Pause and Listen

Pause and Listen explores the spectrum of new classical music through the lens of musicians, composers, and art appreciators. Each episode, three panelists join in conversation with John T.K. Scherch, bringing in three pieces of new notated music available on the internet that they feel others should hear. Listeners are encouraged to engage with the music as they see fit, be it listening to the pieces uninterrupted before playing the episode or pausing and listening to the pieces on streaming platforms along with the panelists.

All Episodes

Pause and Listen

Revolution

March 03, 2020 • John T.K. Scherch and Michele Mengel Scherch • Season 1 • Episode 8

1. Danny Elfman’s Violin Concerto “Eleven Eleven”:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/02GpGlIYSLjPzANbHE9YBQ

2. Julius Eastman’s Gay Guerrilla:
https://open.spotify.com/track/3cSpVzEmTjohDSWxJtt5oS

3. A reinterpretation of Mendelssohn’s Op. 44 string quartet:
https://youtu.be/EZg31DhIrZo

You can listen to these before or after the episode, or you can pause our podcast and go listen to each piece as we introduce them.

Panelists:

Rafaela Dreisin is an arts engagement and marketing professional in Baltimore City. Formerly the Director of Audience Development for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Rafaela currently serves as the Associate Director of Marketing for Baltimore Center Stage. Additionally, Rafaela is the co-founder and co-organizer of Classical Revolution Baltimore, a chamber music series which has been brining classical music to new audiences for the past 9 years through performances in non traditional venues. Rafaela has been featured in the Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Magazine, the Baltimore Jewish Times and was invited to speak at TEDxMidAtlantic 2012.

Stephanie Ray is a versatile performer and curator of musical projects in Baltimore City. Equally at home on flute, piccolo and alto flute, Stephanie loves exploring repertoire from living and diverse composers and styles. Since 2011 Stephanie has co-directed Classical Revolution Baltimore, which brings free classical music performances into non-traditional spaces such as cafes, bars and public spaces. She curates and performs with Pique Collective, an experimental ensemble that explores sensory enhanced experiences, original compositions and unique collaborations. She enjoys a busy freelance schedule, regularly performing with the Annapolis Symphony Orchestra, Maryland Symphony Orchestra and as a core member of Mind on Fire.

With over 30 years of experience, Dominic “Shodekeh” Talifero continues to make musical strides as a groundbreaking beatboxer, vocal percussionist and breath artist who pushes the boundaries of the human voice within and outside the context of Hip Hop music and culture. He currently serves as a musical accompanist and composer in residence for Towson University’s Department of Dance and is the founding director of Embody, A Festival Series of the Vocal Arts, which strives for artistic and cultural convergence through a variety of vocal traditions from the worlds from opera and throat singing to the many forms of vocal percussion. Over the years, Talifero has moved from Beatboxing’s Hip Hop roots to explore innovative and convergent collaborations with a wide range of traditional artists. He serves as the Beatboxer and vocal percussionist for the globally renown Alash, one of the world’s leading Tuvan Throat Singing ensembles, and features on their recent Smithsonian Folkways album release of Achai; and is serving as the resident Beatboxer and cultural ambassador of the local Baltimore chapter of Classical Revolution.

More information at pauseandlisten.com. Pause and Listen was created by host John T.K. Scherch and co-creator/marketing manager Michele Mengel Scherch.