Meet Monica Herzig

This week on The Business Savvy Singer Podcast, Dr. Greta Pope sits down with jazz artist, author, and Indiana University faculty member, Monika Herzig.

Monika has a fascinating background as a jazz pianist. She received her Doctorate in Music Education with a minor in Jazz Studies from Indiana University and went on to do many things in the music industry. As a touring jazz artist, she has performed at many prestigious jazz clubs and festivals, such as the Indy Jazz Fest, Cleveland’s Nighttown, Birdland, the Manchester Craftsmen Guild, to name just a few. Groups under her leadership have toured Germany, opened for acts such as Tower of Power, Sting, the Dixie Dregs, Yes, and more.

She has received awards including a 1994 Down Beat Magazine Award for Best Original Song, a Jazz Journalist Association Hero 2015 award, as well as grants from the NEA, the Indiana Arts Commission, MEIEA, among others.

Listen to the full episode with Monika now!

Meet Angela Rivas

This week on The Business Savvy Singer Podcast, Dr. Greta Pope sits down with Angela Rivas. Angela is a Senior at Florida International University pursing a double major in Journalism and Criminal Justice. She has a passion for telling stories and enjoys writing profile pieces and entertainment stories. She is also interested in the arts, music, theater, and the entertainment industry. She hope to one day align all her passions into her job, and be able to write about all aspects that interest her.

Listen to the full episode –

Black History Month: Female Classical Composers

Dr. Greta Pope sits down with scholar Rae Myra Hilliard as she talks about her research on Black Female Composers of Classical Music, entitled “Queens of Composition.” These composers all have ties to Chicago and have written vocal, symphonic, chamber and other types of classical music. This episode rounds out our Black History Month and it pivots into Women’s History Month.

Listen to the full episode:

Black History Month: Meet Rory Rennick

This week Dr. Greta Pope sits down with magician, actor, and author, Rory Rennick. For nearly 20 years Rory has performed professionally as a magician following a 15-year career in the mental health field.

For over a decade he has combined his acting, motivational speaking and prestidigitation skills to present the incredible story of the enslaved-turned-magic entertainer Henry “Box” Brown. Rory is considered one of the foremost authorities on black magicians and Henry “Box” Brown in particular.

His book debut of Henry “Box” Brown’s Legacy and My Life With Him has been one of the most anticipated readings of 2021.

Learn more about Rory Rennick by visiting his website and following him on Instagram and Facebook. 

Black History Month: Mixed Media Artist Everett Spruill

This week on The Business Savvy Singer Podcast we continue our focus on Black History Month by sitting down with Mixed Media Artist, Everett Spruill.

Everett is a highly acclaimed artist focusing on painting, photography, and printmaking. Over time Spruill consistently created works using an increasingly complex variation of recycled and repurposed materials focusing on Jazz as a central theme. His first radical shift came in 1995, when he combined the principals of serigraphy and graffiti techniques, using spray paint with hand-cut stencils. From the mid-1980s to the mid-1990s, Spruill created a large body of work that responded in a general way to his love of stained glass. During this time, the increasing mixture of recycled materials gave way to full three-dimensionality, with sculptural forms derived from discarded electronic parts and wire. Postage Stamps, seashells, and fabric are used to create decorative architectural elements.

His work is featured at Disney World, Orlando’s Amway Center and in other prestigious settings. He is also a singer and harmonica player.

Check out the full episode with Everett.

Celebrating Black History Month

This week on The Business Savvy Singer Podcast, we kick off our series on Black History Month with a focus on Classical Composers of the African Diaspora Pre 20th Century. Yes! Pre 20th Century! Dr. Greta Pope shares valuable information on the accomplishments of Black Composers/musicians going back as far as the 16th Century!

In this special hour-long episode, you will learn about these outstanding composers and hear samples of their symphonies, concertos and other beautiful musical compositions in the classical style. You don’t want to miss this episode!

Meet Susan Dennis

This week Dr. Greta Pope sits down with the lovely Susan Dennis. Susan Dennis has been in the music industry from age five. She is now part of the National Association Teachers of Singing (NATS). She is a soprano soloist and Artistic Director at Bravissimo Vocalists. Susan also teaches at Elmhurst University and Harper College and is involved in many arts organizations around the Chicagoland area.

Listen to the full episode:

Learn more about Susan by following her on Facebook. Follow Bravissimo Vocalists on Facebook.

Meet Jabari Clay

This week Dr. Greta Pope sits down with singer/musician/songwriter, Jabari Clay a native of Orlando, FL. Having mastered the craft of Jazz/Classical/Gospel and R&B, Clay is a full-time pianist, served as lead male vocalist for the international B.B. King All-Star Band. before composing original music/ scores for off-Broadway productions.

Jabari has nearly a decade of experience in musical theatre, and writes for an array of record labels. He continues to sharpen his artistry through his passion for performing and media arts as the lead singer of the Hip & Soul band (Fish & Grits).

Listen to the full episode today!

Follow Jabari on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. 

Meet Dr. Angela

Dr. Angela is a board certified psychiatrist. Join Dr. Greta Pope and Dr. Angela for an engaging conversation about maintaining good mental health. This is a not-to-be-missed episode that everyone can benefit from. The pandemic, daily stressors, our social climate and so many other things challenge us to be pro-active about our mental health. Many thanks to Dr. Angela for sharing her expertise.

Listen to the full episode:

Happy Holidays from The Business Savvy Singer Podcast

As we conclude the 2022 year, we want to say thank you for listening to our podcast this year – your support and loyalty means so much!

We also want to thank our special guests we’ve had on this year and our sponsors, we couldn’t do it without you!

We will be taking a break to celebrate the holidays with our families, and we’ll be back with new episodes starting January 9, 2023. 

Happy Holidays!

During our break, we encourage you to go back and listen to previous episodes you may have missed throughout the last two years! And please rate and review wherever you listen to podcasts!