After our winter hiatus, Maestro’s On Air is back with the first episode of Season 2, and includes discussion of our recent Three Kings concert and a look at the few performances left before next year’s calendar is announced.
Back in the Saddle
Afternoon on the Internet
This time on the show we sit down with Yaniv Cohen, named earlier this year as Personnel Director for the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra.
In addition to that key position, he also teaches, performs and maintains a business as a luthier specializing in heritage American-made instruments.
International Man of Music
This week in Maestro’s Café we welcome an international musician who has performed and lived on multiple continents. Born in Ecuador and residing in Madrid, Spain, Francisco Villa grew up on the Space Coast, learning to play Cello in Florida and graduating from Eau Galle High School.
Francisco is back in Brevard for the month of August for multiple events, including teaching a master class for local high school cello students, and a duet performance of Schumann’s Fantasy Pieces Op. 73.
Listen to this episode for Francisco’s take on music education, and cultural differences among concert attendees around the world.
Dixieland Slide Kazoo
For the first time this week in the Café we get a chance to speak with Colleen Lee, who in addition to professing some affiliation with one of our hosts, also manages much of the day to day operations of the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra.
Café du Visual Arts
This week in the Café, we’d have asked our guests if they’d like to check in, but remembered that they’d always been here.
Or at least their art has been hanging on the wall. Another precedent is broken as we focus on the visual arts.
Marion Speake, in addition to working in the Café, primarily paints abstract still-life in vibrant colored acrylic or charcoal drawing.
Maria Rachiele is the creative behind Doodle Dog Studio specializing in life-size and realistic paintings of dogs and other commissioned works featuring pets of the client.
See Maria’s work at www.LiveFreeArtStudio.com or Marion’s work at www.DoodleDogStudio.com, and make sure to peruse their art on the wall next time you visit Maestro’s Café.
Ah-One, Ah-Two
Don Staples playing Trombone on
The Lawrence Welk Show
This week in the Café we have as our special guest Don Staples who, among other things, was part of the Lawrence Welk Show, from when it first went color until it stopped production in 1982, including a long stint as Principal Trombonist.
The Temp Track
Maestro's On Air #26 – Michael Fee
Michael Fee, SCSO Principal Trumpet
The week's show features Aaron Collins' interview with Michael Fee, Principal Trumpet player for the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra.
Also, with summer in full swing, many are taking some time off. We caught Jeff Thompson on vacation from his job of Director of Library Services, yet still patronizing Maestro's Café.
Of course we grabbed an extra microphone and forced him to sit with us and provide a few foreshadowing tidbits about his alter ego as a documentarian.
We look forward to having Jeff back on a future episode for the entire hour.
Citizen Lee
Eric Lee and his Tuba
A great honor is bestowed as Eric Lee is named Resident of the Month by The Beachside Resident magazine.
Our guest for the hour is writer Nataleigh Palmer who takes the helm and turns the tables on Eric to interview him for his upcoming feature in the July issue, available at more than 300 locations in Brevard county or at www.TheBeachsideResident.com.
It's All About That Bass
Bob Gloppen playing the Big Band Bash
There's no stoppin' Bob Gloppen and he illustrates this point through tales of overcoming lost luggage containing his instrument for that night’s gig, the intricacies of European driving regulations during the Cold War, and what to do when locked out of a radio station in downtown Chicago at 7:00 on a cold winter morning.
Who is Bob Gloppen, you ask? He’s a professional musician from Chicago, one of Eric Lee’s longest-standing friends, and if you were at last weekend’s Big Band Bash, you would have seen his guest performance on bass guitar.
Unfortunately Bill Trudeau was under the weather. Still, Eric, Bob and Jeremy pressed-on and discussed last weekend’s concerts of the Space Coast Symphony Jazz Orchestra, played a few clips, and even managed to get in a tutorial on good bass amp technique before the research department unveiled it’s discovery of a relic from the 1980s.
Also, we announced the newest winner of the First Friday Fizz Quizz and discussed pending concerts, including the upcoming patriotic (and FREE, get your tickets before they are gone) America the Beautiful concerts.
Music at the Watering Hole
Michele Campanelli
Maestro's On Air 23 - Michele Campanelli
It's a feast of mutual adoration today in the Café as we are joined by our biggest fan. Plus, another precedent is broken by having the subject of Aaron Collins’ interview as our guest for the entire hour.
Michele Campanelli is a writer first published in the best selling series Chicken Soup for the Soul, and whose many works span genres from Science Fiction, to Children’s books, to somewhat more adult fare.
Locally, Michele is also known as an operatic and choral singer and has performed with the SCSO. She has much to say about upcoming events, as well as her thoughts on various styles of singing, plus teaching and learning to sing, and reveals a special offer.
Click to see Michele's first children's book, "Music at the Watering Hole" on Amazon.com.
Also, it’s time again for the First Friday Fizz Quiz. Submit your answers by midnight Sunday for a chance to win symphony tickets and be sure to check out the answers next week at .
Also, it’s time again for the First Friday Fizz Quiz. Submit your answers by midnight Sunday for a chance to win symphony tickets and be sure to check out the answers next week at Encore.
Money Back Guarantee
Maestro's On Air 22 - Jennifer Royals
Jennifer Royals, SCSO Principal Clarinetist
This week in the Café we welcome Jennifer Royals, an original member and principal clarinetist of the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra.
Over the hour the discussion ranges from retrospective of various clarinet solos and features, to Bill’s acknowledgment of the discovery of fire, and a look ahead at the upcoming season.
Be sure to check out Encore to see links to items referenced in the show.
