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Louis Levitt (LITE) - Artistic Entrepreneur & Chamber Musician

In this LITE episode, host Abigail Wright talks with Artistic Entrepreneur & Chamber Musician Louis Levitt about the value of close-knit ensembles, flexibility in parenting, envisioning things never done before, and more.

For full, un-cut access, including discussions on what children know that adults sometimes don't, learning about learning, the devaluation of recorded music, and more at http://www.patreon.com/peaceofpersistence.

Intro:
Louis is an artistic entrepreneur and internationally renowned chamber musician with an uncanny talent for performing, creating, implementing and maintaining groundbreaking musical ventures of the highest caliber.

As the double bassist of Sybarite5, Louis Levitt was the first ever double bassist to win the Concert Artist Guild Competition. Since then, he has performed with Sybarite5 in hundreds of concerts nationally and internationally, his debut EP with them cracked the top ten on the Billboard charts, and their follow up LP Everything in its Right Place was released at Carnegie Hall to critical acclaim. Their next album, Outliers, will be released later this season

In addition to performing with Sybarite5, Louis Levitt is currently an Artistic Director of Bright Shiny Things, a music collective for mezzo soprano and double bass. He is also in demand as a soloist and lecturer.  He has given masterclasses around the USA from Penn State to Fairbanks AK, has presented at the International Society of Double Bassists, and has spoken on the art of engagement at the APAP arts conference and the Curtis Institute, New England Conservatory & Mannes School. He's also currently a professor at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University.

Louis lives in NYC with his wife, mezzo-soprano and actress Blythe Gaissert, and their two children.

Show notes:
You can find all Sybarite5 concerts at sybarite5.org and Bright Shiny Things at brightshiny.ninja. You can find their music on iTunes, Google Play, on Bandcamp (their favorite), and at their fan pages on Facebook.

Show summary:
How did you get started with Bright Shiny Things, and what's your vision for it?
A composer and performer Gilda Lyons, hired Louis and his wife, mezzo-soprano Blythe Gaissert-Levitt, to sing a concert for the Phoenix Concert series in NYC. She wrote music specifically for them and commissioned music by other composers. They're able to add and subtract various instruments with a core of double bass and mezzo, and Louis is excited to be able to add words to the music in order to add a greater level of expression.

Sybarite5 is having their 10th anniversary!
To celebrate, they're releasing Outliers, with 10 new works from 10 new composers.

What has being a part of such a close-knit community added to your life?
You really get a chance to delve deep into the music, with more time spent on the music and discussions about the music.

What do you envision for your musical and professional goals going forward?
For Sybarite5, a lot of new music and collaborations, and a lot of new touring. He's also excited to see what he can do with Bright Shiny Things that he can't do with Sybarite5. Finally, he's thrilled to build the double bass program at Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University.

Louis discusses parenthood. No matter what you do to plan for it, you can never know how it's going to be, because everyone's situation is unique and individual. Sometimes, it works out well when one is touring and the other is home. Sometimes, it's difficult when they're both touring. Flexibility is key. Because he really wants to spend time with his kids, it helps him to hone in on what is really important and how he truly wants to spend his time, because it's so much more precious.

Looking back, do you have any advice for other freelance couples considering having kids?
Just have them. Start there. If it's something you want, you'll find a way to make it work. If you live somewhere where your family can help you, that's great. If not, you'll need a lot of help and money, but those things shouldn't stop you from having them.

What's your favorite accomplishment so far?
There was no precedent for Sybarite5. It took him 5 years to decide that it was a good idea to make something so new, despite the lack of historical data for it, without the validation for it. He's proud that they helped to tear down the wall for other ensembles in the classical music world wanting to form a new group. Memorable experiences include winning the Concert Artists Guild, premiering an album at Carnegie Hall. He loves the moments where they break through something and are able to challenge people's perceptions.

