Doing the Work with Matthan Black

This week’s episode is with Michelle Eppley, owner and operator of The Sound Center! She is an incredibly talented speech pathologist as well as a towering beacon of openness and positivity. Our conversation spans vocal health, concentric circles of comfortability, and using a cocktail straw to save your voice. We also dig into some talk […]

In this week’s episode of Doing the Work we talk with Opera Director George Cederquist! George is awesome and handsome and nice and very VERY talented. We talk life, art, music, kids, hockey, and podcasts. He was very generous with his time and insights and I know you’ll have fun listening to our conversation. Go […]

This week’s episode is with Elyse Kakacek! Elly is a bright-hearted and talented soprano who splits her time between singing, teaching, yoga, and being a positive force for good in the universe. Our conversation runs far and wide between topics like “is it all really worth it?”, “why can’t we make every moment magical?”, “can […]

Errin Brooks is contagiously funny and incredibly sincere. We spend an hour talking about the National Association of Negro Musicians, how to stay motivated when you’re not feeling your best, and Patrick Swayze’s Roadhouse. Roadhouse is the best movie. It just is. Errin is kind and hilarious and a joy to hang out with so […]

This week we talk with the hardest working musician in Chicago, Dave Govertsen. Dave is such a great musician and such a kind individual. We talk about musicianship/musicality, The Simpsons, how their baby already has a more impressive resume than me, and why it pays to be able to learn difficult music. But above all, […]

Everyone! I got DJ to do my show! Dj was a magnificent guest and it was so cool to get to catch up with him and have a nice conversation for all of you to hear! DJ is the head of production for the Van Buren Fine Arts Center in Van Buren, Arkansas as well as […]

This week we talk with Billy Dwyer and Jason Carlson! They might be the next great comedy duo. All I’m saying is that Jason might be the world’s greatest musical straight man. They also happen to be amazing musicians and wonderfully insightful people. We talk about staging overtures, getting stabbed in the throat by broken […]

This week we have EMILY BIRSAN!!!!!! Emily is an incredibly creative and talented soprano and an alumna of the Ryan Opera Center at the Lyric Opera of Chicago. She is SOOOOOOOO funny and charming and was a pleasure to talk to. We talk about hearing colors, the art of Egon Sheile (his paintings make me feel […]

This week we have our first non-musician! Sara Stock is a graduate of the Conservatory at Second City and Improv Olympic in Chicago and a fellow Apron Person at Howells and Hood on Michigan Avenue. We talk about auditioning, losing self, fear and anger, and how to let a lifelong dream die with grace and […]

This week I talk with Heather Youngquist. She’s nice. We talk about Mad Men. #spoileralert? Also check out Chicago Folks Operetta for tickets and information about Madame Pompadour

IT’S BERNARD HOLCOMB! Bernard is a personal positivity hero of mine and a spectacularly articulate singer. He is so incredibly genuine and caring. I saved this one for a while because I knew how special it was.  Our conversation runs the gamut of emotions from deep and profound to utterly ridiculous. Enjoy!

Happy 10th episode!!! This week we talk with Oliver Camacho of the OperaNow! Podcast. He is endearing and intelligent and was a blast to chat with. We talk about the BAMFs of early music recording, our musicological dreamboats (i.e. why I feel about Philip Gossett the way I used to feel about Batman), and all […]

In this episode Aaron and I talk about the old school Bel Canto technique of our forefathers. We talk recording techniques, why it’s important to have a great teacher, and why Thomas Hampson is the handsomest, most wonderful man in opera.

In this episode Justin Berkowitz and I talk about having super successful musicians in your family, deadlines as the best practice incentives, and, of course, alcohol. Enjoy!

In Episode #7 Scott Brunscheen and I talk A LOT about booze! Then we move on to more sensible topics like do-it-yourself opera, arts education, and why Chicago is the best city in the world. Then we get real about our hopes and dreams for the future of opera in this city and why doing your […]

In this episode of Doing the Work, Sara Schabas and I talk about music and outreach and practice and we get slightly nerdy about pens and stationary. I still haven’t found my stationary soul mate. If you love fountain pens and good paper and you’re a musician, hit me up on the social medias! I […]

In Episode 5 we talk about Stanislavski, Break-ups, and Musical Theater! Visit Joe on the Interwebs here! Visit Kentucky Opera to get tickets to see Joe in Daron Hagen’s A Woman in Morocco!  

In Episode 4 of Doing the Work Louise Rogan and I talk about learning the title role in Bizet’s Carmen and what it’s like to do a cover run with almost no rehearsal! We also talk about building a character from the ground up, playing with meta-theater, singing in an all girl pop band in […]

In Episode #3 of Doing the Work Alyssa Arrigo and I talk about what it’s like to be a musician in high school, the importance of doing music on your own terms, how to stay mentally engaged during performance, and what happens when you eat to many bananas. Also visit Chicago Fringe Opera for tickets […]

In episode #2 of Doing the Work we talk with Chris Remmel! We chat about vocal stamina, coloratura, the clarinet, and why Lohengrin is a horrible first opera. We also play another rousing round of “Have We Started Yet?” as well getting very excited about a food truck that only serves french fires. Chris also fires back […]