Podcasting: Creating a New Project Cello

Creating a Podcast 

The incredible tools that we have at our fingertips today allows us to create studio quality things at home. (Provided we have most of the right equipment.) One of those tools is the access companies like Spotify give us. One of Spotify's offshoots is its Podcasting Platform. There you are free to create and upload as much content as you wish. 

This platform's name is "Anchor.fm" by Spotify.

My own ambition, since I first found out what a podcast was, was to create my own. Now, I can happily say that I have done just that. You can listen to this podcast directly at Anchor.fm or at Spotify, where it is automatically uploaded to once you have done the initial uploading to Anchor. 

My own podcast is called Forgotten Cello Music. I'll write more about this what is behind this title in another post. Suffice it to say, the podcast is entirely about music for the Cello that has largely been forgotten or at least neglected.

Some Cellist/Composers who I have researched and played as a result and are featured in my 36 podcast episodes:

1. Georg Goltermann
2. Julius Klengel
3. Oscar Brückner
4. Joseph Hollman
5. August Nölck
6. Bernhard Romberg
7. G. Gabrielli
8. Giacobbe Cervetto

and there are many many more. 

Each episode has background music throughout. Sometimes it features entire movements or pieces and other times only excerpts from compositions of composers talked about on the podcast episode.

It is a dream of my come to reality. The enjoyment level is at a high. However, there are still relatively few people who listen and engage. The next part of my dream is to get thousands of listeners and likes, comments, engagement of some kind from at least a small percentage (1-2% I think would be great). 

In an Elementary School: Play and Tell

Taipei Adventist American School

The Adventist Elementary School in Taiwan lies just to the North of Taipei on a mountain called Yang Ming Shan. It is a rather out of the way place in the midst of trees and tall grass. Though, it is still surrounded by housing, not a as tightly packed as in Taipei or most other cities. As the school came into view I couldn't help but think of the resemblances between the Adventist college in Italy, Villa Aurora. The long driveway winding through small trees and shrubs climbing up a fairly steep hill. Then the gate came into view I a really started making comparisons with Villa Aurora. High walls surrounding the entrance way and a little yard in front of and off to the right side of the main building. This is where the comparisons stop however. TAAS is a one building place. All the grades are in a three story building constructed in like manner with many of the older buildings in Taiwan. Though I think this one tries to give as much semblance to an American structure with plenty of windows.

The program I did was rather extemporaneous but it came off well. I played some Bach Prelude and Sarabande from Suite No. 1, something fast and flashy by Franceour, and the exposition of the concerto in D major by Haydn. The kids were asking all sorts of questions. A very talkative, but quite informed bunch they were. In between the pieces I played were questions like, "Can you play Silent Night on the cello?"So, I demonstrated one verse and they loved that since they knew the tune well. Then one of the teachers, David Robinson, asked if I could accompany the kids as they sang Amazing Grace. That is how I finished the presentation.

This kind of program is one that leaves you feeling satisfied. I was able to share what I love and show them how amazing the cello is and how great Classical music is to listen to and play. They were all very receptive to the playing, which helps me think that Classical music may not die away quite like we have been hearing in the past few years. I think, with education and exposure to the art we classical musicians will have informed listeners who love the genre for centuries to come.