November 9, 2023 • 45 mins
Stories? Questions? Thoughts? TEXT us here!
And now for something completely different! As a big fan of reality show podcast recaps, Steph convinced Liz to dive into the MITJ universe. Neither of us have watched this series or heard much about it, and you can bear witness as our innocence is ripped away! Join us as we recap Season 2: episode-by-salacious-episode. In this series we follow Hailey, the fresh-faced freelance oboist, Cynthia, the jaded veteran cellist and the whole crew of pros in the music scene that orbits the New York Symphony. Will Hailey survive the cut-throat ‘jungle’ with her love of music still in-tact?
Ready to step back into the chaotic world of Hailey and the NYSO? The NYSO is in tense labor negotiations, Rodrigo is battling his inner and outer critics and Thomas is hard at work on his first symphony. As if that's not enough, we've also got a line-up of new faces, including the symphony's new lawyer, Nina, and her peculiar request for a private performance of Bach from Cynthia (who doesn't just love Bach?!)
As any satire does, MITJ never fails to bring up an evergreen topic in orchestral circles: Can a conductor be too close to the musicians? Does the traditional view of the conductor as a strict father figure hold up? There's lots to discuss and joke about - thanks for laughing along with us!
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Episode edited by: Liz O’Hara
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:03):
Welcome to the Musician-Centric Podcast.
We are two freelance violistsliving and laughing our way
through conversations thatexplore what it means to be a
professional musician in today'sworld.
I'm Steph.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
And I'm Liz, and we're so glad you've joined us.
Let's dive in Our newgeneration of Tuning.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Tuning and like what are they doing?
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Yeah, yeah, it's the recap that nobody asked for, but
we're doing it a second season.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
So, even though you didn't ask for it, we're back.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Some of you may have kind of hinted that you wouldn't
mind us doing it.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
We know some of you listen, so don't try and deny it
.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
And so we're enjoying ourselves.
To new Musician-Centriclisteners.
Welcome to season two.
We recorded season one lastseason, last year, and we had a
lot of fun doing it.
I will admit, I was like allprepared to love, to hate it the
whole season and then I endedup kind of like enjoying it by
(01:15):
the end.
So if you're resistant, like me, like just give it a chance.
That's all I'm going to say.
And now I was very happy to bewatching it again.
It felt like coming home.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Yeah, it's like putting on your cozy sweats.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Yes, exactly, being entertained by all our old
friends.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Yes, and wondering what happened to them in the
intro.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
That's right, so should we kick?
Right in let's go Season two,premiere Season two premiere.
With a knot.
I don't love the rebrand of theintro.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Well, you know, I kind of caught a glimpse on
accident of season three.
The intro is different again.
Ah because, so it must just besomething they just change.
They just change it.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
They do a rebrand every year.
Yeah, must be nice to have thatkind of time.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Oh my gosh, can you imagine doing a rebrand?
Speaker 2 (02:10):
every year.
Time and resources.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
No, you guys get like one rebrand.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
This is it.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
This is it You're stuck with this logo for.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Imperpetuity, imperpetuity.
So yeah, it was really good tolike see everybody again.
I literally wrote oh, here wego, and my notes the first thing
.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Oh, here we go.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Rodrigo.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Yeah, so we have like a scene change.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
We're in LA all of a sudden, for some reason which
becomes revealed, I think,pretty quickly why we're in LA.
But first, rodrigo is talkingto his muse, oh yes.
Did we decide that that wasMozart initially.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
I think so, but why does he have a French accent?
Speaker 2 (02:55):
That's exactly what I wanted to know.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
So he's talking with this bewigged makeup, obviously
figment of his imagination, andI always thought it was Mozart
Me too, Like when he wasstudying the manuscript last
year.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
It was a Mozart manuscript and Is that the same
dude.
Was it the same actor?
We should find out.
Maybe he just maybe he's justvisited by various 18th century
Okay, ghost.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
So you know, like show pan is coming up, we're
going to see the differentpeople.
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Okay, that's right, like maybe that's what it.
Yeah, maybe it was somebody.
Schubert wasn't French, right?
No, he was Austrian.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Austrian, austrian, german or something.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
I would tie it to something in the episode, but no
, it didn't make any sense.
But it was funny, like theconversation all around.
It's basically his inner critic.
That's exactly what I wrote Metoo.
I love that.
He's like apologize this fornot having breakfast.
He's like cranky with his innercritic.
Yeah, it's all very good, but Ijust I have an important
(04:02):
question about my guy, cause youknow how much I love Rodrigo,
why with the rat tail he looksso?
Speaker 1 (04:07):
It's migrated.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Yeah, of his head.
Why is it still there?
Like he could just cut it offand then it'd be.
He'd look so great like allaround.
Let's get the scruff going theshort hair like.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
I'm with you.
I'm over the rat tail.
I think we get the idea.
He rides a bike, he wearsbohemian clothes, he you know.
We don't need the rat tail tocap it all off Because it's like
not 1997.
No, no, and it's clearly like aclip in deal.
I mean, did you ever when youwere?
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Yeah, you could buy it with the beach right.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Yes, well, you know, like there's like a spark, you
have like one little lock ofpink or whatever in your hair,
you just clip in when you feelspicy.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
So does that mean it was the same one as last year
and he just moved it to anotherpart of his head?
Speaker 1 (05:07):
I think we're supposed to believe that he's
whimsical and he can grow outhis hair.
Grow at a random strengthEnough to make enough to make a
giant rat tail on a differentpart of his head.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
And then shame it on.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
I will tell you, no one's hair grows that fast, okay
.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Yeah, it's supposed to be like two and a half months
later.
Like how I don't understandit's, I don't.
I just I think I'm really goingto be excited when it goes.
It has to go right.
Eventually it's going to go.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
I don't know.
I hope so.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
But so why are we?
Speaker 1 (05:36):
in LA Because Rodrigo is guest conducting the LA Phil
, at least that's who it lookslike, and it looks like the real
LA.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Phil, yeah, I think it is.
Like yeah, okay, I love this somuch Because the sound engineer
in the back is due to Melhimself.
So now all those comparisonscan be validated.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Yeah, yeah.
So it's just really funny.
They're kind of being coy withdue to Mel, because everyone
knows that this is the actualconductor.
So there's a bunch of like slylittle comments like about how
they hate their conductor.
But we find out that the NYSOis in labor negotiations and
(06:21):
there's a rumor that they mightstrike if they don't get it
resolved.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
So big topical event going on, yeah, labor
negotiations and strikes.
So we then we get to go travelback to New York after this
lovely little cameo, and I dothink it was LA Phil.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
They sounded great If it was they looked like they
were playing with like realmusicians.
You know what he looked like?
He was having just a lot of fun.
Yeah, because the people infront of him were actually
playing the music that he wasconducting.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Yeah, it's like when people get to like pay to donate
and they get to conduct thestars and stripes forever and
they just have this.
The best thing is, even if theconductor's baton is going like
in the opposite direction, theyjust have this look of utter joy
on their face.
They're just like so happy tobe there.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Yeah, they're like riding the best ride.
Yes, I'm sure that's so he hadthat look and so very cool.
I was hope I was justfantasizing that.
That was the reason I think so,because it was just so joyful.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I agree, I think it, I think it really was.
I think he was just like havinga great time.
It was hard to hide the joy.
Speaking of hiding the joy ornot hiding the joy, then we go
to the softball team, the NewYork Symphony softball team
named Wolf Gang the Wolf Gangand they're playing against the
ballet team.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
I didn't catch their name Did you?
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Yes, it was the ball and jeans, two separate words.
Ball was the first word.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Amazing.
I love it.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
It's so clever and it was so funny because Haley's
like up to pitch and then the,the ballet guy, runs over and
he's like no, she's a sub, shecan't pitch, only when she's
playing with the orchestra.
And he's like sorry, sorry,haley, you got to wait until
you're playing Mahler in acouple of weeks to play with us.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Yeah, that was kind of ridiculous, it's so stupid.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
I mean, the whole thing is stupid Like I don't
know.
I would love to know ifprofessional orchestras have
softball leagues.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
I know it seems risky Like totally.
That's a good way to jam afinger, yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
And they did.
When, when Rodrigo shows up,somebody's like oh yeah,
everyone's being very careful.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Yeah.
So he shows up and Union Bob,Union Bob, the piccolo player,
is there and they basically like, have a little talk during a
break and they realize thattheir softball team is actually
kind of close to be playingmaking the playoffs.
(08:57):
So Rodrigo is like oh hey, doyou need help?
You need a picture.
And so he jumps in.
Yeah, and it turns out thathe's actually very, very good
and he helps the team and theywin.
And build some rapport with themusicians.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Exactly.
Yep, yeah, it's kind of a funscene.
I was just thinking about, likeI don't know we've been doing
this lately too getting likewhen you get together with your
musician colleagues just to dosomething fun, and it's always
kind of refreshing, you know, tohave that time outside of work.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Yeah Right, and to relate with them as real people
and not just one facet of yourpersonality.
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Yep, yeah.
And then we cut to a scene withI wrote oh, good Lord.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
I know.
So Alex is back and they'restill together.
I think they're him and Hi-Li.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Yeah, I think they're going to caricaturize him this
year, I don't know why.
I feel like that first scenewas just he's like doing this
really perky.
Like he starts out with like hi, Alex, and I'm a Sagittarius,
and then he like runs down thestairs and he does these silly
dance moves and I wrote no, yeah, super cringy.
