Shows / TRILLOQUY
TRILLOQUY
CLASSICAL MUSIC has been misappropriated as a musical genre and a culture rooted in the aesthetics of Western Europe. TRILLOQUY is the weekly podcast built to DECOLONIZE the traditional definitions and conversations surrounding CLASSICAL MUSIC.
Episodes
TRILLOQUYOpus 285 - The Flying Ace (feat. Jongnic Bontemps)
Loki chats with film composer Jongnic Bontemps about getting his footing in the film world, utilizing people's expectations to his advantage, and being a part…
TRILLOQUYOpus 284 - "Shimmers in the Field" (feat. Lucy Yao and Dorothy Chan)
Loki chats with Lucy Yao and Dorothy Chan of Chromic Duo about taking an unconventional path, the realities of the composer/performer field today, and their…
TRILLOQUYOpus 283 - Composer Six of Six (feat. Karla Donehew Pérez)
Loki chats with Catalyst Quartet violinist Karla Donehew Pérez about the release of Vol. 4 of "Uncovered", featuring the first complete collection of the…
TRILLOQUYOpus 282 - "In the Fight" (feat. Cedric Mayfield)
Loki chats with recently retired United States Coast Guard Band member Cedric Mayfield about life in the military as a musician, the challenges of being among…
TRILLOQUYOpus 281 - Preserving Culture (feat. Dane Lam)
Loki chats with conductor Dane Lam about his work on three continents and what it looks like to celebrate and preserve culture within different global contexts…
TRILLOQUYOpus 280 - "The Next Festival" (feat. Peter Askim)
Peter Askim is transforming the way the next generation of artists are entering the orchestral field with a summer festival celebrated for its "pay what you…
TRILLOQUYOpus 279 - "Beethoven in Havana" (feat. Joachim Horsley)
Joachim Horsley is a composer and performer whose fusion of Western European classical and Afro-Caribbean music has earned him praise and notoriety in the…
TRILLOQUYOpus 278 - "Three Bones" (feat. David Harrington)
Loki chats with founding member of the Kronos Quartet, David Harrington, about the group's work over the past 50 years and their new project, "Three Bones"…
TRILLOQUYOpus 277 - "America/Beautiful" (feat. Min Kwon)
"America/Beautiful" is a project by pianist and arts advocate Min Kwon, in which she has commissioned a diverse group of more than 70 of today’s leading…
TRILLOQUYOpus 276 - "Adorations" (feat. Devin Moore)
Loki chats with Devin Moore of the Isidore String Quartet about life as a professional chamber musician, what it looks like to help people reimagine this…
TRILLOQUYOpus 275 - "The Firebird" (feat. Jeri Lynne Johnson)
On April 16-19, 2026 the Gateways Music Festival will join forces with the Dance Theatre of Harlem to present Igor Stravinsky's "Firebird", led by acclaimed…
TRILLOQUYOpus 274 - "When the Caged Bird Sings" (feat. Nkeiru Okoye)
On March 27, 2026, Naxos Records released "When the Caged Bird Sings" - a new work for orchestra, chorus, and soloists by composer Nkeiru Okoye. Nkeiru joins…
TRILLOQUYOpus 273 - "Black Being" (feat. Nathalie Joachim)
Loki chats with Nathalie Joachim about the recent release of "Black Being", a four-movement work by Nathalie and Allison Loggins-Hull featuring the Chicago…
TRILLOQUYOpus 272 - "Negro Melodies" (feat. Michael Repper)
In late 2025, violinist Curtis Stewart, Maestro Michael Repper and the National Philharmonic reunited in concert at The Music Center at Strathmore, following…
TRILLOQUYOpus 271 - "The Game of Risk" (feat. Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol)
Mehmet Ali Sanlıkol is a Turkish-born musician and composer whose work has been described as "multiculturalism [that] is not touristy, but rather…
TRILLOQUYOpus 270 - The Tenure Denial and The Comeback (feat. Josh Jones)
When Josh Jones was denied tenure at the Kansas City Symphony, he alleged racism and the world listened. He joins Loki to tell his story, share how this…
TRILLOQUYOpus 269 - "Be The Sky" (feat. Tenzin Choegyal)
Raised in exile, composer Tenzin Choegyal has spent his career highlighting the beauty of Tibetan culture, Buddhist philosophy, and human connection through…
TRILLOQUYOpus 268 - Champions for the Arts (feat. Donna Walker-Kuhne)
Donna Walker-Kuhne is celebrated as the nation’s foremost expert in audience development by the Arts & Business Council, and has devoted her professional…
TRILLOQUYOpus 267 - "Casting the Pit" (feat. Joe LaRocca)
As the orchestral field continues to face its relative lack of diversity on stage, Joe LaRocca has dedicated work toward raising awareness around a lack of…
TRILLOQUYOpus 266 - "American Mirror" (feat. Josh Jones and Bill Neri)
