KIMBERLY LAVON • CEO + CREATIVE WRITER I founded and joined Mint Maven in 2022 as the Creative Writer + CEO of the agency. Prior to my work here, I was the Creative Director of Thimble Media. We delivered Brand Identity + Strategy to a myriad of businesses. Before that I was the Fine Artist/Print Shop Owner of Kimberly Lavon INK. During my tenure a…

ABOUT THE GUEST Hannah Cole is a tax expert who specializes in working with creative businesses and artists. A long-time working artist with a high-level exhibition history, the financial challenges of freelancers and small creative businesses are both relevant and personal to Hannah. Her specialty is communicating complex tax issues in a clear, cr…

ABOUT THE GUEST Taylor Rossi is a flutist, web designer, and portrait photographer for Nicole Riccardo Media. She helps classical musicians bring their visions to life and grow their online presence. Learn more: www.nicolericcardomedia.com EPISODE SPONSOR This episode is sponsored by the Flute Center of New York. The Flute Center of New York is the…

ABOUT THE GUEST Yue Deng-Wu is the co-founder of Spacenotes, a startup focused on building a new app for learning music. Spacenotes is on a mission to make music education more accessible and delightful. Yue is a classically trained pianist and teacher. She was also an attorney at DLA Piper, where she advised tech companies of all stages on employm…

We're joined by special guest Dr. Heidi Kay Begay for a discussion about pivoting to a non-traditional path, running multiple music businesses, and more! Dr. Heidi Kay Begay is a self-employed flutist, educator, podcaster, and non-profit organizer. Heidi is the creator and host of the Flute 360 podcast, which delivers educational content (to the mo…

Welcome to a new era of Creative Baggage! Serena, Justin and Deivy sit down ahead of the release of their database, 'For the Lost Creative', to reflect on their own experiences and opportunities that have led them all to where they are today. We talk about the windiness of pursing a creative career, and how almost nothing has been a straight line f…

Listen to our presentation at the Bach 2 the Future Conference in MUPA Budapest, where they pitched Creative Baggage's project "for the lost creative," a database of scholarships, grants, internships, jobs, and other opportunities to help creatives find the next steps in their career. We are beyond grateful to have received a grant from enCORE Clas…

Everything is changing once again! Justin and Serena discuss their time in Budapest, and Bailey announces her departure from the Creative Baggage team. We reminisce on the very beginnings of CB and look ahead to an unknown but exciting future! What's next? Development of our database of opportunities FOR THE LOST CREATIVE. is in full swing! Stay tu…

Writer and musician Chioma Ossai shares her thoughts on self-love and self-care, which is a profound theme in her poetry. We agree that getting to know ourselves and nurturing our inner child can unlock a sense of creative freedom that we've hidden away over time. We also discuss the impact of social media (both positive & negative) on artists and …

In this episode, we chat with flutist Stephen Clark about his journey from orchestral musician, to soloist, to DMA student at the University of Alabama. He shares his insights on the differences between conducting yourself as a student vs. professional, as well as the differences between academia / the music industries of the UK and the US. We thor…

Bailey and Serena share their revelations on how much their expectations for themselves as flutists went against their natural tendencies and personalities. They discuss the conflicting desires to "be like" the people they admired and "be original," confronting just how much they have romanticized the path to becoming a "perfect" classical musician…

In this episode, we talk to a very special guest - Serena's former flute teacher Bart Feller! Serena shares the lessons she learned from Bart in high school, and how some of them have changed meaning or truly begun to click over time. We also discuss what it means to be a compassionate teacher and mentor at various stages of a young person's develo…

This episode is part of our series in collaboration with the hosts of the Classical Gabfest Podcast - conductors Tiffany Lu, William White, and Kensho Watanabe. Please go check out their show, and their episode featuring us! William C. White is a conductor, composer, teacher, writer, and performer based in Seattle, WA where he serves as music direc…

This episode is part of our series in collaboration with the hosts of the Classical Gabfest Podcast - conductors Tiffany Lu, William White, and Kensho Watanabe. Please go check out their show, and their episode featuring us! (Apple Podcasts) Conductor Tiffany Lu hails from Tampa, FL as well as the D.C.-Maryland region. In 2020, she joined the facul…

CREATIVE BAGGAGE CANDID CONVERSATIONS AT NEXTNOW FEST PART 5 In September 2020, Bailey, Serena, & Justin went to the University of Maryland to host a live podcast interview series with students at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center's NextNOW Fest. For the final installment of our series from the event, enjoy this dynamic discussion with Nick …

CREATIVE BAGGAGE CANDID CONVERSATIONS AT NEXTNOW FEST PART 4In September 2020, Bailey, Serena, & Justin went to the University of Maryland to host a live podcast interview series with students at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center's NextNOW Fest. In this episode, we discuss parallels in the creative process between various fields of study, to…