(10:13):
This is super cringy Dancevideo that they're making.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Is he auditioning for something?
Yes, I didn't catch that.
Okay, I think so so he'sauditioning for something, yeah,
and so he's very over the top.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
It seemed like Hi-Li was saying to him at the end
like, oh, you're totally goingto get it or whatever, like it
was a submission for something.
But yeah, it was just kind oflame.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Yeah, so we come to learn that they're still
together.
That's right.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
I think that was the point of that yes, yeah, because
, of course, we were lefthanging with the question mark
at the end of last season ofwhat's going to be going on in
her love life the start of thisseason.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Yep, yep, and it's still Alex.
And then we see that Thomas isback.
Yep, we flash to Thomas in hisapartment.
He's got his little visionboard of composers and he's
saying good morning to them.
Which I love very much.
He said good morning to them.
I loved it.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
So he's doing some composing.
Yes, he said.
After he said good morning toeverybody, he said get your ass
on that seat and start composing, you cheeky bugger.
You tell him Thomas, and thenhe's like gleefully composing,
he's like gleefully playing thepiano and writing things down
and he's like conducting himselfon the floor and he's having
the time of his life right now.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
You know what he's in flow?
Speaker 2 (11:35):
He's in flow.
He's in peak flow state.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
You can't interrupt that once that gets started.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
No, you got to go with it, you got to follow the
muse.
Follow the muse.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
And so actually it made me wonder is he still
suffering with some kind ofmental health issue?
I'm getting, I'm getting alittle manic, I'm getting that
impression.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
I think so.
It might be that way.
We'll have to find out, but Ifeel like I mean this is later
in the episode, but I feel like,generally speaking, he seems a
little up.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Yeah, yeah, ok, that was my impression too.
Yeah, let's keep him in ourhearts.
Thomas and then we end up.
Ok, this is a very tellingscene.
As to the, we're over inHaley's apartment again, yes,
and she's practicing and herphone quacks with a phone call.
(12:33):
Like, is that still an option?
People still have an option tohave their phone quack, only one
way to find out.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Let's see, is it in there?
It would be under sounds Rain,I mean with all these updates,
it's got to be.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
There've got to be some pretty crazy ones out there
.
Apple has a sense of humor.
Oh, it is.
What else do they have?
Speaker 2 (13:07):
They have are bad.
Let's see Auga.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
Good old Auga.
Classic the Marimba yeah, ok,that's a good one.
Classic.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
OK, that's enough of that.
Now my phone's going to ringthat way and I'm going to be
like whose phone is that?
Speaker 1 (13:33):
What psychopath would choose that?
That's very funny.
So, anyway, she gets her phonequacks and it's one of her
students' mom and she says thather son has headlights, and this
was very triggering for me.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Yeah, that's right.
You just had this.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
If you're a, parent and you've ever dealt with
headlights.
Oh my gosh, there's nothing Ican't imagine.
Maybe having bed bugs is aboutthe same, but it's that
uncomfortable, dirty feeling andit's so helpless because you
can't do anything about it andyou just have to put all of your
(14:15):
clothes and stuff in a plasticbag and then use separate hair
brushes and combs and it's awful.
It's awful.
It's awful In a support groupParents poop gone through lice,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Yeah, it's a thing.
Huh, it's awful.
It's awful, do you notrecommend?
Speaker 1 (14:38):
Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
I feel like the comparison to bed bugs is very
good.
My sister struggled with thatin New York one year and it was
so like bag the mattress.
You have to do all these things.
I don't know it's so disturbingyeah.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
But anyway, so that lesson is canceled.
But we see that Alex is therehanging out.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
I thought it was funny, though, when she so the
mom calls and she's like allfrantic and she's like
quickening off the phone andthen Alex is trying to ask her
like but when did he?
Okay, because she's trying tofind out.
At the last time she saw she'slike scratching her head and
she's a little worried.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
It is panic inducing.
It makes you feel itchy evenwhen you don't have it.
Yeah for sure, I'm sure.
I'm sure that's true, yeah,it's awful.
But Alex is there and he's likeclipping his toenails.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
On the bed.
Who does?
That there's a trash can infront of him.
It's disgusting.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
It's clearly the honeymoon is over.
Yeah, there's a caricaturizinghim.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
This was not his vibe at all.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Last year he was fine yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
He was much more like composed, I feel like I don't
know.
He didn't seem like a guy clipshis toenails in bed.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Maybe they just want us to hate him, so that, yeah, I
think so.
They want us to get icked outfor poor Alex.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
She's like really irritated too.
She's like I have to practice.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Yeah, she's got to practice the same phrase a
hundred times in a row.
That's her method.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Yeah, exactly.
She can't be distracted fromthat Got to just obsessively
play the same thing over andover again.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Hey, that's how you learn it.
That's true Pro tip.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Pro tip Repeat over and over, and over, and, over
and over until you hurt.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Then we end up back at the hall in Haley's office.
She's wrapping up, warming upor whatever practicing.
This new young woman comes inand she's like oh hey, I'm
Rodrigo's new assistant.
You need to train me, sarahBell, sarah Bell.
(16:50):
Of course, the first thing thatshe needs to know is how to
make the mate.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
That's the most important thing.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
You can see by her demeanor that Haley has really
become attached to Rodrigo andthese things that she thought
were eccentric in the beginningare now endearing.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
Yeah, that's true, that's true.
That's a good point.
She honors the mate.
Yes, yes, yeah, we find outthat Sarah Bell is the daughter
of a guy who donated their organ.
She's been placed in theposition through privilege and
(17:34):
is a singer-songwriter, which Idon't think should be poo poo no
, that's still a musician.
Yeah, exactly, I know thatinitial reaction was a little
judgmental.
But we need to not do that.
That's the thing of the past.
But I forgot to say it this way.
I meant to say she's asinger-songwriter.
(17:56):
Oh, she's really into theupspeak.
Yeah, every sentence she sayssounds like this, which we find
out is kind of an irritatingquality In the next scene.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
Yes, so in the next scene we're in Gloria's office
and Gloria is in the midst ofredecorating, which is very high
maintenance.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
And her assistant says that the thing she chooses
makes her hair look like spungold.
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
So what I think they're highlighting here is the
disconnect between the managingexecutives and what the actual
musicians are doing For sure andwhat they think is important.
So she's trying to get Rodrigoto help the orchestra come to a
agree to what administration hasput forth in the negotiations.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
Yeah, and she's saying two things at once.
First she's saying we can'tafford to pay the musicians and
then she's saying also, youcould help by not making our
donors mad or whatever.
So it's like she's sort ofputting it all on him, which is,
I think, kind of an old schooltactic.
So I don't know.
(19:10):
He's getting frustrated, thoughhe's throwing a fit about all
the red tape and he just wantsto make music, of course.
And he gets very dramatic andsays if the orchestra doesn't
get better as musicians, thenwhen they go to Latin America
he's going to be exiled fromevery country and he's listing
off all the countries they'regoing to and he won't be allowed
(19:32):
to go back.
It was just cracking me up,because this is very dramatic.
And in walks, sarah Bell withhis yerba mate.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
And she pushes his buttons.
He's already agitated, and sohe finds out that she's supposed
to be his new assistant andhe's like no, this isn't yeah,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
It's that time of year, we're back to school and
we are back to gigging.
Even if you're not mentallyready for the season, you can
count on our season sponsor,potter Violins, to get your
equipment ready.
When's the last time youreheared your bow stuff?
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Oh, I feel like it was recently, but I bet it's
been over six months, so I gotto get over there and get it
freshened up.
Oh, and I need new backupstrings and an instrument
adjustments Sounds like it mightbe about time.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
Yeah, I do love to get in there for a visit to our
favorite technicians as weapproach the change of season.
Maybe I need a new case too.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
And, as we've said before, if you need a rental
instrument, they're the place togo.
My daughter and many of mystudents rent from Potters and
the instruments are reallyfantastic, even the smaller
violas.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Yes, get back to your music this season with
confidence by visiting PotterViolins, so your equipment will
be ready, even if you might needa bit more of a warm-up.
And then we meet someone new,right.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Yes, oh yeah, Virgil.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
That's his name.
Ok, I didn't catch it.
I'm glad you caught it.
Virgil, with a robot, I didn'tunderstand what his.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
is he a musician?
Is he work for the hall?
I didn't quite understand, Iknow.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
I didn't either.
I mean, we find out that hishusband is in the orchestra
right.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
Right.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
But I don't know what he does.
Maybe he's like an executivedirector.
No, that's Gloria.
No, that's not Gloria.
Gloria's like president of theboard.
I don't know what all these?
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Gloria's the executive director so maybe he,
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
Maybe he's in operations, or maybe he's also a
musician.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
OK, we haven't seen him highlighted as a musician,
but his partner, Christoph, andhe have decided that they want
to start a family.
They want a child, so he'sholding this disturbing robot
baby that I don't know.
It's like when you were in.
Well, when I was in high school, you had to take care of an egg
(22:08):
for a week yes, so it's like afancy parenting exercise.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
I think there have been schools that have used the
robot babies instead of the egg,which is Is that right?
Yeah, that would be the worstif you had something that cried
and needed that and stuff Likethat wasn't a real thing.
Just be hard to.
Yeah, the egg was hard enough,so that was a cute little scene.
(22:38):
I don't know, it's fine.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
And then he goes.
Where does he run into Haleyagain?
In there, I think she comes inand she's like you can't fire
Sarah Bell.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
Her dad gave us the organ, and so then he's
following her around saying howhe doesn't want another
assistant.
