Josie Talks

Steven Schick, one of the "supreme living virtuosos" of our time, joins me in a conversation about his journey as a performer, teacher, and writer. Speaking in detail about his philosophy on music education, performance, and practice, he stresses the importance of embracing uncertainty, accepting the unknown, and harnessing it as a tool for constant exploration.

Thomas Morris, the former Artistic Director of the Ojai Music Festival, joins me to share his experiences in orchestral management and his passion for creative programming. Giving an insider's look at how festival productions and concert series are created from an artistic perspective, Mr. Morris champions the courage to think outside the box and highlights the importance of always playing music that comes from the soul.

Danny Clay joins me to talk about his passion for collaboration and teaching, exploring how both of these interests work to inspire his ever evolving art form as a composer. He discusses the importance of exploring artistic ideas, allowing creativity to become a dialogue between the composer and the musician, the possibilities for innovative performances inside the restrictions of Covid-19, and even tells the story of giving kids the opportunity to write their own opera libretto.

Kevin Sun, a fantastic pianist and alumni of both the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and Stanford University, sits with me to talk about his experiences as a scholar, a musician, and a medical student. He discusses his own journey of overcoming self doubt, his aspirations to integrate music and medicine, and the importance of realizing one's own priorities in life in order to begin a journey of self discovery.

Elaine Martone, a 5-time Grammy Award winner, joins me to talk about her journey from an oboe player to an award winning record producer. Navigating through her many adventures, she cites the importance of self confidence, the ability to dive into new experiences head on, and--the most important of all--having fun.

Amy Zanrosso joins me through video call to discuss her journey with music, her life transitioning from a musician in Canada to a musician in the US, as well as the ripple effects that Covid-19 has had on performing musicians as a whole.

Stefano Flavoni, a conductor, teacher, and scientist (only a few of his many talents) sits with me to talk about the struggles of balancing academics with music, and how developing a concrete process is crucial when trying to achieve the best results under a short amount of time, whether for music or any other passions.