CREATIVE BAGGAGE CANDID CONVERSATIONS AT NEXTNOW FEST PART 3 In September 2020, Bailey, Serena, & Justin went to the University of Maryland to host a live podcast interview series with students at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center's NextNOW Fest. In this episode, we hear from unique creators of crafts we admire. We discuss the inherent value…

CREATIVE BAGGAGE CANDID CONVERSATIONS AT NEXTNOW FEST PART 2 In September 2020, Bailey, Serena, & Justin went to the University of Maryland to host a live podcast interview series with students at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center's NextNOW Fest. We asked the group a series of philosophical questions, and again we were truly amazed at the th…

CREATIVE BAGGAGE CANDID CONVERSATIONS AT NEXTNOW FEST PART 1 In September 2020, Bailey, Serena, & Justin went to the University of Maryland to host a live podcast interview series with students at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center's NextNOW Fest. We had a candid conversation about interdisciplinary projects, hopes for the future, and the con…

In this episode, Bailey and Serena reflect on everything that's changed since our final episode of Season 3. Bailey has a new job working in the marketing department for the Curtis Institute of Music, and Serena is all settled in Paris. We discuss the process of learning what our individual needs are in life, and how great it feels when we start ma…

A little chat between co-host Serena and friend of the podcast Yue while playing around on the CB Playground. She asks about the meaning behind Creative Baggage's name and logo, as well as what we look forward to in Season 4. Watch the full video: https://youtu.be/2y45zPUgSVA Check out the CB Playground: https://www.creativebaggagepodcast.com/playg…

In this episode, Bailey, Serena, Justin, Andrew, and Bell discuss identity, practice routines, and the importance of letting go. Bailey shares a secret, Serena announces her departure, and the gang relishes their last moments together before their worlds change for good.--- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/creative-bagg…

In this episode, we talk to returning guest Evan Kassof about the problems and value of academia, as well as the role of academia in the arts. He shares his experiences obtaining 6 degrees and the expenses that come with attending University, building on his ideas from our discussion in No. 26: Artists Shouldn't Have to be Broke. Read more about Ev…

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Noa Kageyama about his decision to quit music. He describes how much lighter everything felt for him, as the work towards mastery would have never ended. We also discuss deconstructing the rigid structures of the music world and embracing making music for fun, both for professionals and amateurs. h…

In this episode, we talk to Dr. Noa Kageyama about his journey from violinist to performance psychologist. He describes his early success with music, which led him to summer festivals, competitions, and conservatory, and shares the moment he realized that he did not want to become a professional musician. Noa’s story gives us great insight on how t…

In this episode, we talk to violist Eddy Malave about the various aspects of his career, from teaching Alexander technique and the Suzuki method to subbing on Broadway, and how these pieces have shifted during the pandemic. Eddy gets real with us about his struggles during this difficult year, and he tells us about his work with Unison Orchestra - …

In this episode, we talk to small business owner Frankie McDonald about his journey from working in the corporate world to founding Boonton Coffee Company. He shares his philosophy of community-building and creating a low-stress work environment, as well as some fun community stories! We discuss the benefits and struggles of being your own boss, an…

In this episode, we open up about the realities of making a living in the music industry. Coming from the perspective of young (recently graduated) professionals, we discuss how we've navigated finding work opportunities, negotiating our pay, and gotten creative with the digital space. We also talk about the idea of having multiple streams of incom…

In this episode, we have a very special guest who wishes to remain anonymous. Our guest has a background in classical violin and music technology, and he writes music that fuses classical harmony with modern sounds. We discuss the importance of listening to and taking influence from all genres of music, concluding that having a hierarchy of musical…

In this episode, we continue our conversation with John Littlejohn about his unique career path as both a musician and a pastor. He tells us that in both of these professions, the end goal is to teach people about life and help others succeed. We also discuss the importance of finding motivations beyond wanting validation, as well as holding the pe…

In this episode, we talk to violinist and pastor John Adidam Littlejohn about the boxes we put ourselves in when making music or thinking about our careers. John shares his journey learning the violin without a private teacher, describing the freedom of not being told what was difficult or easy, as well as the freedom of not being constrained by a …

We are taking a short mid-season break, and we wanted to share this hilarious conversation our co-hosts, audio engineer, and biggest fan (allegedly). We are also launching our patreon, where we will be uploading exclusive content, including deleted scenes from our interviews and more after hours episodes! https://www.patreon.com/creativebaggage ---…