She's like I can't be yourassistant anymore.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
Right yeah, and I was with her.
I mean, that's really dicey.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
Totally.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
Like you're going to be a sub and his assistant.
That's like really conflict.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
Lord Lyons, not to mention the kiss.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
The kiss that's right which gets brought up in the
next scene, that's right, yeah,so they are having this heated
discussion.
She's like you have to have anew assistant, I can't keep
doing this for you.
And she ends up trying to gointo the ladies room.
And of course Rodrigo thinks,hey, there's no boundaries here,
(23:38):
I'm going into the ladies roomtoo.
And she's like no way.
But anyway, he gets kicked outof the ladies room and she finds
herself in there with Cynthia.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
That's our first spotting of Cynthia so far.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
Yeah, so Cynthia's back and she's a good female
friend.
Yes, yes, yes.
So she's in there and she's theone that says hey, everybody's
talking.
People are talking about thatkiss from last season, yep, and
Cynthia is looking out for her.
(24:11):
She says I'm going to squashthose rumors because that's
messed up, right which is reallynice of her to do.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
So yeah, I think I don't know.
I guess we'll see.
We don't know what's going tohappen with them.
But Cynthia's part picks up alittle here and it's because the
lawyer for the bargaining ofthe contract shows up.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
Right on her, motorcycle, slash scooter, slash
Vespa.
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
That she rode, she rode whatever it was.
Like from Pittsburgh, it's likegirl, how's your hair with that
?
Yeah, yeah, how's your hairlook like that?
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Shouldn't you have like bugs in your teeth?
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Is this action?
Is this Gretchen Wall?
Is that who that is?
Speaker 1 (25:01):
I don't know who that actor is.
I didn't pause it at the righttime, I think it's the chick
from.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
I think it's the chick for rounders.
Someone will have to tell me ifyou're a rounders fan.
If it's her, I think it's her.
That's a deep cut, but anyway,yeah, she's got a lot of
personality and something'shappening with her and Cynthia.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
Yes, or she wants there to be something happening
with her and Cynthia.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Because they both effing lovebock.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
Yes, they do.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Nina wants a private performance on cello of Bach
from Cynthia.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
I mean that's sexy.
Yeah, Private performance ofBach.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
There were undertones in that little dialogue for
sure.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
Yes, so they're at rehearsal and this new lawyer
her name is Nina she's makingthe rounds kind of talking with
people.
Clearly she's done her homework.
She's there to advocate for themusicians.
I liked her.
She was like a girl boss.
She came in there and was like,yeah, had her stuff together.
(26:08):
They're starting rehearsal andthen Rodrigo gives a downbeat
for Schubert and they play.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Take me out to the fall game.
It's cute, their orchestra isso happy right now, like with
him Right.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
They seem very thrilled.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
And then Christoph walks in late.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Yeah, poor Christoph.
I mean he's taking care of herrobot baby.
He's got his hands full.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
He was like muttering about adoption papers and stuff
, but then he sat down.
But also I was like well, wewould never do that If you were
running late, you would never belike sorry everyone, this
happened.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
Can you imagine?
Sorry, I needed to stop at therestroom one last time before I
got on stage.
Sorry, sorry.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
Take your seat in the back of the orchestra.
Never, never, never, ever.
That would never happen.
For anybody who's listeningthat does not know that would
never happen.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
That was a silly moment, but they do seem to be
vibing with Rodrigo.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
Yeah, he's telling a funny story about youth
orchestra and how his conductorwould throw batons at them if
they were late and it chippedhis tooth.
But then he was like and thenwhen I was eight or nine and I
left, so hard.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
I was like so your youth orchestra experiences when
you're like six or seven?
They started me up.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
It really made me laugh, Wherever he's from, but
then they start Schubert, yes,and it sounds all right, it
sounds decent.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
It's clearly not them playing.
I still want to hear like theyou know how you can sometimes
hear, like the dance videos thatare without the sound or with
like the original sound.
That's what I want to hear.
I want to hear him conductingto a bunch of actors scratching
(28:14):
against the Disturbing,disturbing.
Where is the TikTok version ofthis?
Speaker 2 (28:24):
It's a good question.
Maybe it exists.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
Maybe We'll put it out there.
Yeah, I want to hear theoriginals, please.
The deep cut.
Talk about deep cut.
That would be a real deep cut.
So Gloria is mingling withdonors in the donor lounge.
This is the next scene rightbefore the concert.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
What's his name?
And Edward is back.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
He's back on his BS.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
Yeah, that guy who stole what's her name?
The former assistant from theSharon.
Sharon and he says to her Ineed some protein.
Could you find me some nuts?
And that continues thisconversation with Gloria about
(29:10):
the orchestra failing becausenobody likes Rodriguez, and blah
blah blah blah.
And she comes back with thischampagne glass of nuts for him
and he starts eating them andThomas comes over, which I'll
let you pick up, but I justlaugh so hard because he's
eating out of this champagneglass and then he's like he just
puts it back in her direction.
He's like these are roasted.
(29:30):
Like okay, we get it.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
You're very powerful, which clearly has no joy in his
life.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
Who wants unroasted nuts, Gross who.
It'd be so funny if he saidthese are unroasted.
That would be more realistic, Iguess.
I guess it's extra because he'slike doesn't want roasted nuts
in his champagne.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
No, no joy with my nuts.
No joy with my nuts.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
A lot of the taste bland and soft and horrible,
disgusting.
Just the whole fact that it'slike a conversation about nuts.
It's just so ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
Yeah, yeah, but yes, we're meant to be left with the
oh, he's the villain.
Yeah, he's mean he's hard towork for.
Well, Thomas comes back andhe's having none of Edward's
about Rodrigo.
He's like you have a greatconductor.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
And I'm busy, so Thomas is.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Yes, thomas has a good is a good friend.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
And he might A good mentor and he really might be a
little manic, Like he yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
I think so.
Well, that's what we're.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
I'm composing now.
I'm a composer now.
That's what I'm doing, andthat's it.
Yes, yeah, and it's so good, sogood, yeah, okay, so then the
concert comes.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
So the performance is there, he's Somehow.
I was very distracted by therat tail, the migrated rat tail,
because it's flapping aroundand he's in his like tuxedo,
like.
Shouldn't you have like aformal version of that?
Some way to make it more formal, like?
Speaker 2 (31:10):
put it Like put a hair tie around it like a bun,
like a rat tail no, like what Acoil?
Speaker 1 (31:17):
Okay, let's just say A coil.
It's Well, let's just say it'san actual rat tail.
It is his hair, okay.
So how do you make a formalversion of a rat tail?
Speaker 2 (31:33):
Because there's nothing to like, attach it to.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
It's just there.
Do you like make a little minibun, like put a clip and clip it
down?
Speaker 2 (31:44):
That would be the most logical thing, but I don't
know if it would stay, becausehis hair is so short, oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
What did you clip it to?
Yeah, what would you clip it?
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
But yeah, it's not good.
It needs to go.
I really hope.
I feel like more donors wouldbe engaged again if he got rid
of it.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
I mean I hate to say that, but yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
You gotta, sometimes you gotta, play the part.
Oh, here's another ridiculousthing that happens.
This dude, oh yes For Kristoff.
No, it wasn't Kristoff, right,was it Kristoff?
Oh, I thought it was Kristoff.
I thought it was just a randomviolinist in the back of the
section Maybe oh maybe it was.
(32:25):
I thought Kristoff was in thebassoons or something.
No, not bassoons, clarinets.
Either way, it was in thatdirection of the stage, though,
so we'll have to figure that outnext week.
I mean, his phone goes off likein the middle of the concert,
and not only does it go off, buthe like pulls it out and puts
it while they're playing.
(32:45):
So ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
Yeah, not a, thing, no.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
That's not a thing.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
No, and if your cell phone goes off, you do
everything in your power to Shutit up.
Shut it up or deny that it'syour cell phone.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
Yeah, you're not trying to be like.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
Not acknowledging that it is your cell phone.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Let alone looking to see who's calling you.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
Oh my God, in the middle of the conference, I will
say.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
I have a story about this in an orchestra that I will
not mention, a musician I willnot mention.
I was sitting towards the backof a section once and there was
a space player.
It was the second row of basesand there was a space player
there who's clearly at a pointin his career where he's like,
(33:32):
does whatever he wants to do soat his station, around the stand
.
It's just like I don't know hisoffice back there.
He's got snacks, he's got hisphone sitting there, he's got
keys, everything just sitting onthe floor in the concert and at
some point the phone started tovibrate in the concert.
I'm sitting right next to himand I'm like, dude, that's stuff
(33:55):
of nightmares.
What?
Yeah, it was like, but he justlet it go, Because what's he
going to do?
He's playing the bass, he'splaying the bass, he's going to
have to clumsily reach down andsilence the focus and sitting on
the floor it was ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
It's like bass twister.
You're going to hold the bass,yes, you're also reaching down
Utterly ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
So that does happen to some extent.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
It shouldn't happen.
Come on, friends.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
We are professionals.
Just leave your phone in yourcase.
Yeah, for heaven's sake, we'reprofessionals.
Speaker 1 (34:28):
Yes, so Gloria and Thomas are meanwhile in the
audience.
He's chatting whilst the musicis going on.
I'm like this guy is on one.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
That's okay, though I'm okay with that.
Yeah, it should be.
It should be okay if it's nottoo loud yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:47):
It's not distracted and then the performance is over
.
