Like those of most musicians, my career is a jerry-rigged jigsaw puzzle. Like for so many of us, key pieces of that puzzle involve adjunct teaching at the university level. As a somewhat extreme case, I’ve been juggling four part-time, non-tenure track posts this past academic year – at the conservatory of a private liberal arts school (a rather under-recognized gem), and on three different campuses of the University of California system.

Classical Post has curated a selection of new releases in the form of albums, videos, and streamed concerts to help you discover your new favorite artist! The musical selections range from extraordinarily experimental to pop; all are designed to demonstrate the different directions that classically trained musicians can take.

Celebrated mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges is comfortable in the roles of Queen Nefertiti and Carmen. She joins Classical Post to discuss this balancing act, how her personal practice has shifted during the pandemic, and how her basketball background informs her operatic practice.

Philadelphia Young Pianists’ Academy (PYPA) transforms into the first-ever, full-scale, digital piano festival this August 1 - 9, 2020 with increased opportunities at a highly discounted rate (50-70% off tuition). PYPA cares about the health and safety of its community, so in light of global circumstances, they will reimagine what a small-but-mighty arts organization can be during this time.

Cellist Alisa Weilerstein joins Classical Post in conversation to discuss her latest album the Bach Cello Suites, Pablo Casals, her #36DaysOfBach, gravitating towards the sixth Bach Suite in these surreal times and more.

For composers, the process of being hired to score television and film projects has seemed elusive since the dawn of the movie business. Many successful composers may brush off their success to luck, but it’s about preparation and knowing the professional etiquette of scoring for TV & Film.

Composer Melissa Dunphy, winner of a 2020 Discovery Grant from Opera America, has been named the next composer in residence in conjunction with the Oberlin Opera Commissioning Program. Dunphy will develop her opera Alice Tierney with librettist Jacqueline Goldfinger through interactive experiences with Oberlin students, culminating in a world premiere at Oberlin in January 2023. Launched in 2019, the Oberlin Opera Commissioning Program supports the development and world-premiere staging of new operas by living composers. Each opera is delivered from conception to completion through extensive on-campus experiences at Oberlin. Dunphy joins Classical Post to discuss Alice Tierney, writing for opera, the collaboration process, and more.

Bang On A Can composer Michael Gordon’s new work Anonymous Man for The Crossing Choir was released on March 20, 2020 on Cantaloupe Records. As the first track suggests, Anonymous Man is the tale of two. It is the tale of the man on the street and the man in his bed, two men who lived on Desbrosses St., the love story between Michael Gordon and Julia Wolfe, our true memories and those which we perceive to be true, our inner and outer lives, and the tale of tragedies in New York. These tales bring attention to how the most vulnerable New Yorkers are treated. Michael Gordon joins Classical Post to discuss.

Anthony Davis' opera The Central Park Five, with a libretto by Richard Wesley, has won the 2020 Pulitzer Prize in Music. Davis joined Classical Post on a phone call from his home in San Diego to discuss the Pulitzer Prize, The Central Park Five, Donald Trump’s character in the opera, philosophy, and opera at large.

Music organizations across the country are currently faced with financial challenges and this moment marks a decisive turning point regarding how organizations will treat artists. National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) in Miami is an organization which identifies the most accomplished young artists in the visual, literary and performing arts, and provides them with creative and professional development opportunities throughout their careers. YoungArts is a founding member of the national Artist Relief coalition, launched YoungArts Alumni Emergency Microgrants and are paying alumni to perform livestream concerts on their Facebook page. Topics in this article include how to utilize the strengths of your organization and the creative opportunities and financial issues with livestream concerts. As these issues are nuanced and ongoing, Classical Post felt that it would be beneficial to speak with three sides of YoungArts to get a full picture of how organizations can support artists. This article features the perspectives of YoungArts Chief Operating Officer Jewel Malone, YoungArts Board Chair Sarah Arison, and composer/pianist Conrad Tao. Tao is a YoungArts alumnus and will perform a livestream concert and give a talk on the YoungArts website and Facebook page on May 7 at 7pm.

The Wet Ink Ensemble will release a new album on May 1 featuring two large works: Alex Mincek’s Glossolalia and Sam Pluta’s Lines On Black. In this second part of a two part series, Sam Pluta joins Classical Post to discuss his psychedelic new work Lines On Black. The first article featured Alex Mincek in discussion with Classical Post regarding his latest work, Glossolalia.

Tenor sensation David Miller of the classical crossover group Il Divo, and his critically acclaimed wife soprano Sarah Joy Miller, release an opera single, “O soave fancuilla” (La Bohéme), from their upcoming new album, on the independent music and film enterprise label Bohémisphere. One hundred percent of the proceeds from the release of the single “O soave fanciulla” will be donated to The Actors Fund to aid creative artists out of work due to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

The Wet Ink Ensemble will release a new album on May 1 featuring two large works: Alex Mincek’s Glossolalia and Sam Pluta’s Lines On Black. In this first part of a two part series, Alex Mincek joins Classical Post to discuss his mind bending new work Glossolalia. The next article will feature Sam Pluta in discussion with Classical Post regarding his latest work, Lines On Black.

Black Violin’s Kevin Marcus joins Classical Post to discuss the vulnerability required in finding your voice, bringing people together virtually through music, and teaching in a way that transcends music.

Acclaimed tenor Lawrence Brownlee joins Classical Post for a conversation about creating community through online performances in the era of social-distancing.

The Met announces plans to livestream an At-Home Gala on April 25 at 1pm EDT, which will be streamed from the Met’s website. The free concert will feature more than 40 leading Met artists performing live from their homes around the world via Skype. Highlights include: Anna Netrebko in Vienna, Angel Blue in New Jersey, Anthony Roth Costanzo in New York City, Michael Fabiano in Florida, Nadine Sierra in Valencia, and Renée Fleming in Virginia.

One of the two founding members of the Emerson String Quartet, violinist Eugene Drucker, joins Classical Post for a Q&A to discuss rehearsals during quarantine, reinterpreting standard works over the years, and his own creative writing projects.

During this difficult moment, we are turning to live streams and recorded concerts to keep classical music in our lives. The following 5 listings provide listeners with chamber music, orchestral music, contemporary music, and a world-wide musical exchange to keep the music going.

Nick Norton joins Classical Post for 5 Tips to help get you started with Livestreaming your concert from home!

Carnegie Hall launches its new online series Live with Carnegie Hall on Tuesday April 14. The series will consist of original programming curated by Emanuel Ax, Joshua Bell, Michael Feinstein, Renée Fleming, Angélique Kidjo, Ute Lemper, and Yannick Nézet-Séguin.