CAN SOMEONE GIVE ME AN A?: A Richmond Symphonicast: Recent Episodes
Richmond Symphony
Welcome to Richmond Symphony's very own podcast! (We know you're excited, but we insist you hold your applause for the end, please.) Join hosts Matt Gold, (Orchestra Librarian/sometimes-symphony-bass player) and Zoe Thomas (Patron Services Assistant) as they chat with special guests, react to fascinating pieces of music, and endeavor to make classical music fun and accessible! Each episode will provide a multi-faceted look at the goings-on of both the Richmond Symphony and the classical music scene as a whole. We look forward to bringing home everything that makes us feel so fortunate to say that we work for Richmond Symphony. Have feedback? We'd love to hear from you. Email us at podcast@richmondsymphony.com.
To celebrate the end of our first season, we are featuring our best guest yet…YOU!!! That's right, prepare yourself for the STREETCAST!
With nothing more than a 1/64-size violin, a whiteboard, and a few microphones, we set up shop in Carytown hoping to chat with passers-by about the wild world of symphonic music. And we couldn't be more thrilled with the results! We ended up chatting with six wonderful guests, who shared everything from their experience with classical music to their hot takes on Star Wars movies. And we are honored to report, all of them could name at least three composers! (win)
Highlights include:
- The debut of official "Can Someone Give Me An A?" hilarious hype-man: Monty Thomas (who is potentially Zoe's cousin)
- First-time reactions to Gustav Holst's "The Planets"
- The revelation of Matt's super secret favorite song (hint: it involves a 1997 box office hit...shhhhhhhhh!)
Thanks for hanging with us this season. We couldn't have done it without you :) Can't wait to talk your ears off again!
- Announcements:
- Giving Tuesday is November 30th! Support the Richmond Symphony by visiting www.richmondsymphony.com/givingtuesday OR text "SYMPHONY" to 50155
- Got a burning question? Email us at podcast@richmondsymphony.com with the subject line "Question of the Week" and we might answer your question in a future episode. (Please be sure to indicate if you are comfortable with your name being shared.) All questions welcome!
See ya next season! :) <3 B^) -Matt and Zoe
To celebrate the penultimate episode of our first season, we bring you a chat with Director and Conductor of the Richmond Symphony Chorus, Dr. Erin Freeman! Erin is also the Artistic Director of Wintergreen Music Festival, Directory of Choral Activities at VCU, and Resident Conductor of the Richmond Ballet. And yes, just to confirm, she is only one person with no magical powers (that we are aware of...).
Highlights include: a very nerdy discussion about overtones, a run-down of Erin's celebrity run-ins, and how to run a choir "zoomhearsal" when you can't actually hear anyone singing (...okay maybe Erin does have magical powers...)
And if you love contemporary composers, we have an INCREDIBLE piece of music to share with you this week: "Children of Adam" by Mason Bates (!!!) was commissioned for the Richmond Symphony in 2018 and is centered around "celebrations of creation" from sources ranging from poetry to sacred texts and chants. And while you CAN'T have the score and parts, you CAN score your very own CD of Richmond Symphony's GRAMMY-NOMINATED recording of this awesome new work.
"CAN SOMEONE GIVE ME A CONTEST?!"*
To enter, simply email podcast@richmondsymphony.com with Erin's favorite composer as revealed in the episode. First three people to submit the correct answer will win!
- Purchase single tickets and subscriptions here!
- Sign up for a RSSoM class.
- Check out Wintergreen Music Festival.
- More information on Mason Bates at www.masonbates.com
Got a burning classical music question? Email us at podcast@richmondsymphony.com with the subject line "Question of the Week" and we might answer your question in a future episode. (Please be sure to indicate if you are comfortable with your name being shared.) All questions welcome!
See ya next time!
-Matt and Zoe <3
TWO amazing episodes in the span of two weeks??? We are seriously on our game this month. And so is this week's guest, Principal Horn, DOMINIC ROTELLA! With previous gigs in Louisville, KY, Miami Beach, FL, and even Santiago, Chile, Dominic is basically an international rock star. Highlights include Dominic's takeaways from his recent visit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a spirited discussion of Fantasia 2000, and our favorite moments from Ottorino Respighi's EPIC "Pines of Rome".
