Out of Rich Darkness

About Out of Rich Darkness

Creativity, beauty, and growth often have their roots in times of crisis. What feels like darkness and decay can be rich soil for new life and for yet unimagined ways of being. Conceived during the Corona-pandemic, this podcast is a space for candid conversations about life, music, and nourishing a regenerative culture in the arts. Co-hosts Elena Cheah and Camille Savage-Kroll are friends and colleagues at the Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg, Germany.

Publisher

C Savage-Kroll and E Cheah

Category

music

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

18 Apr 2020

Latest episode

23 Nov 2022

Latest episodes

19 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   23 Nov 2022

   Ralf Schmid: music as a mirror of reality

   Ralf Schmid (https://www.ralfschmid.de/) is a pianist, arranger, composer, big band leader, and seeker of new sounds and techniques. He has performed internationally as a soloist and with his ensemble, Bossarenova Trio. He’s led the big bands of Copenhagen, Hamburg, Berlin, Stuttgart and Frankfurt and has collaborated with musicians of various genres including Whitney Houston, Daniel Hope, Herbie Hancock, Natalie Cole, and many more. His musical theater piece “A Distant Drum” was premiered at Carnegie Hall and in South Africa. Most recently, he has been performing shows that involve two grand pianos and two gloves equipped with digital sensors that allow him to create live effects using gestures in the air; in 2019 he used this setup to record his solo album Pyanook. Ralf is a prolific YouTuber and Instagrammer, and during the lockdown of 2020, he began a live stream series of remote song collaborations with singer Paula Morelenbaum among others, and a series called ‘soil music,’ which draws attention to the current climate crisis. This conversation took place on November 22nd, 2021. We spoke to him about: Spontaneous music-making in the family as a child Reading the room Switching roles between ‘captains’ and followers in an ensemble Letting go of expectations to maintain artistic integrity When technical things go wrong Vulnerability as a performer Developing his show Pyanook with 2 grand pianos on stage Working with ensembles that improvise and use live electronics His new piano concerto Music as a mirror of our present reality Creativity as a means of activism Finding his message as a soloist Life as a musician in New York in the 1990s Striving for more equality and diversity in positions of power Check out his recently released single Soil Music (https://open.spotify.com/album/1HEkgDwpEqSNxXcsynFGNx?si=QkGC8hr2S8uTqkhMObnwNA)

2. 

   2 Nov 2022

   Emma-Louise Jordan: The Resonating Body

   Emma-Louise Jordan is a dancer and a choreographer. Originally from the UK, she studied classical dance in London at the Legat School of Russian ballet and at the Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance. As a dancer, she toured Europe with the Midlands Dance Company and the Vienna Festival Ballet and danced in Germany with Ballet Schindowski in Gelsenkirchen, Tanzwerk Nürnberg, and Theater Dortmund, among others. In 1999, she joined the Theater Freiburg with Amanda Miller and the interdisciplinary ballet company Pretty Ugly. Her work as a director and choreographer is not only full of wit and charm, but is also often deeply moving. Emma-Louise works with not just professionals but also amateurs: elderly people, teenagers, and people with and without disabilities. She truly has a gift for helping people express themselves, and we are incredibly lucky to call her our colleague at the Music University of Freiburg. This conversation with Emma-Louise Jordan took place on December 15th, 2021, before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We spoke to her about: Emma’s start in the dance world Not getting into the Royal Ballet and how that changed her life for the better Discovering modern dance Being more ambitious about dance than career The association of classical music with perfect ballet technique “Functioning” as a dancer beyond the body’s capacity Learning how to channel her energy to her best use Working with non-professionals and their refreshing lack of baggage, how it is “almost more of a handicap to have this training” The utopia of having no exams for dance in a music school Connecting to breathing Gyrokinesis®: touching and resonating in the body Beginning to use her voice after finishing her dance career: movement becoming more creative by voicing things How she ‘tricks herself’ out of her own habits of creativity How she facilitates creativity for amateurs, tricking people out of being self-conscious Integrating music into dance Giving people security to allow for experimentation Keeping people in intense movement so they will stay in their bodies, not just in their heads Some of Emma’s favorite music: Gavin Bryars: Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet (https://open.spotify.com/album/2HhyL4w54DewA4E7hyofOE?si=unSovtJZRkuJfBudQoUk-g) Bon Iver: Blindsided (https://open.spotify.com/track/7vE7w0zMSYRR29fIZBTiyp?si=29ac637ada3f4f8e) Portico Quartet: Knee-Deep in the North Sea (https://open.spotify.com/track/5lQwxQkZcJLeyS7d2adJUa?si=10d06546055b44c1 ) J.S. Bach: Matthäus-Passion, BW 244 (https://open.spotify.com/album/5ZHCqltda5ywYkHPqFIUQJ?si=blZIzA6OTvGbqNC3KptxcA) J.S. Bach: The Goldberg Variations, BWV 988, Glen Gould (https://open.spotify.com/album/1aCpHSQE5ghxibsQ5gkBe0?si=u55KUABYSE28Swbrus3EKw ) The Swingle Singers: Jazz Sebastian Bach (https://open.spotify.com/album/1YyGhSoUgtblfSXfrm32Vt?si=lJoNSM2bSMKaNRTfyUICFA )

