Apply for the 100% free 2026 Fellowship of the Song by November 2!
After inviting a direct deposit from a Nigerian prince to help fund their greatest song commissioning desires, Laura and Sam had the pleasure to speak with Darryl Taylor, countertenor, teacher, founder of the African American Art Song Alliance, and an all-around people connector. Through his advocacy, research, teachings, and recording projects, America has taken significant steps towards celebrating and programming songs beyond the contents of the iconic Willis C. Patterson Anthology of Art Songs by Black American Composers.
Settle in to hear Darryl's origin story, his professional trajectory, how he transitioned from being a tenor to countertenor, and how far he's come since his founding of the Alliance in 1997. And stream his and Louise Toppin's new two-disc album, Dear Friends & Gentle Hearts: African American Art Song Essentials, on Apple and Spotify!
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Have a question you want answered by Laura and Sam on a future episode? Share your thoughts with a voice memo or written note through our new #TeamArtSong Mailbag!
Nominate a phenomenal artist in your local community for a shoutout in our Songsters in Your Neighborhood segment!
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Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
Apply for the 100% free 2026 Fellowship of the Song by November 2!
Please hold for tech... Is this thing on? Oh, there you are, Jamie Barton! One of the most iconic artists of our generation stops by the pod to chat all things song, share her incredible musical origin story from rural Georgia, and impart invaluable advice for finding one's true, authentic voice that puts you front and center in this crazy industry. (Hint: it involves healthy boundaries.)
Happy opening to the cast of the 25th anniversary run of Jake Heggie's opera Dead Man Walking at San Francisco Opera! Oh, and we're now accepting applications for an on-site manager for Jamie's Cat Café.
Stream one of Jamie's favorite songs, "You Have Become a Forest" from Four Poems of Nikita Gill by Melissa Dunphy on Apple Music or Spotify.
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Have a question you want answered by Laura and Sam on a future episode? Share your thoughts with a voice memo or written note through our new #TeamArtSong Mailbag!
Nominate a phenomenal artist in your local community for a shoutout in our Songsters in Your Neighborhood segment!
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Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
Our guest celebrity this month, the astounding B.E. Boykin, may seem like an old friend. That's because she's the co-conspirator with last month's guest, Sidney Outlaw, having composed the amazing new cycle 26 Ways of Looking at Black Man, found on Sidney and Warren Jones' new album, Black Pierrot. We were inspired by her unique story and can-do attitude in her pursuit of composing, despite numerous rejections along the way. But with cheerleaders like Dorothy Rudd Moore telling her to keep going for the love of it, how could she possibly have given up? Thank the #TeamArtSong gods she never did - we're all for the better having her songs in our world.
Stick around for a great conversation between Laura and Sam on how to advocate for the continued celebration of new music, including bringing audiences along. Thanks for the question, Edson!
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Have a question you want answered by Laura and Sam on a future episode? Share your thoughts with a voice memo or written note through our new #TeamArtSong Mailbag!
Nominate a phenomenal artist in your local community for a shoutout in our Songsters in Your Neighborhood segment!
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Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
Coming up on September 6, it's CSI's Season 10 Mainstage opening concert, Grown from a Miracle. Join as a live studio audience member in Cincinnati, or stream, 7:00-8:15pm Eastern Time, from anywhere on 90.9 WGUC.
Coming to us from balmy Brevard, North Carolina, the fame-ish Sidney Outlaw joins the pod, where the stories just keep flowing one after another! From the value of mentorship in shaping one's educational and professional journey, to the importance of creating quality recordings to provide the next generation with stylistic models, to believing that we're right where we're meant to be - all woven together by Star Wars metaphors - the conversation has nuggets for everyone. Hop on The Magic School Bus, it's class time with Sidney Outlaw!
Stream Sidney's newest album with Warren Jones, Black Pierrot, featuring music by William Grant Still and B.E. Boykin.
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Have a question you want answered by Laura and Sam on a future episode? Share your thoughts with a voice memo or written note through our new #TeamArtSong Mailbag! This episode, we answer a very interesting question submitted by Kelly in Cincinnati.
Nominate a phenomenal artist in your local community for a shoutout in our Songsters in Your Neighborhood segment!