- Become a Masterworks Subscriber and check our our Christmas in July Sale here!
- You can find Dominic on Facebook and YouTube by searching his name.
- Subscribe to Brass Legacy to catch Dominic's article.
Got a burning classical music question? Email us at podcast@richmondsymphony.com with the subject line "Question of the Week" and we might answer your question in a future episode. (Please be sure to indicate if you are comfortable with your name being shared.) All questions welcome!
See ya next time!
Folks, do we have a treat for y'all today or WHAT? The number 7 is said to be lucky, and we were very lucky indeed to snag an interview with none other than the trumpet queen herself, Mary Elizabeth Bowden! (Brass aficionados, you're welcome.) You MIGHT know Mary from her extensive solo career.....OR from her touring with the Kassia Ensemble....OR from her popular Instagram account, @marytrpt.....OR from.....(Okay, we'll stop now. You'll have to listen to the full episode to hear about her 3469873 other projects.)
Highlights include: a special performance from Mary's album Radiance, the number of trumpets and mouthpieces that can fit in a single tiny backpack, and a deep-dive into Rachmaninoff's "Symphonic Dances".
- Get more Mary at www.marybowden.com, on IG at @marytrpt, and on Facebook and YouTube at Mary Elizabeth Bowden.
- Celebrate the 4th with us at Crump Park this Sunday at Red White and Lights. No ticket required!
- Single tickets go on sale August 2nd. Keep an eye on our calendar for more info.
- Please enjoy this image of "Rock Mannenough".
Got a burning classical music question? Email us at podcast@richmondsymphony.com with the subject line "Question of the Week" and we might answer your question in a future episode. (Please be sure to indicate if you are comfortable with your name being shared.) All questions welcome!
See ya next time!
Howdy, Y'all! Did you miss us? Well, you're in luck because for the first time EVER we are coming to you IN-PERSON from the studio! And who better to kick off this new phase of the podcast than Richmond Symphony Principal Violist, Molly Sharp? In this episode, we hear from Molly about her various pet projects and spend some time hangin' with our good old friend Sergei Prokofiev via his prolific "Romeo and Juliet". Highlights include the real difference between violinists and violists, the truth about why no one liked Prokofiev in high school, and a killer fiddle joke. Yeehaw!
Got a burning classical music question? Email us at podcast@richmondsymphony.com with the subject line "Question of the Week" and we might answer your question in a future episode. (Please be sure to indicate if you are comfortable with your name being shared.) All questions welcome!
- Come hang with us during our Music Marathon! (Sat, June 5th, 2021)
- Keep an eye on our website for more info about our Summer Chamber Series.
- Sign up for a RSSoM Summer Semester class!
- Get more Molly at vlatutti.com and mollysharpcreates.com
Thoughts, feelings, opinions? Email us at podcast@richmondsymphony.com.
See ya next time!
Get ready for some seriously hot takes with Principal Trombone, Evan Williams. One of the newer members of the Symphony family, Evan has already established himself as an incredible asset. Whether it's playing in a Masterworks Concert, completing a 100-day challenge on his Instagram, or creating extra digital content for the Symphony, Evan always has something new he is working on. This episode also serves to shine a spotlight on one of Evan's favorite composers, Johannes Brahms, through his Symphony No. 4. in E minor. A dramatic "Question of the Week" leads to some hot takes on under and over-rated composers. Listen with caution...
Want to be featured on Question of the Week? Email us a question at podcast@richmondsymphony.com with the subject line "Question of the Week" and we might answer your question in a future episode. (Please be sure to indicate if you are comfortable with your name being shared.) All questions welcome!
- Click here for a full schedule of virtual Menuhin Competition events.
- Click here to view Menuhin Competition events virtually.
- Click here to purchase tickets to the in-person Menuhin Competition Celebration Concert.
- Follow Evan on his Instagram: @evanneeds2practice
Thoughts, feelings, opinions? Email us at podcast@richmondsymphony.com.
Matt and Zoe are joined by RSO Principal Flute, Mary Boodell, who has been playing with the Symphony for 30 years (!) Mary walks the duo through her musical beginnings, details why she loves playing in the RSO wind section, and gives an impromptu lesson on historical flutes. There might even be a spontaneous recording of Mary performing solo...This episode also highlights Vitezslava Kapralova's Suita Rustica, as performed by the Richmond Symphony in 2018.
