Exploring Creativity with Anthony Brandt
Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman
02/10/25
•90m
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Anthony Brandt is an acclaimed composer who is also a multi-disciplinary researcher. Dr. Brandt is a Professor at Rice University and co-founder and Artistic Director of Musiqa. Like many people worldwide, I had first learned of his work as co-author with neuroscientist David Eagleman, of the amazing book “The Runaway Species: How Human Creativity Remakes the World”. We started this episode with an overview of that book, and Tony’s passion for the importance of encouraging creativity at all stages of life comes through in our discussion of his research, compositions, teaching and mentoring. You’ll hear about how he and other researchers are using mobile brain body imaging, and how research into the arts are so important to the development of neuroscience. You’ll learn about his unique childhood, his mentors and approach to composing and teaching composition, his valuable insights on presenting new music and how integrating art forms can help to connect with audiences. We’re also shining a light on his recent album of string quartet music Meeting of Minds and LiveWire which are both collaborations with the NobleMotion Dance Company and the University of Houston Brain Center. Central to this episode is the importance of creativity, and different ways to investigate and explore that. Like all my episodes, you can also watch this on my YouTube channel, and I’ve also linked the transcript, everything linked here Anthony Brandt website Meeting of Minds Scene 9 video It’s a joy to be able to bring these meaningful conversations to you, but this project costs me quite a bit of money and lots of time; please support this series through either my merchandise store or on my Ko-fi page. On my Ko-fi page you can buy me one coffee, or every month For the merch, it features a unique design by artist Steffi Kelly and you can browse clothes, notebooks, water bottles and more, everything printed on demand. My newsletter where you’ll get access to exclusive information about upcoming guests. I have linked a few episodes that you may be interested in: Thomas Cabaniss Frank Horvat Dorothy Lawson of ETHEL Cheng2 Duo Nimrod Borenstein Ceara Conway Diane Nalini Please check out my back catalogue Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (02:22) book “The Runaway Species: How Human Creativity Remakes the World”, David Eagleman (15:48) project and album string quartet music Livewire and Meeting of Minds, brain body imaging, neural synchrony (23:21) Meeting of Minds: Scene 9 (links in show notes) (26:14) Anthony’s decision to become a composer, his process (31:52) Musiqa new music collective, diversity, community engagement, neuroscience (40:55) Anthony Brandt’s operas, librettist Neena Beber (47:32) connecting to audiences (47:55) other episodes linked to this one; different ways to support this series (48:50) connecting to audiences, mentoring composition students (56:43)the life of a composer, finding your voice, mentors Mel Powell and Earl Kim (01:04:11) research in
Previous Episode
Samantha Ege
February 3, 2025
•63m
Samantha Ege is both a leading scholar and interpreter of Florence Price. In this interview, she talks about her recent book “South Side Impresarios: How Race Women Transformed Chicago’s Classical Music Scene”. I was fascinated to learn about this compelling history of Chicago’s Black Renaissance with women such as Nora Holt, Margaret Bonds, and Katherine Dunham. Dr. Ege shared how the scholarship side of her work informs both her identity as a pianist and also how this research and storytelling cause her to reflect on some of her own challenges. We also talked about some of her other recent recording projects, including the upcoming Avril Coleridge-Taylor piano concerto and chamber music with Castle of our Skins, and she reflected candidly on her personal creative life as a writer, performer and composer.