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Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
The multi-faceted singer/writer/producer Michael Kelly joins the pod, sharing reflections on a career that started in song and have only rippled out from there. Stick around for a conversation about what classical musicians can stand to learn from pop artists, and new song cycles about poets who couldn't keep their hands off each other. Intrigued yet? Dive in with a whole new episode of Song Cycle, your go-to for chats with today's most pioneering performers and entrepreneurs!
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Have a question you want answered by Laura and Sam on a future episode? Share your thoughts with a voice memo or written note through our new #TeamArtSong Mailbag!
Submit a phenomenal artist in your local community for a shoutout in our Songsters in Your Neighborhood segment! Shoutout to composer Lisa Neher as this month's Songster in Your Neighborhood!
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Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
We've done a lot of pulling back the curtain on the life of composers, but we haven't had the chance to hang with another cornerstone of our industry - the publishers - until NOW! Laura and Sam are joined by super-cool-men-on-a-mission Robert Peavler of North Star Music and Dennis Tobenski of NewMusicShelf (where you can pick up Laura's 40@40 Anthology). These gents share their "why" for starting their publishing companies (hint: their reasons are far more noble than making money). Listen along for a rare glimpse into the world of publishing - and composers, stick around to hear how you can get your music picked up!
Then, Laura and Sam answer a fantastic #TeamArtSong Mailbag question from Holly in Winchester, VA about how to collaborate with composers when premiering their songs. And Laura shares a Songster in Your Neighborhood spotlight on Denise Rivera. Pick up her amazing anthology for beginning singers, Art Songs for New Beginnings, today!
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Have a question you want answered by Laura and Sam on a future episode? Share your thoughts with a voice memo or written note through our new #TeamArtSong Mailbag!
Submit a phenomenal artist in your local community for a shoutout in our Songsters in Your Neighborhood segment!
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Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
Step right up and get learned by Jodi Goble, composer and vocal coach extraordinaire! She drops golden nuggets along the way for how composers and singers can best learn from each other, what's awesome about American art song today and where it's headed, and even her favorite hobby that may or may not involve a blow torch.
Stick around for a fascinating #TeamArtSong Mailbag question from Daniel in Stamford, CT and an ensuing discussion on what makes a song a great song, as well as a great Songster in Your Neighborhood shoutout for Mike Brofman and Brooklyn Art Song Society, submitted by Harold in NYC!
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Have a question you want answered by Laura and Sam on a future episode? Share your thoughts with a voice memo or written note through our new #TeamArtSong Mailbag!
Submit a phenomenal artist in your local community for a shoutout in our Songsters in Your Neighborhood segment!
***
Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
Have you ever wondered if, in all the years you've known Glendower Jones... all the years you've ordered music from him at Classical Vocal Reprints... all the years you've had wonderful and engaging conversations with him on Facebook... Have you ever heard him speak? Well, fellow Songsters, prepare to meet the voice behind the online personality! Laura and Sam get to know the omniscient artist who's helped most of us out of a bind when it comes to finding that most obscure score. But there's much more to Glendower than CVR. Settle in to hear some amazing stories, and start thinking about what music you need to order from him next.
Stick around for our first-ever #TeamArtSong Mailbag question from Harold in NYC, as well as a fantastic Songster in Your Neighborhood shoutout submitted by Sakinah in Nawlins!
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Have a question you want answered by Laura and Sam on a future episode? Share your thoughts with a voice memo or written note through our new #TeamArtSong Mailbag!
Submit a phenomenal artist in your local community for a shoutout in our Songsters in Your Neighborhood segment!
***
Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
We're kicking off Season 5 with a fantastic and varied conversation with the singular Oliver Camacho. This singer, radio host (WFMT Listening to Singers with Oliver Camacho), podcast host (Opera Box Score), opera reviewer, and all-around smart dude has great insight and spicy opinions. From the latest trends in song to his favorite new recordings to the podcast pro's advice for newbie host Laura, we cover it all. Let's get into it.
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Have a question you want answered by Laura and Sam on a future episode? Share your thoughts with a voice memo or written note through our new #TeamArtSong Mailbag!
Submit a phenomenal artist in your local community for a shoutout in our Songsters in Your Neighborhood segment!