It's kind of anticlimacticbecause Rodrigo is not really
happy with the performance.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
No, I mean, I think it's funny because in the
conversation with Gloria andThomas they're talking about the
quality of the orchestra and hesays something like well, they
really backslid after Britain,britain, and then he's like it's
always two steps forward, onestep, or yeah, two steps forward
, one step back, and I'm likethat's okay.
(35:19):
I mean, maybe Do people speakabout orchestras in terms like
this, maybe sometimes.
But do we?
It's not like a sporting eventwhere we play a piece and it
screws us up and then we go tothe next piece and we're not as
good as we were.
Speaker 1 (35:35):
Yeah, it's not well.
Yeah, it's not exactly likethat Backslid.
Speaker 2 (35:41):
Like you don't really get worse, like that.
It's that, I don't know, andand, and maybe it's okay, like
it's funny, because, well, totalk about the sports thing you
shared, because it was so funnyto me, the violin guy, think oh,
anyway but but I think, yeah,that may be.
It might have something to dowith this idea that if a person
(36:03):
from who's not in our careerfield is watching, they will
relate to the concept of likeperformance.
Wise, you know, in a sportingevent, like a quarterback, for
example, they have to have theirhead in the game and if they
have a bad game, sometimes theirhead gets, you know, they get
the yips or whatever, and thenthey don't do well right, so
maybe it was just like they werethrowing one like that out,
(36:25):
like okay, yeah, theirperformance wasn't very good, so
they're like shaky and theymight not do well next time, but
that's not, it's not a thing?
It's not a thing.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
No, yeah, no, yep, yeah.
So after the show, they'rereflecting on it and and they're
kind of wondering is thatbecause of the looming strike
slash negotiations?
Maybe that's why their headisn't in the game, so to speak?
And Thomas brings up thisreally old school philosophy of
(37:01):
the way the conductor should be.
And this is where the we forgotto say that the episode is
called Stern Papa, I didn't evennotice what the episode is Okay
it is called Stern Papa and itcomes from this conversation yes
, it does when this is thephilosophy that the conductor
should be a stern father figure,that kind of rules through fear
(37:28):
and intimidation, yeah, yeah.
And that Rodrigo is becomingtoo close to the musicians, yeah
, and thus is impeding theprocess.
Unlike, that's what's happening.
Speaker 2 (37:40):
Yeah, I don't.
I've I really like kind ofbristled at this because I don't
agree.
I don't think I agree.
Yeah, I think I think aconductor can be a colleague.
Speaker 1 (37:53):
Yeah, it's tricky, though I keep being reminded of
your story about a conductor whoyou ran into, kind of backstage
and them just saying how it's alonely job yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:11):
Yeah, I mean, I think there's.
There's probably the fear thatthe lines could get crossed in a
way that then, I don't know,limits the Capability to lead
effectively, you know.
But but I feel like this is amore nuanced.
I think this is a more nuancedsituation than we've given it
(38:33):
credit for in the past.
I think the old school andwe've talked about this before,
actually on a guest episode theidea was it the last episode?
The idea of feminine leadershipversus masculine leadership?
and that maybe feminineleadership looks like it's more
collaborative, even from theconductor's podium, like it
(38:53):
doesn't have to be this.
Now, I think there's likesocial engagement is really
tricky, that's, but that'stricky for musicians to, even
though we do it anyway, but Idon't know.
Yeah, the idea that you have tobe sort of like hard on people
to get them to do what you wantthem to do.
I don't yeah.
Speaker 1 (39:14):
That's antiquated, yeah, yeah, now you shouldn't be
going around kissing yourmusicians full of you.
That might be a boundarycrossed.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Yes, it's a possible me too.
Moment too Right.
Speaker 1 (39:26):
You could get in some trouble for that for sure.
Speaker 2 (39:29):
But like a friendly I friendly relationship is I
don't know that feels like itshould be the sort of the way of
the future, like if a bunch oforchestra colleagues are sitting
somewhere nice having a drinkafter the concert and the
director sitting there too, Idon't know like, and the
conversation is like purelyprofessional, it doesn't seem
(39:53):
like a problem to me.
To me I'm sure lots of peoplehave opinions on that.
But, I'm sure, but it wouldn'timpede my ability to respect
that person.
No.
Speaker 1 (40:08):
No, yeah, maybe that comes down more to behavior.
Speaker 2 (40:13):
But anyway, this is, this is the message Roderigo is
receiving from his mentor, whichof course he takes very
seriously, and and we're headedfor a very, very long time, and
we're headed for a veryuncomfortable scene in a future
episode, when Rodrigo starts tolook at Thomas's compositions
because he's yeah.
He's super confident about them, and that's always a it's
(40:34):
always a little bit of at leasta yellow flag, if not a red one.
Speaker 1 (40:39):
Right yeah.
So Thomas asked Rodrigo to lookat his symphony.
Yeah, I did an internal cringeacross my fingers that it's good
.
Maybe it's G, I hope so.
Speaker 2 (40:48):
I mean if he if like Schumann, like you know.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
Yeah, maybe.
Speaker 2 (40:55):
Guess, we'll see.
Speaker 1 (40:56):
Yes, and then there's like an after hours encounter
where, where Roderigo bikes overto Haley's apartment at three
o'clock in the morning, I wroteoh my god, this is a booty call.
Before anything happened, Againboundaries.
(41:19):
Boundary question.
Yes, so he wants to know whatthe orchestra really thinks of
him, and I'm sure that that'ssomething that's on can
conductors minds, yeah, and youcan't really ask anyone.
Yeah, so she says that theythink you're crazy, but they
believe in you also, and then heset a line which, like he, he
(41:44):
feels like he has to have somedistance from them and yeah, he
says, the highest cliff you canfall from is trust.
Right, and then closeness andfamiliarity.
Speaker 2 (41:58):
From closeness and familiarity comes disrespect.
Speaker 1 (42:02):
Uh huh.
Speaker 2 (42:03):
Which, again, I just I'm not sure.
I totally agree.
I mean I could see why that isa.
I could see why that is abelief.
I can understand why that's abelief.
I just don't know that itnecessarily it might be a
limiting one.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
Yes, yes, I would love to see him explore that
balance and I'm sure that wewill see that that's right In
the next subsequent episodes.
That's right.
So we leave this episode withHaley practicing while they're
one.
Speaker 2 (42:30):
Preparing for next week.
Speaker 1 (42:33):
She can finally play on the softball team.
Speaker 2 (42:35):
She gets to do softball and Moller in one week,
isn't?
Speaker 1 (42:38):
that lovely.
Protect those fingers, haley,yeah, that's right.
And your mouth?
Speaker 2 (42:44):
And your mouth.
No softballs to the face.
Yes, ah, that's good to be back.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
Yeah, it was.
It was a good one.
It was kind of like not reallyany big sparks happening, but
we're kind of gettingreacquainted with the characters
and where they are in theirlives these days.
That's right.
So we just set a new scene.
Speaker 2 (43:05):
Yeah, that had to lay the groundwork and yeah.
Yeah, so we'll be back withepisode two in a few weeks, if
you like what we're doing.
Maybe give us a review.
Speaker 1 (43:18):
Yes, we love that.
Speaker 2 (43:19):
Rate us five stars if you like it.
It's helpful.
Speaker 1 (43:22):
And write us a review anywhere you listen and follow
us on socials and send usmessages.
Speaker 2 (43:29):
Yeah, we love to hear from you.
We really do.
Speaker 1 (43:32):
And we promise to try and write back.
We get overwhelmed sometimes,but we we always appreciate you,
we always value you.
So thank you for being a part,absolutely.
Speaker 2 (43:44):
We'll talk to you next time.
Thank you so much for listeningtoday.
If you loved this episode,consider writing us a five star
review on Apple podcasts, amazonmusic, spotify or wherever you
listen.
Speaker 1 (43:57):
Thanks also to our season sponsor, potter Violence.
Speaker 2 (44:01):
If you'd like to support the podcast and get
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Speaker 1 (44:07):
You can buy all your Musician centric merch,
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Speaker 2 (44:14):
Our theme music was written and produced by JP
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Speaker 1 (44:20):
Our episodes are produced by Liz O'Hara and
edited by Emily McMahon.
Speaker 2 (44:24):
Thanks again for listening.
Let's talk soon.
Welcome to the Musician-Centric Podcast.
We are two freelance violistsliving and laughing our way
through conversations thatexplore what it means to be a
professional musician in today'sworld.
I'm Steph.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
And I'm Liz, and we're so glad you've joined us.
Let's dive in Our newgeneration of Tuning.
Speaker 1 (00:27):
Tuning and like what are they doing?
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Yeah, yeah, it's the recap that nobody asked for, but
we're doing it a second season.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
So, even though you didn't ask for it, we're back.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Some of you may have kind of hinted that you wouldn't
mind us doing it.
Speaker 1 (00:47):
We know some of you listen, so don't try and deny it
.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
And so we're enjoying ourselves.
To new Musician-Centriclisteners.
Welcome to season two.
We recorded season one lastseason, last year, and we had a
lot of fun doing it.
I will admit, I was like allprepared to love, to hate it the
whole season and then I endedup kind of like enjoying it by
(01:15):
the end.
So if you're resistant, like me, like just give it a chance.
That's all I'm going to say.
And now I was very happy to bewatching it again.
It felt like coming home.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
Yeah, it's like putting on your cozy sweats.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Yes, exactly, being entertained by all our old
friends.
