Skip The Repeat

Bruce Adolphe can dance. Bruce and Kai discuss losing both his parents by the age of nineteen and how that affected him (9:30), how his foray into neuroscience has enhanced him as an artist (16:39), and what exactly it is about new works that is so exciting (34:13). They also discuss his Off the Hook Arts Festival (36:18), and how his fifty-three year old parrot Polly has shaped his life (1:00:16).

Julia Rubio's last name means "blond" in Spanish, but she is neither blond nor Spanish. Julia and Kai discuss her upbringing in Kalamazoo, Michigan, near Ann Arbor, where Kai went to school (3), what risk taking looks like in the classical music industry (22:50), and the parameters the industry places on its artists in an age of self expression (27:15). They also talk about Astral’s unique auditioning process (19:40) and the lessons she has learned from raising two sons (55:45).

Zlatomir Fung is a big time cinema fan. Zlatomir and Kai discuss his upbringing, including his time in Oregon (3), what he has learned about himself from doing competitions (19:30), and dealing with the expectations others place on him (29:30). They also discuss his love for chess (11), his autoimmune disorder (33), and how he views himself racially (54:45).  

Donald Nally believes in the power of counseling. Donald and Kai discuss how important transferring to the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music was for him (11:50), the mistakes he made as a young conductor (19:30), and how counseling has played a pivotal role in his evolution as an artist (22:30). They also discuss his hilarious Grammy winning moment (46) and making an impact on the world as an artist (53).  

Stephen Tyson Jr. aka Ellect, has it on good authority that the Earth is indeed round. Stephen and Kai discuss growing up in rural Pennsylvania (6), how being the only black child at school influenced him as a person (9:30), and being waitlisted at his dream school (18:30). They also discuss the infamous feud between him and the rapper B.o.B about his uncle Neil deGrasse Tyson (35), and why he felt the need to create a collective (50).   All music heard on this episode are the works of Stephen Tyson Jr. Listen to the full tracks here.

Tim Mead is a proud ginger. Tim and Kai discuss how he began singing (9:40), why he doesn’t keep in touch with anyone he met before the age of 19 (11:30), and his time at Cambridge, where he studied Musicology (24:30). They also discuss the event that changed his entire outlook on his career (40:45) and his mindset towards critics and reviews (58). All music heard on this episode is from Tim Mead’s newest album, Purcell: Songs & Dances, a collaboration with Les Musiciens de Saint-Julien on the Alpha label. Purchase the album here.

Anne Ishii is fluent in French. Anne and Kai discover they share a rare background story (8:23), and talk about her experience growing up as an Asian American with that complex background (9:53), and how she found gay erotic manga and what drew her to Gengoroh Tagame’s work in particular (48:56). They also discuss the history of the Asian Arts Initiative (58:30) and the directions she wants to take the organization (1:05:08).

When our purpose is taken from us, how do we move forward? In this week's short story from a past Skip the Repeat guest, Raphael Xavier, Breaker/Dancer & Multifaceted Artist, tells us the story of what it took for him to crawl out of his hell: a spine infection that threatened to leave him paralyzed and sent him into a deep depression. 

The Skivvies are a band made up of singers/actors/musicians Lauren Molina and Nick Cearley. They perform stripped down mashups of covers and originals in their underwear. They talk to Kai about their first acting jobs in New York City (21:48), the survival jobs they worked as they pursued acting (40:42), and how they became The Skivvies (49:10). They also discuss the obstacles that they've encountered as a band (61) and how taking off their clothes on stage affects them (1:08:00).

Yes, you read that right. In this week's short story from a past Skip the Repeat guest, Jennifer Montone, Principal Horn of the Philadelphia Orchestra, tells the story of how as a society, there is an expectation for us to disregard our accomplishments and how that is counterproductive.  

David Devan is obsessed with suits. David talks to Kai about growing up figure skating (8:40), what drew him first to opera after college (17:22), and the exciting idea behind Opera Philadelphia's Festival "O" (31:30). They also discuss the company's attitude towards commissioning new work (51) and a new opera about two women with Alzheimer's (1:08:30).     

Momentum is highly underrated. In this week’s short story from a past Skip the Repeat guest, Nick Canellakis, cellist, artistic director, and filmmaker talks about his approach to goal setting. He talks about what he gains the most satisfaction from in life and his mindset to achieving it.  

Jonathan Coopersmith will never turn down a good challenge. Jonathan talks to Kai about a particular choir teacher in high school (17:50), the students at Curtis and a fascinating letter he makes them write (26:26), and how the composer George Crumb influenced him as his teacher (41:40). They also discuss his ventures in technology (47) and how Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein became his mentors (1:14:30). 

You know the artists that we look up to and make us wonder if we can ever reach their level? They all started like us. In this week's short story from a past Skip the Repeat guest, Jake Goldbas, drummer, musical director, and educator, tells us something really surprising: he didn't make his high school jazz band freshman year. This story is about what he decided to do after he hit that obstacle and what he learned from it. 

Stanford Thompson and his family spend every Thanksgiving in a different city. Stanford talks to Kai about how he hated practicing when he first started the trumpet (9:40), the moment he realized that his dream didn’t involve playing in an orchestra (17), and the effect President Trump has had on his organization, Play On, Philly! (48:42). They also discuss what he learned from spending time in Kenya (56:15) and the personal loss that made him grow up early in life (1:09:51).

When we see a string quartet, why do we automatically compare the first and second violinists? It's habit. In this week's short story from a past Skip the Repeat guest, Bryan Lee, violinist and member of the Dover Quartet, tells the story of the time a mentor of theirs suggested that he play second, what a hit to the ego that was for him, and how he overcame that. 

Jas Morrell is a tattoo artist and owner of Spirited Tattooing Coalition in Philadelphia. Jas talks to Kai about what makes his tattoo shop different (3), his experience growing up without much of an idea about his identity (12:50), and the moment he came out as queer (16:10). They also discuss how he first got into the tattoo industry (27:40) and the aspects of the shop that have changed with the election of Donald Trump as President (45:20).

Have you ever noticed that there's a lot of complaining happening? In this week's short story from a past Skip the Repeat guest, Mary Javian, Chair of Career Studies at the Curtis Institute of Music, talks about the culture of complaining in the classical music world, why it happens, and what we can do about it. 

JJ Kirkpatrick has been surrounded by great educators all his life. JJ gives tribute to the late Roy Hargrove (2:50), talks to Kai about what Thara Memory meant to him (6:30), and what got him to turn his life around after a troubling middle school experience (19:20). They also discuss how he ended up at one of the most prestigious music schools in the country (30) and his up-and-down time there (34:45). 

Tattoos are controversial where Yura Lee and I come from, Korea and Japan respectively, and in the classical music world. In this week’s short episode from a past Skip the Repeat guest, we unpack her thoughts before she got her first ink, anxiety about whether she would be accepted by the industry or not, what she learned afterwards, and why we will never know until we take that plunge.