3. 

   21 Oct 2022

   Johannes Schöllhorn: Unconscious Rhythm

   Our conversation with Johannes Schöllhorn (https://johannes-schoellhorn.de), composer and professor of composition at the Music University of Freiburg, is at turns deeply philosophical, thought-provoking, and playful. Johannes Schöllhorn is a prolific composer, a conductor of leading ensembles and orchestras around the world, and also a teacher. His many compositions include works for musical theater, orchestra, chamber music ensembles, solo players, and original arrangements and instrumentations. This conversation took place on November 8th, 2021, and we spoke to him about: His very first experience with music Being IN sound as opposed to listening TO it Creating special moments for the ear when viewing art What he would have done if he hadn’t become a musician Cultivating an “unconscious rhythm” The importance of dreams and being “out of time” Conceiving of art as a person Deep flaws in our music education system and why such a strong focus on the past is, in fact, a betrayal of the past Genius as a partner His interests outside of music, including writing a book! His book Karte, Uhr und Partitur (https://musiktexte.de/epages/dc91cfee-4fdc-41fe-82da-0c2b88528c1e.sf/de_DE/?ObjectPath=/Shops/dc91cfee-4fdc-41fe-82da-0c2b88528c1e/Products/EMT-021)is now available.

4. 

   13 Oct 2021

   Cathy Milliken

   Cathy Milliken (https://www.cathymilliken.com/) is an oboist, composer, and visionary educator who takes great joy in facilitating creativity and participation. She has won international recognition as a leading composer, creative director, performer and educational program consultant. She was a founding member of the Ensemble Modern Frankfurt. As a composer, she has been commissioned by the Berliner Staatsoper, Donaueschinger Musiktage, South Bank Centre London, The Experimental Electronic Studio of Freiburg, Concerto Köln, and Musica Viva of Munich, to name just a few of many. From 2005 – 2012, Cathy Milliken was Director of the Education Program of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Participatory compositional projects in recent years have taken her to South Africa, Japan, and Oman. She is part of the creative team for the Munich Biennale for Music Theatre and serves as an honorary member of advisory boards for the German Music Council and the Goethe Institute. Her collaborative composition Stadtlied (City Song) was premiered in the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg in 2019. Elena last saw Cathy in October 2020 at the Radialsystem in Berlin, where her work Ode for All was premiered as part of a celebration of Beethoven’s 250th birthday. It was originally supposed to be a work for six female choirs from across Eastern Europe all composing and improvising their own odes to joy, and in the end, because of the pandemic, it became a video installation featuring the soloists of those choirs, which was very moving. In this episode, we talk about: How the pandemic influenced her listening and creating Working with female choirs from Eastern Europe in her project Ode for All Meeting in Istanbul (watch the video (https://youtu.be/InsTO5CGD68)) “Improvisers” vs. “readers” Bringing very different people together to create new synergies How she got into facilitating composition Her book Zukunft@Bphil (https://www.stretta-music.com/en/catherine-zukunftbphil-nr-385678.html) How the design of a project should be like a composition Planning a project the way you would plan a party to make everyone feel welcome and valuable: have a structure and then throw it away if necessary The importance of having enough time in order to transport people out of their everyday How improvising helps all performers, even if it’s only playing in your own room The importance of good friends to help pick you up if a concert didn’t go so well, and of people who challenge you Knowing the difference between challenging and destructive Prejudice, intentional or not, against female composers Switching from creator to performer

