Shows / Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
I'm Thomas Verrier, conductor of the Vanderbilt University Wind Symphony, and I have Parkinson's Disease. I have come to accept that Parkinson's Disease will significantly shape my future. However, my acceptance does not equate to resignation. Quite the opposite—it has given me a strong sense of purpose and motivation! Through this podcast, I hope to inspire perseverance and adaptation; to create a forum for sharing and comparing experiences; to foster a supportive network of conductors and…
Episodes
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Matt Scheeser
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations, Thomas Verrier speaks with Matt Scheeser, a lifelong musician who studied voice as an undergraduate…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Morgan Daniel
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations, Thomas Verrier speaks with Morgan Daniel, a guitarist, singer, and longtime performing musician who…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Jill Pfluke
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations,Thomas Verrier speaks with Jill Pfluke, a longtime violinist and educator whose love of music has…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Paolo Tatafiore
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations, Thomas Verrier talks with Paolo Tatafiore. Paolo is an Italian-born piano virtuoso, composer, and…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Alistair Scott
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations, Thomas Verrier speaks with Alistair Scott, a gentleman whose story is an inspirational reminder that…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Alan "Otto" Compton
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations,Thomas Verrier speaks with Alan “Otto” Compton. Alan, a percussionist, grew up playing in marching…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Bob Regan
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations, Thomas Verrier’s guest is Bob Regan. Bob began his career as a recording artist and session…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Robert Dunham
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations, Thomas Verrier speaks with his longtime friend and fellow conductor, Robert Dunham. In the early…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Samuel Smith
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations, Thomas Verrier’s guest is Samuel Smith. Samuel is a London-based singer-songwriter whose thoughtful…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Rich Gootee
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations, Thomas Verrier talks with Rich Gootee. Rich is a Nashville singer, guitarist, and award-winning…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Dr. Alfonso Fasano (Part 2)
This episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations is Part 2 of Thomas Verrier’s two-part conversation with Dr. Alfonso Fasano, an internationally recognized…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Dr. Alfonso Fasano (Part 1)
This episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversation is Part 1 of Thomas Verrier’s two-part conversation with Dr. Alfonso Fasano, an internationally recognized…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Dawn Rose
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations, Thomas Verrier visits with Dr. Dawn Rose. Dr. Rose is a prominent music psychologist and senior…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Kelly Corcoran
In this episode, Thomas Verrier speaks with Kelly Corcoran. Kelly is a professional conductor who, among her many accolades, was the associate conductor of the…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Gilbert Long
In the latest installment of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations, Thomas Verrier visits with his longtime colleague from the Blair School of Music, Gilbert…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Fabio Dwyer
In this first episode of Season 2 of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations, Thomas Verrier talks with guitarist Fabio Dwyer. Fabio’s journey with early onset…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Ethan Henderson (Part 2)
Previously, Conducting Parkinson's reposted a YouTube video of Clayton Henderson, a pianist with severe Parkinson's symptoms. When he begins to play piano, we…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Roger Frisch
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations, the guest is violinist Roger Frisch. (My apologies for inadvertently introducing Roger as "Robert.")…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Denise Bacon
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations, Thomas Verrier speaks with Denise Bacon. Denise is a dedicated clarinetist and amateur musician who…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Daphne Bryan
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations, the guest is Daphne Bryan, PhD. Daphne is the author of MUSIC AS MEDICINE and PARKINSON'S AND THE B1…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Tony Coffey
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations, Thomas Verrier speaks with Tony Coffey. Tony Coffey is a musician and songwriter whose distinctive…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Craig McKenzie
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations, Thomas Verrier speaks with Craig McKenzie, Associate Director of Bands at the University of Miami…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Joe Stemnock
In this first episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations for 2026, Thomas Verrier speaks with Joe Stemnock. After receiving his PD diagnosis in 2017 and…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
William Bing
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations, Thomas Verrier speaks with conductor and trumpeter William Bing. Now retired and 10+ years into his…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Priscilla Weaver
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations, Thomas Verrier talks with Priscilla Weaver. Pricilla shares her story and discusses the significant…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Jonathan Cannon: Revisited
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson's Conversations, Thomas Verrier visits again with Dr. Jonathan Cannon. This time, they discuss experiences dealing with…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Teresa Muir
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson's Conversations, flutist Teresa Muir shares the story of her 21-year journey with Parkinson's Disease. If you are a…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Concetta Tomaino
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations, I speak with Dr. Concetta Tomaino, executive director and co-founder of the Institute for Music and…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Colleen Bridges
In the latest episode of Conducting Parkinson’s conversations, Thomas Verrier speaks with Colleen Bridges founder of Bridges for Parkinson’s and director of…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Bernhard Spirig
In this episode, retired music teacher, Bernhard Spirig speaks candidly about how his emotional health impacts his Parkinson’s symptoms and how making music…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Ethan Henderson (Part 1)
Previously, Conducting Parkinson's reposted a YouTube video of Clayton Henderson, a pianist with severe Parkinson symptoms. When he begins to play piano, we…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Jonathan Cannon
In this episode of Conducting Parkinson’s Conversations, Dr. Jonathan Cannon discusses some theories regarding the positive effect that the aesthetic…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Don Peterson
Don Peterson, retired conductor of the Brigham Young University Wind Symphony, joins the podcast to compare notes, as well as to discuss the double-edged sword…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Phil Aguglia of PaGu Batons
Revered baton craftsman Phil Aguglia, owner of PaGu Batons, joins Thomas Verrier for a trip down memory lane of when the two collaborated on Verrier's custom…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
Rand Laycock
Rand Laycock, known for receiving the groundbreaking Deep Brain Stimulation surgery with Cleveland Clinic, joins Thomas Verrier to discuss the impact of this…
- Conducting Parkinson's Conversations
James Morgan
British conductor James Morgan joins Thomas Verrier to discuss his journey to diagnosis, navigating the stress of conducting with Parkinson's, and musical…