Out of Rich Darkness

01/12/2022

🙏Thank you for listening and sharing and telling us what you think!

23/11/2022

Final episode of this very late season!! 🌲

Ralf Schmid is a pianist, arranger, composer, big band leader, and seeker of new sounds and techniques. We had a great conversation with him a whole year ago which is still well worth listening to! Some of our topics:

Spontaneous music-making in the family as a child
Reading the room
Switching roles between ‘captains’ and followers in an ensemble
Letting go of expectations to maintain artistic integrity
When technical things go wrong
Vulnerability as a performer
Developing his show Pyanook with 2 grand pianos on stage
Working with ensembles that improvise and use live electronics
His new piano concerto
Music as a mirror of our present reality
Creativity as a means of activism
Finding his message as a soloist

And check out his latest single release “soil music”…

Let us know what you think! Link in bio.

02/11/2022

Season 4, episode 2 is out today, and what a treat this conversation was!
 
Emma-Louise Jordan is a dancer and a choreographer. Originally from the UK, she studied classical dance in London at the Legat School of Russian ballet and at the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance. As a dancer, she toured Europe with the Midlands Dance Company and the Vienna Festival Ballet and danced in Germany with Ballet Schindowski in Gelsenkirchen, Tanzwerk Nürnberg, and Theater Dortmund, among others. In 1999, she joined the Theater Freiburg with Amanda Miller and the interdisciplinary ballet company Pretty Ugly. Her work as a director and choreographer is not only full of wit and charm but is also often deeply moving. Emma-Louise works with not just professionals but also amateurs: elderly people, teenagers, and people with and without disabilities. She truly has a gift for helping people express themselves, and we are incredibly lucky to call her our colleague at the Music University of Freiburg.
 
Our conversation took place on December 15th, 2021. Topics include:
 
* Emma’s start in the dance world
* Not getting into the Royal Ballet and how that changed her life for the better
* Discovering modern dance
* The association of classical music with perfect ballet technique
* “Functioning” as a dancer beyond the body’s capacity
* Learning how to channel her energy to her best use
* Working with non-professionals and their refreshing lack of baggage, how it is “almost more of a handicap to have this training”
* Connecting to breathing
* Gyrokinesis®: touching and resonating in the body
* Beginning to use her voice after finishing her dance career: movement becoming more creative by voicing things
* How she ‘tricks herself’ out of her own habits of creativity
* How she facilitates creativity for amateurs, tricking people out of being self-conscious
* Integrating music into dance
* Giving people security to allow for experimentation
* Keeping people in intense movement so they will stay in their bodies, not just in their heads
 
Link in bio or wherever you get your podcasts.

24/10/2022

And, without any warning whatsoever, we’re back!! Life happened and season 4 is coming to you nearly a year later. We think it was worth the wait, and our extraordinary colleagues featured in these three episodes have timeless gems of wisdom to impart. Okay, a few of the references will be dated, but you can just chuckle at our naïveté.

Our conversation with Johannes Schöllhorn, composer and professor of composition at the Music University of Freiburg, is at turns deeply philosophical, thought-provoking, and playful.

Johannes Schöllhorn is a prolific composer, a conductor of leading ensembles and orchestras around the world, and also a teacher. His many compositions include works for musical theater, orchestra, chamber music ensembles and solo players as well as original arrangements and instrumentations.

This conversation took place on November 8th, 2021, and we spoke to him about:

* His very first experience with music
* Being IN sound as opposed to listening TO it
* Creating special moments for the ear when viewing art
* What he would have done if he hadn’t become a musician
* Cultivating an “unconscious rhythm”
* The importance of dreams and being “out of time”
* Conceiving of art as a person
* Deep flaws in our music education system and why such a strong focus on the past is, in fact, a betrayal of the past
* Genius as a partner
* His interests outside of music including writing a book!

Link in bio or listen to Out of Rich Darkness wherever you get your podcasts.