5. 

   5 Oct 2021

   Johnny Gandelsman

   We were thrilled to have Johnny Gandelsman on our podcast. Elena first met Johnny in the late 1990s and he has made a fascinating career ever since. As a founding member of Brooklyn Rider and a member of the Silkroad Ensemble, Johnny has closely worked with such luminaries as Bela Fleck, Martin Hayes, Kayhan Kalhor, Yo-Yo Ma, Mark Morris, Anne Sofie Van Otter, Alim Qasimov & Fargana Qasimova, Joshua Redman, Suzanne Vega, Abigail Washburn and Damian Woetzel. He has appeared with Bono, David Byrne, Renee Fleming, Rhiannon Giddens, I'm With Her, Christian McBride, and many others. Here are some of the topics we covered in this long and fascinating conversation: The Russian school of violin playing and crying in lessons The Wild Ginger Philharmonic, a student-founded orchestra Elena and Johnny both played in in the 1990s, and how the innovative aspects of it influenced how he makes music now How he approaches music education for his own children— music and soccer and pure passion for childhood pursuits Missing out on childhood and choosing your own path “There isn’t some higher being that knows everything there is to know about how to play Mozart or Beethoven and they will tell you and then you’ll do it and you’ll be perfect.” What is the ‘right way’ to interpret a score? Curiosity and inquiry in interpretation Brooklyn Rider’s omnivorous approach to music-making and collaborations with amazing musicians from genres across the board Different kinds of improvisation and learning to assimilate new styles The Bach cello suites on the violin What would a creative musical education look like? Brooklyn RIder’s album Healing Modes, which asked 5 different composers what healing means to them in a variety of contexts Celebrating great living composers and the joy of being able to ask them questions about their intentions Bringing music into the middle of our lives and the power of just being in a room together with people Performers taking their audiences for granted “You cannot create magic without the active participation of the audience” Taking risks in performance and creating memorable moments Making the concert hall a place where people can really be themselves as they can at home while watching a livestream (but maybe with pants on) Pandemic pursuits: sourdough baking, playing the ukulele, time with family You can learn more about Johnny and find tour dates on his website: https://johnnygandelsman.com/

6. 

   28 Sept 2021

   Erin Snell

   In this episode, we talk about the importance of a nurtured community of people, or as Erin says, “framily,” supporting one another and setting intentions collectively, investing in the human beings around you, and knowing when to let go of relationships that are not nurturing. We discuss why cultivating passions outside of music and having friends who are not musicians is important, getting out of a limiting mindset, showing up for ourselves, and taking baby steps out of our comfort zones. Erin is a creative powerhouse whose colorful resume includes major roles as an opera singer, producing live television, and making snow sculptures. We loved this conversation with her and so did our students, and we think you will too.

7. 