Have you always been happy, or was it something you had to learn?
For Louis, being unhappy is what helps you find happiness. He searched for happiness in an orchestra and then he went to a string quintet, and now he has Bright Shiny Things and teaching at a university. He finds happiness to be something not so easily defined, but his kids help him to be content. He talks about how musicians and artists are constantly pushing themselves to do more, because the possibilities with music are endless.

Other advice?
Focus on continued artistic growth. For anyone? Focus on self-growth. We have a lot of choices in our country, so you have to educate yourself on the choices you make.

Rachel Leventhal-Weiner (LITE) - Writer, Co-Host of Boy vs. Girl, and Data Engagement Specialist

Lite version - for full, un-cut, ad-free access, visit http://patreon.com/peaceofpersistence. Seriously, this interview is so full - her thoughts on writing and cooking and wellbeing alone are worth the subscription. Anyway...

Rachel Leventhal-Weiner, PhD, is the Data Engagement Specialist at the Connecticut Data Collaborative, a public-private partnership advancing the use of open data to drive program and policy decisions. An educator, advocate and researcher, Rachel runs the CT Data Academy, a public education initiative designed to increase data literacy and expand data capacity in nonprofit organizations, state agencies and community groups. Before joining the Data Collaborative, she worked for nearly a decade in higher education as an administrator, professor, and advisor. Rachel earned her PhD from the Department of Sociology at the University of Connecticut and her Master’s degree in Higher and Postsecondary Education from Teachers College at Columbia University. She writes about faculty and family life for the Chronicle of Higher Education’s Vitae, blogs at www.roguecheerios.com, and co-hosts a weekly podcast on gender and gender stereotypes, Boy vs. Girl. She is the proud (if not overjoyed) mother of two exuberant little girls who keep her on my toes. Rachel loves to cook most things from scratch, wishes she had more time to crochet, and is never going to give up on her dream of running a (half) marathon. She loves a good hike, a great cocktail, and time with her incredible husband (of over a decade), David.

Ok. You're clearly a big fan of data. What kind of data do you deal with, and is it really so hard to convince people that we should use facts to inform policy?
-Rachel works to encourage everyone she works with to consider the people behind the data and uses that in the non-profit industry which is increasingly having to use data in their work. "Data are people, and the more we use data to inform our work, the better impact we have on people's lives."

I love your podcast, Boy vs Girl. You and your co-host Matt have a great rapport, and I love your honest look at gender issues and stereotypes. What message or messages are you hoping to convey on your show?
-Consciousness raising. She says they don't have any specific message, but her goal is to push back against gender stereotypes and figure out how and why we harbor them and why they persist. She credits Matt to a lot of the consciousness raising. She loves receiving feedback from listeners that something they discussed on the show made them think or made them uncomfortable with the status quo. Disruption and a lack of contentment about the inequality between men and women in our society is necessary. She wants to encourage people to question the norms in society, the way we act, why we don't push back against unfair treatment, etc.

It also sounds like you appreciate activity as a source of well-being, between your love of hiking and your desire to run a half-marathon... How do you make time, in your busy routine while raising a family?
-It took her a really long time to make time for it. She really needed a way to de-stress while working in a toxic environment. As a researcher, she researched all of the things she could do, made a list and looked to see which would fit in her schedule. The one that made the most sense was a 5:30am bootcamp class. As a result, she's more disciplined with how she uses her time, she enjoys the company of the dozen people she sees twice a week, and she's finding physical strength in ways she never had. She's a better person because of it, with more energy, and she sleeps better.

Personally, I struggle sometimes with the stress of maintaining and furthering my career while producing this show and trying to make a living in the city... You keep a lot of plates spinning, so I'm wondering if you have any time management tips for me and the rest of our audience?
-Informally, Rachel likes to keep about 2 weeks in advance of her schedule in her head at any given time. It helps her to know what to change or push back, and it keeps her from getting too overwhelmed by not looking too far in advance. Saying no is also another way to manage time. She also recommends being intentional about side hustles and whether they're paid or at least going to produce dividends in some way down the road, and being honest about your physical needs, especially sleep and rest. On a long-term goal setting basis, she plans out, even for a year, how she wants to prioritize her time. Although she's kind to herself when things sometimes don't get done, it really helps to make time for important things, like spending time alone with her husband.

