The Scene Room

Send us Fan MailCutting music programs doesn’t just remove a fun class, it removes a kind of brain training kids can’t easily replace elsewhere. We sit down with Dr. Marija Pranjić, a neuroscientist, music therapist, and pianist, to unpack what music education actually does for neurodevelopment and why access matters so much for equity, learning, and long-term health.We talk about how the “music center in the brain” idea has fallen apart as brain imaging advanced, and what replaced it: a distributed network view where music recruits perception, movement, memory, attention, and reward systems. That overlap helps explain why active music-making can support speech and language foundations, motor coordination, careful listening, and self-regulation, especially during early childhood development. We also dig into the digital era problem: when kids spend more time on screens and less time in rich sensory environments, music can be a practical form of sensory enrichment that strengthens feedback and adaptation skills.From there, the conversation turns personal and concrete: performance anxiety, confidence, and why a good teacher can turn discomfort into growth rather than shame. We also treat musician health seriously, looking at repetition, overuse, stigma around injury, and why musicians may benefit from training plans that look more like athlete management. Finally, we explore music therapy and clinical neuroscience, including why familiar songs can “unlock” memory in dementia and how rhythm can organize movement in Parkinson’s disease through rhythmic entrainment.If you care about music education, neuroscience, or practical tools for healthy learning and performance, this one delivers. Subscribe, share the episode with a teacher or parent, and leave a review with your take: what role did music play in your life?All episodes are also available in video form on our YouTube and Spotify Channels. All episodes are hosted by Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman. Don’t forget to subscribe, share the love, and leave us a review to show your support—it means a lot to us!Don't hesitate to reach out to us with guest ideas, information you'd like covered, or any ideas you might have—the hope is for this to be a continuous resource and dialogue with our listeners.Visit TheSceneRoom.com for more information. 

Send us Fan MailWhen an opera singer contemplates turning down a Metropolitan Opera debut (for financial reasons), it raises immediate questions about the realities facing working artists today. In this episode, host Elizabeth Bowman sits down with bass Andrew Potter to unpack his recent retirement from staged opera at 43 (OperaWire). Potter shares his perspective on the industry's economic model, sparking a broader conversation about performance fees, rising overhead, and how shifting regional opportunities are impacting freelancers across the field.Together, they examine the real-world economics facing freelancers today: flat fees alongside escalating costs for housing, travel, coaching, and health insurance, as well as the unglamorous realities of early-career work and the financial impact of sudden contract cancellations. The conversation delves into industry norms, post-pandemic casting pressures, and how current structures affect transparency and artist stability.Looking toward the future, Potter discusses how he’s applying a problem-solving mindset to both climate tech—through his venture Intelligent Harvest—and the performing arts. They explore potential paths forward for the industry, including housing support, updated sponsorship models, and bringing artists into administrative conversations as true partners.All episodes are also available in video form on our YouTube and Spotify Channels. All episodes are hosted by Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman. Don’t forget to subscribe, share the love, and leave us a review to show your support—it means a lot to us!Don't hesitate to reach out to us with guest ideas, information you'd like covered, or any ideas you might have—the hope is for this to be a continuous resource and dialogue with our listeners.Visit TheSceneRoom.com for more information. 

Send us Fan MailIn this episode, Lizzie Bowman is joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning librettist Royce Vavrek (Angel’s Bone with composer Du Yun, Adoration with composer Mary Kouyoumdjian, Lincoln in the Bardo with composer Missy Mazzoli) who grew up on a farm in Alberta, Canada, and is exploding in the international opera scene. We discuss how a childhood of country radio and the rural landscape of Northern Canada shaped his "serpentine" path through film school and eventually into the world of contemporary storytelling.Serendipitous Release: While this conversation was recorded in December 2025, a few audio technical hurdles (now fixed!) kept it in the vault until now. As it turns out, the timing is perfect. In the interview, we discuss the complexities of the project Indians on Vacation, and this week, on May 9, 2026, that project, in a new form, takes center stage. Against the Grain Theatre (where Royce is Artistic Director) will present "Stories Don’t Die" at the Terminal Theatre in Toronto. This intimate encounter interweaves excerpts from the opera with personal reflections on belonging and identity, featuring a newly commissioned sung land acknowledgement by Ian Cusson and Yvette Nolan.Also in this conversation:The "Energy Ping-Pong": Royce explains why he loves an audience that "talks back"—from $11 tickets at Opera Philly to the electric, "imperfect" magic of live performance.Pure Canadiana: A deep dive into our shared love for the Canadian singer-songwriters who define our playlists, including Sarah Slean, Kathleen Edwards, and The Rankin Family.Writing for Muses: The joy of creating roles for specific voices like Lauren Worsham, Anne Sophie von Otter, and Thomas Hampson.All episodes are also available in video form on our YouTube and Spotify Channels. All episodes are hosted by Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman. Don’t forget to subscribe, share the love, and leave us a review to show your support—it means a lot to us!Don't hesitate to reach out to us with guest ideas, information you'd like covered, or any ideas you might have—the hope is for this to be a continuous resource and dialogue with our listeners.Visit TheSceneRoom.com for more information. 