   21 Sept 2021

   Steph Richards

   This episode has been in the cupboard for a reeeeeallly long time for reasons we went into in our first episode of the season, but we still think it's a fantastic listen. It was a pleasure discovering the fearless creator that is Steph Richards. We talk about Steph’s latest album “Supersense” (listen here: https://stephrichards.bandcamp.com/album/supersense (https://stephrichards.bandcamp.com/album/supersense)), her creative process, and how one of her goals is creating music that you can almost taste! We also speak to Steph about concerts as spell casting, which includes taking things into consideration like the temperature of the room. We discuss what can be learned from commercial music, why building a rich community is so essential, and the idea that “you are what you eat” as an artist. We also talk about the best time for musicians to take risks and what risk-taking has to do with artistry. We explore the following questions: what does it mean to think past our own instruments? What can we learn from musicians who play other instruments, and what role can different materials play in our music-making? https://www.stephrichards.com (https://www.stephrichards.com/)

8. 

   14 Sept 2021

   Return or reboot?

   In this episode, we talk about what we are currently thinking about and struggling with as the pandemic allows for more freedom. Are we trying to go back to how things were as fast as possible? Are we holding on to ideas just because they are familiar to us? Or are we consciously entering a new era and building musicals lives that allow us to thrive? We also introduce our new podcast season. Our fascinating guests are all innovators in the music landscape, and we loved digging into the details of the paths they carved and how they are actively shaping the future of music. What does your reboot look like? Leave us a message on Facebook or Instagram, or you can leave us a voice message on Anchor (https://anchor.fm/outofrichdarkness).

9. 

   14 Sept 2020

   Fabiana Biasini part 2

   Fabiana Biasini is both an internationally acclaimed concert pianist and a specialist for learning and development. As a piano soloist, she has performed with the Bolshoy Opera Minsk Orchestra, the Santa Cecilia Orchestra, the Budapest Symphony Orchestra, the Kiev State Symphony Orchestra, and many more. She began to work as a freelance learning and development specialist for FAO in 2011, and in 2017 she became a full-time employee of UNICEF while continuing to play concerts regularly in Italy, Germany, and even New York's Carnegie Hall. In this second part of our conversation, we talk about adaptability and the health of being 'only a musician' rather than having other sources of income, like many visual artists. We also toy with an idea that would be truly revolutionary for our industry...

10. 

    7 Sept 2020

    Fabiana Biasini part 1

    Fabiana Biasini is both an internationally acclaimed concert pianist and a specialist for learning and development. As a piano soloist, she has performed with the Bolshoy Opera Minsk Orchestra, the Santa Cecilia Orchestra, the Budapest Symphony Orchestra, the Kiev State Symphony Orchestra, and many more. She began to work as a freelance learning and development specialist for FAO in 2011, and in 2017 she became a full-time employee of UNICEF while continuing to play concerts regularly in Italy, Germany, and even New York's Carnegie Hall. In this episode, we talk to her about her choices in life, making a positive impact in the world, and why we don’t improvise as classical musicians. This is part one of our 2-part conversation.

11. 

    31 Aug 2020

    Stella Whalley part 2

    This is part 2 of our conversation with Stella Whalley about creativity and resilience. In our continued conversation, we talk about: creating within and outside of the institution artist residencies using everything you find to create how musicians might use audience feedback to energize our creation and creativity Follow us on Instagram @outofrichdarkness to see the picture Stella talks about!

12. 

    24 Aug 2020

    Stella Whalley part 1

    I, Elena, first met Stella Whalley (http://www.stellawhalley.com/) at an the Obras artist residency in Portugal, where I learned so much about what art can be and how different artists work. Stella struck me as an artist who uses everything that comes into her life as material for her work, and even years later, I remembered her story of how she used a hereditary shake of her hand as part of a piece of video art. Stella describes herself as an artist who produces work in response to space and place, to architecture and environment, to objects and materials, archaeological references and archives, and to local histories and narratives. She has exhibited at Empire II of the Venice Biennale 2017, at the Nakanojo Biennale Japan 2015, the Wilson Gallery Cheltenham, the Victoria & Albert Museum London, and the Birmingham City Art Gallery. In this first part of our conversation, we talk about using your mistakes, getting audience feedback, and how a disaster transformed Stella's life and work. Stella talks about releasing the personal attachment to what you are creating in order to be able to see everything that happens to you as material for your work.