Josh Jones and Bill Neri join Loki Karuna to chat about the new album from Sphinx Virtuosi: American Mirror. Loki explores his history with the Sphinx…
TRILLOQUYOpus 265 - "Surf, Sand, and Cinema" (feat. Stefan Thompson)
Stefan Thompson is a composer whose works celebrate the beautifully diverse aesthetics and traditions of his Bahamian home. He joins Loki to chat about growing…
TRILLOQUYOpus 264 - Executive Director Duties (feat. Monica Ellis)
Monica Ellis has blazed a trail in "classical" music for nearly 30 years as a founding member of the historic Imani Winds ensemble. She joins Loki to talk…
TRILLOQUYOpus 263 - MATA Festival (feat. Pauline Kim Harris)
Music at the Anthology (MATA) was founded in 1996 and has become the world’s most sought-after performance opportunity for adventurous emerging music artists…
TRILLOQUYOpus 262 - "Braided Together" (feat. Amanda DeBoer Bartlett)
Amanda DeBoer Bartlett has reached beyond her training in opera to write and produce music from her own aesthetic experiences. Loki and Amanda chat about her…
TRILLOQUYOpus 261 - From Music to Medicine (feat. Yuliana Lagunas)
Yuliana Lagunas is a rising star in the world of music as the concert mistress of the Inner-City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (ICYOLA), and hopes to use the…
TRILLOQUYOpus 260 - "Seasons of Change" (feat. Curtis Stewart)
Curtis Stewart returns to TRILLOQUY to chat about his life since becoming Artistic Director of the American Composers Orchestra, his engagements with the…
TRILLOQUYOpus 259 - "Reflections of Resilience" (feat. Damien Sneed)
World-renowned musician, educator, performer, and composer, Damien Sneed, chats with Loki about his life, the power of existence, and the upcoming premiere of…
TRILLOQUYOpus 258 - "Sedition Ensemble" (feat. Jessie Montgomery)
Loki chats with Grammy-winning composer Jessie Montgomery about her trajectory as an artist, the role her parents and broader New York community played in her…
TRILLOQUYOpus 257 - Remembering Fernande Decruck (feat. Dr. Matthew Aubin)
Dr. Matthew Aubin has dedicated his research to raising awareness around the music of a French woman named Fernande Decruck, whose legacy has fallen into…
TRILLOQUYOpus 256 - "The Voice of Whitney" (feat. Sean Mayes)
Loki chats with Maestro Sean Mayes to unpack Black identity north of the "American" border, his work with the Pops of Color Orchestra, the power of Whitney…
TRILLOQUYOpus 255 - "SEVENTEEN" (feat. Portia Kamons and Ron Ramin)
Loki chats with librettist/producer Portia Kamons and composer Ron Ramin about their joint venture with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, designed to…
TRILLOQUYOpus 254 - "Discover Angelitos Negros" Part 2 (feat. Cheryl Warfield)
Loki chats with Cheryl Warfield about her career as a singer, her beginnings outside of the music industry, and her upcoming collaboration with The Discovery…
TRILLOQUYOpus 253 - "Discover Angelitos Negros" Part 1 (feat. George Marriner Maull)
Loki chats with George Marriner Maull, founder of the Discovery Orchestra, about his life, engaging new audiences through public media, and his upcoming Black…
TRILLOQUYOpus 252 - "Songs in Flight" (feat. Shawn E. Okpebholo)
Loki chats with composer Shawn E. Okpebholo about the idea of "music for music's sake", the importance he puts on responding to calls for social justice, and…
TRILLOQUYOpus 251 - "South Side Impresarios" (feat. Samantha Ege)
Loki chats with acclaimed musicologist and pianist Samantha Ege about her early engagement with music, her work highlighting and preserving the work of Black…
TRILLOQUYOpus 250 - "We Have a Dream" (feat. Carlos Simon)
Composer Carlos Simon returns to TRILLOQUY to offer updates on life, music, and the pursuit or peace in a world filled with change and uncertainty. Loki shares…
TRILLOQUYOpus 249 - "American Sketches" (feat. Kristin Lee)
Violinist Kristin Lee joins Loki to discuss her new album, "American Sketches", and to unpack the question of who (and what) is American. Loki offers Buddhist…
TRILLOQUYOpus 248 - "Loving v. Virginia" (feat. Damien Geter)
Loki chats with composer Damian Geter about his upbringing, career success, and his new opera that shines a light on the Loving v. Virginia court case, which…
TRILLOQUYOpus 247 - "Ndemara" (feat. Adolphus Hailstork)
Loki chats with acclaimed composer Adolphus Hailstork about his experiences engaging Black composers over the course of this trajectory, the US premiere of his…
TRILLOQUYOpus 246 - "Koman ou ye?" (feat. Nathalie Joachim)