Speaker 1 (01:35):
Yes, and wondering what happened to them in the
intro.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
That's right, so should we kick?
Right in let's go Season two,premiere Season two premiere.
With a knot.
I don't love the rebrand of theintro.
Speaker 1 (01:49):
Well, you know, I kind of caught a glimpse on
accident of season three.
The intro is different again.
Ah because, so it must just besomething they just change.
They just change it.
Speaker 2 (01:59):
They do a rebrand every year.
Yeah, must be nice to have thatkind of time.
Speaker 1 (02:08):
Oh my gosh, can you imagine doing a rebrand?
Speaker 2 (02:10):
every year.
Time and resources.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
No, you guys get like one rebrand.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
This is it.
Speaker 1 (02:16):
This is it You're stuck with this logo for.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Imperpetuity, imperpetuity.
So yeah, it was really good tolike see everybody again.
I literally wrote oh, here wego, and my notes the first thing
.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Oh, here we go.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
Rodrigo.
Speaker 1 (02:34):
Yeah, so we have like a scene change.
Speaker 2 (02:36):
We're in LA all of a sudden, for some reason which
becomes revealed, I think,pretty quickly why we're in LA.
But first, rodrigo is talkingto his muse, oh yes.
Did we decide that that wasMozart initially.
Speaker 1 (02:53):
I think so, but why does he have a French accent?
Speaker 2 (02:55):
That's exactly what I wanted to know.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
So he's talking with this bewigged makeup, obviously
figment of his imagination, andI always thought it was Mozart
Me too, Like when he wasstudying the manuscript last
year.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
It was a Mozart manuscript and Is that the same
dude.
Was it the same actor?
We should find out.
Maybe he just maybe he's justvisited by various 18th century
Okay, ghost.
Speaker 1 (03:23):
So you know, like show pan is coming up, we're
going to see the differentpeople.
Yeah, that's right.
Speaker 2 (03:28):
Okay, that's right, like maybe that's what it.
Yeah, maybe it was somebody.
Schubert wasn't French, right?
No, he was Austrian.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Austrian, austrian, german or something.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
I would tie it to something in the episode, but no
, it didn't make any sense.
But it was funny, like theconversation all around.
It's basically his inner critic.
That's exactly what I wrote Metoo.
I love that.
He's like apologize this fornot having breakfast.
He's like cranky with his innercritic.
Yeah, it's all very good, but Ijust I have an important
(04:02):
question about my guy, cause youknow how much I love Rodrigo,
why with the rat tail he looksso?
Speaker 1 (04:07):
It's migrated.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
Yeah, of his head.
Why is it still there?
Like he could just cut it offand then it'd be.
He'd look so great like allaround.
Let's get the scruff going theshort hair like.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
I'm with you.
I'm over the rat tail.
I think we get the idea.
He rides a bike, he wearsbohemian clothes, he you know.
We don't need the rat tail tocap it all off Because it's like
not 1997.
No, no, and it's clearly like aclip in deal.
I mean, did you ever when youwere?
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Yeah, you could buy it with the beach right.
Speaker 1 (04:50):
Yes, well, you know, like there's like a spark, you
have like one little lock ofpink or whatever in your hair,
you just clip in when you feelspicy.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
So does that mean it was the same one as last year
and he just moved it to anotherpart of his head?
Speaker 1 (05:07):
I think we're supposed to believe that he's
whimsical and he can grow outhis hair.
Grow at a random strengthEnough to make enough to make a
giant rat tail on a differentpart of his head.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
And then shame it on.
Speaker 1 (05:18):
I will tell you, no one's hair grows that fast, okay
.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Yeah, it's supposed to be like two and a half months
later.
Like how I don't understandit's, I don't.
I just I think I'm really goingto be excited when it goes.
It has to go right.
Eventually it's going to go.
Speaker 1 (05:33):
I don't know.
I hope so.
Speaker 2 (05:35):
But so why are we?
Speaker 1 (05:36):
in LA Because Rodrigo is guest conducting the LA Phil
, at least that's who it lookslike, and it looks like the real
LA.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
Phil, yeah, I think it is.
Like yeah, okay, I love this somuch Because the sound engineer
in the back is due to Melhimself.
So now all those comparisonscan be validated.
Speaker 1 (05:58):
Yeah, yeah.
So it's just really funny.
They're kind of being coy withdue to Mel, because everyone
knows that this is the actualconductor.
So there's a bunch of like slylittle comments like about how
they hate their conductor.
But we find out that the NYSOis in labor negotiations and
(06:21):
there's a rumor that they mightstrike if they don't get it
resolved.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
So big topical event going on, yeah, labor
negotiations and strikes.
So we then we get to go travelback to New York after this
lovely little cameo, and I dothink it was LA Phil.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
They sounded great If it was they looked like they
were playing with like realmusicians.
You know what he looked like?
He was having just a lot of fun.
Yeah, because the people infront of him were actually
playing the music that he wasconducting.
Speaker 2 (06:53):
Yeah, it's like when people get to like pay to donate
and they get to conduct thestars and stripes forever and
they just have this.
The best thing is, even if theconductor's baton is going like
in the opposite direction, theyjust have this look of utter joy
on their face.
They're just like so happy tobe there.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
Yeah, they're like riding the best ride.
Yes, I'm sure that's so he hadthat look and so very cool.
I was hope I was justfantasizing that.
That was the reason I think so,because it was just so joyful.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I agree, I think it, I think it really was.
I think he was just like havinga great time.
It was hard to hide the joy.
Speaking of hiding the joy ornot hiding the joy, then we go
to the softball team, the NewYork Symphony softball team
named Wolf Gang the Wolf Gangand they're playing against the
ballet team.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
I didn't catch their name Did you?
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Yes, it was the ball and jeans, two separate words.
Ball was the first word.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
Amazing.
I love it.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
It's so clever and it was so funny because Haley's
like up to pitch and then the,the ballet guy, runs over and
he's like no, she's a sub, shecan't pitch, only when she's
playing with the orchestra.
And he's like sorry, sorry,haley, you got to wait until
you're playing Mahler in acouple of weeks to play with us.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
Yeah, that was kind of ridiculous, it's so stupid.
Speaker 2 (08:20):
I mean, the whole thing is stupid Like I don't
know.
I would love to know ifprofessional orchestras have
softball leagues.
Speaker 1 (08:27):
I know it seems risky Like totally.
That's a good way to jam afinger, yeah.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
And they did.
When, when Rodrigo shows up,somebody's like oh yeah,
everyone's being very careful.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
Yeah.
So he shows up and Union Bob,Union Bob, the piccolo player,
is there and they basically like, have a little talk during a
break and they realize thattheir softball team is actually
kind of close to be playingmaking the playoffs.
(08:57):
So Rodrigo is like oh hey, doyou need help?
You need a picture.
And so he jumps in.
Yeah, and it turns out thathe's actually very, very good
and he helps the team and theywin.
And build some rapport with themusicians.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Exactly.
Yep, yeah, it's kind of a funscene.
I was just thinking about, likeI don't know we've been doing
this lately too getting likewhen you get together with your
musician colleagues just to dosomething fun, and it's always
kind of refreshing, you know, tohave that time outside of work.
Speaker 1 (09:32):
Yeah Right, and to relate with them as real people
and not just one facet of yourpersonality.
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (09:40):
Yep, yeah.
And then we cut to a scene withI wrote oh, good Lord.
Speaker 1 (09:47):
I know.
So Alex is back and they'restill together.
I think they're him and Hi-Li.
Speaker 2 (09:53):
Yeah, I think they're going to caricaturize him this
year, I don't know why.
I feel like that first scenewas just he's like doing this
really perky.
Like he starts out with like hi, Alex, and I'm a Sagittarius,
and then he like runs down thestairs and he does these silly
dance moves and I wrote no, yeah, super cringy.
(10:13):
This is super cringy Dancevideo that they're making.
Speaker 1 (10:17):
Is he auditioning for something?
Yes, I didn't catch that.
Okay, I think so so he'sauditioning for something, yeah,
and so he's very over the top.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
It seemed like Hi-Li was saying to him at the end
like, oh, you're totally goingto get it or whatever, like it
was a submission for something.
But yeah, it was just kind oflame.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Yeah, so we come to learn that they're still
together.
That's right.
Speaker 2 (10:44):
I think that was the point of that yes, yeah, because
, of course, we were lefthanging with the question mark
at the end of last season ofwhat's going to be going on in
her love life the start of thisseason.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Yep, yep, and it's still Alex.
And then we see that Thomas isback.
Yep, we flash to Thomas in hisapartment.
He's got his little visionboard of composers and he's
saying good morning to them.
Which I love very much.
He said good morning to them.
I loved it.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
So he's doing some composing.
Yes, he said.
After he said good morning toeverybody, he said get your ass
on that seat and start composing, you cheeky bugger.
You tell him Thomas, and thenhe's like gleefully composing,
he's like gleefully playing thepiano and writing things down
and he's like conducting himselfon the floor and he's having
the time of his life right now.
Speaker 1 (11:33):
You know what he's in flow?
Speaker 2 (11:35):
He's in flow.
He's in peak flow state.
Speaker 1 (11:39):
You can't interrupt that once that gets started.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
No, you got to go with it, you got to follow the
muse.
Follow the muse.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
And so actually it made me wonder is he still
suffering with some kind ofmental health issue?
I'm getting, I'm getting alittle manic, I'm getting that
impression.
Speaker 2 (11:59):
I think so.
