What if the path to becoming a great educator is not about starting early or being perfect, but about finding your voice, your people, and your purpose? Dr. Steven Hankle reveals how a nontraditional journey, a life-changing music exchange in Cuba, and a lifetime of leading choirs shaped his approach to teaching, community, and authentic excellence. I sit down with Dr. Hankle, Associate Professor of Choral Music and Music Education at the University of Dayton, for a conversation that moves far beyond the rehearsal room. From growing up on the south side of Chicago to directing choirs across California, Florida, New York, Kenya, Mexico, and beyond, Hankle shares the moments that taught him music is as much about connection as it is about technique.

• Why "excellence" is not perfection, but showing up with what you have
• How six core ensemble values - vulnerability, focus, excellence, fun, service, and community - shape his rehearsals
• The Cuba experience that made him realize he wanted to spend his life teaching music
• Why starting late in music does not disqualify you from greatness
• How he builds belonging in diverse choirs through leadership, trust, and culturally responsive programming

Dr. Hankle talks about what makes a strong ensemble member, how technology is changing choral teaching, and why the work of music education is equal parts rewarding and exhausting. At the heart of it all is a bigger message: music can build community, expand your reach, and change lives far beyond the stage. If you're a music educator, choir director, student, or anyone looking for inspiration to keep going, this conversation will leave you energized, challenged, and reminded why the work matters. Dr. Steven Hankle is Associate Professor of Choral Music and Music Education at the University of Dayton, where he teaches choral conducting and choral methods. He has led choirs and served as a clinician and adjudicator across the U.S. and internationally, and his work centers on building community through singing. Perfect for choir directors, music educators, and anyone who needs a reminder that purpose is often revealed through service, growth, and community.

Jalen Baker transformed a classical percussion background into a jazz voice all his own. In this episode, the vibraphonist shares how he found his calling, developed his sound, and built a career around music that feels personal and purposeful.

Jalen traces his path from early percussion training to discovering the expressive possibilities of the vibraphone. He reflects on the mentors, education, and family support that shaped him—and on how classical fundamentals became a foundation for the freedom he found in jazz.

He also discusses forming the Jalen Baker Quartet, navigating the realities of touring and leading a group, and refining his practice through fundamentals, listening, and musical intuition. Along the way, Jalen shares his perspective on storytelling through music, honoring jazz’s roots, and creating art that invites audiences to feel and think.

A thoughtful conversation for jazz fans, musicians, educators, and anyone working to turn discipline and curiosity into a lasting creative path.

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Jonathan Moore is building a completely original lane on the cello—one powered by looping, distortion, dance, and raw emotion. If you think you know what a cellist sounds like, this conversation will change your mind fast.
Raised in a deeply musical family and shaped by gospel, funk, hip hop, world music, and even the sounds of everyday life, Jonathan shares how he found his voice by refusing to sound like everybody else. He opens up about the fifth-grade moment that made the cello click, the high school experiments with pedals and loops that helped define his style, and the Yale solo competition where he performed an original piece and made history.
Through our conversation you will learn:

• How Jonathan turned a school instrument test into a 20-year calling
• Why he believes music should be felt, not just admired
• The creative process behind Levels, his live project blending cello and street dance
• How collaboration with dancers like helps create something audiences have never seen before
• Why fishing, rest, and everyday life are part of his artistic process
• What receiving the Creator Fund Award from New Music USA meant for his creative vision

Jonathan also talks about what makes a strong collaborator, how family critique shaped his musicianship, why he refuses to create work that doesn't make sense, and what he wants his legacy to be: an artist who took risks, stayed humble, and made something impossible to imitate.

Jonathan Moore is a cellist, composer, dancer, and visual artist known for his unorthodox approach to the cello, original compositions, and collaborative work that bridges music and movement.

Essential listening if you love artists who create from the spirit, challenge convention, and turn personal experience into something unforgettable.