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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

Guitar sensation and the inaugural winner of the 2006 Parkening International Guitar Competition Pablo Sáinz-Villegas join the podcast!  Pablo has been acclaimed by the international press and by The New York Times for his "virtuous and moving performance, with an irresistible exuberance and a range of bright colors." He has played for world leaders such as the Dalai Lama and has made numerous world premieres, including the first work written for guitar by John Williams. Pablo will be performing at Smothers Theatre on Thursday, March 23, 2023. Listen in as Nolan Harvel, our Assistant Podcast Producer interviews Pablo about his journey as a guitarist, his past, and why he believes the arts are important. More info about the Center for the Arts can be found: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/ Music by Nolan Harvel

Broadway stars Mandy Gonzalez & Javier Muñoz join the podcast!    Mandy is highly known for starring as Angelica Schuyler on the hit show Hamilton and Nina Rosario on In the Heights.   Javier is equally as known for starring as Alexander Hamilton in Hamilton after Lin-Manuel Miranda departed the show. Javier is currently on Broadway starring in the pre-Broadway run of THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA: A NEW MUSICAL. He plays Miranda Priestley’s right-hand man, “Nigel”.   Listen in as Jacqueline Thornell, a Theatre Directing major at Pepperdine interviews them about their acting journey, advice for the next generation of theatre & entertainment professionals, and why they believe the arts are important.   Ticket link: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/events/2022-2023-season/pepperdine-opera-hms-pinafore.htm More info about the Center for the Arts can be found: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/ Music by Nolan Harvel  

Dr. Keith Colclough returns to the podcast for the third time! Dr. Colclough is an Assistant Professor of Voice and the Director of Opera.    We sit down to discuss what a healthy singing voice is, types of singing styles, and the upcoming comedic performance of H.M.S. Pinafore Details!   H.M.S. Pinafore Details    Thursday, February 23 & Saturday, February 25, 2023   Ticket link: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/events/2022-2023-season/pepperdine-opera-hms-pinafore.htm More info about the Center for the Arts can be found: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/ Music by Nolan Harvel  

Part 2 of jazz and musical phenomenon Laila Biali! Listen to the second part of Laila’s interview. Laila is wonderful! Don’t miss this episode as Laila talks about the differences in music between her home in Toronto, Canada, and her other home, New York City, and a few other topics.   You can find all of Laila’s information here: https://lailabiali.com/   More info about the Center for the Arts can be found: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/   Music by Nolan Harvel

Jazz and musical phenomenon Laila Biali joins the Centered on the Arts podcast! Don’t miss this episode as Laila talks about her JUNO win, finding her space within Jazz and the music industry, and what she thinks should be taught in music education. And, of course, why she believes the arts are important.   You can find all of Laila’s information here: https://lailabiali.com/   More info about the Center for the Arts can be found: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/   Music by Nolan Harvel

Part 2 with Hollace Starr! Listen in as we continue the conversation with all the audio that didn't make it into the first episode.   Hollace is an associate professor of theatre at Pepperdine University, where she teaches, coaches voice and dialects, and directs. Outside of Pepperdine she has acted and directed numerous productions, and she is a founding member of Rogue Machine Theatre Company in Venice, CA. Hollace received her MFA in acting from UCLA’s School of Theatre, Film and Television. She is a lifetime member of the Actors Studio and a designated Linklater Voice teacher.   More info about the Center for the Arts can be found:  https://arts.pepperdine.edu/ Music by Nolan Harvel

Hollace Starr returns to discuss her upcoming production of Into the Woods. Hollace shares her experience directing her first musical, the deep themes within the characters and story of Into the Woods, and why the arts are important.  Hollace is an associate professor of theatre at Pepperdine University, where she teaches, coaches voice and dialects, and directs. Outside of Pepperdine she has acted and directed numerous productions, and she is a founding member of Rogue Machine Theatre Company in Venice, CA. Hollace received her MFA in acting from UCLA’s School of Theatre, Film and Television. She is a lifetime member of the Actors Studio and a designated Linklater Voice teacher. If you are interested in tickets of Into the Woods performance, please visit: https://www.etix.com/ticket/e/1028833/2022-fall-musical-malibu-smothers-theatre More info about the Center for the Arts can be found:  https://arts.pepperdine.edu/ Music by Nolan Harvel

Ukulele and musical sensation Taimane joins the Centered on the Arts podcast! Taimane, a hapa Sāmoan artist (part indigenous Sāmoan and part Caucasian) born and raised in Hawai‘i, has established herself as an artist-to-watch, wowing audiences and listeners around the world while raking in one accolade after another and garnering a Nā Hōkū Hanohano Award as Favorite Entertainer of the Year in 2019. From sold-out shows across the U.S. to Europe, Taimane’s live performances have become must-see events. The same can be said of her videos, which have been viewed well over 50 million times and helped earn Taimane nearly 500,000 online followers. From Bach to Led Zeppelin, flamenco infernos to tribal hymns, Taimane’s artistic vision is boundless, and she’s proving the sky’s the limit for her and her ukulele. More info about the Center for the Arts can be found: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/ Music by Nolan Harvel

In this episode, Reinhardt guitar specialist Stephane Wrembel joins us and talks about learning the guitar and spending time with the Sinti people, his connection with Django Reinhardt, and his thoughts on why the arts are important. Specializing in the now-known "gypsy jazz" style of guitar, Stephane has performed in prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall and The Town Hall. More info about the Center for the Arts can be found: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/ Music by Nolan Harvel

