I'm joined by two wonderful adult learners today to talk about life, learning, and their journeys with the cello. Today's episode is sponsored by Benjamin Whitcomb's new series of books exploring chords and their function for violin and cello. Check them out here! https://bookshop.org/contributors/benjamin-whitcomb Tamarack Arts summer programs here! http://tamarackarts.org/enroll ..read more

Last week, I had the chance to talk to a wonderful emerging cellist in Sweden, Ragnhild Wesenberg. I feel like she’s a bit of a hidden treasure: certainly not the most famous cellist on the internet, but one of the most thoughtful, original, and interesting. Listen to our conversation and when people mention her in a few years, you can say, “Oh yeah, I knew about her in 2022”. Ragnhild Eskeland Wesenberg resources! Website: https://www.ragnhildwesenberg.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063680665678 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/celloragnhild/ Contact: ragnhild@w ..read more

My friend and colleague Eric Sheaffer comes on to chat about his journey on the instrument and all things teaching, learning, and playing. Eric had an early start at music but got serious about the cello at what some would consider to be a "late" age. Now a thriving performer, he is proof yet again that there are lots of ways to make music the focus of your life. Link to the transposed Bach 4th Suite: https://yuriyleonovich.com/blogs/musings/posts/hommage-to-gaspar-cassado Tamarack Arts: http://www.tamarackarts.org ..read more

Thom Limbert is a composer and professor at Sonoma State University in California, and today we're talking all about entry points to writing music. It's never too late or early in your musical journey to start gathering the tools you need to progress. Links: Anna Meredith on Ableton Live: https://www.ableton.com/en/blog/anna-meredith-shape-music/ Thom's faculty page on Sonoma State:https://music.sonoma.edu/faculty-staff/dr-thomas-limbert Paul Berliner: Mbira Platform: http://mbiraplatform.org ..read more

My old friend and CSUN compatriot Denis Jiron talks candidly about the ups and downs of being a professional musician. With humility, soul, and humor, he shares his story, from the highest highs (this man played regularly with the LA Phil) to some difficult lows (Bells palsy and unsupportive colleagues). We hope you enjoy this conversation and take away from all of this that nothing is final. Your victory or your defeat. The only thing that is certain is that life goes on, and that we must find a way to do so with as much joy as possible. So grateful for the time he took to offer his insight a ..read more

A conversation between two trauma survivors who decided to learn as much as possible about the way it changes us and the way we see the world. Best selling author Emily Ann Peterson's School of Bravery consultancy is devoted to freeing tender folks from the traps trauma sets and empowers them to take charge and thrive. I love this woman so much, and I'm thrilled she shared this time with my listeners. So so much good info here: https://www.schoolofbravery.com/resources Donate to Tamarack Arts here: https://www.tamarackarts.org/giving ..read more

Rochester, NY based cellist Sandra Halleran joins me to get into the weeds about teaching, learning, the music industry, and the books and podcasts she find interesting and helpful. She's also new faculty at Tamarack Arts! At the end, Benjamin Whitcomb plays a movement of Britten Suite for Cello No. 2 for unaccompanied cello from his new album. This one's for you, nerds! Links: Benjamin Whitcomb's new album: 20th Century Music for Cello is out now on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/2Mqxrf0M2yeOaf1vxa2woG and will be available at his website shortly: https://www.benjaminwhitcomb.com/ Ce ..read more

Jun Jensen is a wildly creative person who brings the intensity and focus that made him a prolific cellist to the corporate world. We cover a massively wide range of topics for this episode! You want to hear from a guy who did more on the cello by 18 than most folks do in an entire career? Got it. How about seeing the world of quantifying human capacity through the lens of music? Oh, why yes. Surprising my guest with hyper-specific technique talk? This is a thing that happened. Wading into DAOs and blockchain? Sure did! I enjoyed this conversation so much. Hope you do, too ..read more

A delightful romp down memory lane and extensive conversation about the nuts and bolts of learning to improvise on a stringed instrument. Joyce Pan and David Aks' new album: https://joyceanddavid.bandcamp.com/releases Joyce and David's FB page: https://m.facebook.com/JoyceAndDavidMusic/ Valley of the Moon Scottish Fiddle School: http://www.valleyofthemoon.org/ Vasen: https://vasen.se/about/ Mike Block: https://www.mikeblockmusic.com/ Tessa Lark: https://www.tessalark.com/ Natalie Haas: https://www.nataliehaas.com/ Cello Drones: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MimVnBAuYqA&list=PL-DyGoFkAJ1G ..read more

What did we learn in music school? This episode is all about the stuff learned at music school that we use every time we sit down to play or teach. Includes: encouragement, advice, weirdness/silliness, and Cari doing magic tricks with her voice ..read more