We chat with violinist and arts activist Laura Colgate! As colleagues in the Washington, DC freelance scene, we’ve seen Laura enjoy a versatile career as a chamber and orchestral musician, soloist, educator, curator, activist, and innovator. Not only does she serve as the Concertmaster of the National Philharmonic, she is the founder of the ground-breaking Boulanger Initiative which champions the work of women and non-binary composers, AND she works with young entrepreneurs who are making their own way in the arts. In this conversation, we talk about the role of the Concertmaster, why U.S. orchestra members are stuck in their seats and how a potentially career-ending injury became a blessing in disguise!

Mentioned in this episode:

**Laura Colgate, Violin

https://www.lauracolgateviolin.com/

Boulanger Initiative:**

https://www.boulangerinitiative.org/ **Boulanger Initiative Shop (for Women Composer Alphabet Posters, Companion Booklets and more!)

https://www.etsy.com/shop/BoulangerInitiative**

University of MD

http://innovation.umd.edu/ **The Adventure Challenge

https://www.theadventurechallenge.com/

The Trojan Horse Affair

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/761/the-trojan-horse-affair**

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