According to legend, Jesus Christ was crucified when he was 33 years old. That's how old I turned today...

As I sit and reflect on these 33 years, I'm reminded of my very tumultuous journey. Whether it was a job in the service industry, with the school systems, and even in orchestras, there have been people at every turn trying to take me down. Isn't it sad that your very best will never be enough for some people? Over the course of my career, and my LIFE for that matter, they've tried to cut me down...

I'm not actually sure WHY I'm thinking about these sorts of things on my birthday today. The way they took down Jesus at my age (again, according to legend), the illnesses that have killed folks my age, and even the character assassinations that have plagued the world's public figures. I know that I'm not FAMOUS famous, but I've definitely had to adjust the way I move over this past year when it comes to social media, specifically. As one of my teachers once told me, "With great privilege comes great responsibility," and it's MY responsibility to make sure I live many, many more years, because there's work to be done. 

Thanks in advance for the birthday wishes, and (maybe) the birthday gifts. With COVID-19 spreading across the world, I'm simply hoping to survive today. When it's not your MENTAL health giving you problems, it's the threat of failed PHYSICAL health, isn't it? The world does its best to crucify you in one way or another...

Shout out to Tiffany "New York" Pollard for always giving me what I need. Be sure to wish me a happy birthday by checking out TRILLOQUY. There's something there for everyone, and as Scott and I approach year two of the podcast I'm hoping to see the numbers continue to grow. 

I'm gonna be listening to some Drake today - check my "What I'm Listening To" page to find out why...

Welcome to Women's History Month! As you go through the month of March exploring and learning more about the stories of women and girls, remember that the legacies of women of color (especially Black women) deserve a little extra attention - that's what we call equity, right? As Scott and I continue to backlog our TRILLOQUY interviews, I had the pleasure of speaking with Brandon Keith Brown earlier this week. In our conversation, he brought up a woman named Hazel Harrison. I hadn't heard of her, but after doing a little reading I was SHOCKED to have never heard of her! This woman of classical music days past served on the faculty of Howard University, and even made history across the pond! I really encourage you to read more about her - a name that you should DEFINITELY know. 

The way that I've decided to honor Women's History Month on TRILLOQUY is by featuring a woman in each opus, as well as shouting out a few women composers who I think deserve a few more flowers. Today's opus (March 5) features Katie Brown and Dalanie Harris, from the Classically Black Podcast. I'm so proud of them - the work they do is BEYOND important, and I hope you'll go check out the conversation that Scott and I had with them. Here's a sample of what you can expect...

While I'm here, I also wanted to offer a shout out and a THANK YOU to Amanda Cook. She and the rest of her team offer some incredible perspectives on new music over at icareifyoulisten.com. I had the honor of being interviewed by Amanda last month, and you can check out that feature here. I look forward to having Amanda on TRILLOQUY in early June!