2 competitors, 2 viewpoints: The Honens Semifinals Pt. 2

MUSICAlive! speaks with Chaeyoung Park while the Honens International Piano Competition
Semifinals are ongoing, and she and the other competitor we interview are performing on the same day, albeit in different Sessions. We have her tell us about her favourite piano so far, seeing as she spends large portions of her life attached to one! … Continue Reading >2 competitors, 2 viewpoints: The Honens Semifinals Pt. 2

Jimmy Peggie undone: What does a Sound Artist do?

“Well, I don’t actually play any instruments!” Jimmy Peggie tells us.
A strange admission from someone to be telling a MUSICAlive! interviewer, but we are NOT surprised. When wandering through the farther edges of the things we listen to for pleasure/entertainment/empowerment/enlightenment, sometimes it’s no longer a 3 minute lyric about “girl meetsboy/loses boy/finds boy … Continue Reading >Jimmy Peggie undone: What does a Sound Artist do?

2 competitors, 2 viewpoints: The Honens Semifinals Pt. 1

Élisabeth Pion is from Canada, but you’d never know it if you glanced through her resume: training in Italy AND the UK AND Montreal, and with a British phone prefix when we finally connect. MUSICAlive!, with an international subject matter that keeps us guessing what accent we will hear next, left it up to discovery: which is that this charming jewel is Quebecois … Continue Reading >2 competitors, 2 viewpoints: The Honens Semifinals Pt. 1

Are the Sour Patch Men . . . sour? No: Can bluegrass music be irreverent? Maybe!

MUSICAlive! Magazine often publishes the opening commentary of our interviewee, which is literally from our interview soundcheck: the artist telling us what they’ve played on the most recent recording we’ve had access to. And sometimes the responses are a little unexpected . . . … Continue Reading >Are the Sour Patch Men . . . sour? No: Can bluegrass music be irreverent? Maybe!

The Canadian Ska Orchestra: Musical professionals in a newly playful creation

Johnathon May brings me my Cafe Mocha and raisin bran muffin while I set up the recording device for our interview in the National Music Centre coffeeshop. Not only does it seem like an appropriate place for such interviews (having been used to talk to Rielle most recently, amongst others … Continue Reading >The Canadian Ska Orchestra: Musical professionals in a newly playful creation