Episode 42

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Published on:

16th Nov 2022

Catharsis (w/Alex Laing)

Good morning, dearest Scorekeepers! It's time for another episode of your favorite podcast, THE SCORE! This week, we are thrilled to be joined by Alex Laing, principal clarinetist for the Phoenix Symphony, educator, and all-around lovely person! We have a fantastic, and thoroughly edifying conversation about how we can diversify orchestra spaces, how his artistic practice has evolved over the course of his life, and his advice to other young Black artists in the field (0:40:58). Before that, however, I'm not sure if you heard about it, but last week there was little election type situation here in the US. So this week we take a few minutes up top to talk about some of our takeaways from this year's midterms. Then, we have a deeply personal conversation about the frustrations and the hopes of being Global Majority EDI practitioners in a white supremacist world. It gets real, y'all. (And for anyone out there doing this work, we see you! Please know you're not crazy and you're not alone!) Finally, we could never leave you without a moment of Pure Black Joy (1:25:10)! Let's do it to it, everybody!

Oh, and hey, if you or anyone you know is gonna be in Vancouver, BC on Saturday 11/19, come see Rocky speak about the state of Black opera in North America as part of re:Naissance Opera and Vancouver Opera's IndieFest! Get your tickets now!

Hosts: Lee Bynum, Rocky Jones, Paige Reynolds (Iyawo Inawale)

Guest: Alex Laing

Producer: Rocky Jones

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Links

Alex Laing (Website)

re:Naissance Opera and Vancouver Opera's IndieFest (Website)

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New episodes of THE SCORE drop every other Wednesday. If you like what you hear, please support us and SUBSCRIBE to the show on your favorite podcast app and be sure to SHARE our show with your friends. Also, leaving a 5-star REVIEW on Apple Podcasts is a great way to help people find our show. For more info about the exciting EDI work happening at MN Opera, please visit mnopera.org/edi. Email your questions or comments to thescore@mnopera.org

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About the Podcast

The Score
News and commentary about opera, classical music, and pop culture seen through an antiracist and anti-oppressive lens
It's time to put opera on game! Hosts Lee Bynum, Paige Reynolds, and Rocky Jones are three Black and queer artists, pop culture aficionados, and arts administrators at Minnesota Opera, who are working every day to bring more diversity, equity, and inclusivity into opera and classical music. The Score is their provocative, thoughtful, and humorous commentary on the industry's past, present, and future, as seen through an anti-racist and anti-oppressive lens. Each episode features a variety of stories from a variety of perspectives that bring People of the Global Majority, queer, trans and nonbinary folks, and everyone else into the discussion of ownership over and access to the art form. From the opera house to the statehouse to your house, each episode will amplify the voices of those in the field who are pushing the boundaries of what opera is, who it is for, and how it can transform us and our communities. New episodes come out every other Wednesday!