Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman

After my conversation with Peggy Lee, Cellist, I had the pleasure to play an improvisation with her over our Zoom call. Due to the nature of this style of improvisation, we were able to play at the same time, without the latency affecting things too much. The video version of this is here: https://youtu.be/a4cN3LXsWdM Photo credit: Rita Taylor --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/leah-roseman/message

I speak with the innovative cellist, improvisor and composer Peggy Lee, who is a band-leader and sought-after collaborator in Vancouver, Canada. Peggy collaborates frequently with  Ron Samworth and Tony Wilson  and with her husband, drummer Dylan van der Schyff, as well as with many other longtime musical associates including Dave Douglas, Wayne Horvitz, Robin Holcomb, Veda Hille and Lisa Miller. She also leads or co-leads a number of musical projects: The Peggy Lee Band, Film in Music, Waxwing (with Tony Wilson and Jon Bentley) and Beautiful Tool (with Mary Margaret O’Hara).    She has also collaborated extensively in theatre and dance with companies and artists such as Ruby Slippers, Rumble Theatre, Presentation House, David Hudgins, Peter Bingham and Delia Brett.   In 2005, Peggy received the Freddie Stone Award for integrity and innovation in music and in 2010 she was awarded a Jesse Richardson Theatre Award for outstanding composition.    http://www.peggylee.net/about-peggy.html  The original video versions of this series are here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYOGF0ZHOdI0236QiDT_SGzUdALNXW06z As a bonus episode, you can hear me play a free improvisation with her.  photo credit: Rita Taylor --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/leah-roseman/message

Jack Everly is well-known to audiences throughout the United States and Canada for his Symphonic Pops programs, conducting and charismatic storytelling during which he imparts his wealth of knowledge. In this lively conversation we discuss his distinguished career and perspectives. https://nac-cna.ca/en/bio/jack-everly All my  episodes are available as a video, with transcripts being added along with bonus episodes, all linked here: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/e16-s1-jack-everly-conductor --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/leah-roseman/message

Alicia Svigals kindly agreed to to play a couple of improvisations with me, after my fascinating interview with her. Here's the first. The original video version of all of these conversations are here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYOGF0ZHOdI0236QiDT_SGzUdALNXW06z Photo credit: Thierry Arsenault --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/leah-roseman/message

This was the second little improv I had the opportunity to play with the great klezmer musician Alicia Sviagas. Please check out the main Episode 15, Season 1 for our conversation, and the links to her various projects and performances.  --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/leah-roseman/message

In Episode 15 of this series was honoured to speak with one of the world's foremost Klezmer musicians. Alicia was a founding member of the Grammy-winning Klezmatics,  she also played a major role in the revival  of klezmer fiddling, which had been on the brink of extinction until she recorded her debut album Fidl in the 1990’s. Alicia is so engaging both as a player and conversationalist, and she's full of stories from her life and career. The original video version of this series is here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYOGF0ZHOdI0236QiDT_SGzUdALNXW06z  Below are links to some of the projects we discuss in the interview, as well as the link to her website, where you can find current performances and other projects:  https://aliciasvigals.com/home   Beregovski Suite album - https://uligeissendoerfer.bandcamp.com/album/beregovski-suite The Ancient Law DVD - https://www.amazon.com/Ancient-Law-Alte-Gesetz-Blu-ray/dp/B07BC6JZ64 City Without Jews DVD. https://www.amazon.com/City-Without-Flicker-Alley-Blu-ray/dp/B089774K24 Beregovski sheet music:  https://www.amazon.com/Old-Jewish-Folk-Music-Collections/dp/0815628684  Photo credit: Thierry Arsenault --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/leah-roseman/message

Subhadra loves to teach people about the Indianisation of the violin, and in this conversation  we get to hear her beautiful playing quite a bit, as she plays and demonstrates some of the guiding principles of the Carnatic style. She teaches both online and in her studio in Mississauga (in the Greater Toronto Area) Canada.  To study or perform with Subhadra, and for more information about her:   https://www.rcmusic.com/bios/subhadra-vijaykumar Radha Academy of Carnatic Violin | Facebook  subhadra vijaykumar site:youtube.com - Google Search The original video versions of all of these conversations are here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYOGF0ZHOdI0236QiDT_SGzUdALNXW06z --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/leah-roseman/message

I had lots of fun trying a creative improvisation with Ellen Waterman.  This video is a bonus connected with our conversation, Episode 13 Season 1 Because of this style of improv, we were able to play at the same time, but unfortunately Zoom sometimes silenced a quieter voice. You can see the original video on my YouTube at https://youtu.be/Z5vELfC1O8Y This was recorded July 21, 2021 over Zoom.   http://www.ellenwaterman.ca/ --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/leah-roseman/message

In this wide-ranging conversation with Ellen Waterman we discuss her career  and perspectives, both as a creative improvisor with flute and voice, and as a scholar.   At the end treats us to a solo improv. She was appointed to the inaugural Helmut Kallmann Chair for Music in Canada at Carleton University in 2019 where she is developing a research program committed to investigating issues of diversity and decolonization of music in Canada through scholarship, research creation, and experiential learning.http://www.ellenwaterman.ca/ https://carleton.ca/music/people/ellen-waterman/In a separate video you can hear our improv together.   This was recorded July 21, 2021 via Zoom Photo credit: Michael Waterman --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/leah-roseman/message

