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 For the 69th opus of TRILLOQUY, the guys decide to spend some time at the intersection of music and sex, featuring a few of Scott's favorites by Donna Summer. Special guest, Derek Menchan talks with Garrett about how he utilizes Afro-centrism and his ability to overlay his multi-talents to create new recordings of the "classics", and a scene from the film, "The Prince of Egypt" serves as the frame for pretty difficult conversation between the hosts.
 The Sphinx Organization has celebrated and brought together Black and brown musicians for over two decades, but because of COVID, the organization's annual gala is going digital. This online event will include a performance of a work by composer Carlos Simon, who talks with Garrett about the gala, his music, and how he engages the issue of police brutality as an artist. Scott offers his opinion on the music of Alanis Morissette (and Beyoncé's cover of her most famous song), followed by a conversation concerning this year's Presidential Election.
 When it comes to hosting radio, some things just can't be taught. WUOT-FM's Todd Steed talks about this, some of the challenges of working in management at a radio station, and what made Garrett the "right person" for his spot on the afternoon airwaves, despite his not having any radio experience at the time. Scott weighs in on how he deals with rude listeners, and Garrett takes a cue from Kanye West.
 Making music is the second most intimate thing that two people can do together. Garrett chats with Abe Hunter from the Lied Society about the intimacy of art song, and their upcoming collaboration of an audio-only broadcast that will include the premiere of a work written in honor of the late George Floyd. After the guys read their official statements following Garrett's termination from APM/MPR, Scott talks about some of his most intimate moments on stage, and they both explore music written in the spirit of freedom. ***A VERY SPECIAL THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED GARRETT MCQUEEN DURING THIS VERY DIFFICULT TIME.***
 Franklin Willis teaches elementary music in Nashville, but in his words, he's much more than a music teacher! He speaks with Garrett about teaching culture, teaching life skills, and teaching joy with hip-hop as the foundation. Scott continues to settle into old(er) age with "post-yacht rock", and with a new look! And Garrett responds to the allegation that white men and their music is being "erased" by diversity and equity initiatives.
 Tea Sierra's dedication to Blackness fueled their entry into orchestral music, their journey through earning an MIS in Urban Studies, and their decision to move up to Minnesota to continue the journey. Garrett and Tea talk about this, the importance of Trap Music, and why the "Wakanda industrial complex" won't save humanity. Scott honors the late Chadwick Boseman with a "then and now" look at Black Panther, and Garrett shares why he was taken off the air at his radio gig.
 Maya Stone believes that power comes from within - it's something that's grounded her over the course of her very dynamic music career. She chats with Garrett about this, her experiences as a bassoon professor in the world of collegiate academia, and her return home to New York. Scott honors Women's Equality Day by reflecting on the music of Sarah Vaughan, and Garrett gets honest about spiritual and emotional fatigue.
 Christine Gangelhoff challenges the Euro-centric nature of "classical" music by promoting the work of not only Black composers, but Afro-Caribbean composers. She joins Garrett to talk about her experiences as a teacher and performer in the Bahamas, and the album, Tour de Force. Scott shares some of the contemporary classical music that he thinks can help deal with the day to day of 2020, and Garrett recounts one of his own experiences dealing with racism while teaching in the Bahamas. This opus of TRILLOQUY is sponsored by The Lewis Prize for Music, announcing their 2nd annual Accelerator Awards. Applications are open until Friday, August 21st, with winning applicants receiving a multi-year prize of $500,000 beginning in January of 2021. For more information visit: thelewisprize.org. Playlist:
RUN DMC - "It's Tricky" Bobby Shmurda - "Hot N---a" Bob Marley - "Jammin" Heitor Villa Lobos - Guitar Concerto Mikhail Mikhaylovich Ippolitov-Ivanov - Caucasian Sketches Suite No. 1 Sufjan Stevens - "Year of the Tiger" Judd Greenstein - "Clearing, Dawn, Dance" C Force - Tour de Force More: Bahamas Junkanoo Shakers Orchestra is Racist 2 Men Charged In Long-Unsolved Killing Of Run-DMC's Jam Master Jay Bobby Shmurda audition Julian Bream passes away Tour de Force: A Musical Journey of the Caribbean **Disclaimer: This opus of TRILLOQUY was composed before the announcement of Joe Biden's running mate.  Being Black is being a part of a very diverse community that exists both across time and around the globe. Garrett and Scott explore this idea with works by Beyoncé, William Grant Still, Victoria Monét, Cardi B/Megan Thee Stallion, and many others. Portia Dunkley shares her COVID-era experiences as a mother, teacher and business owner, and the guys talk about coping with current events/politics as "classical" music professionals.