Like all my episodes, you can watch this on my YouTube channel or listen to the podcast on all the podcast platforms, and I’ve also linked the transcript to my website
You may be also interested in the following episodes:
among so many https://www.leahroseman.com/about
Troubled Water by Margaret Bonds
from concert in Chicago for Crossing Borders Music
Fantasie Negre no. 1 in E minor by Florence Price:
from concert in Chicago for Crossing Borders Music
Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro
(02:11) book Southside Impresarios, Race women, Florence Price
(05:07) racism, Florence Price, John Powell
(10:50) Margaret Bonds “Troubled Water” from live performance (link to video in show notes)
(15:46) Southside Impresarios, Black Chicago Renaissance, Florence Price
(18:08) Wannamaker competition, Florence Price, Margaret Bonds
(21:47) Nora Holt, Florence Price
(30:43) Samantha’s practice diaries, Avril Coleridge-Taylor piano concerto
(38:03) other episodes you’ll like and ways to support this series
(38:56) composing, identity and confidence
(41:17)the importance of storytelling, upcoming Chicago concerts, community of Black researchers
(44:59) Katherine Dunham, ballet
(47:05) Boston Six, Amy Beach, exclusion of Black composers
(48:55) excerpt from Fantasie Nègre by Florence Price from live performance (link to video in show notes)
(51:52) Chamber music album with Castle of Our Skins, Undine Smith Moore, Bongani Ndodana-Breen
(55:08) Cambridge Companion to Florence Price, Rae Linda Brown, Alexandra Kori Hill
(57:16) Southside
Next Episode
Naomi Moon Siegel
February 16, 2025
•70m
Naomi Moon Siegel is an award-winning trombonist, improvisor, composer and educator . In this episode we’re highlighting her beautiful sextet album Shatter the Glass Sanctuary, and you’ll hear her reflections on the valuable mentorship process with Allison Miller and brilliant collaborators including Marina Albero and Ray Larsen. Naomi reflected on her journey finding a supportive musical community, overcoming injury, and how she’s advocated for intersectional gender justice for many years through her workshops for fellow educators and music students. We talked about some of her mentors including Kristen Strom, Wayne Horwitz, and her duo project the Syrinx Effect with Kate Olson. Naomi shared how her career path has been shaped by personal decisions and outlook, some of her experiences on several inspiring trips, as well as how she’s able to find grounding and inspiration in both her new physical landscape in Montana and her new emotional landscape as a parent. Like all my episodes, you can watch this also listen to the podcast on all the podcast platforms, and I’ve also linked the transcript: https://www.leahroseman.com/episodes/naomi-moon-siegel
Naomi Moon Siegel website (with albums linked)
It’s a joy to be able to bring these meaningful conversations to you, but this project costs me quite a bit of money and lots of time; please support this series through either my merchandise store or on my Ko-fi page. For the merch, it features a unique design by artist Steffi Kelly and you can browse clothes, notebooks, mugs and more, everything printed on demand. Sign up for my newsletter where you’ll get access to exclusive information about upcoming guests.
If you’re finding this interesting, please text this episode to a friend! You may be also interested in some episodes I’ve linked directly to this one: J. Walter Hawkes Hillary Simms Katherine Needleman Meg Okura Colleen Allen EmmoLei Sankofa Renée Yoxon https://linktr.ee/leahroseman
photo of Naomi: Rio Chantel Timestamps: (00:00) Intro (02:25) Shatter the Glass Sanctuary album, producer Allison Miller, pianist Marina Albero (09:37) clip of Shatter It from Shatter the Glass Sanctuary (link in show notes) (12:00) embracing a slower pace of life, move to Montana (16:29) excerpt from “Seep Into My Pores” from Shatter the Glass Sanctuary album (link in show notes) (19:48) sextet formation, listening party (25:05) finding supportive musical community, speaking out (30:11) other episodes you’ll like, different ways to support this series (31:03) move to Seattle, overcoming injury, Seattle Music Partners (35:17) trip to Costa Rica, material for first album Shoebox View, Wayne Horwitz, (40:07) experience at Oberlin Conservatory, Wendell Logan (41:13) New Standards, women and non-binary composers, Terri Lyne Carrington (43:14) Syrinx Effect duo with Kate Olson (46:11) Cameronathon from Syrinx Effect’s A Sky You Could Strike a Match On (link in show notes) (50:24) trips to The Gambia and Senegal, Thione Diop (53:22) workshops gend
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