Breaking The Third Wall In Music

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement:

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat. We also aim to discuss ableism in all forms in the music scene. We also aim to be educational about a wide range of topics in Music Psychology, Music Therapy, and Music Education to continue to create inclusive classrooms and knowledgeable folks.

For our one year podcast special I had on Tyler Mazone (Deaf), Samantha Nahra (Dyslexia), and Peter Oselador (Autistic) to discuss these topics:

--> The Pandemic and its affects on accessibility, education and representation

--> The #SayTheWord movement and functioning labels for Disabled folk

--> Autism Speaks (AKA Speaks Autism or A$) and their partnership with google trying to " cure " Autism

This will have multiple parts and other guests so please stay tuned!

** Happy one year to podcasting. It is beyond words hard for me I have been doing this podcast for a year. I started this podcast with a vision; to bring representation to the Disabled community within the music scene because we are by far one of the most under represented and mostly forgotten community. Before I started this podcast, many folk didnt know what ableism even was or what it looked like. To many more years of representation from our lenses. Dont speak for us, we can speak for ourselves.

Thank you to all of my wonderful viewers and everyone who took the time to support this podcast. To many years to come. **

As always, my podcast is available on on Anchor and Spotify.

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement:

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat. We also aim to discuss ableism in all forms in the music scene. We also aim to be educational about a wide range of topics in Music Psychology, Music Therapy, and Music Education to continue to create inclusive classrooms and knowledgeable folks.

**There was an audio snip as we had internet issues at one point**

This week I had guest Sheyla Turcios on, a little bit about her!:

" Sheyla Turcios - Music Education major at LIU Post. French horn primary. In remission for leukemia since 01/2020. Future goals are to be a music therapist for oncology "

Breaking The Third Wall In Music is findable on facebook, anchor and spotify!

**** TW: Discussions of Suicide, Deep Depression, MH and Episodes **** 

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement:

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat. We also aim to discuss ableism in all forms in the music scene. We also aim to be educational about a wide range of topics in Music Psychology, Music Therapy, and Music Education to continue to create inclusive classrooms and knowledgeable folks.

About Courtney:

" Courtney Conkling is a flutist, music educator, and mental health advocate from Massapequa, NY. Born a triplet in a family of four, she was encouraged to pursue creative endeavours of all types from a young age: while piano lessons in first grade weren’t her cup of tea, flute and beginning band at Birch Lane Elementary stuck and bloomed into a fantastic musical career, with youth orchestras, principal chairs, solos, and All-Area titles galore. While she made the most of the opportunities available to her at SUNY Potsdam and loved studying with Kenneth B Andrews at the Crane School of Music as a young adult, underneath all her success she was struggling with her mental health. When Mr. Andrews suddenly retired, she chose to transfer to Vanderbilt University and study flute with Molly Barth as she pursued a music education degree. Nashville also brought her a new Bipolar I diagnosis and her first psychiatric hospitalizations. After two medical leaves and the ever-evolving COVID crisis, Courtney is about to start studying with Brandon Patrick George at Hofstra University where she hopes to receive her music education degree and expand her musical and educational capabilities as she continues to prioritize her mental health."

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement:

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat. We also aim to discuss ableism in all forms in the music scene. We also aim to be educational about a wide range of topics in Music Psychology, Music Therapy, and Music Education to continue to create inclusive classrooms and knowledgeable folks.

This week I had the honor of having friend and colleague Colton Purcell.

A little bit about Colton:

" Colton Purcell is a classical pianist with over fifteen years of experience and has been recognized on a national level. He is a graduate of Snow College where he has studied Piano Performance with Dr. John Tu and has studied private Music Composition with Kyle Alm. " 

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement:

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat. We also aim to discuss ableism in all forms in the music scene. We also aim to be educational about a wide range of topics in Music Psychology, Music Therapy, and Music Education to continue to create inclusive classrooms and knowledgeable folks.

This week I had guest Matthew Suchan on to chat about his experiences with Synesthesia (specifically Chromesthesia).

A little bit about him ...