Playlist: Issam Rafea/Gao Hong - "Mother's Plea" Mary Kouyoumdjian - Bombs of Beirut Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion - "WAP" Ludwig van Beethoven - Scherzo from Symphony No. 9 2 Live Crew - Pop That Pu--y Victoria Monet - "Touch Me" William Grant Still - Africa Beyoncé - "Water", "Brown Skin Girl" India Arie - "Brown Skin" More: Teeny Violini Unsung America Fund Philadelphia Orchestra rehearses in person for the first time since pandemic Meet The Medical Professionals Playing Classical Music Together Online Orchestras Are Totally Safe. Just Stay Away From the Flute Player HUGE THANKS to Mary Kouyoumdjian for offering information on Lebanese artists. Find the full listing in the "EXTRAS" at TRILLOQUY.org.  When Anthony McGill took two knees, "classical music" institutions everywhere stopped and listened. He talks with Garrett and Scott about what inspired him to create #TakeTwoKnees, and offers his opinions on the discussion of the audition screen. Scott shares his growing relationship with the music of DaBaby, and Garrett reminisces, with the help of some 90s R&B.
Juan Pablo Contreras is a composer who unapologetically celebrates the sounds of Mexico in his music, and with the help of New Music USA, he'll be doing even more of it, with a commission from the Las Vegas Philharmonic. He talks with Garrett about writing with a Mexican sound, and how orchestras can do more to engage America's Spanish-speaking communities. Scott unpacks some of his latest feelings about growing older, and Garrett draws on a quote by Nicki Minaj to remind people to respect the work (and time) of Black creators.
Playlist: It It - "Jath" John Williams - The Imperial March DaBaby - "Rock Star" (arr. Ezinma) Valerie Coleman - 7 O'clock Shout Florence Price - Child Asleep, Down a Southern Lane Kyle Gann - Going to Bed (Homage to Philip Glass) William Grant Still - Summerland Jose Pablo Moncayo - Huapango Arturo Marquez - Danzon No. 2 Juan Pablo Contreras - Mariachitlan, Silencio en Juarez More: Demarre McGill Jeri Lynn Johnson/Black Pearl Chamber Orchestra Katie Brown Boulanger Initiative Youth Orchestra Los Angeles Lara Downes New Music USA Juan Pablo Contreras "Commentary: In the Time of COVID-19, a Plea for Classical Music" Robert Komaniecki tweet  When the curtain or "screen" was introduced into the world of orchestral auditions, many hoped that this would result in more racially diverse orchestras. It hasn't yet proven to do so, but musicians like Adedeji Ogunfolu still swear by it. He tells Garrett why that is, and sheds light on how his challenges as a musician paved the way for another passion. Scott reacts to seeing "Django Unchained" for the first time, and Garrett reacts to the drama surrounding Nick Cannon.
Episode Playlist: Jeff Scott - "Startin' Something'" Marga Richter - Concerto for Piano, Violas, Cellos, and Basses Traditional - "Steal Away" Florence Price - Piano Concerto in One Movement arr. String Queens - "Glory" Jim Croce - "I've Got a Name" Giuseppe Verdi - Dies Irae Rick Ross - 100 Black Coffins Ludwig van Beethoven - Fur Elise Megan Thee Stallion - "Ratchet" More: Speaker Geeker Podcast Composer or Kanye West? Black Artists on How to Change Classical Music To Make Orchestras More Diverse, End Blind Auditions  "Cancel culture" has rocked the world of social media for a while now, but a man named Paul Robeson was once cancelled by the US government in real life! Garrett chats with Cesare Civetta about the often overlooked legacy of Mr. Robeson, and Scott tackles the cognitive dissonance of being an ally while maintaining a position of power. Garrett and Scott also continue their closer look at so-called "country" music.
