Musici Chats: Recent Episodes
Musici Ireland/Beth McNinch
Musici Chats is the podcast of Irish Chamber Ensemble Musici Ireland (www.musici.ie) where Artistic Director Beth McNinch chats to well known Artists from throughout the sector about their jobs and what the future of live performance might be post Covid-19.Guests include musicians, comedians, directors, actors, designers,dancers,crew, stunt artists and many more!
In this last episode of series 2, I was absolutely thrilled to talk to these two wonderful women who have accomplished so much, both individually as violinists and also together with their business "Intermission" which combines Yoga, breathing & mindfulness with Music.
We had a fabulous chat about music education, the Benedetti Sessions and Melissa's Harlem String Quartet performing with the legendary Chick Corea and at the White House to President Obama. We also talked at length about race within the classical music world and how important it is for young people to see themselves represented on stage.
I do hope you enjoy this episode as much as I did making it!
Thanks for your continued support, be sure to subscribe wherever you normally listen so you don't miss series 3 as soon as it arrives in a few weeks time.
Beth x
My guest this week is the British composer Deborah Pritchard. We had a wonderful chat about her synasthesia, which is where sound involuntarily evokes an experience of colour and how she has utilised that in her work and the gorgeous artwork that often accompanies her compositions.
Here is a link to her piece for solo violin "Inside Colour" that we discuss and I highly recommend having a look!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk0NzyzccdU&feature=youtu.be
You can also see some of her visulisations and music maps on the Musici Ireland Facebook and Instagram pages.
Musici Chats is presented by Beth McNinch:
Freelance violist living in Ireland.
Artistic Director of Musici Ireland
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website
http://musici.ie/
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!
My guest today is Greek Opera Director Rodula Gaitanou. We talk about early musical influences, her memories of Wexford Festival Opera and how becoming a parent changes your focus.
I do hope you enjoy this chat!
Musici Chats is presented by Beth McNinch:
Freelance violist living in Ireland.
Artistic Director of Musici Ireland
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website http://musici.ie/
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!
My guest today is the wonderful Cellist Guy Johnston. I am delighted to share this insightful conversation we had about Life, Music and the future. I must thank Guy for being so warm and open with me, this was a really special chat!
We talked about Guys brother Rupert and the charity
https://www.thedtgroup.org/brain-injury
through that the Eyes Alight branch, which was set up by Guys' sister Izzy Judd
Musici Chats is presented by Beth McNinch:
Freelance violist living in Ireland.
Artistic Director of Musici Ireland
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website http://musici.ie/
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!
My guest this week is Sound Engineer Vinny Osborne. He works for Ireland's busy amateur Musical Theatre Scene. Having started his move into the theatre by touring with Riverdance for 5 years, he has enjoyed a busy and varied career since.
You can find out more about Vinny at http://www.soundandmusicco.ie/
Musici Chats is presented by Beth McNinch:
Freelance violist living in Ireland.
Artistic Director of Musici Ireland
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website http://musici.ie/
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!
This week I talk to Lucy Medlycott about the Circus and Street Arts area and how we could all do to look at how they use outdoor spaces to perform as we move forwards.
This was such an interesting and informative chat for me as it is an area I really know nothing about! As the co-founder of the Irish Street Art, Circus and Spectacle Network (ISACS) Lucy was a fountain of knowledge and wonderful positivity!
Musici Chats is presented by Beth McNinch:
Freelance violist living in Ireland.
Artistic Director of www.musici.ie
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website www.musici.ie
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!
It was such a thrill to be able to talk to Leanne Cope about being a ballerina at Covent Garden, being chosen to star in Broadway Hit "An American in Paris", getting to meet with Leslie Caron and being nominated for a Tony Award...Phew! And then there is the incredibly romantic story of her engagement to fellow Ballet Dancer Paul Kay, this one is a very enjoyable listen indeed!
Musici Chats is presented by Beth McNinch:
Freelance violist living in Ireland.
Artistic Director of www.musici.ie
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website www.musici.ie
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!
My guest to day is Production Manager Peter Jordan. We had a great conversation about safety in the Arts going forward and what it means to be a production manager. Peter has experience in this role with Macnas, the Dublin St Patrick's Day Parade, Irish National Opera and many more.
He also made a pretty strong bid for Husband of the year near the end of this chat!
Musici Chats is presented by Beth McNinch:
Freelance violist living in Ireland.
Artistic Director of www.musici.ie
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website www.musici.ie
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!