" Matthew is a Husband to Grace, and father of Hazel. He enjoys all things creative, from music, to art, to videography, to web design. He has played the bass guitar for over half his life, around 17 years now. He also dabbles in electric guitar, but never singing. Just a few years ago he realized he has a unique experience with music and sound, called Synesthesia (more specifically Chromesthesia). This means when hearing music he unintentionally sees colors and shapes in his mind. Chromesthesia is something only 4% of the world's population has and it is definitely seen as a blessing to Matt. Recently, he started painting what songs LOOK like, and hopes to share the images of songs with others. "

Check out his social medias to check out his art!

IG: @synesthete_life

TikTok: @mattsuchansuch

*Breaking The Third Wall In Music is available on Spotify, Anchor, Apple Podcasts, and Overcast*

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement:

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat. We also aim to discuss ableism in all forms in the music scene.

This week I had two guests, Tyler Mazone and Ethan Atterson on to discuss a very controversial topic amongst the disabled community, specifically the Autistic Community, Recently, musician SIA has released a movie called Music; that portrays a young autistic women. Through this film, individuals with Autism are not portrayed correctly, but this is not the only issue with the film. SIA had a neurotypical perform the role. When asked about this, stated " There is no way I could have used someone (with a less) level of functioning to play (the part)", directly referring to neuro-divergent folk. In other words, she believes neuro-divergent folk are incapable of dancing, singing and more. When even clearly shown by this podcast, we are just as capable. These tropes are common in the music scene, especially modern pop scene. Today's podcast will be focusing on this topic since it is new and still ongoing. We hope to help others understand why this is not correct, what ableist/offensive language is, and create conversation about it in our culture in all realms.

Media: Facebook, instagram, and spotify @BreakingTheThirdWallInMusic

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement:

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat.

This week I had the honor of having friend, and in other instances colleagues, Amber on this week to talk about how music has actively affected her life as an athlete, her activism and more. A little bit about Amber:

" Amber Desjardins is a disabled person living with Cerebral Palsy.  She is a transgender woman.  She in here time is an activist and disabled athlete.  She competes in wheelchair racing an Nordic skiing.  She is also the founding member and executive leader of the Plattsburgh Disability Rights Coalition which is fighting for the rights of disabled people in the North Country.  Amber is an avid music fan.  Music has helped her in her life from everything to her disability to her transitioning as a disabled person, as an athlete and as an activist."

Our social media pages: facebook and spotify @BreakingTheThirdWallInMusic

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement:

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat.

This week I talked about my personal relationship with disability, ableism and more. This is the first episode of season 2. Season 2 will consist of me talking about a wide range of topics in disability and music (historically, socially, mainstream media, music psychology research, music therapy, etc).

A little bit about me:

"Tara is a full time Music Education Major with a concentration in Band and Bass Clarinet (Senior), at The Crane School of Music. Allen, originally from Plattsburgh, NY; a 2017 graduate from Beekmantown High School. Allen was recently accepted and will be attending Sheffield University for an MA in Music Psychology in Fall 21'. Allen always knowing she was different from others, at a young age challenged the education system and still continues to. The first about year of her life, she went deaf for a span of time due to fluids being in her ears, prohibiting her extension in language learning. Allen had to take reading, writing, and speech therapy for a large portion of her younger adolescence. Doing very poorly in her younger academics tore her down for quite a while, but she persevered and continued to advocate for herself in the best mannerisms that she could; forever adapting and finding ways to fit her individual needs. Allen was officially diagnosed at the age of 21 with severe ADHD; with possibilities of Dyslexia, and Autism Spectrum Disorder.  Some of her proudest accomplishments are her current research, Music as a Cognitive Skill: Dyslexia and Music, will be being presented at the NAFME National Conference. This research is very dear to her, as she hopes it creates destigmatizations, and helps young children in the classroom because so many children get left undiagnosed and are not diagnosed until adulthood. Allen, hoping to continue breaking barriers in the music scene between ableism and music created the podcast “Breaking The Third Wall In Music”, where she will invite a wide range of disabled musicians to tell their stories, create conversations, and even share research. "

Social Media For Podcast: Facebook & Spotify @BreakingTheThirdWallInMusic

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement:

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat.

This week I had the honor of having friend and colleague Sophia on, a little bit about her:

" Sophia is currently a senior Music Education major with a concentration in band at the Crane School of Music. She is a member of Dr. Charles Guy’s Tuba-Euphonium Studio. During her time at Crane, Sophia has participated in various chamber ensembles, as well as other large ensembles within the school such as the Crane Wind Ensemble and the Crane Tuba Euphonium Ensemble. Starting in January she will be student teaching in Rockland County, NY, teaching elementary general music and middle school band. Sophia has struggled with Borderline Personality Disorder, PTSD, and Panic Disorder for many years. This has severely impacted her daily life, and she hopes to be able to spread awareness about personality disorders and anxiety disorders."

Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, and Spotify @BreakingTheThirdWallInMusic

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement:

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat.

**TW: some conversations on topics of suicide, and other sensitive mental health topics ** 

This week I had the honor of having my colleague and friend, Jacob DePalma on to talk about a wide range of topics for OCD/Anxiety, the education system, and more.

A little bit about Jacob:

" Jacob M. DePalma is a saxophonist and educator from Syracuse, NY. An alumnus of The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, DePalma has a B.A. in Music Education specializing in band, and studied under Dr. Casey Grev to receive a certificate in saxophone performance.

During his time at Crane, Jacob has performed in masterclasses for saxophonists such as Jean-Michele Goury, Kyle Landry and Eric Troiano. DePalma enjoys premiering new works for his colleagues, as well as studying and performing contemporary classical, jazz, electronic, and aleatoric music. DePalma hopes to get his master's degree in Jazz Studies in the near future. Jacob currently holds an Elementary Orchestra Director position at the Utica City School District. "

Social Media Handles: Facebook and Spotify @BreakingTheThirdWallInMusic

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement:

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat.

This week I had Zachary Brandt on, from his own podcast " The Aspiring Music Psychologist" to talk more about what Music Psychology is, as a field, how to enter the field, and more!

A little bit about Zach:

"Zachary Brandt is a pianist, music psychologist, and Yorktown native. He has been playing piano for churches and other community gatherings for over fifteen years. He has a Bachelor of Science in Music with honors from Washington and Lee University. There. he was an active member of the University Orchestra and the University Wind Ensemble, where he served as the percussion section leader. Zachary entered W&L primarily as a pianist interested in studying music and neuroscience. He has been involved with neuroendocrinology and genetics research on campus as a student lab assistant. In the music department, Zachary worked as the teaching assistant for aural skills and class piano. Additionally, he has worked as a composer commissioned to write for the University Orchestra with funding from the Summer Research Scholars and Todd Jones fellowships. After his undergraduate, he journeyed to England to pursue a graduate degree in Music Psychology. His master’s thesis investigated music-evoked autobiographical memory. He plans to take his love for music and neuroscience to become a professor, where he can share his knowledge and experience to help people through the power of music. "

This podcast will be available on both Spotify and Anchor!

Social Media; Facebook, and Spotify @BreakingTheThirdWallInMusic

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement:

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat.

This week I had the honor of chatting with a not only colleague, but really wonderful friend of mine about her personal story with a service dog, as a disabled individual, and other assorted disability related topics.

A little bit about Lauren;

" Hi there! I am finishing up my music education degree at Texas State University with a K-12 teaching certification and focus in classical saxophone. I was born and raised in Dripping Springs, a small town outside of Austin, and I currently teach private lessons at a few schools in the area. I'm planning on continuing my education with a master's degree and would like to focus my training around disability studies in music education!

I have been a type 1 diabetic for 13 years now, and I have had a service dog for four years. Tuluca, my diabetic alert dog, came into my life during my senior year of high school when I stopped waking up to my medical alarms during the night. She and I have had quite the journey through life together these past four years, and I wouldn't have it any other way! We are both so excited to be featured on Breaking The Third Wall In Music."

Social Media handles; Facebook and Spotify @BreakingTheThirdWallInMusic

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement:

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat.

This week I had a friend of mine, Emily Hanna on to talk about a wide range of topics...

A note from Emily: 

" Hello there. I’m Em or M (either spelling is fine). I’m currently an undergrad student majoring in psychology; going into animal behavioural psychology. I was formerly a music education student, but I realized that it wasn’t the right path in life for me. Music and creativity in general have always been an integral part of my life; whether I’m performing in a jazz band or choosing specific background music for specific moments in a Dungeons & Dragons. I have done various studies on the relationship between music and emotion, how music affects the brain, and the relationship between animals and certain genres of music.

I look forward to contributing what I can to your podcast!"