Episode Playlist: Kanye West - "Diamonds from Sierra Leone" Lady A - "Doin' Fine" Keb' Mo' - "Every Morning" Charlie Pride - "Between You and Me" Dolly Parton - "Light of a Clear Blue Morning" Crystal Gayle - "Take Me Home" Giuseppe Verdi - "Salve, Allah" from Il Corsaro Pete Seeger - "Joe Hill" Traditional - "Goin' Home" Jerome Kern - "Ol Man River" More: TRILLOQUY in the Star Tribune TRILLOQUY on 91Classical "A Letter on Justice and Open Debate" Cesare Civetta's website  Did you know that Minister Louis Farrakhan is a violinist? After 42 years of focusing on his ministry, Mr. Farrakhan returned to the stage back in 1993, which marked the beginning of the all-Black Gateways Music Festival, and the continued conversations concerning his controversial persona. Garrett and Scott explore this with Amanda Cook from I Care If You Listen, and with Caroline Jones, who helped make that historic event possible. The guys also honor the late Ennio Morricone, and address listener feedback concerning "roots" music.
Playlist: Ennio Morricone - "Upon a Time in the West"/"The Hateful Eight" Judd Greenstein - "Change" Felix Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto in e minor More: I Care If You Listen For the Love of Music (The Minister Louis Farrakhan Documentary) Gateways Music Festival  All American music is Black music - even if people don't think so. Garrett and Scott explore this idea as it applies to the music of Shea Diamond, Megan Thee Stallion, Kane Brown, and many others. Titus Underwood, Principal Oboe of the Nashville Symphony, talks about Black enlightenment, his recent furlough, and the events that prevented his previous appearance on TRILLOQUY. Scott challenges an opinion by Sheku Kanneh-Mason, and Garrett lays out his frustrations with Grammophone and NPR Classical.
Episode Playlist: Shea Diamond, "American Pie" Modest Mussorgsky, "Night on Bald Mountain" Matthew Tyler, "Etude for Elijah McClain" Megan Thee Stallion, "Girls in the Hood" Eric Whitacre/Joby Burgess, "Sleep" Starbuck, "Moonlight Feels Right" Kane Brown, "Heaven" More: Meet the American Composer's Forum's High School Next Notes Artists Riccardo Muti Looks to Re-Open the American Classical Music Scene Someone Finally Remembered William Levi Dawson's 'Negro Folk Symphony'  Garrett and Scott wrap up Pride month with an opus featuring Marvell Terry, who brings an interesting conversation at the intersection of HIV awareness, music, and the Black queer experience. Rob Deemer offers a verbal response to recent critique, Scott reminds non-Black people to "read the room", and Garrett recalls his experiences exploring Black thought leaders of years past.
Playlist: John Corigliano - Symphony No. 1 Lichens - "The Psychic Nature of Being" Shea Diamond - "American Pie" More: Sister Souljah on "good" white people Jennifer Koh Support Marvell Terry on Cash App ($marvellterry) or at AdrianDunn.com  Sometimes organizations, individuals, and institutions get it right. Other times, they just get it...white. Garrett and Scott explore this idea as it applies to the Institute for Composer Diversity, the police, and more. Garrett chats with Stephanie Matthews about transitioning into pop music as a classically trained violinist, and Scott drags Zachary Woolfe.
Playlist: Gustav Holst - Japanese Suite Nina Simone - "Ain't Got No/I Got Life" Mary J. Blige - "I'm Goin' Down" Rachel's - Music for Egon Schiele NWA - "Fuk Da Police" More: https://www.doublereeddish.com https://stringcandy.com https://www.composerdiversity.com https://elizabethabaker.com https://www.pjmortonmusic.com "The Sheku Effect"  Everyone knows the name Derek Chauvin at this point, but do you know about the Black piano player named Louis Chauvin? The guys explore the more nefarious side of his legacy, and his relationship with Scott Joplin. Scott (Blankenship) reacts to the idea of white tears being violent, and offers a challenge to white-led orchestras. In honor of Black Music Appreciation Month, Garrett chats with Alicia Waller about her latest album, "Some Hidden Treasure", and Garrett and Scott unpack "The Birdcage" in honor of Pride Month.