It’s season announcement time!!! Rebecca Carson, our Managing Director, joins me in announcing the new 2022–2023 lineup of Presented Shows at Smothers Theatre, Raitt Recital Hall, and Lindhurst Theatre. Rebecca also shares some details on next year’s season - can you believe we’re already planning for next year too? Join Rebecca and me and learn who’s coming to the Center for the Arts and how Rebecca finds artists to book. More info about the Center for the Arts can be found: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/ Music by Nolan Harvel

IT’S TIME FOR SEASON 3! Our first guest is Dr. Brad Griffin, Divisional Dean of the Fine Arts Department at Seaver College and the Director of The Importance of Being Earnest here at Pepperdine University. Brad and I talk a lot about his upcoming show, his directing process, and the selection process in the Seaver College Fine Arts Division.  The Importance of Being Earnest will run from Tuesday, September 20, 2022 - Saturday, September 24, 2022. The link to purchase tickets are below. Hurry fast, as two nights are completely sold out! To purchase tickets, please visit: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/events/2022-2023-season/pepperdine-theatre-importance-of-being-earnest.htm To be added to our waitlist, please call the Box Office at 310.506.4522 Music by Nolan Harvel

We’d like to thank you all for listening and participating during season 2. After this episode, we’ll be taking a break and will return for Season 3 in the fall. Keep your ears open for our return date. In today’s episode, we share some of our favorite responses to “why the arts are important?” We hear from Christine Cox, Nolan Harvel, Stacey Kent, Jessica Rivera Shafer, Andrea Gyorody, and Heather Lundstedt. We would like to thank all of our guests and artists for joining us this year, including Rebecca Carson, Paul Vacchiano, Nic Few, Kelly Todd, Geneva Lewis, Jenny Scheinman, Sean Allinson, Jacob Haren, Keith Colclough, Hollace Starr, Ryan Board, Lincoln Hanks, Christian Romo, Thomas Lowe, and Bryan Yamami. More info about the Center for the Arts including the 2022-2023 season can be found: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/ Music by Nolan Harvel

In this episode, we will be sharing new audio and excerpts from podcasts with two of our favorite artists, TAIKOPROJECT and Jenny Scheinman. The Center for the Arts will present TAIKOPROJECT on May 21, 2022, and we will present Jenny Scheinman on June 3, 2022. First, we will hear Rebecca Carson talking with Bryan Yamami about TAIKOPROJECT’s new tour of Benzaiten. This was originally aired on December 1, 2020. After, R.J. Morgan and Jenny Scheinman talk about her upcoming performance of Kannapolis: A Moving Picture, how she fell into this project, and her process. This was originally aired on January 4, 2022.  More info about the Center for the Arts can be found: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/ Ticket Purchases: TAIKOPROJECT: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/8091101/taikoproject-benzaiten-malibu-smothers-theatre Jenny Scheinman: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/7607916/jenny-scheinman-in-kannapolisa-moving-portrait-malibu-smothers-theatre Previous Episodes: TAIKOPROJECT: https://open.spotify.com/episode/10IrvaRSAFMPK0Js55FDlp?si=adb715a46ebd4913 Jenny Scheinman: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0j6bbKUKOMiX7c7rGOjYB0?si=6f19651bfaf743ee Taiko Music Composer: Jeremy Zerbe Folk and Violin Music by Nolan Harvel

Dr. Ryan Board, Dr. Lincoln Hanks, and Pepperdine students Christian Romo and Thomas Lowe join R.J. to discuss the upcoming performance of "Satan’s Fall," an oratorio composed by Stewart Copeland, the drummer for the iconic rock band, the Police. The group talk about their unique experiences collaborating with Copeland, the history of the oratorio, and why the arts are important. If you are interested in tickets for Satan's Fall, please visit: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/2753567/satans-fallan-oratorio-by-stewart-copeland-malibu-smothers-theatre Music by Nolan Harvel

Hollace Starr returns to the podcast to discuss her upcoming production of The Winter’s Tale with Assistant Podcast Producer Sean Allinson. Hollace opens up about her affinity for Shakespeare, the universal themes of comedy and tragedy, and why the arts are important.  Hollace is an associate professor of theatre at Pepperdine University, where she teaches, coaches voice and dialects, and directs. Outside of Pepperdine she has acted and directed numerous productions, and she is a founding member of Rogue Machine Theatre Company in Venice, CA. Hollace is a lifetime member of the Actors Studio and a designated Linklater Voice teacher. If you are interested in tickets of The Winter’s Tales performance, please visit: https://www.etix.com/ticket/e/1021336/the-winters-tale-malibu-smothers-theatre More info about the Center for the Arts can be found:  https://arts.pepperdine.edu/ Music by Nolan Harvel

Stacey joins us once again to discuss how she found jazz and how living in new places affects her musically. R.J. hosts as Stacey describes how finding a close-knit team helped her through the Covid-19 Quarantine.  More info about the Center for the Arts can be found: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/ Music by Nolan Harvel

The incredibly talented Stacey Kent guest stars on today’s episode! Stacey and R.J. had a lengthy conversation about the beginning stages of her career,  what she would tell her younger self and the pivotal moments within her career. Of course, we asked her why are the arts important, but she also offers some excellent advice to every artist in any phase of their career. Stacey Kent will be on stage at Smothers Theatre on Wednesday, March 9, 2022, at 8:00 p.m. For tickets, click the link below. https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/5312432/stacey-kent-malibu-smothers-theatre More info about the Center for the Arts can be found: https://arts.pepperdine.edu/ Music by Nolan Harvel