It might be that way.
We'll have to find out, but Ifeel like I mean this is later
in the episode, but I feel like,generally speaking, he seems a
little up.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Yeah, yeah, ok, that was my impression too.
Yeah, let's keep him in ourhearts.
Thomas and then we end up.
Ok, this is a very tellingscene.
As to the, we're over inHaley's apartment again, yes,
and she's practicing and herphone quacks with a phone call.
(12:33):
Like, is that still an option?
People still have an option tohave their phone quack, only one
way to find out.
Speaker 2 (12:40):
Let's see, is it in there?
It would be under sounds Rain,I mean with all these updates,
it's got to be.
Speaker 1 (12:50):
There've got to be some pretty crazy ones out there
.
Apple has a sense of humor.
Oh, it is.
What else do they have?
Speaker 2 (13:07):
They have are bad.
Let's see Auga.
Speaker 1 (13:14):
Good old Auga.
Classic the Marimba yeah, ok,that's a good one.
Classic.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
OK, that's enough of that.
Now my phone's going to ringthat way and I'm going to be
like whose phone is that?
Speaker 1 (13:33):
What psychopath would choose that?
That's very funny.
So, anyway, she gets her phonequacks and it's one of her
students' mom and she says thather son has headlights, and this
was very triggering for me.
Speaker 2 (13:49):
Yeah, that's right.
You just had this.
Speaker 1 (13:52):
If you're a, parent and you've ever dealt with
headlights.
Oh my gosh, there's nothing Ican't imagine.
Maybe having bed bugs is aboutthe same, but it's that
uncomfortable, dirty feeling andit's so helpless because you
can't do anything about it andyou just have to put all of your
(14:15):
clothes and stuff in a plasticbag and then use separate hair
brushes and combs and it's awful.
It's awful.
It's awful In a support groupParents poop gone through lice,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Yeah, it's a thing.
Huh, it's awful.
It's awful, do you notrecommend?
Speaker 1 (14:38):
Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
I feel like the comparison to bed bugs is very
good.
My sister struggled with thatin New York one year and it was
so like bag the mattress.
You have to do all these things.
I don't know it's so disturbingyeah.
Speaker 1 (14:58):
But anyway, so that lesson is canceled.
But we see that Alex is therehanging out.
Speaker 2 (15:04):
I thought it was funny, though, when she so the
mom calls and she's like allfrantic and she's like
quickening off the phone andthen Alex is trying to ask her
like but when did he?
Okay, because she's trying tofind out.
At the last time she saw she'slike scratching her head and
she's a little worried.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
It is panic inducing.
It makes you feel itchy evenwhen you don't have it.
Yeah for sure, I'm sure.
I'm sure that's true, yeah,it's awful.
But Alex is there and he's likeclipping his toenails.
Speaker 2 (15:31):
On the bed.
Who does?
That there's a trash can infront of him.
It's disgusting.
Speaker 1 (15:37):
It's clearly the honeymoon is over.
Yeah, there's a caricaturizinghim.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
This was not his vibe at all.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
Last year he was fine yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:46):
He was much more like composed, I feel like I don't
know.
He didn't seem like a guy clipshis toenails in bed.
Speaker 1 (15:51):
Maybe they just want us to hate him, so that, yeah, I
think so.
They want us to get icked outfor poor Alex.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
She's like really irritated too.
She's like I have to practice.
Speaker 1 (16:05):
Yeah, she's got to practice the same phrase a
hundred times in a row.
That's her method.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
Yeah, exactly.
She can't be distracted fromthat Got to just obsessively
play the same thing over andover again.
Speaker 1 (16:19):
Hey, that's how you learn it.
That's true Pro tip.
Speaker 2 (16:22):
Pro tip Repeat over and over, and over, and, over
and over until you hurt.
Speaker 1 (16:29):
Then we end up back at the hall in Haley's office.
She's wrapping up, warming upor whatever practicing.
This new young woman comes inand she's like oh hey, I'm
Rodrigo's new assistant.
You need to train me, sarahBell, sarah Bell.
(16:50):
Of course, the first thing thatshe needs to know is how to
make the mate.
Speaker 2 (16:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (16:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:58):
That's the most important thing.
Speaker 1 (17:00):
You can see by her demeanor that Haley has really
become attached to Rodrigo andthese things that she thought
were eccentric in the beginningare now endearing.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
Yeah, that's true, that's true.
That's a good point.
She honors the mate.
Yes, yes, yeah, we find outthat Sarah Bell is the daughter
of a guy who donated their organ.
She's been placed in theposition through privilege and
(17:34):
is a singer-songwriter, which Idon't think should be poo poo no
, that's still a musician.
Yeah, exactly, I know thatinitial reaction was a little
judgmental.
But we need to not do that.
That's the thing of the past.
But I forgot to say it this way.
I meant to say she's asinger-songwriter.
(17:56):
Oh, she's really into theupspeak.
Yeah, every sentence she sayssounds like this, which we find
out is kind of an irritatingquality In the next scene.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
Yes, so in the next scene we're in Gloria's office
and Gloria is in the midst ofredecorating, which is very high
maintenance.
Speaker 2 (18:20):
And her assistant says that the thing she chooses
makes her hair look like spungold.
Yes, yeah.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
So what I think they're highlighting here is the
disconnect between the managingexecutives and what the actual
musicians are doing For sure andwhat they think is important.
So she's trying to get Rodrigoto help the orchestra come to a
agree to what administration hasput forth in the negotiations.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
Yeah, and she's saying two things at once.
First she's saying we can'tafford to pay the musicians and
then she's saying also, youcould help by not making our
donors mad or whatever.
So it's like she's sort ofputting it all on him, which is,
I think, kind of an old schooltactic.
So I don't know.
(19:10):
He's getting frustrated, thoughhe's throwing a fit about all
the red tape and he just wantsto make music, of course.
And he gets very dramatic andsays if the orchestra doesn't
get better as musicians, thenwhen they go to Latin America
he's going to be exiled fromevery country and he's listing
off all the countries they'regoing to and he won't be allowed
(19:32):
to go back.
It was just cracking me up,because this is very dramatic.
And in walks, sarah Bell withhis yerba mate.
Speaker 1 (19:43):
And she pushes his buttons.
He's already agitated, and sohe finds out that she's supposed
to be his new assistant andhe's like no, this isn't yeah,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
It's that time of year, we're back to school and
we are back to gigging.
Even if you're not mentallyready for the season, you can
count on our season sponsor,potter Violins, to get your
equipment ready.
When's the last time youreheared your bow stuff?
Speaker 1 (20:14):
Oh, I feel like it was recently, but I bet it's
been over six months, so I gotto get over there and get it
freshened up.
Oh, and I need new backupstrings and an instrument
adjustments Sounds like it mightbe about time.
Speaker 2 (20:28):
Yeah, I do love to get in there for a visit to our
favorite technicians as weapproach the change of season.
Maybe I need a new case too.
Speaker 1 (20:38):
And, as we've said before, if you need a rental
instrument, they're the place togo.
My daughter and many of mystudents rent from Potters and
the instruments are reallyfantastic, even the smaller
violas.
Speaker 2 (20:48):
Yes, get back to your music this season with
confidence by visiting PotterViolins, so your equipment will
be ready, even if you might needa bit more of a warm-up.
And then we meet someone new,right.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Yes, oh yeah, Virgil.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
That's his name.
Ok, I didn't catch it.
I'm glad you caught it.
Virgil, with a robot, I didn'tunderstand what his.
Speaker 1 (21:16):
is he a musician?
Is he work for the hall?
I didn't quite understand, Iknow.
Speaker 2 (21:21):
I didn't either.
I mean, we find out that hishusband is in the orchestra
right.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
Right.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
But I don't know what he does.
Maybe he's like an executivedirector.
No, that's Gloria.
No, that's not Gloria.
Gloria's like president of theboard.
I don't know what all these?
Speaker 1 (21:37):
Gloria's the executive director so maybe he,
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (21:41):
Maybe he's in operations, or maybe he's also a
musician.
Speaker 1 (21:45):
OK, we haven't seen him highlighted as a musician,
but his partner, Christoph, andhe have decided that they want
to start a family.
They want a child, so he'sholding this disturbing robot
baby that I don't know.
It's like when you were in.
Well, when I was in high school, you had to take care of an egg
(22:08):
for a week yes, so it's like afancy parenting exercise.
Speaker 2 (22:16):
I think there have been schools that have used the
robot babies instead of the egg,which is Is that right?
Yeah, that would be the worstif you had something that cried
and needed that and stuff Likethat wasn't a real thing.
Just be hard to.
Yeah, the egg was hard enough,so that was a cute little scene.
(22:38):
I don't know, it's fine.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
And then he goes.
Where does he run into Haleyagain?
In there, I think she comes inand she's like you can't fire
Sarah Bell.
Speaker 2 (22:52):
Her dad gave us the organ, and so then he's
following her around saying howhe doesn't want another
assistant.
She's like I can't be yourassistant anymore.
Speaker 1 (23:03):
Right yeah, and I was with her.
I mean, that's really dicey.
Speaker 2 (23:07):
Totally.
Speaker 1 (23:08):
Like you're going to be a sub and his assistant.
That's like really conflict.
Speaker 2 (23:14):
Lord Lyons, not to mention the kiss.
Speaker 1 (23:17):
The kiss that's right which gets brought up in the
next scene, that's right, yeah,so they are having this heated
discussion.