Listen: "Some Hidden Treasure" - Alicia Waller & The Excursion "Heliotope Bouquet" - Louis Chauvin/Scott Joplin Watch: "The Birdcage" (dir. Mike Nichols) "Scott Joplin" (dir. Jeremy Kagan)  The season two premiere of TRILLOQUY features a conversation between the Garrett and Scott about the current unrest in the Twin Cities, and across the country. Garrett speaks with Chicago-based composer Adrian Dunn about Black ownership in classical music, and his relationship with a piece of music that everyone is listening to in light of George Floyd's murder.
Playlist: Aaron Copland - Our Town Joel Thompson - Seven Last Words of the Unarmed Traditional - Soon Ah Will Be Done More: Adrian Dunn's website CONTRIBUTE TO THE CAUSE  The season one finale of Trilloquy features a conversation between Garrett and Am're Ford, who works as a composer, educator and founding director of a nonprofit arts organization. Ford shares his perspective on music education and discusses what he’s learned from starting a summer arts program. Garrett and Scott also share some big news about the future of Trilloquy.
Episode Playlist Naughty by Nature - "O.P.P." Steely Dan - "Black Cow" Lord Tariq & Peter Gunz - "Deja Vu" Drake - "Emotionless" J. Cole - "Middle Child" More Arts in Action Am're's Website  After fighting against classical music’s rigidly outdated practices as a music teacher, composer and euphoniumist John DelVento decided to take his talents into the world of commercial film and TV music. He chats with Garrett and Scott in this opus about what led to that shift, and he offers his advice for music educators seeking a relevant way to introduce new students to instrumental performance. In honor of 4/20, Garrett and Scott spend the prelude exploring the intersection of classical music and cannabis.
Episode Playlist Sergei Lyapunov – ‘Hashish’ Symphony Hector Berlioz – ‘Symphonie Fantastique’ Hildegard von Bingen – ‘Alleluia’ Hugo Schmidt – ‘The Devil’s Tongue’ More “Cannabis and coronavirus: What you need to know” John DelVento’s website  This opus of Trilloquy features part two of a conversation with Maestro Brandon Keith Brown, who filed a racial discrimination suit after he was fired as Brown University’s music director back in 2017. Since then, he’s conducted orchestras in several countries, and he chats with Garrett about how racism in classical music isn’t just an American issue – it’s a global one.
Episode Playlist Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Piano Concerto No. 10 More ”Former Brown University Orchestra Director Alleges Racial Discrimination in 2017 Firing” (Diverse Issues in Higher Education, May 13, 2019) “Black People Don’t Like Talking About Racism” (Brandon Keith Brown, Medium, April 7, 2020) Brandon’s website American Composer Forum’s Response to Covid-19  In 2017, Maestro Brandon Keith Brown was named music director at Brown University. A few weeks later, he was fired. The resulting racial discrimination suit that he filed in 2019 has opened up some interesting conversations in the world of classical music. In this opus, Brandon shares his side of the story with Garrett. Garrett and Scott open up this opus with a look at the ongoing impact of social distancing.
More ”Brown University music director claims racial bias in 2017 firing” (Providence Journal, May 12, 2019) Brandon’s website American Composer Forum’s Response to Covid-19  Orchestras are starting to program more works by women and composers of color, but today those performances are nearly outnumbered by the programming of works by a single composer: Beethoven. That's just one of the surprising statistics professor Rob Deemer has discovered through his work with the Institute for Composer Diversity. He joins Garrett and Scott in this opus to talk numbers and explore why orchestras may want to program “a little less Beethoven.” Playlist My Favorite Things (arr. John Coltrane) More Support the Institute for Composer Diversity Resources for artists impacted by COVID-19  |
