast, video and shownotes are all linked here.

This is the transcript of my interview with Jack Hui Litster. The podcast, video and show notes are linked here as well. This conversation explores different ways to make a living as a musician, achieving a flow state, some of the positive impacts of technology, and the importance of finding a work-life balance. Jack has developed a satisfying creative career after some interesting twists and turns. In this episode, you’ll learn about his experiences as a jazz drummer, his pivot into international development, and his path back to composing, producing and recording music in different styles.

Transcript of interview with cellist Rachel Mercer, with links to both podcast and video. In this conversation, we discuss the arc of her career so far as a chamber musician, soloist, principal cellist, the late Yehonatan Berick, an amazing violinist and pedagogue, who was her life partner, "Our Strength, Our Song" with her sister, the wonderful violinist Akemi Mercer-Niewöhner and many other chamber music collaborations and unique projects, as well as her way of approaching music. Rachel very generously made a special recording of the Prelude from J.S. Bach's fifth solo suite in C minor BWV 1011 and her heartfelt introduction to the power of this music is right after our conversation.

Carissa Klopoushak: ” And we'd just play tunes by ear. And my dad would do that with some friends. And then once his kids were old enough, we'd join him and play, saw along. And so it was, I think what I'm really trying to get at, is that musical expression is just part of the way that we all get along. It's something that we do together. And so it was just ever present, I think. And having that be, not something that you do, but something that you are makes it easier to just do it all the time and in different ways. It's an extension, I think. That's how I see it.”

This is Blog post is the full transcript of E2 S1 of Conversations with Musicians with Leah Roseman, with guest Carissa Klopoushak. We spoke of her strong roots, her Ukrainian band Tyt i Tam, the Ironwood String Quartet, being a member of the National Arts Centre Orchestra, and her role as Artistic Director of Chamberfest.

photo credit: Bo Huang