***
Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
Welcome to Season 5, and meet your new co-host, Laura Strickling! She's one of the coolest, most entrepreneurial singers around, and we can't wait to get into some great conversations with her and her friends. Got something to say? Share it with our new #TeamArtSong Mailbag! Submit a question for Laura and Sam to answer on a future episode. From career advice to repertoire and programming ideas to shedding light on the ins and outs of this ever-changing industry, we hope to have a conversation with you. Come along for the ride!
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Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
💥 Power couple alert! 💥 This month's conversation hits on a ton of great topics, featuring the very interesting perspectives of not one, but two titans of the industry - world-class soprano Joélle Harvey and epic artist manager Alex Fletcher. Not only do they bring their unique thoughts to the table as individuals, they give us a glimpse into how their roles in 21st-century American classical music has affected their married life. (Spoiler: it's wonderfully positive.) Tune in and enjoy this power couple's storytelling and advice!
Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
If you're interested in hearing a little bit about everything, this one's for you. Rhoslyn Jones brings the most joy to her artistry as a teacher and performer. Grab a listen to hear about her amazing early musical opportunities in Canada, and stay to hear all her hot takes on the industry and celebrity teachers. Oh, and no pigs were harmed during the creation of this episode. 🐷
Visit Rhoslyn Jones' website.
Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
It's truly the most interesting man alive: English baritone Roderick Williams. Yes, the same Roderick Williams who sang at King Charles III's coronation in 2023. The one you've probably heard on most any English song album. Would you guess the magnitude of his career after listening to this chill conversation he has with Sam? Definitely not. So settle in for an hour of wonderful stories and shared wisdom on working hard, staying open to different ideas and opinions, and making sure to stop and smell the roses along the way.
Visit Roderick Williams' website.
Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
The great Scottish pianist Iain Burnside joins Sam for a fun and informative conversation. Come for the sage advice on how to stay active in this ever-changing classical music landscape, stay for the greatest page-turning fail you never knew you needed to hear.
Visit Iain Burnside's website.
Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
What better way to kick off 2024 and Season 4 than with inspiration for chasing our own authentic selves? Allowing our mindsets to change over time, adopting new attitudes and approaches, and always - always - learning from those around us. It's the best advice for all of us, only from Gwen Coleman, right here on Song Cycle.
Visit Gwen Coleman's website.
Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
The Season 3 finale crossover extravaganza is here! Sam invites the hosts of CSI's other podcasts, So Lit Song Lit and Follow the Lieder to join him to discuss what their shows are all about. More importantly, though, is your chance to see if you can guess even fewer music trivia questions correctly than this band of hooligans did. Happy holidays to all, and here's to a bright and musically fulfilling new year!
Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
Who better for a gratitude-filled, inspirational, optimistic, and enlightening Thanksgiving conversation than the luminous Sasha Cooke? From learning to trust the universe when doors of opportunity open, to meaningful commissioning projects that caught fire, to chatting about why Wolf is such a singularly unique song composer, Sasha and Sam cover a wide range of topics that anybody will want to hear. The nuggets of wisdom are plentiful, as are the good times during this conversation.
Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
Artist. Administrator. Visionary. Unique. Multi-dimensional. Drag icon. Legend. Just the first few words that come to mind when thinking about renowned singer Stephanie Blythe. Join her and Sam in a no-holds-barred discussion on finding inspiration and meaning from who came before us, the future of classical music, the need for artists to connect with audiences live, and, of course, the drag tenor Blythely Oratonio.
Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
This one's for you if you need a little inspiration on turning your passions into action. Meet Laura Strickling, literal creator of the #TeamArtSong hashtag, song advocate, conduit between singers, pianists, and composers, and all-around song cheerleader. Get to know her, her story, and go bookmark her brand new album, 40@40!
Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.
Sholto Kynoch, Founding Artistic Director of the newly rebranded Oxford International Song Festival, sits down with Sam to discuss song across the Pond, how the organization engages audiences in bold and relevant ways, and that one time they bribed audience members to come to their concerts... for science, of course.
Song Cycle is a production of Cincinnati Song Initiative. You can learn more about its network of podcasts at cincinnatisonginitiative.org/podcasts.