Sunday Baroque Conversations

New York-based musician Caroline Shaw is a singer, violinist, composer, and producer who performs in solo and collaborative projects. Growing up in Greenville, NC, her introduction to music came through her mother -- a Suzuki music teacher -- and by listening to her local public radio station! The multi-faceted musician is an innovator whose creative outlets include commissions for a variety of performers and ensembles, singing with the vocal band Roomful of Teeth, and composing for TV, film and stage projects such as the Ken Burns/PBS documentary Leonardo Da Vinci and the FX/Hulu show Fleishman is in Trouble. She has earned 5 Grammy awards, and in 2013 – at age 30 -- she became the youngest recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Music for her composition, PARTITA FOR 8 VOICES. Suzanne spoke with Caroline Shaw about her life in music.

Eric Milnes is a professional instrumentalist and conductor who is also deeply committed to teaching and to fostering amateur talent. Along with instrumentalist Mélisande Corriveau, Milnes is co-director of Quebec's critically acclaimed period instrument orchestra and vocal ensemble, L'Harmonie des Saisons. They're the ensemble-in-residence for BURLINGTON BAROQUE, founded in 2024 to present concerts of historically informed performance in the Burlington, VT area. Eric Milnes spoke with Suzanne about his many musical projects.

From the time she was very young, Thorgy Thor (née Shane Thor Galligan) was an outgoing bundle of energy. Her parents signed her up for a variety of activities, including sports and music, to keep her engaged and to burn off some of that excess energy. Developing skills playing violin, viola, and cello led Thorgy Thor to major in music at The Hartt School (CT), and at SUNY Purchase (NY). After graduation, she was a playing and teaching music by day, and finetuning her skills as a drag queen, ultimately leading to her co-creating her program Thorgy and the Thorchestra. She now tours with her show, which ranges from classical orchestral music to pop favorites, to perform with orchestras all over. Thorgy Thor spoke with Suzanne about the power and importance of music in her life.

Violinist Kristin Lee was born in Seoul, Korea and came to the United States at age 7. At the time she spoke no English and the once-chatty, outgoing little girl suddenly found herself isolated, lonely, without friends. Immersing herself in music helped her bridge that gap, make friends, and find her calling. Kristen Lee spoke with Suzanne about how her experience as a foreign-born citizen of this country has affected her life, including many of her choices as a musician.

Debra Nagy plays baroque oboe, and the historical performance expert is also founding director of the chamber group Les Délices. The award-winning Cleveland-based group has a reputation for performing less well-known music of the baroque era. Debra Nagy spoke with Suzanne about how she finds the music she programs for Les Délices, and the creative process that brings together research, composition in historical styles, improvisation, and artistic collaboration.

The Grammy-nominated Neave Trio consists of violinist Anna Williams, cellist Mikhail Veselov, and pianist Eri Nakamura. They state their goal simply: To Engage. To Exchange. To Connect. Their 2024 album ROOTED features works centered around folk music by composers Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Bedrich Smetana, Joseph Suk, and Frank Martin. Neave Trio spoke with Suzanne about their collaborative process, and the touching story of how their ensemble got its name.

GRAMMY Award-winning musician Will Liverman has been praised for his versatility and skill as a singer. The American operatic baritone has performed in several roles at the Metropolitan Opera, and Lyric Opera Chicago, where he premiered an opera he co-created -- The Factotum – with his longtime friend, DJ King Rico. Will Livermanspoke with Suzanne about his life in music.

ChamberQUEER highlights LGBTQIA voices in contemporary and historical music and reimagines the classical concert experience as a radically inclusive gathering space and musical community for the 21st century. Founded in 2018 by Jules Biber (cello), Danielle Buonaiuto (soprano), Brian Mummert (baritone), and Andrew Yee (cello), ChamberQUEER operates as a collective of performers, composers, and creators. Suzanne speaks with 3 of the founding members (Jules, Danielle and Brian) about their musical paths led them to a broader community.

Byron Schenkman is an American harpsichordist, pianist, and music scholar who specializes in baroque and early music. Along with violinist Ingrid Matthews, Byron Schenkman cofounded Seattle Baroque, which the two musicians directed until 2013. Suzanne spoke with Byron Schenkman -- who has performed on dozens of recordings -- about their current projects, including the online concert series Sound Salon.

In 1982, a group of Early Music fans founded the Connecticut Early Music Society to present an annual festival of concerts every June. They feature a repertory of European music written before about 1800 and they focus on historically-informed performance practices, including the use of period instruments. Ian Watson is Artistic Director of the CT Early Music Festival. He is also an acclaimed keyboardist with a distinguished resume. Ian Watson speaks with Suzanne about the festival and his life in music.