Joshua and Angela welcome acclaimed and multifaceted performer Ric’key Pageot to the show. He speaks about his recent journey to explore his Haitian heritage and discover an impressive trove of classical music inspired by a legacy of Vodou and revolution. They discuss an amazing piece by Haitian-born composer Carmen Brouard entitled Baron la Croix. Featured Music: "Baron la Croix" by Carmen Brouard, performed by Orchestre symphonique de Montréal Support the show ..read more

Joshua and Angela salute the illustrious career of opera soprano Leontyne Price. We hear three signature selections by Ms. Price and learn of her journey from Laurel, Mississippi, to capturing the attention and admiration of the world for her unparalleled vocal prowess and artistry. She remains a standard-bearer for opera singers globally. Featured Music: "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess, performed by Leontyne Price "O patria mia" from Aida, performed by Leontyne Price and The Metropolitan Opera "This Little Light of Mine" by Margaret Bonds, performed by Leontyne Price Support the show ..read more

Joshua and Angela discuss the life and times of Europe's most renowned virtuoso violinist of the 18th and 19th centuries, George Bridgetower. In the age of the global slave trade, competing empires, and revolution, Bridgetower exemplified the refinement, sophistication, and mastery of the classical era while rubbing elbows with the European elite.  Featured Music: "Henry, A Ballade," by George Bridgetower, feat. soprano Benita Borbonus "Violin Sonata No. 9, Mvt. 3: Finale," by Ludwig Van Beethoven, feat. violinist Itzhak Perlman and pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy Support the show ..read more

Joshua and Angela share the rich musical and cultural legacy of composer, pianist, Pulitzer Prize winner, and Kennedy Center Honors Inductee Tania León. A self-professed ‘citizen of the world,' Leon defies classification while elevating the significant contributions from her Afro-Cuban, Nigerian, Chinese, and French heritage. Featured Music: "Prelude No. 1: Sorpressa" "Alegre" by Tania León "Stride," featuring the New York Philharmonic Support the show ..read more

Angela and Joshua cap Season Five with Terri Allen, Executive Director of the Coalition for African-Americans in the Performing Arts (CAAPA). From humble origins to a nationally respected model, Terri details the 20-year journey of CAAPA's intentional strategies for leveling the playing field in the world of classical music. CAAPA's dedication to providing scholarships for burgeoning Black classical musicians and unwavering commitment to arts education at all talent levels exemplify the power of programming to create opportunities for real change in the performing arts. Featured Music: "Porgy ..read more

Angela and Joshua open Season Seven with an exposé on pianist, musicologist, and The First Lady of Jazz; Mary Lou Williams. This stunning artist’s impact crosses multiple genres from jazz to classical and sacred to bebop.  She navigates compositional shifts seamlessly all while providing the world of classical music with a much-needed approach to archival, analysis, and expansion to welcome those previously left out of the industry.  An undisputed artistic prodigy, Williams’ expansive influence on Black music positions her as one of the 20th century’s most revolutionary musicologists ..read more

Joshua and Angela sit down with Musical America's Composer of the Year, Jessie Montgomery. Violinist, educator, and one of the 21st-century's premier composers, Montgomery sheds light on her musical upbringing and her social awakening as a composer of color in a field that is still all too reticent to uplift and highlight the contributions in classical music from the African diaspora.  Featured Music: "Starburst" by Jessie Montgomery, feat. Minnesota Orchestra "Smoke" from Break Away by Jessie Montgomery, feat. PUBLIQuartet "Banner" by Jessie Montgomery, feat. Catalyst Quartet Support the ..read more

Joshua and Angela share the rich musical and cultural legacy of composer, pianist, Pulitzer Prize winner, and Kennedy Center Honors Inductee Tania León. A self-professed ‘citizen of the world,' Leon defies classification while elevating the significant contributions from her Afro-Cuban, Nigerian, Chinese, and French heritage. Featured Music: "Prelude No. 1: Sorpressa" "Alegre" by Tania León "Stride," featuring the New York Philharmonic Support the show ..read more

Angela and Joshua interview Adam Eccleston, internationally renowned flutist and Chair of All Classical Portland’s "Recording Inclusivity Initiative (RII)." Drawing upon his Caribbean heritage and desire to program and perform works by composers of African descent, Eccleston details the origins and process of the RII, a collection of never-before recorded compositions from the African diaspora now made available to radio stations and media outlets the world over in October 2022 via All Classical Portland. Song Selections:  "Sonata for Flute and Piano (mvt 1)" by Coleridge Taylor Perkinson ..read more

Season Four culminates with violist, entrepreneur, and podcaster Drew Forde, known to over 100,000 Instagram followers as ThatViolaKid. Angela and Joshua spend time with Forde, who shares remarkable insights into the power of classical music. He explains how the viola serves as a window into his soul and shapes his trajectory within the classical genre and outside of it by collaborating with mainstream artists Alicia Keys, Adele, and others. Through it all, Drew Forde is a champion for artistic entrepreneurship and demonstrates the level of dedication and passion required to carry this ve ..read more