What does success look like to you, at this point in your life?
-For the first time, they have flexibility and autonomy in their schedules and are all able to come home at the same time each night to be with their family. They have their health and peace, and Rachel sees success so differently from the status-based and tenure-track life she once wanted to lead.

If there were one thing you'd like the world to see differently (as if through your eyes), what would it be?
-Racism. To even try to see something from someone else's perspective can inform so many future interactions.
How do we start?
-"Engaging honestly with our history." If we can play violent video games, we can discuss the violent nature of slavery. She recommends reading narrative histories and really facing uncomfortable truths about the underlying causes of so many biases and hatred.

Do you have any other advice for us?
-Be kind to yourself. A lot of our goals require transformation, and it's important to be patient and see all of the good things happening along the way.

Mukund Marathe (LITE), Part 2 - 2x Jeopardy! Winner, Tenor, & Teacher

This is part 2 of a two-part episode. If you haven't already, check out last week’s episode for part one.

Lite version - for full, un-cut, ad-free access, visit http://patreon.com/peaceofpersistence.

Mukund Marathe discovered Beethoven at age 8 and the Beatles at age 9, and the resulting pleasant confusion has remained with him all of his musical life, as evidenced by the fact that he has performed almost every kind of music imaginable, from early music to modern jazz.  His favorite musical activities include the Evangelist in the Bach Passions, Sportin’ Life in Porgy and Bess, Lyle Lovett songs in church, and being what he calls a utility infielder (meaning he sings tenor or alto in various groups). Mukund was a member of the New York City Opera company for 27 years, toured with the Gregg Smith Singers, and has sung with jazz legend Dave Brubeck, on The Letterman Show, on South African television, and literally all around the world. He spends his free time reading science fiction, practicing calligraphy, dancing, making his garden grow, recently becoming a two-time Jeopardy! champion, and explaining to his two sons why people say such Awful Things about Tenors.  He says his wife, Mezzo-soprano Mary Marathe, already knows.

Mukund gets a lot of satisfaction out of performing and from helping his students make breakthroughs. One of his favorite breakthroughs is helping them realize how human emotions haven't really changed much in the hundreds or thousands of years that music has been written.
Passing along his expansive view of the universe, he thinks nothing happens in a vacuum and likes to keep in mind a greater understanding of culture and knowledge for his students.

Being a freelance musician has been Mukund's greatest struggle. "The only reason you become a musician is because there is no choice." Despite his love of music, the financial struggle can make things difficult, and he's grateful that his spouse understands because she goes through it too. His family has always been there for him, and he's at peace with the life he's chosen but knows that he'll miss it when he transitions into mostly teaching.

Mukund defines success as being able to do what he loves. His family is a success, especially his two children who are some of the nicest people he knows, and he believes the world is a better place because they're in it. Jeopardy! and Carnegie are things that happened to him; whereas his family and what he does are who he is, and he considers himself incredibly lucky.

Habits or traits that contribute to Mukund's happiness or success?
Stubbornness! It helps him to keep striving in a tough profession. His ability to look at the world with humor, in a "kind of cockeyed fashion" has helped keep him going too.

Although he carries a high-energy performer persona, he has doubts and struggles just like everyone else. He believes it's more important to be kind than to be right, and he wants people to remember him as a kind person above all else.

If there were one thing you'd like the world to see differently, what would it be?
Mukund wants people to get along and finds humor to be a great peacemaker.

Advice?
Life is too serious to take it so seriously.

Thanks for joining us on The Peace of Persistence Lite! To hear what Alex Trebek said about Mukund's wife, his surrealistic riddles, and how he learns motivation through his students, visit http://www.patreon.com/peaceofpersistence for double the content and zero ads... or just because you love the show and want to support it. See you there!

