Best Chris Mak Podcasts (2024)

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Episode 207: Next Gen Music Education with Mak Barton

2d ago

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I frequently engage in and read discussions with young music educators about the ways in which the music education profession is or is not “adapting with the times.” As always, the answer to that is yes. And no… Mak Barton is a second year teacher in Maryland who I found on her wildly entertaining TikTok account that is fast approaching 100k follow…

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Episode 231 - Monster Hunts, then and now, with Daniel Loxton 1:30:45

12h ago1:30:45

1:30:45

First we discuss how the term “Gish gallop” has entered the common vernacular thanks to the recent Presidential debate. Then Ben ponders why conspiracy buffs don’t care about the admitted, real Boeing conspiracy, or why psychics can’t offer up explanations for the Rust killing. Celestia gets excited about folklore in pop culture: namely, “The Crook…

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Episode 206: Building Enduring Classroom Culture with Dr. Kari Adams

9d ago

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As teachers, we often try to build culture and foster a sense of belonging by seeking out the “right checklist” of games, ice breakers, fun warm-ups, and even classroom wall art. However, these are just the frosting, not the cake. In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Kari Adams from the University of Missouri to discuss the essential ingredients for…

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Episode 205: Teaching Our Choirs to Listen with James Jordan

16d ago

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“If you don’t learn what listening is, your choirs will never sing in tune.” James Jordan is one of the most prolific choral conductors in the modern era. Not just in terms of performance and recordings, but also in scholarship and pedagogy. Introducing, the NEW GIA/Walton Series on Choralosophy! I recently had the privilege of attending two sessio…

1
Episode 204: Literacy Live Hive Mind (Highlights with the Community)

21d ago

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Recently, we offered a free virtual meetup to practice “Choir Nerdery.” If you missed it, I have carefully curated some of the most useful and interesting moments for this episode. Discussion topics were derived from survey responses from 120 educators. The full 2 hour and 15 minute work session is available unedited over at Patreon or Substack for…

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Episode 230 - Pseudoarchaeology and Misinformation in Chicano Studies, with Kurly Tlapoyawa 1:39:04

18d ago1:39:04

1:39:04

First, Ben and Celestia discuss the epidemiology of extreme heat, mysterious mololiths redux, the latest Real Water lawsuit, and the origins of a 50-year-old rumor about Mama Cass. Then Pascual joins us to interview Kurly Tlapoyawa -- stunt man, filmmaker, archaeologist, and cohost of "Tales from Azlantis." He tells us about cutting through jungles…

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Episode 203: Programming as Storytelling with Donald Nally

28d ago

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“It is not my job to answer the questions. It’s my job to ask the questions.” Programming for our choirs carries with it a wide range of challenges, from the skill levels of our groups, and their needs to the considerations of speaking to an audience. There are many ways to wrestle with this balance. Renowned conductor of the Crossing Donald Nally …

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Episode 229 - Skepticamp, Spiders, and the West Palm Beach Killer Clown Case 1:19:09

1M ago1:19:09

1:19:09

We start with a recap of SkeptiCamp New Mexico, then move on to a laundry list of creepy, crawly creatures: Alex Jones, flying Joro spiders, bug zappers, opposite snakes and Sasquatch Sunset. Our main topic is an update to one of the cases in Ben's "Bad Clowns" book. The West Palm Beach Killer Clown case involves a love triangle, a clown costume, a…

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Episode 202: Excluded in the Name of Inclusion with Michal Dawson Connor

1M ago

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“I cannot believe I’ve been muzzled by my own people.” All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, CA cancelled a concert that was set for June 2nd, 2024 citing the “pain and anguish felt by 18 Black members of the church.” The response was that Michal and the choir, and the music they were set to perform from the African American cultural and musical…

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Episode 201: Music is Movement with Mark Changizi

2M ago

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The scientific consensus is that our ability to understand human speech has evolved over hundreds of thousands of years. After all, there are whole portions of the brain devoted to human speech. We learn to understand speech before we can even walk, and can seamlessly absorb enormous amounts of information simply by hearing it. Surely we evolved th…

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Episode 228 - The Science of Weird Sh!t, with Chris French 1:44:11

1M ago1:44:11

1:44:11

Celestia and Ben have a lengthy A-segment, between discussing the almost-here SkeptiCamp, Ben's recent folklore convention, and what mischief TV psychic Allison DuBois has been up to. We have thoughts on the recently deceased Morgan Spurlock's legacy, and then talk about two interesting developments from the Catholic Church this week. Professor Chr…

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Episode 200: Expanding the Boundaries of Choral Music with Katerina Gimon