She's like you have to have anew assistant, I can't keep
doing this for you.
And she ends up trying to gointo the ladies room.
And of course Rodrigo thinks,hey, there's no boundaries here,
(23:38):
I'm going into the ladies roomtoo.
And she's like no way.
But anyway, he gets kicked outof the ladies room and she finds
herself in there with Cynthia.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
That's our first spotting of Cynthia so far.
Speaker 1 (23:51):
Yeah, so Cynthia's back and she's a good female
friend.
Yes, yes, yes.
So she's in there and she's theone that says hey, everybody's
talking.
People are talking about thatkiss from last season, yep, and
Cynthia is looking out for her.
(24:11):
She says I'm going to squashthose rumors because that's
messed up, right which is reallynice of her to do.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
So yeah, I think I don't know.
I guess we'll see.
We don't know what's going tohappen with them.
But Cynthia's part picks up alittle here and it's because the
lawyer for the bargaining ofthe contract shows up.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
Right on her, motorcycle, slash scooter, slash
Vespa.
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
That she rode, she rode whatever it was.
Like from Pittsburgh, it's likegirl, how's your hair with that
?
Yeah, yeah, how's your hairlook like that?
Speaker 1 (24:53):
Shouldn't you have like bugs in your teeth?
Speaker 2 (24:58):
Is this action?
Is this Gretchen Wall?
Is that who that is?
Speaker 1 (25:01):
I don't know who that actor is.
I didn't pause it at the righttime, I think it's the chick
from.
Speaker 2 (25:06):
I think it's the chick for rounders.
Someone will have to tell me ifyou're a rounders fan.
If it's her, I think it's her.
That's a deep cut, but anyway,yeah, she's got a lot of
personality and something'shappening with her and Cynthia.
Speaker 1 (25:23):
Yes, or she wants there to be something happening
with her and Cynthia.
Speaker 2 (25:26):
Because they both effing lovebock.
Speaker 1 (25:28):
Yes, they do.
Speaker 2 (25:30):
Nina wants a private performance on cello of Bach
from Cynthia.
Speaker 1 (25:35):
I mean that's sexy.
Yeah, Private performance ofBach.
Speaker 2 (25:41):
There were undertones in that little dialogue for
sure.
Speaker 1 (25:45):
Yes, so they're at rehearsal and this new lawyer
her name is Nina she's makingthe rounds kind of talking with
people.
Clearly she's done her homework.
She's there to advocate for themusicians.
I liked her.
She was like a girl boss.
She came in there and was like,yeah, had her stuff together.
(26:08):
They're starting rehearsal andthen Rodrigo gives a downbeat
for Schubert and they play.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Take me out to the fall game.
It's cute, their orchestra isso happy right now, like with
him Right.
Speaker 1 (26:28):
They seem very thrilled.
Speaker 2 (26:29):
And then Christoph walks in late.
Speaker 1 (26:32):
Yeah, poor Christoph.
I mean he's taking care of herrobot baby.
He's got his hands full.
Speaker 2 (26:37):
He was like muttering about adoption papers and stuff
, but then he sat down.
But also I was like well, wewould never do that If you were
running late, you would never belike sorry everyone, this
happened.
Speaker 1 (26:51):
Can you imagine?
Sorry, I needed to stop at therestroom one last time before I
got on stage.
Sorry, sorry.
Speaker 2 (27:01):
Take your seat in the back of the orchestra.
Never, never, never, ever.
That would never happen.
For anybody who's listeningthat does not know that would
never happen.
Speaker 1 (27:14):
That was a silly moment, but they do seem to be
vibing with Rodrigo.
Speaker 2 (27:19):
Yeah, he's telling a funny story about youth
orchestra and how his conductorwould throw batons at them if
they were late and it chippedhis tooth.
But then he was like and thenwhen I was eight or nine and I
left, so hard.
Speaker 1 (27:31):
I was like so your youth orchestra experiences when
you're like six or seven?
They started me up.
Speaker 2 (27:40):
It really made me laugh, Wherever he's from, but
then they start Schubert, yes,and it sounds all right, it
sounds decent.
Speaker 1 (27:54):
It's clearly not them playing.
I still want to hear like theyou know how you can sometimes
hear, like the dance videos thatare without the sound or with
like the original sound.
That's what I want to hear.
I want to hear him conductingto a bunch of actors scratching
(28:14):
against the Disturbing,disturbing.
Where is the TikTok version ofthis?
Speaker 2 (28:24):
It's a good question.
Maybe it exists.
Speaker 1 (28:27):
Maybe We'll put it out there.
Yeah, I want to hear theoriginals, please.
The deep cut.
Talk about deep cut.
That would be a real deep cut.
So Gloria is mingling withdonors in the donor lounge.
This is the next scene rightbefore the concert.
Speaker 2 (28:44):
What's his name?
And Edward is back.
Speaker 1 (28:47):
He's back on his BS.
Speaker 2 (28:49):
Yeah, that guy who stole what's her name?
The former assistant from theSharon.
Sharon and he says to her Ineed some protein.
Could you find me some nuts?
And that continues thisconversation with Gloria about
(29:10):
the orchestra failing becausenobody likes Rodriguez, and blah
blah blah blah.
And she comes back with thischampagne glass of nuts for him
and he starts eating them andThomas comes over, which I'll
let you pick up, but I justlaugh so hard because he's
eating out of this champagneglass and then he's like he just
puts it back in her direction.
He's like these are roasted.
(29:30):
Like okay, we get it.
Speaker 1 (29:38):
You're very powerful, which clearly has no joy in his
life.
Speaker 2 (29:43):
Who wants unroasted nuts, Gross who.
It'd be so funny if he saidthese are unroasted.
That would be more realistic, Iguess.
I guess it's extra because he'slike doesn't want roasted nuts
in his champagne.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
No, no joy with my nuts.
No joy with my nuts.
Speaker 2 (30:01):
A lot of the taste bland and soft and horrible,
disgusting.
Just the whole fact that it'slike a conversation about nuts.
It's just so ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
Yeah, yeah, but yes, we're meant to be left with the
oh, he's the villain.
Yeah, he's mean he's hard towork for.
Well, Thomas comes back andhe's having none of Edward's
about Rodrigo.
He's like you have a greatconductor.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
And I'm busy, so Thomas is.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Yes, thomas has a good is a good friend.
Speaker 2 (30:37):
And he might A good mentor and he really might be a
little manic, Like he yeah.
Speaker 1 (30:41):
I think so.
Well, that's what we're.
Speaker 2 (30:42):
I'm composing now.
I'm a composer now.
That's what I'm doing, andthat's it.
Yes, yeah, and it's so good, sogood, yeah, okay, so then the
concert comes.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
So the performance is there, he's Somehow.
I was very distracted by therat tail, the migrated rat tail,
because it's flapping aroundand he's in his like tuxedo,
like.
Shouldn't you have like aformal version of that?
Some way to make it more formal, like?
Speaker 2 (31:10):
put it Like put a hair tie around it like a bun,
like a rat tail no, like what Acoil?
Speaker 1 (31:17):
Okay, let's just say A coil.
It's Well, let's just say it'san actual rat tail.
It is his hair, okay.
So how do you make a formalversion of a rat tail?
Speaker 2 (31:33):
Because there's nothing to like, attach it to.
Speaker 1 (31:36):
It's just there.
Do you like make a little minibun, like put a clip and clip it
down?
Speaker 2 (31:44):
That would be the most logical thing, but I don't
know if it would stay, becausehis hair is so short, oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
What did you clip it to?
Yeah, what would you clip it?
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
But yeah, it's not good.
It needs to go.
I really hope.
I feel like more donors wouldbe engaged again if he got rid
of it.
Speaker 1 (31:59):
I mean I hate to say that, but yeah.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
You gotta, sometimes you gotta, play the part.
Oh, here's another ridiculousthing that happens.
This dude, oh yes For Kristoff.
No, it wasn't Kristoff, right,was it Kristoff?
Oh, I thought it was Kristoff.
I thought it was just a randomviolinist in the back of the
section Maybe oh maybe it was.
(32:25):
I thought Kristoff was in thebassoons or something.
No, not bassoons, clarinets.
Either way, it was in thatdirection of the stage, though,
so we'll have to figure that outnext week.
I mean, his phone goes off likein the middle of the concert,
and not only does it go off, buthe like pulls it out and puts
it while they're playing.
(32:45):
So ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
Yeah, not a, thing, no.
Speaker 2 (32:49):
That's not a thing.
Speaker 1 (32:50):
No, and if your cell phone goes off, you do
everything in your power to Shutit up.
Shut it up or deny that it'syour cell phone.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
Yeah, you're not trying to be like.
Speaker 1 (33:02):
Not acknowledging that it is your cell phone.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
Let alone looking to see who's calling you.
Speaker 1 (33:09):
Oh my God, in the middle of the conference, I will
say.
Speaker 2 (33:11):
I have a story about this in an orchestra that I will
not mention, a musician I willnot mention.
I was sitting towards the backof a section once and there was
a space player.
It was the second row of basesand there was a space player
there who's clearly at a pointin his career where he's like,
(33:32):
does whatever he wants to do soat his station, around the stand
.
It's just like I don't know hisoffice back there.
He's got snacks, he's got hisphone sitting there, he's got
keys, everything just sitting onthe floor in the concert and at
some point the phone started tovibrate in the concert.
I'm sitting right next to himand I'm like, dude, that's stuff
(33:55):
of nightmares.
What?