Wendy Yellen (LITE) - Transformation Acceleration Expert

Lite version - for full, un-cut, ad-free access, visit http://patreon.com/peaceofpersistence.

In this lite version, host Abigail Wright talks with transformation acceleration expert Wendy Yellen about the powerful work of eidetics, Wendy guides us through an experience of it, and she tells us how she wishes everyone would consider the impact of their thoughts and actions.

Wendy Yellen lives outside of Santa Fe, New Mexico near the top of a 7,200 foot high mesa, with her husband and partner of 39 years, Michael. Together they share a love of exotic birding adventures in beautiful natural places around the world. Wendy graduated from Brandeis University and received her Master’s in Social Work from Smith College. She then went on to study neo-Reichian body work and other traditional and non-traditional forms of healing from masters around the world. But she let all of this go once she discovered the power of the work you’ll experience today. Wendy has been working as a transformation acceleration expert for almost 40 years and is honored to be named one of the International Top THREE Transformational Experts in her field.

Show notes!
We talk about eidetics, which Wendy says is more easily understood through the experience of it. She explains it as a way of working with the mind, body, and spirit to, instead of helping you see what's wrong, removes the crust of your history to operate as who you were before you were shaped by your history. 

Wendy guides us in an experience of eidetics!

Wendy explains how eidetics works and that, even though it sometimes uses images from the past, it's all about your current state of being. She discusses how our history can cover over our potential.

Wendy addresses common reactions and concerns with the experience through which she led us. She recommends reviewing your experience with the image and the problem you chose at the beginning of the exercise, to examine how they're related and guides us to remember that this is not a mental exercise but that the results of sitting with the images creates gradual, often subconscious change. She tells the story of an award-winning creative client who went through a traumatic experience with her mother as a child, leading to feelings of never being enough and believing she wasn't worth being paid as an adult. Working through images with Wendy, she was able to move past that feeling and begin to book jobs that paid.

If you're interested in continuing with eidetics, Wendy offers a free confidential meeting by going to www.measiwanttobe.com. During the conversation, you'll discuss your experience with the experience she brought us through earlier, along with where the work could take you if you want to shift that piece in your life.

Wendy can't imagine she'll continue to work in this line of work when she's much older, 85 or 90, but she's not waiting to retire or do something else. She loves this work and feels cradled by it - as though the spiritual experience of the exploration loves her back.

What would you like the world to see differently?
She wishes we would take a second to reflect before saying or doing something, to really see the impact we have on others with our mood, our words, and our assumptions. Not only do we harm each other, but we miss opportunities to make a difference.

Tommy Wazelle (LITE) - Tenor, Dad, & Voice of "Pig" (Peg + Cat)

Lite version - for full, un-cut, ad-free access, visit http://patreon.com/peaceofpersistence.

Host Abigail Wright talks with Tommy Wazelle, tenor, dad, and the voice of Pig on the popular PBS Kids Show Peg+Cat about staying active, gratitude, accepting each other + more.

Tommy is the voice of Pig on the Emmy award-winning PBS Kids show Peg+Cat. He also has performed around the world as a tenor, performed in shows such as The Who's Tommy, Phantom of the Opera, Showboat, the Rothschilds, Ragtime, and more, and he has appeared in television, radio, recordings, and on an Italian cruise ship. Dedicated to the development of new works, he most notably performed as Paul in Paul's Case with American Opera Projects, a role that was specifically designed for his voice. He and his wife and two children live on Manhattan's Upper West Side.

Show notes!
Tommy discusses his family's musical background, including his own musical background in shows and also playing trumpet as a kid.

Tommy talks about his experience with Peg+Cat! He was referred to their creators by the director of American Opera Projects. He loves it, and is excited that he never knows what Pig is going to do next. He discusses the process of getting the material, the liveliness of the character, and how Pig and Tommy both like to quietly observe the room.