2M ago

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Standard music notation that is now used ubiquitously around the world does some things really well. But it also has limitation. Katerina Gimon is a composer who is actively working to dream up new ways to use notation to communicate sound ideas to musicians that expand our written music vocabulary. Katerina first exploded onto the choral scene in …

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Episode 199: Singing Alone, “The Boogey Man in the Closet” 29:54

2M ago29:54

29:54

Standard #1 from NAfME is the best one I think. “Singing alone AND in small groups a varied repertoire of music.” It is of course, crucial in vocal and general music. But it’s value is also present in instrumental focused courses as well. In this return of “Car Thoughts” I will take you through a short explanation of how I conceive of individual si…

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Episode 227 - Book bans, then and now 1:11:57

2M ago1:11:57

1:11:57

Ben and Celestia roll out an abbreviated history of book bans and the psychology behind them. What sorts of fears manifest into the desire to keep information away from people? And which people? Is the current rash of book challenges a panic, or is the fear of such bans a panic? We start this episode with a solid opinion, then find ways to knock th…

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Episode 198: Beating the Odds Through Choral Music with Steven Hankle

2M ago

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“Because of music, in this time and space, we can hold hands. And we can sing a common song.” From a story Steven tells in this episode to illustrate the ways that music CAN help us transcend the issues that divide us. Dr. Steven Hankle directs the choirs at University of Dayton in Ohio. Steven caught my attention recently with a very vulnerable po…

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Shwag 2:19

2M ago2:19

2:19

king brish

1
Anchor iz 3:16

2M ago3:16

3:16

grae

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Big prik 2:01

2M ago2:01

2:01

banda

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Episode 197: Ripping off the Band-Aid Volume 2

2M ago

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The Choralosophy Podcast has been at the epicenter of the music education conversation since 2019. The first episode that really made a splash was #18. Ripping Off the Bandaid. It seemed to draw a two sided coin of responses. Colleagues were either offended or found their instruction revolutionized for the better. In this episode, I look back to 18…

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Episode 226 - Dim Mak "the death touch" with Peter Huston 1:46:59

3M ago1:46:59

1:46:59

Can a human being be killed with one well-timed blow? Without question, yes. But is the secret to this fighting style held by ancient Chinese monks, or a flamboyant guy named Count Dante who advertises in the back of comic books? We look at real situations where one punch (or slap, or chiropractic adjustment) can kill a person, either immediately o…

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Episode 196: Educating the Anxious Generation

3M ago

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Choralosophy Book Club is back with a discussion of the book I am currently reading. “The Anxious Generation” by Jonathan Haidt (author of “The Coddling of the American Mind” and “The Righteous Mind”) which is #1 on NY Times Best Seller List This book has powerful insights and implications for teachers in addition to parents. I, of course, have my …

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#023: Haus Of Panda (Barong Family, Monstercat, Speed World) 50:03

3M ago50:03

50:03

Today’s special guest is Haus Of Panda from Speed World He’s released on Barong Family, Monstercat, Ultra, Musical Freedom, Brooklyn Fire & more. Remixed for Knife Party, Tommy Sunshine. His music is supported by… Tiesto, Diplo, Alan Walker, Jauz. & more, and he also Invented the genre "Speed House”, and runs the label and events company Speed Worl…

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Episode 195: Elementary Choirs-Our Manhattan Project with Bruce Rockwell

3M ago

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Is it possible that we are all grasping at the wrong straws trying to reach program growth in an equitable way? Bruce Rockwell believes we need a transformative revolution in choral music. One where we turn our collective focus toward the Elementary School Choir. Bruce is a high school choral educator who teaches in a district in which a very small…

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Episode 225 - The folklore of Scooby Doo, with Mark Norman 1:31:44

3M ago1:31:44

1:31:44

We have a surprise visit from Scooby fan Kenny Biddle, then speak with Mark Norman, folklorist and author of the upcoming "Zoinks!: The Spooky Folklore of Scooby Doo." The show is beloved by skeptics, and for good reason. But did you know the show owes its existence to a panic in the 1960s about violence in kids' shows? Between guest stars like the…

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Episode 194: A Round Peg Voice in a Square Hole Choir with Timothy Mount

3M ago

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Tim’s article “How to Ruin an Alto” was published in 1982-83 in The Choral Journal and in MENC’s publication. It included some strong language like “there are no good reasons for allowing women to sing tenor.” In this episode Timothy Mount, a Professor Emeritus at Stony Brook University, joins me to discuss his very strongly worded article from the…

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Episode 224.5 - Bonus episode! Our 6th anniversary! 59:39

3M ago59:39

59:39

This freebie bonus is us shooting the breeze, thanking folks who deserve kudos, asking some questions about skepticism today, and generally having a good time.