Welcome to the Thunderdome
Adam Lydon
Maestro's On Air 21 - Adam Lydon
Recorded at the Riverhouse, SCSO's headquarters, Aaron Collins interviews Adam Lydon about his growth as a musician and composer. Key in the discussion is the pending world premier of Adam's piece EARTHSCAPE, to be performed by the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra during the season's final concert weekend.
Plus Aaron, Eric, Bill and Jeremy preview other items on the agenda for the upcoming Earth Odyssey concerts, including a performance of Also Sprach Zarathustra in its entirety.
And at long last, the unofficial Maestro's On Air position regarding Deflate-gate.
From Sea to Shining Sead
Dr. Pat Hennessey, Conducting in Hawaii
Maestro's On Air 20 - Dr. Pat Hennessey
This week in the Café we spend time getting to know Dr. Pat Hennessey, trombonist and new Director of the Space Coast Symphony Jazz Orchestra. In addition to his affiliation with the SCSO, he is Director of Jazz Studies at Stetson University.
Over the hour Dr. Hennessey shares much from his life as a professional trombonist and instructor. His career spans multiple states, from a start in New Orleans, to a stint in the LA music scene plus many years at the center of music and culture in Hawaii, and includes stories of playing with some of the most famous musicians and singers of the last few decades.
The Largest of the Bunch
Maestro's On Air 19, Barbara Hoffman.
International Tuba Day has come and gone, but we've still been celebrating all week.
Barbara Hoffman, Executive Director
Cultural Council of Indian River County
The show features Aaron Collins' discussion with Barbara Hoffman, Executive Director of the Cultural Council of Indian River County.
Plus, we uncork the questions, answers and winner of the inagural First Friday Fizz Quiz.
To Thine Own Self Be True
Maestro’s On Air 18, Cathryn Leasure.
Cathryn Leasure on Trombone
Another special guest musician joins us in the Café this week. This time, it’s someone from SCSO’s own origin story. Cathryn Leasure tells her side of the story surrounding the conversation spawning creation of the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra, and why she soon agreed with Eric that Aaron Collins, “was their guy”.
Plus, Cathryn talks about taking music lessons while growing up, participating in UK Brass Bands and a number of other interesting stories.
Also, included are two music pieces from the SCSO’s last performance of Carmen. Thanks again to Andy Allen for use of his excellent recordings.
Check out bonus content at www.MaestrosOnAir.com/Encore.
Introducing Encore!
Encore! is a new place for extra material referenced during our primary podcast, Maestro's On Air, bonus content and special announcements by the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra.
Our first installment starts with as big a topic as we can imagine. On the heels of our special announcement of the SCSO 2015 - 2016 season, we bring you a special event.
With over an hour of discussion and music, we hear directly from the Space Coast Symphony Orchestra's Artistic Director, Aaron Collins, as he discusses what is in store for the symphony's seventh and most ambitious season yet.
Aaron is joined for the hour with special guests from the symphony, principal clarinetist Jennifer Royals, plus Director of Communications Bill Trudeau.
Listen in by clicking on the image to the right, or save the direct link:
Dirt and Trees, Water in the Middle
We’re back in the Café this week, and Eric Lee fills us in on some of his many adventures while out of state. Also featured is an interview with Eric’s friend Mike Grose. Mike has been cataloging a series of interviews dedicated to highlighting the pedagogy and professional stature of longtime Chicago Symphony principal tubist, Arnold Jacobs. Mike get’s to add an interview of one more of Dr. Jacobs’ students, our own Eric Lee.
Also featured is a discussion of SCSO’s new Symphony for Good campaign, plus a recording of Gabriel’s Oboe, performed at the recent concert in Viera. Thanks again to Andy Allen for use of his excellent recording.
Mike Grose and Eric Lee
Oboist Kristin Naigus featured with SCSO
Oboe, You Did It Again!
Maestro's On Air 16, Chuck McGee
Chuck McGee, oboist
With Eric Lee on the road again, we took our cups of coffee over to the River House for a discussion with Aaron Collins regarding the upcoming performance of Carmen.
Also featured is Aaron’s interview with Chuck McGee, an excellent oboist and member of the SCSO discussing the path leading to a career in music, plus music education and the challenges of different types of music.
Included partially in this show, thanks to Andy Allen for his recording of SCSO's performance of Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony.
Plus there were a few announcements, and we tried unsuccessfully to extract details of the upcoming symphony season from Aaron...
Alas, that will have to wait for a future episode.
Make Up Your Mind!
Maestro's On Air 15, Kevin Cline.
This week everyone is back in town and we've returned to Maestro's Café for the good eats, free parking, and a reunion of sorts...
Eric's good friend of more than three decades, Kevin Cline (the musician, not the actor) is in town and took the opportunity to come by Maestro's to discuss what Eric was like in college, Chicago's local bar and restaurant scene, as well as what it's like to play in the "Blooze Brothers" tribute band.
He also has a new CD full of great jazz music, including 4 tracks featuring flugelhorn legend, Bobby Shew.
Today's show has music passages from Kevin's new CD, as well as last weekend's performances of the all-star quartet (featuring Daniel Askerov) and the SCSO playing Tchaik 5, plus a final end of show send-off of the Spizzwinks.
Kevin Cline
An Hour With Askerov
Maestro's On Air 14, Daniel Askerov
In this special episode recorded at the SCSO headquarters in Cocoa, Florida, host Bill Trudeau and Artistic Director Aaron Collins spend the hour with visiting Israeli violinist, Daniel Askerov. The show concludes with a live performance.
Hear more of Daniel when he plays with the SCSO March 21 & 22 for two performances of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony Number 5.
Daniel Askerov