Alisa Rose on Creativity, Body Awareness & Her Duo Album "Speranza" with Tristan Scroggins
Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman
05/05/25
•54m
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Alisa Rose is a multi-style violinist and fiddler, composer and educator, and in this episode we’re shining a light on her wonderful new album with mandolinist Tristan Scroggins, Speranza. You’ll hear about how she found her way to such an interesting and diverse career from learning Old-Time music from retired farmers in Wisconsin as a child to classical training with the legendary Camilla Wicks at the San Francisco Conservatory, where she’s come full circle as a teacher. Alisa shared wonderful insights into teaching music, including body awareness and using creativity prompts in her improvisation classes. She shared powerful experiences from her tour in Eastern Europe as an Ambassador of the State Department, and advice about the benefits of organizing house concerts. Like all my episodes, you can watch this on my YouTube channel or listen to the podcast on many podcast platforms, and I’ve also linked the transcript to my website . Speranza album
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Other episodes you'll like: Brittany Haas
Joe K. Walsh Guy Donis Gina Burgess Tracy Silverman
Timestamps
(00:00) Intro
(02:02) duo with mandolinist Tristran Scroggins
(06:29) baritone violin, composing Reaper
(09:41) clip from Reaper
(10:50) writing Space Samba, with clip
(13:22) childhood Suzuki and Old Time
(17:33) Camilla Wicks
(20:19)Fiddle and Pizzicato Caprices
(22:02) live performance of Alisa’s Percussion Caprice
(25:49) other episodes you’ll like and how to support this series
(26:44) reducing tension, teaching improv
(32:37) writing Klezmer-style Lasso the Squirrel with clip
(34:27) different styles, Bettina Mussumeli
(35:37) Real Vocal string quartet, Eastern European tour
(43:09) Grammy nomination, other collaborations
(44:47) balancing parenting and performing, house concert opportunities
(46:40) clip of Pandemic Buddy
(47:41)set lists, parenthood, composing her violin concerto
Previous Episode
Film Composer Christoph Zirngibl (120+ Films, Apple TV's Where’s Wanda)
April 27, 2025
•68m
Christoph Zirngibl is an award-winning German film composer who has composed music for over 120 films as well as many TV series including the Apple TV+ series Where’s Wanda. It often strikes me that even with something as specific as some of Christoph’s advice about work flow for fellow film composers, that it can apply more broadly to all of us, whatever our pursuits.. You’ll be hearing a few clips from some of his projects in different musical styles, as well as his reflecctions on his formative student years, the strengths of the apprentice system and his interest in many aspects of filmmaking. I have previously featured a few film composers on this series, and some of these episodes are linked directly in the show notes for you. It’s such an interesting career path, and I find that each of these composers have unique musical backgrounds.
Like all my episodes, you can also listen to the podcast on many platforms, and I’ve also linked the transcript to my website
Buy me coffee? Thanks!
Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro
(02:19) John Williams inspiration
(05:41) childhood Germany
(11:13) Flight of Bryan
(13:47) clip of Flight of Bryan
(14:47) Where’s Wanda, composing process
(22:35) clip of Where’s Wanda score Ralf Wengenmayr
(23:18) apprenticeship
(29:39) life balance and productivity for film composers
(32:02) other episodes you’ll like and how to support this series
(32:57) workflow organization
(37:12) the Unexpected Journey, love of orchestras
(42:04) life balance
(46:09) Hero of Centopia
(48:47) clip from Hero of Centopia
(49:50) filmmaking, reading
(55:35) Finis Terrae, Konstantin Ferstl
(58:18) excerpt from Finis Terrae score
(59:28) writing for voice, Finis Terrae, stollen
Photo: Steffen Rauschert
Next Episode
Martha Anne Toll is a novelist and literary and cultural critic, also a violist whose classical music training informs her artistic practice. She recently published her second novel, Duet for One, a beautiful love story based on the lives of musicians.his book is also about the death of a mother, and releasing this conversation on Mother's Day (in our countries) has a particular resonance for those of us whose mothers have died, and Martha and I talked about processing our own grief. We focused on both this book and her novel Three Muses, which I also recommend. You’ll hear about her high and low points as a violist, different ways she has helped with programs related to social justice, and her involvement in the literary world including supporting less-represented authors. We also talked about the classical music world and living true to your values. Martha Toll comes to writing professionally after a career dedicated to social justice, and she shared some great perspectives on both pursuits.
I've linked Martha's list of book and author suggestions in the complete show notes on my website, where you'll also find other episodes linked that you'll like, the transcript and the video!
Can you buy this independent podcaster a coffee? Thanks!
(00:00) Intro
(02:34) viola teachers Max Aronoff, Raphael Hillyer
(07:46)novel Duet for One
(09:24) Martha’s parents, book critic, getting published
(11:59) Duet for One
(15:30) excerpt from Duet for One
(18:59) music in the book, continuing to play viola
(24:58) Three Muses, grooming and exploitation
(28:23)Dr. Henri Parens Holocaust survivor, cousin Ellen
(31:17) Three Muses with excerpt
(34:08) other episodes, ways to support this podcast
(34:49 dealing with rejection and grief
(40:05) law school, work in social justice
(46:09) suggested authors (books listed in show notes)
(51:34) characters to meet from her books, joyful family Thanksgiving traditions
(57:37) Martha’s Substack newsletter
(01:00:53) artists’ residencies
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