I believe that everything that I do, the through
line is storytelling. So whether I'm using words
or whether I'm using music, whether I'm creating
the music or interpreting the music, I believe
that we should be taking on a journey and we
should. be experiencing a mood or a series of
moods or something that is going to speak to
us, the listener. And obviously it has to speak
to me before I can try to translate that to the
listener. Yeah, I think that that is definitely
the through line is just I want to express ideas
or tell a story in some way. This season finale
episode of The Pianopod will move you and leave
a lasting impact throughout the summer. I had
a pleasure of sitting down with Dr. Maria Thompson
Corley, a Juilliard -trained pianist, composer,
novelist, poet, and educator whose work challenges
the traditional boundaries of classical music.
In collaboration with Juneteenth LP and Celebration
of Juneteenth, this powerful conversation explored
creativity across disciplines and what true inclusion
really means. Not just representation on paper,
but lasting. joyful presence in the classical
music world. I mean, the true inclusion would
be when we're not thinking about this anymore.
And it's not that we're not thinking about it
anymore because we don't want to think about
it or we're ignoring it. There's no willful ignorance
involved or blissful ignorance. It's just we
don't have to think about it anymore because,
I mean, it's just like the obvious thing that
should have happened in the first place is happening.
Now, will that happen? You know? I mean, we can
hope we get to the point where, like I said,
we're not thinking about it anymore. And everybody's
like, that's equity. And diversity is because
there are a diversity of people. And you say
there's no one who inherently doesn't belong.
So that's where the diversity comes in. When
you have these disproportionate things and inclusion,
of course, is part of that. Don't miss this grand
season finale episode, The Fullness of Being.
maria thompson corley on art inclusion and creative
legacy tonight tuesday june 17th at 8 p .m eastern
time on our youtube channel the audio episode
will also be available on your favorite podcast
platforms see you tonight