Send us Fan MailThis week, we sit down with career and leadership coach Julia Starr to unpack a practical path through professional pivots. Julia isn't just a coach; she is a master of the "bold move." From her time as a Fulbright Fellow in Malaysia and a BCG consultant to her work streamlining a family sawmill business and earning an Ed.M. from Harvard, Julia has navigated the exact inflection points she now helps her clients master.In this episode, Julia explains why the skills of a performing artist—the discipline of an opera singer (for example), the multilingual adaptability of a touring musician, and the high-stakes presence of a stage actor—are actually elite assets for global business and leadership.We dive into:The Identity Shift: How to separate who you are from what you do.Career Design Thinking: Why you should treat your next move like a prototype—testing hypotheses and gathering data rather than guessing.The Language of Translation: How to turn your creative "strength stories" into the strategic language that recruiters and CEOs crave.The 5 A.M. Test: Why being a "thoughtful, curious colleague" is the ultimate competitive advantage in any industry.Julia also shares her Value-Strengths-Action method, offering a look at how to use AI to surface adjacent roles you never knew existed. Whether you are an artist looking for your next stage or a professional feeling "stuck," this conversation provides the strategy and the "momentum" needed to build something extraordinary."I can spot the thread in someone's story that leads to their next chapter, and help them walk toward it with clarity." — Julia StarrAll episodes are also available in video form on our YouTube and Spotify Channels. All episodes are hosted by Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman. Don’t forget to subscribe, share the love, and leave us a review to show your support—it means a lot to us!Don't hesitate to reach out to us with guest ideas, information you'd like covered, or any ideas you might have—the hope is for this to be a continuous resource and dialogue with our listeners.Visit TheSceneRoom.com for more information. 

Send us Fan MailWhat if the most vulnerable part of U.S. arts isn’t creativity, but structure? Brett Egan, president of the DeVos Institute, joins us to unpack why public funding feels shakier than ever, how AI is making the arts more necessary—not less—and what it would take to build a resilient cultural ecosystem that can weather political swings.We trace the long arc from the NEA’s founding to today’s accelerated attempts to shrink and politicize cultural agencies, with real consequences for stability, planning, and trust. Brett argues for a both‑and approach: defend what’s left while building capacity beyond government. He lays out a practical blueprint for a flexible national arts framework—more constitution than command—that invites thousands of organizations to align around shared pillars like arts education, creative workers’ rights, disability inclusion, community arts practice, and a legal defense fund for creative expression. Imagine collective philanthropy fueling a dozen long‑horizon campaigns that strengthen the whole field.We also dig into what leadership looks like now. The future belongs to hybrid leaders who blend classic arts administration with AI literacy, policy fluency, and cross‑sector savvy in health, transportation, and education. Brett shares how to move research from the academy into practice, why structural thinking helps decode fast‑moving policy shifts, and how a big‑tent mindset—assuming good faith across differences—can turn overwhelm into coordinated action. If you care about funding stability, audience recovery, and the role of culture in a turbulent world, this conversation offers clarity and a path forward.Enjoyed the conversation? Follow, share with a colleague, and leave a review to help more arts leaders find it. Your feedback shapes future episodes and fuels the work.All episodes are also available in video form on our YouTube and Spotify Channels. All episodes are hosted by Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman. Don’t forget to subscribe, share the love, and leave us a review to show your support—it means a lot to us!Don't hesitate to reach out to us with guest ideas, information you'd like covered, or any ideas you might have—the hope is for this to be a continuous resource and dialogue with our listeners.Visit TheSceneRoom.com for more information. 