Tommy's incredibly active, with his wife and children and in his own life. It started as a young age, with his mom as his soccer coach, he and his dad played baseball. He ran track, played basketball. He wishes his kids could just run around the yard, but they scoot with them, fly kites, take them to Super Soccer Stars, and he tries to play tennis in the summer. He works hard to stay active so that he feels good and not low in energy.

Tommy's always been happy and sees the benefit of gratitude for life and all that he has. On the other hand, he attributes a certain amount of discontent to helping him want to achieve more, adding to his overall contentment.

Tommy discusses his childhood, difficulties with being accepted when moving from place to place, and how he wishes the world could accept one another as they are without judgment.

Closing advice: Be kind to one another. Show some love! 

See and hear more about Tommy's wishes for his children, his battles with his ego, the important balance between contentment and discontent and more by visiting http://www.patreon.com/peaceofpersistence.

Find Tommy on Peg + Cat at http://pbskids.org/peg/ and at http://www.wazelle.com.

Shannon Algeo (LITE) - Mindfulness Teacher, Speaker, and Coach

Lite version - for full, un-cut, ad-free access, visit http://patreon.com/peaceofpersistence.

Host Abigail Wright introduces Shannon Algeo, a speaker, coach, and mindfulness teacher. Shannon is the co-founder of SoulFeed Podcast, and the creator of Awaken.Yoga, which provides affordable online yoga and meditation classes. As a coach, he also speaks and leads corporate mindfulness programs.

Show notes:
Mindfulness primer:
Mindfulness can be meditating for any period of time, or sensing the body from the inside out. Shannon discusses the idea from Eckhart Tolle's The Power of Now of sensing your body, your hand, your pinky finger. "Mindfulness is sensing and coming to know your location in yourself and in the world." He calls it a radical practice, compared to the rest of life, which can be so focused on stuff and identifying with stories that our thoughts tell us. He discusses the breath and experiencing boredom as a way to retrain the brain, seeing it as a counter-culture practice that helps us to connect to who we are beneath the surface.

Use attention and intention to have a "more nuanced, more felt experience." Referencing Brene Brown, Shannon also talks about how when we numb our negative feelings and thoughts, we also numb joy and connection - that we can't be selective about what we numb in life.

The people we draw into our inner circle are reflections of ourselves. When we're activated by someone else's energy, negatively or positively, it's a chance to evaluate opportunities for our own healing and growth - what it is we want to desire or create. When we do the work within ourselves to understand when we have more toxic relationships, it can help us to create boundaries to show others what we need. It comes back to mindfulness and responsibility in our own relationships.

What would you like the world to see differently?
"Who you are anywhere is who you are everywhere." You are enough, you are a leader, and people need you. "It's time to show up."

Any other advice for us?
If we're gentle (peaceful) with ourselves while being persistent and committed, "then we're going to be so powerful."

For more about Shannon's upbringing, how to learn to love yourself, lessons learned from producing the SoulFeed podcast, and so much more, go to www.patreon.com/peaceofpersistence.

Soprano, Author & Survivor Charity Tillemann-Dick

In this week's extended audio-only! episode, host Abigail Wright speaks with Charity Tillemann-Dick, soprano, survivor of two double-lung transplants, and author of The Encore: A Memoir in Three Acts. Catch the full episode here:

Charity Tilleman-Dick is a soprano and top-selling Billboard classical artist. After receiving a diagnosis of Idiopathic Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Charity has had two double lung transplants, has been the National Spokesperson for the PHA (Pulmonary Hypertension Association), and continues to perform, being featured as a singer and speaker around the world.

She speaks candidly and enthusiastically about her upbringing (with 11 brothers & sisters), surviving two double-lung transplants and cancer, singing, relationships, finding the divine in yourself and others, living up to our potential and feeling complete, her love of food, and her book. The Encore: A Memoir in Three Acts is published by Simon & Schuster, and it comes out on October 3. Pre-order your copy on Amazon. 