Loki chats with Grammy-nominated flutist, vocalist, and composer, Nathalie Joachim about Afromodernism, building community as an artist, and more. Loki…
TRILLOQUYOpus 245 - "Dream Ourselves Out Of This Nightmare" (feat. Jennifer Koh)
Loki chats with Jennifer Koh about the notion of "risk" in western classical spaces, the importance of commissioning new work, and her upcoming collaboration…
TRILLOQUYOpus 244 - "Composing While Black" (feat. George Lewis)
Loki chats with composer George Lewis about the "Composing While Black" anthology, his approach to furthering the tradition of "great Black music", and his…
TRILLOQUYOpus 243 - Craigmont Class of 2005 (feat. Ryan Nichols)
Loki reunited with one of his high school classmates to talk about their upcoming 20 year reunion, memories from band (and Music Theory class), and how…
TRILLOQUYOpus 242 - "Intermezzo" (feat. Seunghee Lee AKA Sunny Kang)
Loki Karuna chats with Grammy-nominated clarinetist, Seunghee Lee (aka Sunny Kang) about the path toward a Grammy, her life as a golfer, and her new album…
TRILLOQUYOpus 241 - "Sounds Current" (feat. Charlton Lee)
Loki Karuna chats with Charlton Lee of the Del Sol Quartet about the flexibility of smaller ensembles to shift the status quo, his new podcast, "Sounds…
TRILLOQUYOpus 240 - "Baptized in Blackness" (feat. E. Ethelbert Miller)
Loki chats with literary activist E. Ethelbert Miller about activism in prose, the legacy of James Baldwin (and other notable activists in literature), and how…
TRILLOQUYOpus 239 - "Ballades" (feat. Shane Evans)
Loki Karuna chats with Shane Evans about working as a classical recording artist as an "outsider", defining American music, and the release of his latest…
TRILLOQUYOpus 238 - "From Our Eyes and Ears" (feat. Lorin Green)
Loki Karuna chats with Lorin Green about her continued journey toward equity and liberation in classical music, her newly published anthology of Black…
TRILLOQUYOpus 237 - A Call from Miss Tina Knowles (feat. Marcus Norris)
Loki Karuna chats with Marcus Norris about developing a composition career for Black audiences, his recent projects for both film and the stage, and the path…
TRILLOQUYOpus 236 - "Do Not Grow Weary In Well-Doing" (feat. Dr. Tammy L. Kernodle)
Loki Karuna chats with Dr. Tammy L. Kernodle about Black music as American music, her work highlighting classical Black women of decades past, and what it…
TRILLOQUYOpus 235 - "Humanity" (feat. Elizabeth Chang)
Loki chats with Elizabeth Chang about the intersections of performing and teaching, and highlights her latest album, "Sonatas and Myths". Loki also offers a…
TRILLOQUYOpus 234 - How I Got Over (feat. Michele Fowlin)
Loki Karuna wishes everyone a Happy Mother's Day, shares his dialogue with Michele Fowlin who is a two-time Howard graduate and the Artistic Director of the…
TRILLOQUYOpus 233 - Behind the Curtain (feat. Kwamé Ryan)
Loki Karuna chats with Maestro Kwamé Ryan who has been recently appointed as Music Director of the Charlotte Symphony. Loki offers updates on his travels and…
TRILLOQUYOpus 232 - The Arena Stage (feat. Hana Sharif)
Loki Karuna returns after a month-long hiatus to offer words of encouragement to those dealing with difficult times, to share his conversation with Hana S…
TRILLOQUYOpus 231 - "Blackify" (feat. Johnathan Gibbs)
Johnathan Gibbs returns to TRILLOQUY to offer updates as the newest member of the New York-based Dessoff Choirs. Loki and Johnathan return to the discussion of…
TRILLOQUYOpus 230 - "Windows" (feat. Brian Cole)
Loki Karuna shines a light on some of the Black history of Winston-Salem, NC, chats with Brian Cole, Chancellor of the University of North Carolina School of…
TRILLOQUYOpus 229 - "No Substitute for Time" (feat. Joe LaRocca)
Loki Karuna shares a few words following his live "New Blue Sun" experience, chats with Joe LaRocca about the benefits (and challenges) of being a…
TRILLOQUYOpus 228 - The Powerful Piano (feat. James Daly)
Loki Karuna offers a brief reaction to the film "American Fiction" as it relates to arts funding, chats with James Daly about "The Powerful Piano", and…
TRILLOQUYOpus 227 - 2024 Reimagined (feat. Lara Downes)
Loki Karuna affirms his evolving feelings on George Gershwin, chats with Lara Downes about her latest project, "Rhapsody in Blue: Reimagined", and shares his…
TRILLOQUYOpus 226 - Kwame vs. Kwame (feat. Marina Chiche)
Loki highlights words by the late Kwame Ture, chats with Parisian violinist and arts activist Marina Chiche, and responds to the historic appointment of Kwame…