13/10/2021

The last episode of the season is out!

is an amazing oboist, composer, and visionary educator who takes great joy in facilitating creativity and participation. She has won international recognition as a leading composer, creative director, performer and educational program consultant. She was a founding member of the Ensemble Modern Frankfurt.

In this episode, we talk about her fascinating work with professional and amateur musicians, her book Zukunft@BPhil, how improvising helps all performers, and prejudice—whether intentional or not—against female composers. And much much more!

Listen here: https://open.spotify.com/episode/47ljah7JEDcekjr6Fy7caW?si=z_4MlMlLQSqjFy1o_9MCsg&dl_branch=1

05/10/2021

We have to say, this is really a stellar season 💫

is an inspiration in every way. From his humility to his curiosity to his constant reinventing of his artistry and his role as a musician on the (sort-of) classical scene. ✨

In this episode, we talk about bringing music into the middle of our lives, crying in lessons, what interpretation really means and how to stay curious.

One of my favorite quotes: “There isn’t some higher being that knows everything there is to know about how to play Mozart or Beethoven and they will tell you and then you’ll do it and you’ll be perfect.”

Link in bio!

28/09/2021

We loved this conversation with .does.it and we know that so many people will get so much out of it too. ❤️

We talked about the not-straight-and-narrow path in music, how to make creativity a part of your everyday life, building a support network to help you thrive, and much more. 🌱

Erin Snell is an amazing, multifaceted, multitalented, and deeply empathetic person and it was great fun to talk to her.

Episode 3 available now wherever you get your podcasts!! 🎧

https://anchor.fm/outofrichdarkness

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6fKUiNSAV8dsCMU7Wht3nQ?si=-XFeMCDyQHGgct-HTNLPGA&dl_branch=1

20/09/2021

This episode has been in the cupboard for a reeeeeallly long time for reasons we went into in our first episode of the season, but we still think it's a fantastic listen. It was a pleasure discovering the fearless creator that is .

We talk about Steph’s latest album “Supersense,” her creative process, and how one of her goals is creating music that you can almost taste!
We also speak to Steph about concerts as spell-casting, which includes taking things into consideration like the temperature of the room. We discuss what can be learned from commercial music, why building a rich community is so essential, and the idea that “you are what you eat” as an artist.

We also talk about the best time for musicians to take risks and what risk-taking has to do with artistry. We explore the following questions: what does it mean to think past our own instruments? What can we learn from musicians who play other instruments, and what role can different materials play in our music-making?

This long-awaited episode drops tomorrow on all major podcast platforms, link in bio.

14/09/2021

…and we’re back!!

In this episode we talk about what we are currently thinking about and struggling with as the pandemic allows for more freedom. Are we trying to go back to how things were as fast as possible? Are we holding on to ideas just because they are familiar to us? Or are we consciously entering a new era and building musicals lives that allow us to thrive?

We also introduce our new podcast season. Our fascinating guests are all innovators in the music landscape, and we loved digging into the details of the paths they carved and how they are actively shaping the future of music.

What does your reboot look like? Leave us a message on Facebook or Instagram or you can leave us a voice message on Anchor (link in bio).

10/09/2021

It’s been a while. We’ve actually been going on with our podcast, but so far only our students have heard the interviews!

We’re excited about our new season, recorded a ridiculously long time ago, but hopefully worth waiting for. Drops on Monday on all your podcast platforms.

10/11/2020

In case you missed last night’s chat on adaptability and creativity, you can watch it again on our page. ☑️

We’ve also included links (in the comments) to some of the resources and performances we talked about. 🎶

And we’re working on a new season, coming 🔜 ! 🌳

09/11/2020

We speak to Philippa Allan of RealArts about adaptability, creativity, and strategies for this unprecedented era for music and musicians.

09/11/2020

Join our live chat on adaptability and creativity for musicians! Tonight at 20:30 CET with Philippa Allan on our page.