13. 

    17 Aug 2020

    Jason Alexander Holmes part 2

    This episode is a continuation of last week’s conversation with the wonderful Jason Alexander Holmes, director of the Cincinnati Boychoir (https://cincinnatiboychoir.org/). These are some of the topics we cover in this conversation: connecting to people at a deeper level The perils of adventurous programming Fear of not looking like an expert Reflecting students’ backgrounds in programming Honoring cultures that are not our own Nourishing classical music through diversity Inclusivity

14. 

    10 Aug 2020

    Jason Alexander Holmes part 1

    Our wonderful guest Jason Alexander Holmes is the artistic director of the Cincinnati Boychoir (https://cincinnatiboychoir.org/). Previously, he served as the director of educational programming at the Boston Children's Chorus, where he oversaw the musical and social education of over 400 singers. Choirs under Jason's direction are consistently praised not only for their energetic yet unified tone and engaging performance, but also for the expressive ways in which singers use their voices and bodies to communicate. Additionally, Jason is known for innovate programming which celebrates the cultural context in which his choirs operate while encouraging singers and audiences alike to stretch their awareness by living in musical worlds to which they may not be accustomed. Pedagogically, Jason is committed to implementing culturally responsive practices in music education and he has given many workshops and conference sessions on this topic. At the core of Jason's teaching and performing is the belief that we are all expressive and musical beings who deserve to witness and participate regularly in moments of truth and beauty. This episode is the first part of a two-part conversation. Some of the topics covered here are: the communal aspect of music the way individuals contribute to a group being a Black person and leader in classical music finding a community that will embrace you what inclusion really means (caring about people)

15. 

    3 Aug 2020

    Anne-Therese Gennari

    The entrepreneur Anne-Therese Gennari (https://www.theclimateoptimist.com/about-anne-therese) began her career as a model and then, in 2017, she co-founded Role Models Management, a talent agency that puts ethics, sustainability, and social justice at the core of its business. She describes herself as a climate optimist and is about to start teaching a class in climate optimism (https://theclimateoptimist.com/the-class). We had a wonderful conversation about how to create change from within any industry, how to think about activism in an empowering way, and what music means in the context of envisioning a new world. We couldn’t be more thrilled to be starting our second season with this amazing young woman.

16. 

    23 May 2020

    A Three-Dimensioned Life

    Where has the status quo brought us, we ask ourselves as we continue to explore big questions during this suspension of 'business as usual.' We reflect on what we want to give and receive through music and music education, and we consider what a three-dimensioned life would look like, a line we've borrowed from Wendell Berry's magnificent poem How To Be a Poet (to remind myself). As always, we would love to hear from you, and this time we're asking what you think we should talk about next when it comes to fostering a regenerative culture in the arts. Find us on Facebook or Instagram @outofrichdarkness

17. 

    2 May 2020

    Technical Difficulties

    This episode explores the surprises and challenges that come with teaching online in a pandemic.

18. 

    18 Apr 2020

    Professional Amateurs

    In our very first episode we discuss the effects of the current corona pandemic on our lives as music professors in Germany and spin ideas about what life could be like two years from now. If you take the time to listen, we would love to hear from you! What are your ideas for the world of 2022? How did the crisis of 2020 set your life on a new track?

19. 

    18 Apr 2020

    Welcome to Out of Rich Darkness

    Creativity, beauty, and growth often have their roots in times of crisis. What feels like darkness and decay can be rich soil for new life and for yet unimagined ways of being. Conceived during the Corona-pandemic, this podcast is a space for candid conversations about life, music, and nourishing a regenerative culture in the arts. Co-hosts Elena Cheah and Camille Savage-Kroll are friends and colleagues at the Hochschule für Musik in Freiburg, Germany.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Contact Out of Rich Darkness

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.