*All podcasts are available on Spotify!*

Our media: Facebook and Spotify @BreakingTheThirdWallInMusic

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement:

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat.

This week I had Hal Meyer on, an undergrad at Syracuse University and a former colleague at Crane. 

A message from Hal: 

" I’ve been sick for 5 years. It took half of that time getting diagnosed. Now it’s chronic. I haven’t gotten better, and it will probably be a while before I do. It’s hard to play and I get very frustrated when certain professors make me feel bad for not being able to do things. But I keep pushing, even when I shouldn’t. And I want to show others that you can do anything you want to, you just might have to take the scenic route."

Social Media: Facebook + Spotify

**TW: Discussions of Alcoholism, and gender dysphoria **

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement:

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat.

This week I had Enda Stroinski on to chat about anxiety, depression, and other assorted topics.

A little bit about Edna: 

" Edna Stroinski is a native of Plattsburgh, New York. She has lived in, and enjoyed, the beautiful landscape of the north country her entire life. Edna has been playing clarinet for over ten years, starting in band at Saranac Central School. Edna has also participated in the Adirondack Youth Orchestra and won their concerto competition in 2015 playing the Weber clarinet concerto No.1. Edna completed her studies at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam (20’), earning her Bachelors of Music (BM)  in Clarinet Performance as well as Music History. During her time at Crane, Edna participated in various chamber ensembles, the Contemporary Music Ensemble, Crane Wind Ensemble, the award winning Crane Opera ensemble, and the Crane Symphony Orchestra. Outside of Crane, Edna has also performed with the Northern Symphonic Winds and PROTESTRA, a newly formed ensemble whose mission is to bring social justice to the world of classical music. As a Music historian Edna’s main fields of study are music of Germany in Austria between the years 1890-1930 and Historical Performance Practice. Enda completed an independent research project on the reception of early works by the conductor and composer Alexander Zemlinsky with funding and support through the Presidential Scholars Project at SUNY Potsdam. She is studying Historical Performance Practice of the 18th and 19th centuries with particular focus on the music of Johannes Brahms. Edna performs the music of this period on instruments from her collection of over 20 clarinets, ranging between the years of 1815-1920."

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement:

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat.

This week I had a friend, and colleague at both the high school and collegiate level, Cole Denton!

A little bit about Cole!:

" Cole Denton is a Music Education major and Vocal Performance major at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. He has studied with Dr. Woods, Dr. Quodurah and is now a member of Professor Donald George studio.Cole enjoys performing with his rare voice as a countertenor in classical and also musical theatre. He also has the oppritunity to perform more popular styles of music singing as a member of the Potsdam Pointercounts. In his spare time he enjoys reading, singing and practicing piano. He hopes people will never forget that music is for everyone, without a doubt!

...

My confidence and more of a focus on what I can do even with my disability rather than what I can't allows me to surprise myself and do more than I ever thought I could. Because of this many people forget about my hand or don't always notice is right off. "

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement:

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat.

A little bit about Christina:

"Christina Rawady is from Alfred, NY where she graduated from Alfred-Almond Central School in 2005.  She then completed a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education with a Bass Clarinet concentration at the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam.  After her graduation in 2009, she stayed at Crane to complete her first Master's Degree in Bass Clarinet/Clarinet Performance which she graduated from in 2010.  She then went on to teach Middle School band in Hornell, NY for 3 years.  In 2014, Miss Rawady moved to Europe to complete a 2 year Master's Degree in Bass Clarinet Performance at the Rotterdam Conservatory in the Netherlands.  Upon graduation and her return to the U.S. she began her position at Potsdam Central School in the fall of 2016.  While in Potsdam, Ms. Rawady was an active member of the Northern Symphonic Winds and the Orchestra of Northern New York.  In 2019 Christina returned to her hometown and accepted the position of Instrumental Music Director grades 4-12 at Alfred Almond Central School.  She lives happily in Hornell, NY with her boyfriend Mike, her dog Smudge, and her cats, Janis and Bobby. "

You can find out handles on fb and instagram: @BreakingTheThirdWallInMusic

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement:

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat.