Yeah, it was like, but he justlet it go, Because what's he
going to do?
He's playing the bass, he'splaying the bass, he's going to
have to clumsily reach down andsilence the focus and sitting on
the floor it was ridiculous.
Speaker 1 (34:11):
It's like bass twister.
You're going to hold the bass,yes, you're also reaching down
Utterly ridiculous.
Speaker 2 (34:18):
So that does happen to some extent.
Speaker 1 (34:20):
It shouldn't happen.
Come on, friends.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
We are professionals.
Just leave your phone in yourcase.
Yeah, for heaven's sake, we'reprofessionals.
Speaker 1 (34:28):
Yes, so Gloria and Thomas are meanwhile in the
audience.
He's chatting whilst the musicis going on.
I'm like this guy is on one.
Speaker 2 (34:40):
That's okay, though I'm okay with that.
Yeah, it should be.
It should be okay if it's nottoo loud yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:47):
It's not distracted and then the performance is over
.
It's kind of anticlimacticbecause Rodrigo is not really
happy with the performance.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
No, I mean, I think it's funny because in the
conversation with Gloria andThomas they're talking about the
quality of the orchestra and hesays something like well, they
really backslid after Britain,britain, and then he's like it's
always two steps forward, onestep, or yeah, two steps forward
, one step back, and I'm likethat's okay.
(35:19):
I mean, maybe Do people speakabout orchestras in terms like
this, maybe sometimes.
But do we?
It's not like a sporting eventwhere we play a piece and it
screws us up and then we go tothe next piece and we're not as
good as we were.
Speaker 1 (35:35):
Yeah, it's not well.
Yeah, it's not exactly likethat Backslid.
Speaker 2 (35:41):
Like you don't really get worse, like that.
It's that, I don't know, andand, and maybe it's okay, like
it's funny, because, well, totalk about the sports thing you
shared, because it was so funnyto me, the violin guy, think oh,
anyway but but I think, yeah,that may be.
It might have something to dowith this idea that if a person
(36:03):
from who's not in our careerfield is watching, they will
relate to the concept of likeperformance.
Wise, you know, in a sportingevent, like a quarterback, for
example, they have to have theirhead in the game and if they
have a bad game, sometimes theirhead gets, you know, they get
the yips or whatever, and thenthey don't do well right, so
maybe it was just like they werethrowing one like that out,
(36:25):
like okay, yeah, theirperformance wasn't very good, so
they're like shaky and theymight not do well next time, but
that's not, it's not a thing?
It's not a thing.
Speaker 1 (36:34):
No, yeah, no, yep, yeah.
So after the show, they'rereflecting on it and and they're
kind of wondering is thatbecause of the looming strike
slash negotiations?
Maybe that's why their headisn't in the game, so to speak?
And Thomas brings up thisreally old school philosophy of
(37:01):
the way the conductor should be.
And this is where the we forgotto say that the episode is
called Stern Papa, I didn't evennotice what the episode is Okay
it is called Stern Papa and itcomes from this conversation yes
, it does when this is thephilosophy that the conductor
should be a stern father figure,that kind of rules through fear
(37:28):
and intimidation, yeah, yeah.
And that Rodrigo is becomingtoo close to the musicians, yeah
, and thus is impeding theprocess.
Unlike, that's what's happening.
Speaker 2 (37:40):
Yeah, I don't.
I've I really like kind ofbristled at this because I don't
agree.
I don't think I agree.
Yeah, I think I think aconductor can be a colleague.
Speaker 1 (37:53):
Yeah, it's tricky, though I keep being reminded of
your story about a conductor whoyou ran into, kind of backstage
and them just saying how it's alonely job yeah.
Speaker 2 (38:11):
Yeah, I mean, I think there's.
There's probably the fear thatthe lines could get crossed in a
way that then, I don't know,limits the Capability to lead
effectively, you know.
But but I feel like this is amore nuanced.
I think this is a more nuancedsituation than we've given it
(38:33):
credit for in the past.
I think the old school andwe've talked about this before,
actually on a guest episode theidea was it the last episode?
The idea of feminine leadershipversus masculine leadership?
and that maybe feminineleadership looks like it's more
collaborative, even from theconductor's podium, like it
(38:53):
doesn't have to be this.
Now, I think there's likesocial engagement is really
tricky, that's, but that'stricky for musicians to, even
though we do it anyway, but Idon't know.
Yeah, the idea that you have tobe sort of like hard on people
to get them to do what you wantthem to do.
I don't yeah.
Speaker 1 (39:14):
That's antiquated, yeah, yeah, now you shouldn't be
going around kissing yourmusicians full of you.
That might be a boundarycrossed.
Speaker 2 (39:23):
Yes, it's a possible me too.
Moment too Right.
Speaker 1 (39:26):
You could get in some trouble for that for sure.
Speaker 2 (39:29):
But like a friendly I friendly relationship is I
don't know that feels like itshould be the sort of the way of
the future, like if a bunch oforchestra colleagues are sitting
somewhere nice having a drinkafter the concert and the
director sitting there too, Idon't know like, and the
conversation is like purelyprofessional, it doesn't seem
(39:53):
like a problem to me.
To me I'm sure lots of peoplehave opinions on that.
But, I'm sure, but it wouldn'timpede my ability to respect
that person.
No.
Speaker 1 (40:08):
No, yeah, maybe that comes down more to behavior.
Speaker 2 (40:13):
But anyway, this is, this is the message Roderigo is
receiving from his mentor, whichof course he takes very
seriously, and and we're headedfor a very, very long time, and
we're headed for a veryuncomfortable scene in a future
episode, when Rodrigo starts tolook at Thomas's compositions
because he's yeah.
He's super confident about them, and that's always a it's
(40:34):
always a little bit of at leasta yellow flag, if not a red one.
Speaker 1 (40:39):
Right yeah.
So Thomas asked Rodrigo to lookat his symphony.
Yeah, I did an internal cringeacross my fingers that it's good
.
Maybe it's G, I hope so.
Speaker 2 (40:48):
I mean if he if like Schumann, like you know.
Speaker 1 (40:53):
Yeah, maybe.
Speaker 2 (40:55):
Guess, we'll see.
Speaker 1 (40:56):
Yes, and then there's like an after hours encounter
where, where Roderigo bikes overto Haley's apartment at three
o'clock in the morning, I wroteoh my god, this is a booty call.
Before anything happened, Againboundaries.
(41:19):
Boundary question.
Yes, so he wants to know whatthe orchestra really thinks of
him, and I'm sure that that'ssomething that's on can
conductors minds, yeah, and youcan't really ask anyone.
Yeah, so she says that theythink you're crazy, but they
believe in you also, and then heset a line which, like he, he
(41:44):
feels like he has to have somedistance from them and yeah, he
says, the highest cliff you canfall from is trust.
Right, and then closeness andfamiliarity.
Speaker 2 (41:58):
From closeness and familiarity comes disrespect.
Speaker 1 (42:02):
Uh huh.
Speaker 2 (42:03):
Which, again, I just I'm not sure.
I totally agree.
I mean I could see why that isa.
I could see why that is abelief.
I can understand why that's abelief.
I just don't know that itnecessarily it might be a
limiting one.
Speaker 1 (42:17):
Yes, yes, I would love to see him explore that
balance and I'm sure that wewill see that that's right In
the next subsequent episodes.
That's right.
So we leave this episode withHaley practicing while they're
one.
Speaker 2 (42:30):
Preparing for next week.
Speaker 1 (42:33):
She can finally play on the softball team.
Speaker 2 (42:35):
She gets to do softball and Moller in one week,
isn't?
Speaker 1 (42:38):
that lovely.
Protect those fingers, haley,yeah, that's right.
And your mouth?
Speaker 2 (42:44):
And your mouth.
No softballs to the face.
Yes, ah, that's good to be back.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
Yeah, it was.
It was a good one.
It was kind of like not reallyany big sparks happening, but
we're kind of gettingreacquainted with the characters
and where they are in theirlives these days.
That's right.
So we just set a new scene.
Speaker 2 (43:05):
Yeah, that had to lay the groundwork and yeah.
Yeah, so we'll be back withepisode two in a few weeks, if
you like what we're doing.
Maybe give us a review.
Speaker 1 (43:18):
Yes, we love that.
Speaker 2 (43:19):
Rate us five stars if you like it.
It's helpful.
Speaker 1 (43:22):
And write us a review anywhere you listen and follow
us on socials and send usmessages.
Speaker 2 (43:29):
Yeah, we love to hear from you.
We really do.
Speaker 1 (43:32):
And we promise to try and write back.
We get overwhelmed sometimes,but we we always appreciate you,
we always value you.
So thank you for being a part,absolutely.
Speaker 2 (43:44):
We'll talk to you next time.
Thank you so much for listeningtoday.
If you loved this episode,consider writing us a five star
review on Apple podcasts, amazonmusic, spotify or wherever you
listen.
Speaker 1 (43:57):
Thanks also to our season sponsor, potter Violence.
Speaker 2 (44:01):
If you'd like to support the podcast and get
access to bonus content,consider joining our Patreon
community.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
You can buy all your Musician centric merch,
including shirts, water bottles,koozies and a variety of other
fun items.
Speaker 2 (44:14):
Our theme music was written and produced by JP
Wogerman and is performed byStefan myself.
Speaker 1 (44:20):
Our episodes are produced by Liz O'Hara and
edited by Emily McMahon.
Speaker 2 (44:24):
Thanks again for listening.
Let's talk soon.
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