Alan and Steve talk with interdisciplinary artist, educator, and Bezerk Productions founder Linda Sibio about the unusual path she has taken from her own experience with schizophrenia into decades of work using art, voice, movement, and writing with people experiencing mental-health challenges. Linda leads them through exercises from Cracked Eggs and The Insanity Principle—saying ordinary words through contrasting emotions, connecting rhythm and voice to the body, and even learning to see the empty spaces around an object.

For music educators, the conversation keeps returning to a simple idea: some students may need help “getting ready to get ready.” Linda challenges us to think beyond one definition of readiness and consider how movement, emotion, sound, perception, and nonlinear thinking can become entry points into creative work.

Steve and Alan talk through practical ways to make audition recordings that help your players give the best possible impression. From choosing the right opening excerpt to avoiding music that is too risky, they explain why first impressions matter and why “defense” — tone, pitch, blend, and rhythm — often matters more than flash. This episode is especially useful for directors preparing honor ensemble, festival, conference, or showcase submissions.

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What makes teaching music in a small rural school uniquely challenging—and uniquely rewarding? In this conversation, Michael Genslinger, host of Rural Music Matters, joins Steve and Alan to explore the realities of K–12 generalist teaching, limited local resources, and the revolving door of rural positions. Along the way, they highlight how community, creativity, and a willingness to “do it all” can turn small‑school music programs into powerful, long‑lasting forces in students’ lives.

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