My guest today is Vourneen Ryan, Flautist and Performance Psychologist. We have a lovely chat about our time at the Guildhall School Of Music and Drama and Vourneen talks to me about different techniques performers of all ages can adopt to help them perform better and feel more confident.
We also discuss teaching with these techniques in mind. Truly a very informative discussion!
Vourneen suggests some resources in our chat...here they are:
Books -
Tim Ferris - Tools of Titans
The Balanced Musician: Integrating Mind and Body for Peak Performance
by . Lesley Sisterhen Mcallister
Podcasts
Happy Place - Fearne Cotton
How to Fail - Elizabeth Day
Unlocking us - Brene Brown
Esther Perel - How's Work
Super Soul Conversations - Oprah Winfrey
Blog - www.bulletproofmusician.com
Caroline Goyder - Voice Coach - anything by her - podcasts and books
Musici Chats is presented by Beth McNinch:
Freelance violist living in Ireland.
Artistic Director of www.musici.ie
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website www.musici.ie
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!
Musici Chats is presented by Beth McNinch:
Freelance violist living in Ireland.
Artistic Director of www.musici.ie
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website www.musici.ie
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!
Tom Creed-Opera and Theatre Director
Opera and music theatre productions include The Tales of Hoffmann with Irish National Opera, Owen Wingravewith the Opéra national de Paris and Opera Collective Ireland, Irish tours of Acis and Galatea, The Human Voiceand Susanna’s Secretfor Opera Theatre Company, Mavraand The Bearwith the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and Die Zauberflöte, Suor Angelica, Mavra and Renard with the Royal Irish Academy of Music.
World premieres of new work include The Hungerby Donnacha Dennehy at Opera Theatre of St Louis and the BAM Next Wave Festival in New York, Private View by Annelies van Parys, produced by Muziektheater Transparant
Private Viewwas awarded the FEDORA Rolf Liebermann Prize for Opera in 2014, Best Production at the Armel Opera Festival in Budapest in 2015, and was named by Music Theatre NOW 2015 as one of 14 notable productions “which are aesthetically innovative and reflect new developments in this genre” .
He was an Opera Hub associate artist of Opera Theatre Company in Dublin from 2015 to 2017.He directed Vivaldi’s Griseldawith Irish National Opera in Autumn 2019 and is developing a new opera with composer Michael Gallen for premiere in France and Ireland in 2021.
Theatre
His extensive work as a theatre director includes productions with the Abbey Theatre, Gate Theatre, Rough Magic, Playgroup (which he co-founded in 2003) and a range of independent Irish companies, which have played in Ireland, the UK, Europe, the USA and Australia. He was nominated for Best Director at the Irish Times Theatre Awards in 2007.
His productions of Wattby Samuel Beckett with acclaimed Irish actor Barry McGovern has been presented at the Dublin Theatre Festival, Galway Arts Festival, Edinburgh International Festival, Perth International Festival, Melbourne International Arts Festival, the Barbican Centre in London, the Public Theatre in New York and on tour in the USA.
Tom is a member of the steering group of the National Campaign for the Arts
I was delighted to be able to chat with Gareth Reynolds this week. He and fellow comedian Dave Anthony are responsible for the hilarious and informative American History Podcast "The Dollop".
We talked about Comedy as a career, the state of things in America and his famous cat Jose
Enjoy!
Musici Chats is presented by Beth McNinch:
Freelance violist living in Ireland.
Artistic Director of www.musici.ie
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website www.musici.ie
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!
My guest this week is the wonderful clarinetist Berginald Rash. Originally from America, he now lives in Ireland and performs all over Europe in both a Chamber music and Orchestral capacity. He is a member of the Chineke! Orchestra and I was very grateful to Berginald for providing the opportunity for me to find out more about how we can support diversity in Classical Music, something that will take every one of us to make positive change.
You can find out more about his various projects at
www.berginaldrash.com
Musici Chats is presented by Beth McNinch:
Freelance violist living in Ireland.
Artistic Director of www.musici.ie
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website www.musici.ie
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!
My guest today is Ireland's leading stuntwoman Eimear O'Grady.
She has appeared in The Tudors, Vikings, Penny Dreadful, Moth Diaries, Ripper Street and
Into the Badlands.
She was Stunt Co-Ordinator for Normal People and Resistance.
She is currently President of Stunt Guild Ireland
Musici Chats is presented by Beth McNinch:
Freelance violist living in Ireland.
Artistic Director of www.musici.ie
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website www.musici.ie
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!