Send us Fan MailWhat if the freedom you crave onstage has less to do with the perfect high note and more to do with the state you bring to it? Today we sit down with mental performance coach and five-time national karate champion Christopher Wellbrook to unpack how elite sport principles can transform the lives of singers, musicians, and creative pros. Christopher believes fully that opera singers are elite athletes. From long rehearsal blocks to constant travel and high-stakes visibility, the mental load rivals any arena. Together we dig into practical, science-backed tools that turn pressure into presence.We explore why outcome chasing rarely delivers fulfillment and how to replace it with a grounded, other-centered mindset. Christopher shows how tiny, identity-based habits—sleep routines, hydration, daily movement—build durable confidence and reduce the chaos of last-minute schedules. He walks us through visualization that embraces imperfection, so you’re not blindsided when nerves hit, and introduces anchors and box breathing to calm the nervous system in real time. You’ll hear how to communicate with creative teams without defensiveness, how to reframe burnout by raising the excellence of the room, and how to protect your identity when career turbulence hits.If you’ve ever thought, once I win that competition, then I’ll feel worthy, this conversation offers a better path. You’ll leave with simple strategies, pre-performance steps, and a mindset shift that makes composure repeatable and joy sustainable. All episodes are also available in video form on our YouTube and Spotify Channels. All episodes are hosted by Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman. Don’t forget to subscribe, share the love, and leave us a review to show your support—it means a lot to us!Don't hesitate to reach out to us with guest ideas, information you'd like covered, or any ideas you might have—the hope is for this to be a continuous resource and dialogue with our listeners.Visit TheSceneRoom.com for more information. 

Send us Fan MailA vacant sub-basement in an affordable housing building isn’t where most people expect a new theater to bloom — but that’s exactly what happened. In this episode, host Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman welcomes Jaime Martino, Executive Director of Toronto's Tapestry Opera, to share the story behind the new Nancy and Ed Jackman Performance Center, a flexible black box space that seats 100–150 and brings neighbors, artists, and first-timers together in one room.Jaime walks us through how a modest rehearsal plan evolved into a full venue with a bar, box office, rehearsal studio, and shared offices — powered by community partnerships, city champions, and a clear mission: build access, not barriers.We dive into the partnership with Nightwood Theatre and explore the decision-making culture that carried the project through three years of design choices, budget tradeoffs, and technical puzzles. Consensus wasn’t slow — it was strengthening. From tiered rental pricing and resident companies to opening traditionally “insider” events to the public, Jaime explains how a venue can become an ecosystem. Today, the space hosts indie rehearsals, mainstage runs, one-night concerts, and soon, commercial events that help subsidize artist use.We also zoom out to confront the bigger questions facing opera and the arts today — shrinking corporate support, rising costs, and what belonging really means in a legacy-driven field. Jaime’s take is clear: small casts and chamber forces make intimate stories land; multidisciplinary curiosity keeps the form alive; and safety nets enable bold risks. Micro experiences — genuine welcomes, open rehearsals, human-scale venues — turn first visits into lasting relationships.If you care about cultural infrastructure, community building, and the future of live performance, this conversation offers a practical, hopeful roadmap.Come see the space, meet the people behind it, and help shape what happens next. All episodes are also available in video form on our YouTube and Spotify Channels. All episodes are hosted by Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman. Don’t forget to subscribe, share the love, and leave us a review to show your support—it means a lot to us!Don't hesitate to reach out to us with guest ideas, information you'd like covered, or any ideas you might have—the hope is for this to be a continuous resource and dialogue with our listeners.Visit TheSceneRoom.com for more information. 

Send us Fan MailWhat if your performing arts career was built to last—not just to launch? 🎭In this episode, we sit down with Kaye Kelly—Berklee College of Music professor, singer-songwriter, and author of The Modern Creative: A Practical Guide for 21st Century Artists—to explore how today’s artists can build resilient, values-driven, and financially sustainable careers.Kaye’s book doubles as a field manual and workbook, and together we unpack her prompts and practices for defining your artistic narrative, mapping multiple income streams, and getting grants within reach.We trace how the creative landscape has evolved through streaming, the pandemic, and AI—and why artists now thrive by wearing many hats. Kaye shares what professionalism really looks like: reply fast, communicate clearly, show up prepared, and think strategically.From teaching, arranging, and session work to licensing and arts leadership, we dig into building a portfolio career with both active and passive income. Then we go straight to the money talk—budgeting for unpredictable income, planning for taxes, and starting retirement early.Community engagement emerges as both a compass and a growth engine. Kaye walks us through ways to connect with local cultural councils, public art initiatives, and small grant programs that align your work with community priorities while expanding your audience.We close with the habits that protect creativity—silence, privacy, and device discipline—and small rituals like journaling to shift into creative flow.Forget the starving artist myth. Choose alignment, guard your time, and let your creativity evolve across seasons.All episodes are also available in video form on our YouTube and Spotify Channels. All episodes are hosted by Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman. Don’t forget to subscribe, share the love, and leave us a review to show your support—it means a lot to us!Don't hesitate to reach out to us with guest ideas, information you'd like covered, or any ideas you might have—the hope is for this to be a continuous resource and dialogue with our listeners.Visit TheSceneRoom.com for more information. 