I'm extremely new at any kind of improvisation, and I was delighted when Roddy Ellias agreed to try some improv with me across  our Zoom call (it's impossible to play in sync on Zoom, so it's mostly call-and-response). Please listen to my conversation with Roddy in the main Episode 12!  The original video version of all these episodes are here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYOGF0ZHOdI0236QiDT_SGzUdALNXW06z photo credit: Evan Shaw --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/leah-roseman/message

Jazz guitarist and composer Roddy Ellias talks to me about his creative process, artistic development, some current and past projects, reflections on the pandemic and more.  In a separate bonus to this episode, we play an improvisation. On my podcast website you'll find the link to the video, bonuses, and soon the transcript: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/e12-s1-roddy-ellias-guitarist-and-composer Roddy's recordings, performances and teaching studio are  linked on his website here: https://www.roddyellias.com/ Peggy White guitars: https://www.peggywhite.ca/  Photo credit: Evan Shaw Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (01:05) These Are a Few of My Favorite Things (06:20) Peggy White guitar (09:32) classical and jazz worlds (11:13) Roddy’s early development as a musician, playing with Lew Kirton, The Sceptres, touring the States (17:27) Le Hibou coffehouse Lenny Breau and other legends (19:45) Teaching composition and jazz (22:37) martial arts and music, getting into the zone (27:48) performing on Syncspace Live (30:37) Sleeping Rough puppet opera and composition process --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/leah-roseman/message

Hi! I’m a violinist and my podcast Conversations with Musicians with Leah Roseman follows my curiosity about fellow musicians: how did they get to where they are today, what are their perspectives on a life in music?James Ehnes is known internationally as one of the foremost violin soloists. He’s a GRAMMY winner who’s created over 60 acclaimed albums. I was honoured to speak at length with James Ehnes about his career, collaborations, current projects, and his approach with practice and preparation for concerts. Timestamps are below.  The video version is linked here, very soon with transcript: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/e11-s1-james-ehnes Please follow the podcast and be notified of all the new episodes! Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (01:38) 2021 recordings Ysaye, Bach, Beethoven quartets (09:40) Ehnes String Quartet history (14:00) Seattle Chamber Music Society (19:40) solo Bach, different recording and performances (29:35) pacing yourself, importance of run-throughs (31:20) Paganini (34:50) repertoire choices, getting pigeon-holed as a performer (38:10) childhood in Brandon, Francis Chaplin, Sally Thomas, Meadowmount, Donald Henry (45:25) learning process, pace of preparation, rotation of repertoire (52:20) advice for music students (54:55) Intonation (59:30) Bramwell Tovey (01:04:05) Andrew Armstrong photo credit: Benjamin Ealovega --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/leah-roseman/message

Aaron Schwebel and I had fun for about 5 minutes, as he said doing a "free association game".  We filmed this across Zoom, in different cities, and during a strict lockdown in our province in Canada.  Moments like this can really help with a feeling of connection - and for classical players like us, it's really freeing to try to  play freely like this. Here's the link for the full episode, both podcast and video: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/e10-s1-aaron-schwebel-violinist photo credits: Bo Huang for Aaron and Curtis Perry for Leah --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/leah-roseman/message

In tandem to my conversation with Aaron, Episode 10 Season 1, as  part of my "Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman" series, he agreed to play this beautiful third movement from Bach's incredible Third Solo Sonata. Aaron Schwebel  currently holds the positions of Concertmaster with the National Ballet of Canada Orchestra and Associate Concertmaster with the Canadian Opera Company. Schwebel is a member of the LARK ensemble and Rosebud String Quartet, and is founder/artistic director of Echo Chamber Toronto, a series that merges chamber music and contemporary dance. We talk about his many and varied experiences, in terms of his development and his career. The original video versions of all of these episodes are here on my YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLYOGF0ZHOdI0236QiDT_SGzUdALNXW06z photo credit: Bo Huang --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/leah-roseman/message

ANALYTICS EDIT VIDEO I really enjoyed this conversation with the wonderful violinist Aaron Schwebel who spoke with a lot of insight about so many interesting and important topics (timestamps are listed below). Aaron  currently holds the positions of Concertmaster with the National Ballet of Canada Orchestra and Associate Concertmaster with the Canadian Opera Company. Schwebel is a member of the LARK ensemble and Rosebud String Quartet, and is founder/artistic director of Echo Chamber Toronto, a series that merges chamber music and contemporary dance. We talk about his many and varied experiences, in terms of his development and his career. In separate bonus episodes you can hear him play some solo Bach, and we also do a little improv back and forth across the Zoom platform.The original video version is linked here, soon with the transcript: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/e10-s1-aaron-schwebel-violinist Timestamps: (00:00) Intro and some of Aaron’s projects (02:53) love of string quartet playing, London Quartet Competition (10:53) effects of the pandemic shutdowns (13:59) Aaron’s way of practicing (15:13) role as Concertmaster (17:55) singing lessons (18:41) Muay Thai classes (20:00) musicians' lives: balancing work, social life (21:01) pandemic experience affecting priorities (24:44) amateur and professional musicians (27:24) summer music festivals Domaine Forget, NYO (29:43) keeping performances fresh, Nutcracker ballet (31:15) McGill University music program and Indiana University Bloomington Music (33:23) teaching photo credit: Bo Huang --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/leah-roseman/message