My guest today is the wonderful pianist Ruth McGinley. In 1994 she shot to stardom as winner of the piano final of the BBC Young Musician of the Year Competition. This led to a successful playing career but also to uncertainty in her early 20s. She escaped an abusive relationship and overcame addiction to return to her playing. Mental health is a subject close to her heart and in this personal chat we discuss how being a performer can sometimes lead to problems on and offstage.
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Musici Chats is presented by Beth McNinch:
Freelance violist living in Ireland.
Artistic Director of www.musici.ie
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website www.musici.ie
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!
My guest today is Melanie Carmichael. She is a costume supervisor for Film and TV including Game of Thrones, Carnival Row, Krypton and the Wheel of Time.
Recorded on 3rd June 2020
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Musici Chats is presented by Beth McNinch:
Freelance violist living in Ireland.
Artistic Director of Musici Ireland
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website www.musici.ie
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!
My guest today is Jerry Fish; renowned as much for his showmanship as he is for his music. He's a carnival creator, circus ringmaster - singer, songwriter and poet.
Spawned from his Electric Picnic shows which became so popular that they gave him his very own stage "Wherever Jerry Fish goes, the circus is not far behind," he says. "It's a monster, but I love that whole fraternity. My motto is 'unity through diversity'. In a circus, everyone mucks in.”
Recorded on 1st June 2020
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!
Musici Chats is presented by Beth McNinch:
Freelance violist living in Ireland.
Artistic Director of Musici Ireland
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website www.musici.ie
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!
My guest today is American Conductor Timothy Myers. We talk about how America is dealing with the Coronavirus pandemic and how the Arts might come out of this stromger than ever.
Recorded on 15th June 2020
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Musici Chats is presented by Beth McNinch:
Freelance violist living in Ireland.
Artistic Director of Musici Ireland
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website www.musici.ie
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!
My Guest today is Actress/Singer Zoë Rainey who I met while working on the Musical Noël, written by Eoin Colfer and Liam Bates.
Zoë's stage credits include; Lois in Kiss Me, Kate for Opera North & Welsh National Opera, Milo Davenport in An American in Paris at the Dominion Theatre, The Winter's Tale and Romeo & Juliet, both directed by Kenneth Branagh at the Garrick Theatre, She Stoops To Conquer at the National Theatre, Guys and Dolls and Parade both at the Donmar Warehouse.
Recent film credits include Mr Holmes for Bill Condon and Walt Disney's live action remakes of Cinderella and Beauty & the Beast, directed by Kenneth Branagh and Bill Condon respectively.
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!
Musici Chats is presented by Beth McNinch:
Freelance violist living in Ireland.
Artistic Director of Musici Ireland
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website www.musici.ie
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!
My guest today is Clarinet and Bass Clarinetist Deirdre O'Leary. We talk about the recent National Campaign for the Arts 13 point proposal for the Survival and Recovery of the Irish Arts Sector. We also talk about what it is like living in Cloughjordan Eco Village and being a volunteer with Extinction Rebellion.
See the full report at www.ncfa.ie
Recorded on 28th May 2020
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!
Musici Chats is presented by Beth McNinch:
Freelance violist living in Ireland.
Artistic Director of Musici Ireland
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website www.musici.ie
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!
My guest this week is Classical Music Photographer Fran Marshall.
Recorded on 2nd June 2020 or #blackouttuesday we discuss the protests in America and the importance of white people speaking up in support of Black issues. We also discuss Fran's job as photographer to some of the biggest names in the Arts world. Find out more about her at https://marshalllightstudio.com/
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!
Musici Chats is presented by Beth McNinch:
Freelance violist living in Ireland.
Artistic Director of Musici Ireland
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website www.musici.ie
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!
In this episode I talk to Producer/Director Michael Beddoes and Scriptwriter Amy Clarke about the film and TV industry.
PLEASE SUBSCRIBE!
Musici Chat is presented by Beth McNinch:
Freelance violist living in Ireland.
Artistic Director of Musici Ireland
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website www.musici.ie
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!
Welcome to Musici Chats! My first chat is with the World Renowned Violinist Helena Wood. We recorded this at the beginning of Lockdown in 2020 and Helena was exploring becoming an Interior Designer. We discuss this transition alongside music, violin and family.
If you want to contact Helena for a violin lesson please email her on helenawoodviolin@gmail.com
To find out more about Musici Ireland please visit our website www.musici.ie
Be sure to Subscribe and tell all you friends about us!!