Ariana is joined in this episode by her good friend and former studio-mate, cellist Francesca McNeeley. Francesca took an unusual path towards becoming a professional musician, having first studied politics at Princeton. She now lives in Boston, where she leads a varied musical life involving performing and teaching. She particularly enjoys playing contemporary music, and talks about how she got interested in it, and the reasons why she is drawn to it. Francesca and Ariana also talk about navigating the tough nuances in today's climate. They discuss the call-out culture of social media, regarding racist allegations in the classical music world. Francesca gives her perspective on how there has to be accountability, not just "canceling," in order for real progress to be made. 

You can find more about Francesca and the group Castle of Our Skins (which celebrates Black artistry through music) here.

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