 Composer Dameun Strange’s Mother King tells the story of Alberta Williams King, who was murdered in her church six years after the assassination of her son, Martin Luther King Jr. In this opus, Dameun sits with Garrett to discuss his background in community activism and the origins of his opera. deVon Russell Gray and Sarah M. Greer conclude the opus with a performance of Dameun’s composition Dream Variations.
Episode Playlist George Frideric Handel – “And He Shall Purify” (from Messiah)
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 How do you define jazz? Should it sit side-by-side with “classical” music in the concert hall? At what point does the act of incorporating elements of jazz become cultural appropriation? In this opus, Garrett and Scott explore these questions and discuss jazz’s connection to black music and Black History Month. The two also recap their recent trip to Detroit for the 5th annual SphinxConnect conference, billed as the “epicenter for artists and leaders in diversity.” Garrett and Scott send “get well soon” vibes to Janis Lane-Ewart, who has been rescheduled to a future opus of Trilloquy due to illness.
Episode Playlist Samuel Barber – Summer Music Darius Milhaud - La Création du monde Leonard Bernstein – Symphonic Dances from West Side Story: VII. Fugue ('Cool') Duke Ellington – Black, Brown, and Beige Nina Simone – “Love Me or Leave Me,” “Black Is the Color of My True Love’s Hair,” “Mississippi Goddam,” “Strange Fruit” Jessie Montgomery – Coincident Dances Michael Abels – Winged Creatures Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 5 DaBaby – “Bop” Joel Thompson – Seven Last Words of the Unarmed Astor Piazzolla - “Fuga y Misterio” More Jazz 88 What Is Jazz? Apollo’s Fire Art Accordingly Podcast Classically Black Podcast Exigence Ensemble “Your Guide to Evergreen Programming” Sphinx Tank 2020 Trilloquy is supported by Naxos of America. Find out more at https://unclassified.com  In 2019, PaviElle French decided to engage both her native Saint Paul community and her hometown orchestra by writing her first “classical” composition. The result was a touching ode to her mother called A Requiem for Zula. At its premiere, Garrett noticed something very interesting – the audience was more diverse than he’d ever seen! In this opus, Garrett and Scott kick off Black History Month in a chat with PaviElle about how this performance served as a catalyst to strengthen the relationship between Saint Paul’s communities of color and the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. The three also go into the impact her mother made on her as a musician and what it means to find freedom as a creative artist. In the prelude, Garrett and Scott introduce the question they’ve planned to ask each February guest, and Garrett addresses one organization’s discomfort with his life philosophy.
Episode Playlist Prince (arr. Stringspace Quartet) – “When Doves Cry” Gary Clark Jr. – “This Land” More PaviElle on Minnesota Originals PaviElle with the Current Trilloquy is supported by Naxos of America. Find out more at https://unclassified.com  In response to criticism from attendees at a concert in late 2019, the Minnesota Orchestra took another look at its engagement with audiences of color. Garrett, who was very vocal about this infamous performance, addresses his concerns with Sam Bergman, a violist and 20-year member of the orchestra. In this opus, Sam discusses his journey as a musician, shares his social media strategy, and gives an inside look at the audition process at one of the nation’s great orchestras. In the prelude, Garrett tells Scott about his own journey into a professional orchestra, and the two briefly discuss the implications of taking on a non-leadership role in the arts. The opus concludes with Sam’s performance of In Teaching Others We Teach Ourselves by composer Judd Greenstein.
Episode Playlist Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Overture to The Marriage of Figaro Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - “Der Hölle Rache” (from The Magic Flute) Judd Greenstein – Change Judd Greenstein – In Teaching Others We Teach Ourselves More Minnesota Orchestra  Will Van De Crommert isn’t just a composer – he composes specifically for film, television, web, and advertising! In this opus, Will chats with Garrett and Scott about what it means to be a commercial composer and potential pivot points for making classical music programming align closer with the sounds he creates for a living. Will is joined in the conversation by cellist Vela Farquharson, who offers her unique perspective as a commercial music performer. The opus concludes with a sneak-peek into the score that Will composed for the upcoming web series “Quinn’s Place.” In the prelude, Garrett and Scott recount some of their favorite film scores and shout-out the very first film score!
