CAN SOMEONE GIVE ME AN A?: A Richmond Symphonicast

Season Finale: Can Someone Give Me A STREETCAST!?!

To celebrate the end of our first season, we are featuring our best guest yet…YOU!!! That's right, prepare yourself for the STREETCAST! With nothing more than a 1/64-size violin, a whiteboard, and a few microphones, we set up shop in Carytown hoping to chat with passers-by about the wildworld of symphonic music. And we couldn't be more thrilled with the results! We ended up chatting with six wonderful guests, who shared everything from their experience with classical music to their hot takes on Star Wars movies. And we are honored to report, all of them could name at least three composers! (win) Highlights include: * The debut of official "Can Someone Give Me An  A?" hilarious hype-man:  Monty Thomas (who is potentially Zoe's cousin) * First-time reactions to Gustav Holst's "The Planets" * The revelation of Matt's super secret favorite song (hint: it involves a 1997 box office hit...shhhhhhhhh!) Thanks for hanging with us this season. We couldn't have done it without you :) Can't wait to talk your ears off again! * Announcements: * Giving Tuesday is November 30th! Support the Richmond Symphony by visiting www.richmondsymphony.com/givingtuesday OR text "SYMPHONY" to 50155 * Got a burning question? Email us at podcast@richmondsymphony.com with the subject line "Question of the Week" and we might answer your question in a future episode. (Please be sure to indicate if you are comfortable with your name being shared.) All questions welcome! See ya next season! :) <3 B^) -Matt and Zoe

Episode 9: Erin Freeman KNOWS You Missed that Diphthong

To celebrate the penultimate episode of our first season, we bring you a chat with Director and Conductor of the Richmond Symphony Chorus, Dr. Erin Freeman! Erin is also the Artistic Director of Wintergreen Music Festival, Directory of Choral Activities at VCU, and Resident Conductor of the Richmond Ballet. And yes, just to confirm, she is only one person with no magical powers (that we are aware of...). Highlights include: a very nerdy discussion about overtones, a run-down of Erin's celebrity run-ins, and how to run a choir "zoomhearsal" when you can't actually hear anyone singing (...okay maybe Erin does have magical powers...) And if you love contemporary composers, we have an INCREDIBLE piece of music to share with you this week: "Children of Adam" by Mason Bates (!!!) was commissioned for the Richmond Symphony in 2018 and is centered around "celebrations of creation" from sources ranging from poetry to sacred texts and chants. And while you CAN'T have the score and parts, you CAN score your very own CD of Richmond Symphony's GRAMMY-NOMINATED recording of this awesome new work. "CAN SOMEONE GIVE ME A *CONTEST?!" To enter, simply email podcast@richmondsymphony.com with Erin's favorite composer as revealed in the episode. First three people to submit the correct answer will win! * Purchase single tickets and subscriptions here [https://www.etix.com/ticket/o/3158/?cobrand=richmondsymphony_15-16]! * Sign up for a RSSoM class [https://richmondsymphonysom.com/courses/]. * Check out Wintergreen Music Festival [https://wintergreen-music.org/]. * More information on Mason Bates at www.masonbates.com [https://www.masonbates.com/] Got a burning classical music question? Email us at podcast@richmondsymphony.com with the subject line "Question of the Week" and we might answer your question in a future episode. (Please be sure to indicate if you are comfortable with your name being shared.) All questions welcome! See ya next time! -Matt and Zoe <3

Episode 8: (Dominic) Rotella, Respighi, and ROCK AND ROLL!!!

TWO amazing episodes in the span of two weeks??? We are seriously on our game this month. And so is this week's guest, Principal Horn, DOMINIC ROTELLA! With previous gigs in Louisville, KY, Miami Beach, FL, and even Santiago, Chile, Dominic is basically an international rock star. Highlights include Dominic's takeaways from his recent visit to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a spirited discussion of Fantasia 2000,  and our favorite moments from Ottorino Respighi's EPIC "Pines of Rome". * Become a Masterworks Subscriber and check our our Christmas in July Sale here [https://www.etix.com/ticket/o/3158/?cobrand=richmondsymphony_15-16]! * You can find Dominic on Facebook and YouTube by searching his name. * Subscribe to Brass Legacy [https://brasslegacy.com/] to catch Dominic's article. Got a burning classical music question? Email us at podcast@richmondsymphony.com with the subject line "Question of the Week" and we might answer your question in a future episode. (Please be sure to indicate if you are comfortable with your name being shared.) All questions welcome! See ya next time!

Episode 7: Trumpet Queen Mary Elizabeth Bowden

Folks, do we have a treat for y'all today or WHAT? The number 7 is said to be lucky, and we were very lucky indeed to snag an interview with none other than the trumpet queen herself, Mary Elizabeth Bowden! (Brass aficionados, you're welcome.) You MIGHT know Mary from her extensive solo career.....OR from her touring with the Kassia Ensemble....OR from her popular Instagram account, @marytrpt.....OR from.....(Okay, we'll stop now. You'll have to listen to the full episode to hear about her 3469873 other projects.) Highlights include: a special performance from Mary's album Radiance, the number of trumpets and mouthpieces that can fit in a single tiny backpack, and a deep-dive into Rachmaninoff's "Symphonic Dances". * Get more Mary at www.marybowden.com [http://www.marybowden.com], on IG at @marytrpt, and on Facebook and YouTube at Mary Elizabeth Bowden. * Celebrate the 4th with us at Crump Park this Sunday at Red White and Lights [https://www.richmondsymphony.com/event/red-white-and-lights-2021/]. No ticket required! * Single tickets go on sale August 2nd. Keep an eye on our calendar [https://www.richmondsymphony.com/calendar/]for more info. * Please enjoy this image of "Rock Mannenough" [https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2016/03/29/rach-weight-lifter-sized_custom-6222aadc1d2256c1a72b64899fb4aa79f77280c4-s800-c85.webp]. Got a burning classical music question? Email us at podcast@richmondsymphony.com with the subject line "Question of the Week" and we might answer your question in a future episode. (Please be sure to indicate if you are comfortable with your name being shared.) All questions welcome! See ya next time!

Episode 6: Strings and Strangs with Molly Sharp

Howdy, Y'all! Did you miss us? Well, you're in luck because for the first time EVER we are coming to you IN-PERSON from the studio! And who better to kick off this new phase of the podcast than Richmond Symphony Principal Violist, Molly Sharp? In this episode, we hear from Molly about her various pet projects and spend some time hangin' with our good old friend Sergei Prokofiev via his prolific "Romeo and Juliet". Highlights include the real difference between violinists and violists,  the truth about why no one liked Prokofiev in high school, and a killer fiddle joke. Yeehaw! Got a burning classical music question? Email us at podcast@richmondsymphony.com with the subject line "Question of the Week" and we might answer your question in a future episode. (Please be sure to indicate if you are comfortable with your name being shared.) All questions welcome! * Come hang with us during our Music Marathon [https://www.facebook.com/RichmondSymphony/]! (Sat, June 5th, 2021) * Keep an eye on our website [http://www.richmondsymphony.com] for more info about our Summer Chamber Series. * Sign up for a RSSoM Summer Semester [https://richmondsymphonysom.com/] class! * Get more Molly at vlatutti.com [https://www.vlatutti.com/] and mollysharpcreates.com [http://www.mollysharpcreates.com/] Thoughts, feelings, opinions? Email us at podcast@richmondsymphony.com. See ya next time!