Link in bio!

14/09/2020

…and today we air part 2 of our conversation with the amazing Fabiana Biasini! In this episode, we talk about the health of being ‘only’ a musician and how to make a lasting change wherever you are.

This is our *final* episode of season 2 and we want to thank all the fantastic, inspiring people who have made this a journey and an education for us: , , , and Fabiana Biasini. We’ll be back as soon as our schedules allow and will continue to envision new ways of making music and sharing it.

In the meantime, let us know what you think- send us a message or post a comment. Who should we talk to next season? What change do YOU want to see in the music world?

Thank you all for listening and supporting us through our first 2 mini-seasons!

07/09/2020

Fabiana Biasini is one of my () oldest and closest friends. We met in 1997 (1996? Who knows… it was all so long ago!) in New York, and she ended up making a brilliant last-minute appearance with me at a competition I had entered. Typical me, I asked a pianist from Juilliard whether he could accompany me for the 1st round and didn’t bother asking him about his availability for the 2nd round because I didn’t think I’d make it. Well, I did, and he wasn’t available. Enter Fabiana Biasini, amazing woman of many talents, who learned the piano reduction of Prokofiev Sinfonia Concertante overnight and helped me win the competition!

Given her ability to process such a huge piece in such a short time, it’s amazing and yet not surprising that she later became a specialist for learning and development, first at FAO and then for UNICEF, where she has been working since 2017.

In this week’s episode, we talk to her about her choices in life, making a positive impact in the world, and why we don’t improvise as classical musicians. This is part one of our 2-part conversation. Link in bio!

31/08/2020

Curious about this "Renaissance" picture? In today's episode, artist Stella Whalley talks about how it was conceived during a residency she organized for her university art students in Italy.

25/08/2020

talks about how to go on when it seems like everything is lying in ruins. I think we can all relate to this feeling right now. Stella’s approach is inspiring and valuable to anyone who is feeling devastated or helpless.

Listen to our conversation with her anywhere you get your podcasts.

25/08/2020

Where do you begin when everything has been destroyed? Timely advice from artist Stella Whalley in an age where everything feels apocalyptic. Let's remember, though, the original meaning of apocalypse is 'unveiling.' What will this crisis unveil through you?

24/08/2020

Artist Stella Whalley talks to us about being open to criticism and the importance of feedback in order to create vibrant, relevant art. New episode out today!

17/08/2020

Who's afraid of big bad failures? Not Stella Whalley. In this inspiring conversation, she shares with us how you use everything that comes into your life to create, and even how to spring back from devastation. Full episode (part 1) available today!

15/08/2020

Stella Whalley talks about how to change the conversation with your art - basically, how to get out of your head and get back to the basics of communication with your audience. We're really excited about this next conversation with Stella. Her episode will be out next Monday, 17 August.

14/08/2020

Reposting this because, if you haven't listened to this episode yet, you should ;) Not because we loved making it, not because we feel good when people listen, but because has such important things to say here (and because he has such an awesome voice, it's just fun to listen to him speak).

14/08/2020

Reposting this because, if you haven't listened to this episode yet, you should ;) Not because we loved making it, not because we feel good when people listen, but because Jason has such important things to say here (and because he has such an awesome voice, it's just fun to listen to him speak).

11/08/2020

Are we undernourishing classical music by playing it safe and favoring the same old same old? Let's shake things up! Listen to Jason Alexander Holmes, director of the Cincinnati Boychoir, in this episode about cultural diversity and the community aspect of music wherever you get your podcasts.

10/08/2020

"What am I afraid of?" Jason Alexander Holmes, artistic director of the Cincinnati Boychoir, shares his thoughts on programming to reflect the cultural diversity of our students. Listen to the full episode today wherever you get your podcasts!