A little bit about Meagan:

"When I was growing up I had a few close friends, but I always knew something was different.  When I was back in NH in 4th grade I got diagnosed.  I hated the rest of school.  I played flute in 5th and 6th and then switched to clarinet the summer before 7th grade and played it until the summer before my senior year of night school.  Middle school was absolutely awful because I had no friends.  When I got to high school I still hated it, but because the school insisted that I have a 1:1 para, which I hated.  The summer before my senior year of high school I switched to bass clarinet.  Since then I taught myself oboe and saxophone.  I went to college and struggled greatly.  There was one staff member the disability coordinator who didn’t understand Aspergers and thought my behaviors were dangerous, so I got kicked out.  I spent the time at a community college and I hated it even more.  I got re accepted to my original college and studied CIS.  Though out college I was playing in several different ensembles.  I graduated from college and continued playing in community ensembles while looking for a job.  I finally got a summer job working as a paraprofessional.  Through this job I rediscovered my love for working with students with disabilities and applied for a full time job at Crotched Mountain, where I worked for almost 2 years.  Throughout this time I added a contra alto clarinet to my collection of instruments.  I have currently accepted a job at a public school, which I’m currently incredibly anxious for!"

Our Social Media Handles on FB and Insatgram; @BreakingTheThirdWallInMusic

** TW: Discussions of suicide and depression **

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement:

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat.

This week I had a special guest on to talk about sensitive topics, along side some talk of research. 

About Ethan: 

" I could never have thought about how much music would affect my life the second I set foot in my middle school’s band room; the people I had yet to meet; the experiences I had yet to have and most importantly, the beautiful journey I would experience and still will experience for years to come. I feel that my mission in life is to spread joy through music and be a small part of making the world a better place for everyone. As with all things worth doing in life, there are many obstacles I must face in this mission of mine; my disability being the primary enemy.

I was born with a genetic disorder called Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. This disorder is essentially a muscle-wasting disease that significantly affects the function of many important organs such as the heart and lungs. Most people who have this disorder usually end up losing the ability to walk around their pre-teen years. Eventually, some individuals will need assistance breathing, eating, and may have trouble swallowing. Other individuals, like myself, rely on other people to assist with preparing food, bathing, dressing, and other essential things. The illness can indeed be fatal. Some may only live into their late twenties and early thirties while some may live longer. Fortunately, with improved medicine/technology, it is possible to live a full life span. I personally am fortunate to be a healthy individual and do everything within my power to take good care of my body which can help improve my lifespan.

Unfortunately, though, we live in a world made for able-bodied people. The disability is hardly ever the reason barriers exist; it is rather society that creates the issues. Ableism is deeply rooted in likely every culture and subculture, even the culture of the music community. I have personally experienced ableism as a musician with a disability. Have you ever thought about how frustrating it can be to a musician with weak arm and finger muscles to play sixteenth note runs at 140 bpm or how difficult it may be for someone with breathing issues to phrase properly? Is it fair that individuals with disabilities must feel that they will never be good enough to chase their passions due to the set ideals of what society defines as a “good” musician? I have been in this place and it is not pleasant. Depression, fear, and despair took hold of my being and almost pushed me to suicide, but something stopped me and showed me the possibilities of my life. I realized that most of the great minds of the world such as Beethoven and Stephen Hawking were likely in my shoes at one time in their lives: struggling with their disabilities and professions as well. Forced to make a choice; fall, or heroically trudge into their struggles and live their lives for the sake of others. I truly feel that my new mission in life is to show that people with disabilities belong in music. I hope to do research and find ways to make music more accessible and I am determined to be a composer and conductor. Hopefully more will follow suit. "

Our social Media: 

Facebook and Instagram: @BreakingTheThirdWallInMusic

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement:

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat.

Today I had Keely Dunne on to chat, it was really wonderful to have her on.

A little bit about Keely;

"My name is Keely, I am 19 from Southern California and I have been studying classical vocal/choral music since I was 12. I have a genetic connective tissue disorder called Ehlers Danlos Syndrome that affects the body's ability to produce Collagen. This causes extreme amounts of pain, among other things. EDS, POTS, and CRPS have over the years limited my mobility, as well as caused many other internal and GI complications. Because I have invisible disabilities I have always had this notion of myself being 'too healthy' to be disabled, but too disabled to be healthy. I have over time come to realize that your disability is not defined by how you look, and have slowly began to accept myself and embrace my disabilities. I recently began reducing my tic medications as well because I decided I was tired of masking my tics; So now I let them happen instead of suppressing them and making myself uncomfortable for the approval of others. As my condition progresses I worry about how much I will be able to perform and continue pursuing my passion for music (especially since the professional industry is so not-understanding of those with disabilities/chronic illnesses) but performing is what really keeps me going. Singing is the only time I am able to focus on something other than the physical pain I am in

...

