This is the transcript of my interview with the Dutch guitarist and composer Marc van Vugt. The podcast and video with shownotes are linked, which also takes you to my first interview with him in 2022.

This is the transcript of my interview with the Euclid Quartet. The Podcast and Video versions are linked here, along with the shownotes. This world-class string quartet is celebrating their 25th anniversary with a fantastic album of short pieces, entitled Breve, and we are featuring several pieces from that album as part of this episode. In this conversation you’ll get to know each member of the quartet, which is in residence at Indiana University South Bend. I was curious to learn more about the many roles the quartet plays in their capacities as performers, educators and collaborators, and to hear them speak about the special joys and challenges of being members of a full-time quartet.

Chuck Copenace is a Winnipeg-based Ojibway musician from Animakee Wazhing 37. This is the transcript of my interview with him, and the podcast and video links are linked with the shownotes as well. In this episode, we talk about Chuck’s excellent album Oshki Manitou, which expands his work as a trumpet player, arranger, and composer. He’s woven together ceremonial sweat-lodge melodies with jazz, funk, dance and electronica and this episode features tracks from that album. He’s such a powerfully lyrical trumpet player, and you’ll be deeply touched to hear his inspiring story of moving through trauma and addiction to helping others through counseling and music.

Transcript for interview with composer Frank Horvat. The podcast and video links with shownotes are linked here.

Frank Horvat is an acclaimed Canadian composer and pianist whose music has been featured on over 20 albums. In this episode you’ll hear how he has forged meaningful collaborations with a wide range of musicians internationally, and found and given solace to audiences through his focus on themes of mental health, the climate crisis, and social justice. He’s so prolific and involved in so many diverse projects, with music in many styles, that we could only focus on a few of his works in this podcast episode, including with the SHHH!!! Ensemble, the Odin Quartet, flutist Christopher Lee and soprano Meredith Hall. We talked about his Music for Self-Isolation, and his wonderful initiative, the Piano Therapy Virtual Tour, that pairs his music with his personal mental health challenges and coping strategies. I also asked him about The Green Keys Tour, in which he performed his work Earth Hour in dark halls across North America, travelling in a sustainable way. We also got into some of his current projects, Trees.Listen with Sharlene Wallace inspired by the work of Dr. Diana Beresford-Kroeger , and More Rivers, commissioned by Christina Petrowska Quilico and inspired by the work of Ann Southam.

The Transcript of my interview with Belgian-born, Montreal-based banjo player Guy Donis. The podcast, video and shownotes linked here. Guy Donis grew up in Belgium, where he had fallen in love with the banjo and proceeded to dedicate his life to it. In this episode, he describes how he taught himself 5 string banjo, learned about Bluegrass, and expanded his musical horizons by collaborating with jazz and classical musicians. He immigrated to Canada many years ago, and is well-known in the Montreal music scene. He has toured Canada extensively with Notre Dame de Grass and other bands, and in this episode he talks about his newest project, the Montreal Bluegrass League, and a track from their latest album is included in this podcast. Some tracks from his two trio albums are also included earlier in this episode, in which you can hear Guy’s progressive jazz-influenced original music.

Transcript of in-depth interview with pianist Jeeyoon Kim. The podcast and video versions are linked here along with the show notes. Jeeyoon Kim is a very special concert pianist who has opened meaningful connections to new audiences through her innovative concerts, albums, podcast, and now her book “Whenever You’re Ready”. You’ll learn how she sold out her Carnegie Hall debut recital without knowing one person in New York, without an agent or winning a competition. She’s generously shared 3 tracks from some of her albums that punctuate this episode, and please head over to her website which linked in the description. I was so honoured when Jeeyoon agreed to be part of this series, because I knew her wisdom, personal story and her music making would resonate strongly with you.