Want to be featured on Question of the Week? Email us a question at podcast@richmondsymphony.com with the subject line "Question of the Week" and we might answer your question in a future episode. (Please be sure to indicate if you are comfortable with your name being shared.) All sorts of questions welcome!
- Masterworks 7: (In-Person and Watch from Home available!)
- Staunton Music Festival
- Chamber Music Society of Central Virginia
- Learn more about featured composer Vitezslava Kapralova on The Kapralova Society website.
Thoughts, feelings, opinions? Email us at podcast@richmondsymphony.com.
This week, Matt and Zoe are hangin’ with RSO staff member and self-avowed choir nerd Victoria Cottrell to chat about composer Reena Esmail’s “She Will Transform You”. If you’re a fellow fan of choral music, you’re going to LOVE this piece, which was commissioned by the Symphony in 2018. Afterwards, Matt challenges Zoe and Victoria to a few rounds of classic music trivia, brought to you by Treesa Gold and her acclaimed “Treesa Ruins Classical Music” class. Play along with us and see how many you get right!
- Tickets for Masterworks 7 (In-Person and Watch from Home available!)
- RSSoM Adult Classes
- 20/30 Group
- Neue Liebe, Mendelssohn
- Reena Esmail’s “When the Violin”, performed by Vijay Gupta
- You can find Reena Esmail at https://www.reenaesmail.com/
“Can Someone Give Me an A?!” now has an email! Please direct all feedback to podcast@richmondsymphony.com. We'd love to hear from you :)
Thank you so much to everyone who tuned in to our first episode last week. We are so grateful for all of your feedback.
In this episode, Matt and Zoe are back once again with guest Susanna Klein, professor of Violin at Virginia Commonwealth University and Section Violinist with the Richmond Symphony. Susanna shares her experience as a musician, teacher, researcher, writer, and “practice guru”. The team then takes a deep-dive into Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3, “Eroica” just in time for RSO’s upcoming Masterworks concert: Beethoven in Vienna. Highlights include what musicians can learn from sports psychology, the time Susanna broke her finger before her first recital, and how Beethoven would have saved files on his computer if he was alive today.
- A Night for Harmony (Tickets available until 8PM February 19th)
- Masterworks 6 and 7 (In-Person and Watch from Home available!)
- The Inner Game of Tennis, Timothy Gallwey
- "Beethoven the Businessman",
- "What Music Can Learn from Sports", Susanna Klein
- You can find Susanna and the Practizma Practice Journal at susannaklein.com and practizma.com or on Facebook and Instagram @practizma.
Let us know what you think! Email us a podcast@richmondsymphony.com.
Welcome to the premiere episode of CAN SOMEONE GIVE ME AN A?!: A Richmond Symphonicast.
Hosts Matt Gold and Zoe Thomas are joined by Richmond Symphony's own Principal Piano and Celeste, Russell Wilson, to discuss Undine Smith Moore's Scenes from the Life of a Martyr, the 16-part oratorio composed in 1981 to commemorate the life and death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Russell recalls his path to Richmond: from attending school in Memphis to working with Moore herself! Get to know Russell and explore the career of a composer and educator often referred to as the "Dean of Black Women Composers".
The trio also mention upcoming events at Richmond Symphony, including:
- A Night for Harmony: a virtual re-imagining of our annual gala
- Masterworks 5: Russian Treasures (tickets on sale now!)
- Richmond Symphony School of Music's Spring semester
An extra special shoutout to our Symphony marketing team who have been hard at work helping us promote and distribute the podcast!
DISCLAIMER: While the compositions discussed in the episode were written to commemorate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, this episode will focus primarily on the music itself and the composer. We will not be exploring Dr. King’s life or the Civil Rights movement in depth. We recognize that the life and death of Dr. King is a multifaceted and at times heavy subject. If you are interested in learning more about Dr. King, check out King in the Wilderness on HBO or click here for a reading list on Dr. King, compiled by the Martin Luther King Jr. Research and Education Institute at Stanford.
Let us know what you think! Podcast feedback can be directed to our email, podcast@richmondsymphony.com.