Her Music Academia

In this episode, I chat with Dr. Melissa Hoag (Oakland University) about her musical upbringing as a pianist, her path to music theory, her time as coeditor of the Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy, and her work as editor of Expanding The Canon and a forthcoming textbook. We also discuss the AP College Board Music Theory exam, the yearly grading session with over one hundred college professors and high school teachers, and how YOU can get involved as an AP reader!

Melissa’s episode of SMT-Pod
My episode with Christine Boone
Expanding The Canon: Black Composers in the Music Theory Classroom
Journal of Music Theory Pedagogy
My Summer in Review 2024
My Summer in Review 2025

In this episode, I chat with Dr. Dan DiPiero (Boston University) about his curriculum at BU, his new Substack newsletter and podcast, and writing for public audiences. We also dive into their newest book, Big Feelings: Queer and Feminist Indie Rock After Riot Grrrl, as well as their forthcoming research on crushes in music.
This episode is dedicated to Christine Capetola, an amazing scholar in African American studies who passed away in 2024.
My first episode with Dan
Dan’s second book Big Feelings
Dan’s first book Contingent Encounters
Dan’s Substack newsletter
Dan’s podcast
My episode with Brad Osborn
Reasons and Feelings by Sarah Mesle
Lauren Berlant on non-soverignty
Real Pain by Indigo de Souza

In this episode, I chat with Cecilia Oinas (University of the Arts Helsinki, Sibelius Academy) about her musical upbringing as a pianist, her path to music theory, and her budding research on politeness and etiquette in chamber ensembles. We also discuss her recent paper presentation at the SMT annual meeting in Minneapolis, which analyses the relationship between the piano and the vocal line in the songs of Richard Strauss.

Cecilia’s website
Cecilia’s article on the songs of Saariaho
Cecilia’s episode of SMT-V
Cecilia’s article on four-handed piano trios of Mendelssohn and Schumann
Ethics and aesthetics in Jazz by Duranti, Throop, and McCoy
My episode of SMT-Pod
My recording of “My Soul’s Been Anchored in the Lord” by Florence Price
Music Theory Online

In this solo episode, I chat all about the past semester including traveling for opera auditions, presenting at this year’s SMT/AMS annual meeting, and finishing my first dissertation chapter. I also discuss my yearly theme for 2025 and ponder what I’ll be focusing on in 2026. Please get in touch if you’d like to be a podcast guest in the new year!

My article in Music Theory Spectrum
SMT-Pod
My episode of SMT-Pod
My episode with Jordan Brown
My episodes with Lee Thomas Richardson
My first Beyoncé episode
Audre Lorde’s "Uses of the Erotic"
CGP Grey’s video on yearly themes

Get in touch with me at: [email protected]

In this bonus episode, I chat with Daniel Kumapayi about his upbringing as a double bassist, his experience studying at the University of Michigan, and the founding of the Pan Africanist art music foundation, Àkójọpọ̀. Make sure you check out the amazing resources on their website and follow their social media to stay up to date on their projects!

Quick correction: at 10:47, we meant to mention San Fransisco Symphony, instead of Conservatory.
TW: brief mention of suicide 25:13–25:50

Àkójọpọ̀’s website
Àkójọpọ̀ on Facebook
Àkójọpọ̀ on Instagram
Optimize Grant
Detroit Public School pay high school students for tutoring
Bawo Ndiyabonga

Get in touch with me at: [email protected]