07/08/2020

Jason Alexander Holmes, artistic director of the Cincinnati Boychoir, talks about how everyone needs community to survive. We loved this honest conversation with him and are so grateful to him for his openness and willingness to share his experiences. The first part of Camille Savage-Kroll's interview with him will be out on Monday 10 August wherever you get your podcasts.

06/08/2020

We are a little bit in love with our second season of podcasting and Jason Alexander Holmes is one of the reasons for that. He's the director of the Cincinnati Boychoir and a truly innovative thinker in the field of music education. He talks to Camille Savage-Kroll next Monday about finding your community, connecting to people, planning adventurous programming, and much more. Watch for our next episode on Monday, August 10th. It's a joy to listen to him speak.

04/08/2020

Climate change affects everyone, musicians too. In our first episode of the season, we spoke to Anne-Therese Gennari about our roles as individuals. She's giving a free climate optimist class starting this week and you can sign up here: https://buff.ly/318eB1R Listen to the full episode on all major podcast platforms.

03/08/2020

In the first episode of our 2nd season, our guest Anne-Therese Gennari talks about doing things differently to create change in any industry. She's about to start teaching her climate optimist class - a must for anyone seeking the balance between activism and self-care. What does this have to do with your life as a musician? Listen and find out!
https://buff.ly/318eB1R

03/08/2020

Our new season is here! A new episode every Monday starting today.

01/08/2020

For our 2nd season kicking off on Monday 3 August, we’ve brought in some help in the form of experts from different fields ranging from environmental activism to visual arts who can help us see where our blind spots might be and inspire us to dream bigger.

Our first conversation with Anne Therese Gennari was inspiring and fascinating. She began her career as a fashion model in New York City and then founded Role Model Management, an agency for models that puts ethics, sustainability, and social justice at the core of its business. She describes herself as a climate optimist and will soon be launching her online Climate Optimist class, a must for anyone struggling to balance activism with self-care. https://buff.ly/318eB1R

We talked about how to create change from within any industry, how to think about activism in an empowering way, and what music means in the context of envisioning a new world. We couldn’t be more thrilled to be starting our second season with this amazing young woman.

23/07/2020

Is this you?

It’s certainly us.

We’ve decided to ask some really amazing people from all walks of life to talk to us about revolutionizing our world: where and how we perform and for whom, the way we think about diversity and inclusion, the way we learn, the way we create, the way we treat ourselves, our fellow humans, our planet, the way forward on the other side of this.

We are SUPER excited about this series, season 2. Coming very soon.

22/06/2020

We haven’t disappeared! But we are being swept up by life again, which has made it: a) impossible to create new episodes for the moment and b) all the more essential to slow down and listen to my own () very favorite podcast, Slo Mo.

These last 2 episodes with Dr. Dan Siegel in particular have been completely mind-blowing and inspiring as we plan our next season in which we will be interviewing experts from other fields to find out how we musicians can better serve our listeners, our planet, and ourselves.

23/05/2020

New episode out! What makes up a three-dimensioned life as a musician/artist in these times?

11/05/2020

We’ve discovered that the key to keeping that spark alive for making music lies in the memories we have of our first experiences with music. We’d love to hear about yours for an upcoming episode. Please send us a voice message - you can do so on anchor: https://anchor.fm/outofrichdarkness

09/05/2020

...and now, finally, also on iTunes and Spotify!! Apparently distribution was delayed because they couldn’t figure out whether our homemade music was copyright-free...

02/05/2020

Our 2nd episode is out! We reflect on our first full week of online university teaching and talk about stillness and deep listening. We also invite you to participate in an activity... will you join us? Link in bio.

02/05/2020

Presenting episode 2!

This week we explore the surprises and frustrations of online teaching in a pandemic.

If you accept the challenge at the end at the end of the episode, we would love to hear your thoughts!

This episode explores the surprises and challenges that come with teaching online in a pandemic.

26/04/2020

Yes, we’ve started teaching online. It has brought both unexpected difficulties and joys. We’ll be talking about lessons learned in our next episode, coming soon.