You can also catch Charity at one of her upcoming book signing events, and she answered our last question, "do you have any advice for us," by saying she loves to give advice! Go to www.charitysunshine.com, and she's happy to answer any advice requests you might have. Thanks, Charity!

A sad update: Charity Sunshine Tillemann-Dick passed away on April 24, 2019. She truly brought sunshine into this world, and I’m so grateful to have known her and had the opportunity to introduce you to her. No doubt, her light and her work will continue to shine through all who knew her.

Sing for Hope's Camille Zamora

In this week's extended audio episode, host Abigail Wright sat down with soprano Camille Zamora, co-founder and co-executive director of Sing for Hope. Here's what she had to say:

Show Notes:

Sing for Hope is a group of over 2,000 artists who bring their talent and "a shot of hope" to those who need it most. Abby and Camille sat among some of their annual street pianos, designed by local artists, that went out among the NYC parks this summer and now are being used by local schools. Sing for Hope placed their 400th piano this summer, and they bring the community together, support artists, and allow artists to give their gifts to schools, hospitals, AIDS hospices, veteran hospitals, senior centers and more.

Through Sing for Hope's channel of giving through the medium of art, Camille shared that she has found her most authentic self. Community volunteerism and performing are parts of her balanced diet, as she feels a calling to share creativity in social justice work, perform as a singer, and enjoy parenting her son.

She discussed how Sing for Hope evolved out of a need to respond to tragedies such as 9-11, AIDS, and Hurricane Katrina. Their long-term dream is to own a space - a centralized hub to support all of their activity. 

Her goals? To continue to support her son's dreams (from whom she learns so much), to continue to sustain and support Sing for Hope, and to further her goals as a singer - including classical Spanish repertoire, such as her touring pops show, Tango Caliente, featuring bandoneon and dancers.

After speaking about her mentors and how they've taught her about the power of artistic habits of mind, she discussed her role as a speaker at this changing moment of the arts and culture landscape. Some people question arts volunteerism, and to them she said that art is an enormous currency. "Like any currency, you should earn some of it, and you might enjoy giving it away," Camille suggested - a different kind of stretching one's talent. She believes that arts and culture should be included in the conversation surrounding social change, especially for large scale systemic change and educational revamping.  

As an artist, Camille discussed success as achieving authenticity of communication, whatever the medium, and how she found her artistic authenticity from a young age until now.

What habits and traits lead to her happiness and success?
Exercise, a love of good food and friends, simple pleasures, and mindfulness of the innate joy that can be found in the simple moments.

What would she like the world to see differently?
We all sell ourselves short. Access to creativity and expression is one profound way to allow our potential to bloom, to allow ourselves to be greater, and "to excavate the imagination." "Live bigger," she says.

Any other advice for us?
Nobody gets through life unscathed. Know that the wounds are part of it, but also the beauty and the humor of the everyday can allow you to generate joy. 

Extras: Better than before - Loopholes & a New Year

Do you have an easier time breaking resolutions than making them? Host Abigail Wright discusses Gretchen Rubin's concept of loopholes and how identifying them might help.

Extras: Better than before - Clean Slate

When's the best time to form a new habit? Abigail Wright discusses Gretchen Rubin's book Better than before, and an invitation by Hal Elrod this Nov to create a clean slate!

Extras: 5 Ways to Wellbeing Bonus - Care for the Planet

TPOP Host Abigail Wright talks about Live it Well UK's 6th bonus to wellbeing, care for the planet, and how to tie them all together for a better life and world.

Extras: 5 Ways to Wellbeing #4 - Keep Learning

TPOP Host Abigail Wright talks about the Centre for Wellbeing's 4th way to wellbeing, keep learning, and tips to doing it regularly, even during busy times.

Charles Seaford - Former Head of UK's Centre for Wellbeing

TPOP host Abigail Wright interviews Charles Seaford, former head of the UK's Centre for Well-Being, about the 5 ways to well-being, what happy people have in common, and more.

Related Links:
https://www.whatworkswellbeing.org/