I am so proud to welcome composer, violinist, activist, and educator Daniel Bernard Roumain to the podcast this week. When I read last week that the Tulsa Opera made the decision to remove his aria “They Still Want to Kill Us” from the program for their upcoming concert to commemorate the centennial of the Tulsa race massacre, I reached out immediately for an interview. This important conversation about this and his other experiences of racism within the classical music world also gave way to a gorgeous connection the the unmistakeable change making power of art. I’m so grateful to share this conversation with you this week!

Daniel Bernard Roumain’s acclaimed work as a composer, performer, educator, and activist spans more than two decades, and he has been commissioned by venerable artists and institutions worldwide. “About as omnivorous as a contemporary artist gets” (NYT), DBR is perhaps the only composer whose collaborations span Philip Glass, Bill T. Jones, Savion Glover and Lady Gaga.

Known for his signature violin sounds infused with myriad electronic, urban, and African-American music influences, DBR takes his genre-bending music beyond the proscenium. He is a composer of chamber, orchestral, and operatic works; has won an Emmy for Outstanding Musical Composition for his collaborations with ESPN; featured as keynote performer at technology conferences; and created large scale, site-specific musical events for public spaces. DBR earned his doctorate in Music Composition from the University of Michigan and is currently Institute Professor and Professor of Practice at Arizona State University.

An avid arts industry leader, DBR serves on the board of directors of the League of American Orchestras, Association of Performing Arts Presenters and Creative Capital, the advisory committee of the Sphinx Organization, and was co-chair of 2015 and 2016 APAP Conferences.

Music:i am a white person who ______ Black people – Daniel Bernard Roumain / New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (be sure to check out the film here.)

Follow Daniel Bernard Roumain on Twitter, Facebook, Soundcloud, and YouTube.

Check out the score for “They Still Want to Kill Us” and join in the collaboration right here.Photo of Daniel Bernard Roumain via Sozo Artists.Special thanks to Dana at Sozo Artists for assisting in making this interview happen so quickly. I am so grateful for your energy!

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This week’s hometowns include a nudist colony and a bathroom mirror design update.

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On this week’s quilt episode, Karen and Georgia cover the Adolphus Hotel Ghosts and the Bunnyman Legend.

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This week’s hometowns include a home intruder and an animal rescue story.

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Anna LaMadrid‘s solo performance The Oxy Complex opens online this week at IAMA Theater Company and she joined me this week to talk about her process with creating the show, how it was inspired by life in quarantine, and what it’s like to exist in the dual roles of writer and actor. Ms. LaMadrid also filled me in on her wildly popular coaching hub for actors, Put Me On Self Tape.

Anna LaMadrid studied with acclaimed Meisner teacher, Maggie Flanigan in NYC. She received her MFA from the University of Washington where she TA’d for undergrad acting students and discovered her love of coaching.  Born in Venezuela and raised between New Jersey and North Carolina–she spent most of her adolescent life saying things like “Y’all want some cawfee?”

A Venezuelan born, East Coast-bred actor living in Los Angeles, LaMadrid starred as sardonic, gum-snapping “Jamie” in the critically acclaimed IAMA production of Bess Wohl’s American Hero (“boundlessly funny” — Los Angeles Times). She won a Stage Raw Award for Female Comedy Performance for her take on Betty 3 in Collective Rage: A Play in 5 Boops at Boston Court. Her TV credits include Vida on Starz (recurring); Love, Victor on Hulu; Bless This Mess and Grey’s Anatomy on ABC; and she was selected to participate in the ABC Discovers Showcase. In 2016, she launched Put Me On Self-Tape, a self-tape and audition coaching studio in L.A.  

Get tickets for The Oxy Complex here.

Follow Anna LaMadrid on Twitter and Instagram.Follow Put Me On Self Tape on Facebook and Instagram.Follow IAMA Theater Company on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Photo of Ana LaMadrid by Jackson Davis.

This podcast is powered by my subscribers on Patreon who, in addition to the warm feeling they get from co-creating with me, get lots of sweet perks including bonus podcast episodes, free downloads, zines, and more! This week’s bonus podcast will be an extended conversation with Anna LaMadrid!  Learn more right here!

If you’d like to check out my other work, order The Animal Book directly from me here and get a free download of the album!Here are some other places you can find the book.Find The Animal Album streaming and downloadable here.Here’s some more merch and music.

Thinking of starting your own podcast? Do it! I’m a big fan of Blubrry for podcast distribution and you can get a month free by signing up for Blubrry Podcast Hosting here, or Blubrry Professional Statistics here.

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On this week’s episode, Karen and Georgia cover the murder of Ruthie Mae McCoy and the life of Detective Jacklean Davis.

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I was treated to a preview of “Unraveling,” the forthcoming new video from dark electronic synth-pop duo PIERA a couple weeks ago, and I knew I had to introduce them to you, fair MikeyPod listeners. The music is a blend of influences I have always loved yet it still maintains a unique and vibrant voice of its own. Our conversation here reveals the beautiful humans behind the music, and their desire to share the potential they see for all of us.

PIERA is the name of the singer and collaboration of the dark electronic-synth pop duo Piera Klein and Micah Plissner, residing in Downtown Los Angeles, California. Their sound is informed by the combination of their diverse backgrounds: Micah a multi-instrumentalist and producer originally from New York City and Piera, singer, songwriter, composer, and California native with a globe-trotting history, their sound is electronic, underground, beat-driven, synth pop, with psychedelic undertones and haunting vocals. The effect is both genre-defying and yet strangely feels familiar.

Music:Unraveling – PIERAAs Good As You – PIERA

Follow PIERA on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter.

Find their music on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon.

Photo of PIERA by Cameron Dunbar

Other links mentioned:Planet of the GrapesPeter Michael Marino’s appearance on MikeyPodJane Siberry’s “Moraj”

This podcast is powered by my subscribers on Patreon who, in addition to the warm feeling they get from co-creating with me, get lots of sweet perks including bonus podcast episodes, free downloads, zines, and more! This week’s bonus podcast will be an extended conversation with PIERA!  Learn more right here!

If you’d like to check out my other work, order The Animal Book directly from me here and get a free download of the album!Here are some other places you can find the book.Find The Animal Album streaming and downloadable here.Here’s some more merch and music.

Thinking of starting your own podcast? Do it! I’m a big fan of Blubrry for podcast distribution and you can get a month free by signing up for Blubrry Podcast Hosting here, or Blubrry Professional Statistics here. Use the code “mikeypod” with your order for your free month!

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This week’s hometowns include flour fire stories and funeral home tales.

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