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Episode 224 - A Grab Bag of Springtime Skepticism 1:14:39

4M ago1:14:39

1:14:39

We chat about several topics in the news recently, from a bright streak of burning space junk over Los Angeles to a very realistic crucifixion reenactment in the Philippines. Ben unravels a weeping Madonna story in the tabloids that also casts some shade on a prominent Italian skeptic, then he gives us his review of "Late Night with the Devil," set…

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Episode 193: The Aeolian Way with Jeremy Sovoy Jordan

4M ago

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The Oakwood University Aeolians have a long standing and proud tradition. Over the last few years, they shot to international fame. Jeremy Jordan is tasked with keeping the flame alive. Ever since Jason Ferdinand moved from Oakwood, the choir world started to wonder what was next for the Aeolians. After their 2019 National ACDA performance, they we…

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Ep 192: Music Literacy for All: Debunking Myths and Embracing Diversity by Odell Zeigler

4M ago

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Odell’s presentation was discussed in a recent Choral Journal article, but not named. This is his side of the story. Find more blogs at Choralosophy.Substack.com By Odell Zeigler March 23rd, 2024 In April of 2023, I was fortunate to present “An Unconventional Approach to the Urban Chorus Classroom” at the NAfME Eastern Division Conference, which wa…

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Blow me up for my birthday guys pwease 3:00

4M ago3:00

3:00

thirty od wishiz hm swish hih

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Episode 223 - Deception Studies with Curt Anderson 1:41:22

4M ago1:41:22

1:41:22

After some current events involving Brazilian ex-president Bolsonaro, a new study on Havana Syndrome, and migrants with measles in Chicago, we are joined by Curt Anderson. A career magician turned academic researcher, Curt tells us about his pivot to deception studies. Piggybacking on our recent episode about Truth Default Theory, we explore more a…

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Episode 191: Rise Up and Sing with Shanan Estreicher

4M ago

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Queens is one of the most diverse places in the world. How can music serve as a “common language” for diverse students? This week, I am joined by Shanan Estreicher, a middle and elementary music teacher in Queens, New York. Shanan is also a composer, and songwriter who has found a magic formula to reach the students of a Title 1 school with a const…

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Episode 190: Girls Voices Change Too! With Dr. Bridget Sweet

4M ago

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Dr. Bridget Sweet is the first scholar to examine adolescent female voice change through systematic research protocols This week, we fill in a major gap in programming on the Choralosophy podcast. This is the FIRST episode on the feed diving into research and teaching practice of the female changing voice in adolescence. There will be more to come!…

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#022: Chris Alba from Cult Creatives (Branding for Chris Lake, Dim Mak Records, Gareth Emery, Puma, and many more) 1:07:43

4M ago1:07:43

1:07:43

Cult Creatives are a Los Angeles studio known for standout branding and marketing in music and fashion. Their team handles brand identities, global campaigns, tour visuals, pop-ups, and social media strategies. Clients include Chris Lake, Dim Mak Records, Gareth Emery, and Puma, and many more. In the interview we cover what is branding and why you …

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Episode 222 - Modifying the Weather 1:20:52

5M ago1:20:52

1:20:52

First, Pascual and Celestia hit recent science news -- a sideways lunar landing, some male-on-male humpback whale action, and recent cell outages. Then Ben and Celestia look at weather modification, from prayer and superstition to very real cloud-seeding efforts. Though in practice almost everywhere for generations, this technology still surprises …

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Episode 189: Can We Meet Kids Where They Are Without Lowering Standards? With Jonathan Talberg

5M ago

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Is “Tough Love” outdated? Or is it the tool of caring parents and educators? Recently, a “Facebook post dialogue” of sorts went viral amongst music educators between Juilliard professor Geoffrey Keezer and James Falzone. Professor Keezer made a relatively short post related to the problems he is seeing in his teaching position related to reliabilit…

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Episode 188: Why Don’t Boys Want to Sing? With Martin Ashley

5M ago

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Professor and researcher Martin Ashley from the UK is back to talk about more recent research related to the boys changing voice from both a biological and empirical view, as well as a qualitative experiential one. We discuss his latest compilation of crucial information, which he has made available for FREE. The eBook is called “Dead Composers and…

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Episode 221 - What Giant Penguins Can Teach Us, with Daniel Loxton 1:29:07

5M ago1:29:07

1:29:07

First, Ben and Celestia have several tidbits to discuss, from Micheal Mann's court win to chemtrails popping up in social media. Ben is watching another cult docuseries, and we get into the unfortunate trend of obituary pirating. For our main segment, we are joined by the delightful Daniel Loxton, illustrator, author, editor and longtime skeptic lu…

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