 In summer 2019, classical-guitarist-turned-radio-personality Melissa Dundis moved from her hometown of Omaha, Neb., to join the classical team at American Public Media! She’s experienced a lot since coming to the Twin Cities, and in this opus Garrett and Scott invite her to Studio B for a laid-back chat about those experiences and her new role. The three also cover their personal philosophies on classical music programming and what it means to “sound” like a classical radio DJ, and they each read a bit of listener feedback. Garrett and Melissa close out this opus with a performance of a piece for flute and guitar by Afro-Brazilian composer, Celso Machado.
 It’s becoming much more common to hear classical music written by women and people of color. Yet, there’s still a disconnect between the growing popularity of this music and its presence in academic curricula. Garrett Schumann is on a mission to change this. The award-winning composer, music theorist, and arts administrator runs the ÆPEX Contemporary Performance project, a concert series and online anthology that serves as a resource for institutions looking to explore diversity – historical and contemporary – within classical music. In this opus, Garrett (McQueen) and Scott chat with Schumann about his life as a composer and music theorist, his views on performance rights management organizations, heavy metal in the classroom, and much more! In the prelude, Garrett and Scott explore how the holes in their formal education have impacted their professional lives.
Episode Playlist Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges – Violin Concerto Clarence Cameron White – Levee Dance More information aepexcontemporary.org  What was your favorite opus of Trilloquy in 2019? In the first opus of the new year, Garrett and Scott chat about their favorite Trilloquy moments from the past year and highlight what they’re looking forward to in 2020. In addition to recapping the first year of Trilloquy, the guys recount some of their other favorite moments and achievements from 2019, and they premiere the show’s new musical theme! Happy New Year!
Episode Playlist Leonard Bernstein - Overture to Candide Joaquin Rodrigo - Concierto de Aranjuez Aretha Franklin - “(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman” Ric Ocasek - “Moving in Stereo” Jessye Norman - “Joy, Joy to My Soul” Julius Eastman - Evil N----- Reading ”Julius Eastman’s Guerrilla Minimalism”  Kwanzaa is a holiday that you’ve probably heard of, but do you know much else about it? There’s one very important thing you should know: it’s everything BUT a ‘Black Christmas.’ In this special holiday opus, Garrett and Scott explore Kwanzaa by reviewing its guiding principles and applying them to their lives, classical music, and other types of music along the way. The two also talk about Christmas in relation to black traditions and black culture. Special shout-out to JaJaime from one of Saint Paul’s local grocery co-ops for gifting Garrett his first kinara.
Episode Playlist Astor Piazzolla – “Libertango” Margaret Bonds – “The Ballad of the Brown King” Duke Ellington – “Three Black Kings” Valerie Coleman – “Umoja” Queen Latifah – “U.N.I.T.Y.” Maxi Priest feat. Shaggy – “That Girl” Florence Price – Piano Concerto in One Movement William Grant Still – Sunday Symphony Nina Simone – “Go To Hell” Nathaniel Dett – Magnolia Suite Sean O’Loughlin – Imani  What does inclusion look like in a women’s choir? The directors of Twin Cities-based Her Voice Productions discuss their efforts to affirm and empower the diverse voices of women through choral performance. In this opus, executive director Elisa Olson and artistic directors Janice Hunton and Randi Grundahl Rexroth explore the inherently political nature of their work. Garrett and Scott recount their respective relationships with choral music and Christmas in the prelude. This opus concludes with two performances by Her Voice Productions’ Encore ensemble!
Episode Playlist John Williams – “Somewhere in My Memory” John Williams – “Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas” Ferrante & Teicher – “Sleigh Ride” Traditional – “Carol of the Bells” Bryn Terfel – “O Holy Night” Kanye West – “Diamonds from Sierra Leone” Kanye West – “Selah” Kanye West – “Christmas in Harlem” |
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