Send us Fan MailWhat if “talent” isn’t rare—and the real scarcity is time, teachers, and belief? We sit down with Anthony (Tony) Mazzocchi, Executive Director of Kaufman Music Centerand Kinhaven Music School, to unpack how raising expectations and resourcing music education can reset a community’s cultural life. Tony traces his journey from trombonist and freelancer to a decade inside a Brooklyn public school, where a rigorous, well-supported band program revealed what students can do when adults stop underestimating them. That experience now fuels a mission-first strategy at Kaufman: Merkin Hall as a living classroom, Lucy Moses School as a true community hub, and Special Music School—the nation’s only K–12 public school with music embedded daily—delivering academic results that rival its artistic ones.We dig into the structural headwinds: shrinking early access, budget pressures, and a national teacher shortage that’s quietly closing programs even when money exists. Then we get practical about engagement. If the first run club can feel intimidating without pace groups and a welcome, imagine a first concert with no context. We trade tactics to make newcomers feel seen—first-timer meetups, simple explainers, artist Q&As, and food-and-music pairings that translate feeling into flavor without flattening the art. Anthony also spotlights Kinhaven’s new boarding program, a 50–50 music/academics model that turns festival immersion into a school-year reality, opening doors with a tuition-free pilot and a collaborative ethos.Throughout, we return to a simple idea with big consequences: music is for everyone when the pathway is clear and the bar is high. In a world quickly being reshaped by AI, the concert hall can model human skills we need more than ever—listening, empathy, and shared leadership. If you care about music education, arts access, or the next generation of audiences, this conversation sheds light on what’s possible when belief meets support. If it resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who works in arts education, or someone who has young kids.All episodes are also available in video form on our YouTube and Spotify Channels. All episodes are hosted by Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman. Don’t forget to subscribe, share the love, and leave us a review to show your support—it means a lot to us!Don't hesitate to reach out to us with guest ideas, information you'd like covered, or any ideas you might have—the hope is for this to be a continuous resource and dialogue with our listeners.Visit TheSceneRoom.com for more information. 

Send us Fan MailBelonging doesn’t happen by accident—it’s built in small, steady moments. Elizabeth Bowman sits down with community architect Tasha Van Vlack, founder of The Nonprofit Hive, to unpack how nonprofits and performing arts groups can move beyond buzzwords and create connection that lasts. From the loneliness many leaders face to the power of one-to-one conversations, Tasha shares a playbook for building trust without big budgets.We get tactical about cadence and rituals, the quiet engines of community. Think weekly touchpoints instead of marketing blitzes, and visible first-timer signals that invite warm welcomes. We talk merch that actually means something—earned pins and badges that reflect contribution, not just logo placement—and why a flywheel mindset beats the old funnel model when life pulls people in and out. You’ll hear how to elevate natural advocates, host micro-gatherings that feel human, and design recurring partnerships that compound results year over year.Don’t rush to shiny new tools. Before launching an app or forum, start by investing in the essentials: a clean website, clear ticketing, and thoughtful emails or SMS reminders that people will actually read. Then add layers like behind-the-scenes Zooms, curated introductions, and personal follow-ups that turn transactions into memories. Whether you’re filling seats, welcoming first-timers, or stewarding long-time supporters, this conversation offers practical steps to spark word-of-mouth, strengthen loyalty, and grow community from the inside out.If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a colleague, and leave a quick review—then tell us the one ritual you’ll start this month.All episodes are also available in video form on our YouTube and Spotify Channels. All episodes are hosted by Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bowman. Don’t forget to subscribe, share the love, and leave us a review to show your support—it means a lot to us!Don't hesitate to reach out to us with guest ideas, information you'd like covered, or any ideas you might have—the hope is for this to be a continuous resource and dialogue with our listeners.Visit TheSceneRoom.com for more information.