I have had two papers (an essay as well as a free form poem) published in two community colleges magazines in my area. I received an award for the poem and I take pride in the essay because it is a narrative about my personal experience with disability and trauma. I also have a loud voice when it comes to advocating for disabled rights/against ableism on my social medias "

Keely's Instagram:

@keelysodunne

Our Social Medias:

Facebook + Instagram: @BreakingTheThirdWallInMusic

You can also find us on spotify!

** TW; This podcast does talk about some short themes of suicide, eating disorders, and body dysphoria

Mission Statement: Our podcast is meant to bring disabled musicians of all kind regardless of background, instrument, genre they perform, their field in the music scene, and beyond to discuss ableism in music. We hope our podcast creates conversations in music across our scene

This week I had the honor of having Peter Oselador and Angelina Howard on to talk about Autism, their experiences in music, and learn more about autism in general. A little bit about them:

Peter Oselador:

"Peter Oselador is a 21-year-old autistic piano and composition student at SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music. A junior in the program, he has written heavily for acoustic ensembles of all sizes and instrumental makeups, and is currently studying electronic composition. In addition to his degree concentrations, Peter also sings and plays trumpet in several of Crane’s ensembles, and has vested interests in contemporary classical, jazz, video game soundtracks, and several other styles. His hobbies outside of music include coffee, speedcube solving, 1A yoyoing, video games, and bike riding. Peter is currently in the process of writing a duet for bass clarinet and violin, and will soon begin composing a piece for two pianos."

Angelina Howard:

" Hi my name is Angy and I have played the violin since I was 5 years old. I have autism and music has saved my life. When I was younger I used music as a coping mechanism when I got over stimulated. I started playing in orchestras outside of the school music program in 6th grade and that’s when I realized I wanted music in my career. I also love performing my violin and sharing my love of music to others. I am currently a sophomore at the Crane School of Music and SUNY Potsdam majoring in Music Business and Arts Management and a concentration in Music Technology. It is because of music that I am still here today and I am forever grateful. "

Social media Handles...

*Now available on spotify, the episode may appear later on there than here*

Instagram and facebook: @BreakingTheThirdWallInMusic

Breaking The Third Wall Through Music's Mission statement: 

The mission of Breaking The Third Wall Through Music is to break the barriers between ableism and music, by bringing a wide range of musicians, regardless of disability, instrument, background, and field of interested across all genres to chat. 

This specific episode had Tyler Mazone, a composer and clarinetist to talk about his experiences as a deaf individual in the music field. His bio:

" I never expected to be composing and playing music like I am today. I was born deaf. I grew up in love with science, video games and the usual nerdy things a typical boy at that age would be. I merely participated in General Music class. However, when I first chose my instruments in Fourth Grade I was attracted to the clarinet the most. This began my band career, and I was in for quite a journey. My deafness made it a huge challenge for me to learn how to play music. I struggled to learn how to practice and listen to myself play the clarinet, but I had several music teachers that helped me along the way. Hard work had to happen in order for me to get through it. The idea of much of my peers coming together to make music was just magical for me, and I kept coming back and working for more. I wanted to grow and get better to be able to enjoy the music even more. I started composing because I wanted to create the magical music that I heard in video game soundtracks but I eventually started learning how to compose for band by studying scores, and by listening in my band rehearsals. This enabled me to indulge myself in the music even more, and I enjoy it on a deeper level than I did before.

Now a graduate of Guilderland High School, and a student at the Crane School of Music, I can surely say that I am still indulging and enjoying new kinds of music. My goal for my composition work is to be able to inspire others to listen and indulge just as I have been, and to tell my story in a medium that is not comprised of words. I have recently been involved with the 2019 Young Composer and Conductor Mentor Projects headed by composer Mark Camphouse and hosted by the US Air Force Band! "

His website: https://tylermazone.wixsite.com/home/bio

Social media for Breaking The Third Wall In Music:

Facebook + Youtube: @BreakingTheThirdWallInMusic

This episode will be soon available on youtube with captions for those who are deaf and hard of hearing.