In this episode, we talk to percussionist Gloria Yehilevsky about the value of interdisciplinary art. We discuss the benefits and challenges of working with people of other disciplines, as well as what it takes to manage ourselves and our teams. We also share our personal experiences coming up with ideas for and completing interdisciplinary project…

In this episode, we talk to cellist, educator, and activist Sasha Ono about changing the culture of classical music. Sasha tells us about her group, Lotus Chamber Music Collective, and how they tackle important issues such as racism and injustice through the lense of classical music in their programming, concert discussions, and book club. She also…

In this episode, we talk to husband, father, children’s book author, and early childhood educator Christopher Singleton about the impact of parents and teachers on the trajectory of a child’s life. Chris tells us about his new book, “Chris & Frankie: Intro to Our Ebony & Ivory Keys,” which introduces the piano to young readers through a pair of rel…

In this episode, we talk to multi-hyphenate Grayson Villanueva about his freelance career and pursuing multiple passions. We share our struggles with the societal expectation that we stick to one thing and discuss the benefits of having a variety of interests. Grayson also shares his strategies for being your own boss, including tips on how to stay…

In this episode, we talk to cellist Arlen Hlusko about the power of music and the power of social media. We discuss the value of having an online presence and how to maintain authenticity in a digital space. We also share stories of how music and art can be a healing force for both the people creating and experiencing them. In the end, we conclude …

In this episode, we talk to singer/songwriter Meghan Pulles about finding empowerment through music-making. She tells us about her journey from classical opera singer to emo-positive artist, and the tough questions she had to ask herself along the way. We also discuss the therapeutic nature of both creating art for ourselves and connecting with oth…

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Erica Peel about learning to trust ourselves. We discuss our tendencies to become obsessive in our practice and go too far in any direction, asserting that taking things to the extreme is often a result of our need to impress others. We also acknowledge that life isn’t as clean-cut as we would like…

In this episode, we talk to piccolo player of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Erica Peel about the wonders of playing and teaching piccolo. We discuss the underappreciated beauty of the piccolo, and how we have grown to love it and treat it as its own instrument. In the process, Erica shares the struggles she has faced as both a performer and teacher, …

In this episode, we talk to bassist and member of the Kansas City Symphony, Caleb Quillen about the psychological impacts of the orchestral audition process. We discuss the financial and emotional insecurities that many musicians face in addition to the pressures of the audition and assert the importance of mindfulness both in the practice room and…

In this episode, we talk to flutist Susan Palma-Nidel about her experiences playing in Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and her more recent endeavors performing and recording world music. We discuss the internal and external push-and-pull that is required for music-making, concluding that we should embrace discomfort as a means for growth and satisfaction…

In this episode, we continue our conversation with Mimi Stillman about exploring careers in music. She tells us about the beginnings of Dolce Suono Ensemble, and we share our hopes for interdisciplinary artistic careers. We discuss all of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into running an arts organization, and how our experiences serving as prog…

In this episode, we talk to our flute teacher and mentor Mimi Stillman about having a lifelong relationship with music. She tells us about her experiences studying at the Curtis Institute of Music as a young flutist, as well as her time studying history at the University of Pennsylvania. We share our thoughts on going to a university versus conserv…

In this episode, we deconstruct the notion that classical music is always sophisticated and put-together with Steinway Artist Mark Livshits. We have a candid conversation about his experiences with ADHD, performance injuries, and loneliness in classical music. Despite these struggles, we also share fun and hilarious stories of the joys of being a m…

In this episode, we continue our discussion with Kristy Drutman about setting boundaries in our creative work. We acknowledge how difficult it can be to say “no” to a project and brainstorm ways to overcome this barrier. We also talk about whether and/or how much to charge, as well as how to maintain artistic integrity while trying to make money. K…

In this episode, we talk to Kristy Drutman, founder of the Brown Girl Green podcast and media series, about the power and responsibility that comes with having influence. We discuss finding our personal roles in movements that we care about, as well overcoming imposter syndrome and learning to be open and honest with our communities. We also highli…

In this episode, we talk to percussionist and music educator Joe Bergen about the importance of exploring and expanding the new music repertoire. Joe walks us through his journey in forming Mantra Percussion, a group that both performs and provides students with opportunities to enter the world of new music. We also share our experiences with being…

In this episode, we discuss the ups and downs we’ve experienced in our relationships with the flute. We talk about the guilt associated with not practicing, as well as the feeling that there is something fundamentally wrong with the way we play our instrument. Even though we feel lost, we are learning to have trust in our own abilities and the tool…

In this episode, we talk to composer/saxophonist/music educator Miguel Bolivar about his experiences building successful music programs in public schools. We discuss the bureaucratic and logistical obstacles that teachers face, as well as the breakthroughs and accomplishments that make those struggles worth it. Finally, we cover the role of technol…