The poet Robert Frost said, "I am not a teacher, but an awakener." Reynard Burns awakened the creativity and talent of countless students in his 34 years as a public school orchestra director on Long Island. Mr. Burns also plays piano and bass, and is a prolific composer and arranger whose talents and interests span many musical genres. His compositions include music for orchestra, wind ensemble, concert band, jazz ensemble, and more, and have been performed throughout the United States and abroad. Suzanne spoke with Reynard Burns about his life as a teacher and composer, as well as his post-retirement lectures and workshops that focus on classical music of composers of African descent.
Composer Sarah Kirkland Snider's musical language is widely varied. She has written intimate instrumental solos, vocal works, chamber music, and large-scale orchestral music. Her music has been performed by major orchestras in Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, and New York, as well as by Emerson String Quartet, eighth blackbird, A Far Cry, The Knights, and Roomful of Teeth. Suzanne spoke with Snider about her approach to music making, and her 2026 album of orchestral works, whose title cut is Forward Into Light, a commission for the New York Philharmonic inspired by the American women's suffrage movement.
The largest chamber music competition in the world is based in South Bend, Indiana and was founded by a music loving furniture salesman in 1973. The Fischoff National Chamber Music Association is a comprehensive organization that helps to launch the careers of young emerging chamber musicians, and supports grassroots musical education and outreach. Not only is the competition live-streamed online, there is also a rich performance archive available on its website. Suzanne spoke with Josh Aerie who is the Executive Director of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Association about its ambitious mission.
Edward Klorman is a violist and Professor of Music at the University of Wisconsin - Madison's Mead Witter School of Music. In 2025 he published his book, BACH: THE CELLO SUITES, exploring what makes these seemingly humble unaccompanied cello compositions so extraordinary and lasting. Over the centuries, they have become the "holy grail" for every serious cellist, and have migrated from the practice room to the concert stage, films, and beyond. Cellists including Yo-Yo Ma and Janos Starker have revisited Bach's Cellos Suites multiple times. Professor Klorman chatted with Suzanne about what makes Bach's music so great.
What would it take to present THE COMPLETE BACH? Thanks to an extraordinary 11-year project underway in Worcester, MA, you can find out! Starting in 2024 and continuing through March 21, 2035, Music Worcester is presenting a series of concerts encompassing all of Johann Sebastian Bach's massive compositional output. Chris Shepherd is Artistic Director of THE COMPLETE BACH, and he talked with Suzanne about how and why this project came to life.