On today's episode, I'm joined by percussionist, conductor, scholar, and educator Dr. Cayenna Ponchione-Bailey. We talk about her early music education in Alaska, growing up surrounded by extraordinary role models, and how that upbringing shaped her drive to put her musical training in service of real-world issues. We also dig into the persistent underrepresentation of women composers on concert programmes, and why in this day and age programming Beethoven is anything but a neutral choice. We also explore her remarkable 2019 project with the Women's Orchestra of Afghanistan, as well as her latest endeavour: recording the complete keyboard works of composer Marianna Martines.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cayennaconductor/
Marianna Martines Life and Music: https://youtu.be/rKE_N21fz_0?si=SP3myJnoOxBqXBi4
0:00 - Introduction
1:37 - Growing up Playing Music
3:24 - Learning to Play Percussion
5:08 - Why Music Genres Don’t Matter
8:02 - How did Cayenna get into Conducting?
11:56 - How can we get more women into conducting?
14:27 - Adding Value to Orchestral Performance
17:52 - How Can Orchestral Music Help Push for Change
19:40 - Championing the Work of Women Composers
22:18 - Working with the Women’s Orchestra of Afghanistan
31:17 - How Impactful Orchestras Can be
33:24 - Recording the Complete Keyboard Works of Marianna Martines
36:30 - What did you learn about Marianna Martines?
46:38 - Reacting to male conductors calling Martines a “second rate composer”
51:10 - Should all Orchestras try to Programme More Women?
53:52 - What advice would you give to the next generation?
55:17 - Who’s Cayenna adding to the playlist?
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