Cathy Thomas-Grant (Director, Americana: A Murder Ballad)

Presented by the Flora L. Thornton Opera Program, the light-hearted romantic comedy, The Merry Widow, is coming to Smothers Theatre on February 22nd and 24th!

I sat down with Dr. Keith Colclough, the show's director and associate professor of vocal studies at Pepperdine, and talked about the challenges of preparing opera for the stage, his favorite parts of the show, and the enormous talent that carries the opera. 

Ticket link: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/events/2023-2024-season/merry-widow.htm

More information about the Center for the Arts can be found at https://arts.pepperdine.edu/

Music by Jeremy Zerbe

Pepperdine University’s Raitt Recital Hall was recently treated to an incredible performance by five young classical artists: American bass-baritone Joseph Parrish, Danish cellist Jonathan Swensen, Spanish/Dutch pianist Albert Cano Smit, American tenor Daniel McGrew, and Chinese violinist Lun Li. Represented by Young Concert Artists, these singers and instrumentalists are among the elite of today’s rising classical musicians. Together, they shared an impressive program of Mendellsohn, Strauss, Schumann, and Marx.

I had a chance to sit down with them and discuss their touring experience, performing on the concert stage, and the demands of practice and preparation. 

More information about the Center for the Arts at Pepperdine University can be found at https://arts.pepperdine.edu/

Music by Jeremy Zerbe

THE HOLIDAY SEASON IS HERE! Come see the Pepperdine Choir and Orchestra present their annual Christmas concert on Thursday, December 7 at 7:30pm in Smothers Theatre. They'll be performing timeless holiday tunes and selections from the classical repertoire. 

I sat down with Dr. Ryan Board, Director of Choral Activities at Pepperdine, and discussed the joys and challenges of preparing students for this event.

This show is sold out, but will be livestreamed here: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/events/2023-2024-season/mus-christmas-choir-orch.htm

More information about the Center for the Arts at Pepperdine University can be found at https://arts.pepperdine.edu/

Music by Nolan Harvel

Internationally acclaimed pianist Andrew von Oeyen returns to Pepperdine for a residency at the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts! During his time here, he performed Beethovan's Emperor Concerto and Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with the Pepperdine Orchestra under the direction of Dr. Pierre Long-Tao Tang.

I sat down with Andrew to discuss his experiences as a performer and his special connection to Pepperdine. 

Follow the Center for the Arts here and on Instagram to stay up to date with new episodes as they're released. 

More info about the Center for the Arts at Pepperdine University can be found here: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/ 

Music by Jeremy Zerbe and Nolan Harvel

SEASON 4 IS HERE!

I welcome composer Jeremy Zerbe back to the podcast for an incredible conversation about the music written for the show over the past three seasons. 

We have an incredible conversation about the creative process, collaborating with musicians, and the joys of writing music for media!

There is a lot in store for this season! Make sure to follow us here and on Instagram to stay up to date with new episodes as they're released.

More info about the Center for the Arts at Pepperdine University can be found here: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/

Music by Jeremy Zerbe and Nolan Harvel

It’s the last episode of season 3! On today's episode, we meet with some of our graduating seniors from the Center For the Arts. Our patrons will have seen these students working back-of-house, front-of-house, on stage, or in the museum, and together we can enjoy the lively anecdotes of these remarkable students. 

Behind-the-scenes stories, as well as backstage gossip, make this a must-listen-to episode. But in addition to their humor, our students have brought a community to the CFA they happily share with every patron. Our graduating seniors are wise beyond their years, and their worldviews are worth appreciating. 

Join us in the Fall of 2023 for the next season!

More info about the Center for the Arts can be found: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/

Music by: Nolan Harvel

We’d like to thank you all for listening and participating during season 3. After this episode, we’ll be taking a break and will return for season 4 in the fall. Keep your ears open for our return date.

Take a listen to some of our favorite responses as to why the arts are important.

We would like to thank all of our guests and artists for joining us this year, including Taimane, Laila Biali, Mandy Gonzalez, Javier Muñoz, Pablo Sainz-Villegas, and the many others.

More info about the Center for the Arts including the 2023-2024 season can be found: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/

Music by Nolan Harvel

For the first time, Carson Vandermade joins the podcast to discuss the Senior Showcase presented in the Weisman Museum. Carson discusses what patrons expect to see, the senior students’ work, the importance of showcasing their work in a museum, and why he believes the arts are important.

Carson Vandermade graduated from Pepperdine University in 2022 with a BA in studio art. He is the museum assistant and arts education coordinator for Pepperdine's Weisman Museum of Art. Carson is also a practicing visual artist whose work considers the relationships people form with their spaces and their belongings.

More info about the Center for the Arts can be found at https://arts.pepperdine.edu/

Music by Nolan Harvel

Directing major Jacqueline Thornell meets with Cathy Thomas-Grant, a cherished theatre professor at Pepperdine who served as the director of the summer Edinburgh program from 2000-2022. Jacqueline and Cathy talk about Pepperdine’s upcoming performance of Americana: A Murder Ballad, its relevance and importance to today’s time, and why the arts are important.

After earning her Bachelor's degree at California State University Northridge in 1984 and her Master of Fine Arts degree in acting from The American Conservatory Theatre of San Francisco in 1992, Cathy went on to lead an impressive career in the theatre, with acting credits, including but not limited to Steel Magnolias, Macbeth, and Tartuffe, and directing credits attributed to Much Ado About Nothing, The Importance of Being Earnest, and Death of a Salesman. 

More info about the Center for the Arts can be found at https://arts.pepperdine.edu/

Music by Nolan Harvel

For the first time on this podcast, we get to bring the concert to you! 

Back on January 29, 2023, pianist sensation, Ying Li performed at Raitt Recital Hall. Listen to Ying Li perform Fantasy in C Major, Opus 17 by ROBERT SCHUMANN, Sonata for Piano by BÉLA BARTÓK, Instants d’un opera de Pekin by QIGANG CHEN, and L’oiseau de feu by IGOR STRAVINSKY.

More info about the Center for the Arts can be found: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/

Music by Jeremy Zerbe