Destiny Muhammad: Jazz Harpist Her Inspiring Personal Journey (re-release)
Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman
05/24/25
•93m
About
Comments
Featured In
This week's episode is a highlight from the archive, originally aired in 2023: I was so honoured to have this opportunity to talk with the inspiring Destiny Muhammad, who is a California-based jazz harpist and composer. You’ll get to hear inspiring stories from her life as well as her music. She had a dream to play the harp but didn’t have the opportunity until she was 30 years old. She speaks openly about the challenges in the 1980s due to the crack cocaine trade, her success as a barber, her determination and mentors including John Handy, and her unique perspectives in celebrating the legacies of Dorothy Ashby and Alice Coltrane. I’m sure you’ll be inspired by Destiny’s stories and music! The video and transcript are linked here
Previous Episode
Bente Illevold: Euphonium Virtuoso
May 19, 2025
•96m
I’m excited to feature Bente Illevold, the internationally renowned Norwegian euphonium player who has carved out a unique career path as a euphonium virtuoso. During this podcast, you’ll be hearing clips from some of her albums and live performances, and in the complete show notes on my website you’ll find the links to these specific albums and videos. I first heard about Bente from Katherine Needleman, when she asked Bente to premiere a newly commissioned concert piece for euphonium and piano by Kyrese Washington. Bente will be playing the American premiere of this new work at the International Women’s Brass Conference right after the release of this podcast, and the clip you’re going to hear is from the world premiere performance earlier this spring. Bente talked to me about her exciting new Rendalen Low Brass Seminar and ways to address the problems around inclusivity in the low brass world. She also spoke more broadly about music pedagogy and the importance of careful listening and self-reflection, and she stressed the need for authencity in engaging with our listeners. Video and transcript and all suggested episodes
Other suggested episodes: Katherine Needleman
Hillary Simms (the rest in the show notes on my website linked above, since I ran out of allowed words here!)
(00:00) Intro
(02:11) Euphonium’s place in the brass world, Kyrese Washington commission from Katherine Needleman
(06:02) International Women’s Brass Conference
(07:57) clip of Sonatine de Larmes by Kyrese Washington from live performance in Oslo, with pianist Monica Tomescu-Rohd
(09:53) euphonium repertoire
(12:30) lack of inclusivity in the low brass world, taking risks
(15:45) collaborations with percussionist Anders Kregnes Hansen, Stig Nordhagen
(18:46) clip from 2nd movement of Baut by Stig Nordhagen
(20:14) problems with lack of community engagement with the arts
(27:29) Music education and advice
(36:58) why Bente loves Marcus Paus’ Notturno Lockdown Lullaby
(42:12) live performance of Marcus Paus’ Notturno Lockdown Lullaby
(45:16) Bente’s approach to writing music, perfectionism in Classical music
(56:48) other episodes linked, ways to support this series
(57:52) about Elbaus’ DSDHT Euphonium with fixed media, with audio clip
(01:00:22) touring, Northern Lights duo with David Earll, Rendalen Low Brass Seminar
(01:09:08) clip of live performance Northern Lights duo (link in show notes)
(01:10:59) lack of inclusion in low brass community, Katherine Needleman, commission from Kyrese Washington
(01:23:13) advice how to keep improving
Next Episode
Ceara Conway: Irish vocalist and Visual Artist (re-release)
May 31, 2025
•82m
This was originally aired in 2023. Ceara Conway is an Irish contemporary vocalist and visual artist, and this episode features music from her album CAOIN as well as excerpts from some of her other projects. I find Ceara’s curiosity about so many important topics around arts and culture really inspiring and this conversation circled around to her explorations of different languages and cultures as well as her rootedness as an Irish speaker. She has had many interesting commissions dealing with history, illness, grief, and the natural world. She also spoke to me about some of her roles working with the Clare Arts office with artists with disabilities, how she started her career as a glassblower in Rome and how her upbringing has helped her navigate the world as a freelance artist. The video and transcript are linked here to my website
(02:36) Ceara’s background,
(17:03) the album CAOIN, Anach Cuain singing in different languages, (27:56) Ceara’s childhood (28:35) glassblowing, start in art and music,
(35:28) books
(41:23) Veriditas project
(43:01) Plant Chant
(49:18) Clare Arts Office Embrace arts and disability program
(56:00) Seoithín Seothó
(01:01:40) Georgian song, choirs
(01:06:17) Dochas
(01:09:05) Hanna Tuulikki, corncrake
(01:13:14) Time to Say Goodbye
(01:16:50) Irish language
photo: Julia Dunin
If you like this episode you’ll love
Promoted