The full transcript of my interview with J. Walter Hawkes. The podcast, video and show notes are linked here. J. Walter Hawkes is a 4-time Emmy-winning composer for the PBS series Peg + Cat and Wonder Pets, is a renowned jazz trombone player, and also performs as a jazz vocalist, ukulele player, and pianist. As a young man, he survived a horrible accident which changed the course of his life. We talk about this and his mentors including the legendary Slide Hampton, how he got into composing for Blues Clues, and many hilarious and heart-warming personal stories. Those of you who listened to my episode with Pat Irwin will remember his album Wide Open Sky with Walter, and we’re featuring two pieces from that album in this episode along with an impromptu performance of Cole Porter’s Get Out of Town. Walter’s love of adventure really comes through in this conversation, and it’s really inspiring to hear how he’s built such an interesting career in music.

This is the complete transcript of my interview with Jennifer Roig-Francoli; the podcast and video versions as well as the show notes are all linked here as well.

The transcript to my interview with the genre-defying sitarist and composer Mohamed Assani; the podcast, video and show notes are all linked here.

Transcript of my episode with the Irish vocalist and artist Ceara Conway. The podcast and video with shownotes are all linked here.

The transcript to my episode with EmmoLei Sankofa: the podcast, video and shownotes are linked here as well.

This is the full transcript to my interview with the multi-style GRAMMY-nominated harpist and composer Kirsten Agresta Copely. The podcast and video versions with the show notes, are linked here as well.

The transcript to my interview with the jazz piano duo of Peter Hum and Steve Boudreau. The podcast, video and show notes are linked here as well.

The transcript of my interview with Jeremy Mastrangelo. The podcast and video versions are linked here. Violinist Jeremy Mastrangelo is a wonderful colleague of mine in Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra. He’s known in our greenroom as a great storyteller, onstage as an excellent musician, and having heard him give brilliant masterclasses I can attest to his excellence as an educator as well. This episode is infused with Jeremy’s wit and wisdom as well as a couple of beautiful violin performances. We talk about violin shopping in Cremona, teenage life at Interlochen Academy, the difficulties and joys of a career as an orchestral musician, family, and the benefits of deepening our understanding of the composers we play. You will find that one of the wonderful stories in this episode, reveals an unexpected discovery!

This is the transcript of my interview with Michael Bridge, a virtuoso performer on both acoustic and digital accordion. The podcast and video are linked here as well.

This is the transcript of my episode with Kat Raio Rende. The podcast, video and show notes are linked here as well. Kat is an Emmy-winning songwriter, singer, and producer. Together with her husband JP Rende she has a successful songwriting and production company Earworm Music company. This episode is a fascinating window into the world of music for children’s tv shows, jingles, working with celebrities, and music production in general. Kat’s infectious delight in music, composition, and singing as well as her personal story and perspectives as a parent will fascinate listeners everywhere.

The transcript of my interview with pianist, composer, improvisor, psychoanalyst and therapist Marilyn Lerner. The podcast and video versions are linked here as well.

This is the full transcript of my episode with Margaret Maria, who is a wonderful cellist who’s a unique composer. The episode in podcast and video format is linked here as well. Margaret’s compositions are all written by layering cello lines in some gorgeous and emotive aural tapestries. Her personal story is interesting and moving: she started the cello as a teenager, was admitted to the University of Toronto at age 16 without graduating from high school, and was then admitted to the prestigious Curtis Institute. She went on to have a successful career as a member of the Vancouver Symphony and then Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, which is how I came to know her. She gave up her job with the NAC after a few years, and embarked on a new life as a composer, meanwhile continuing to teach. Some of her work as an educator has been with the Orkidstra program, which she has been involved with since it’s inception in 2007. It’s a social development program that serves over 650 youth from over 62 linguistic and cultural backgrounds by building community through free music programs. This episode has a lot of powerful music, and the complete track of Blessing of Awakening is available as a bonus episode.

This is the transcript of my bonus Catch-Up Episode with Julie Lyonn Lieberman. My original conversation with her is also linked. Julie is an innovative multi-style violinist/vocalist, author, composer, producer and educator. In our original episode, we discussed her unique path through world music, some of her projects including You Are Your Instrument, which was the first book written about how to overcome and prevent musicians’ overuse injuries. We had also talked about her memoir, The Roaring Brook Fiddler. In this short episode, she talks about the process of recording the audio-book, which is enriched with her music, and there’s an excerpt featuring an important experience from her childhood.