The Articulate Hour

Carsie Blanton uses an old musical form to help change the way women are perceived today. From a very young age, life has been a dance for choreographer Matthew Neenan. Amedeo Modigliani died a broken man, but his art has endured. Cuban-American artist Luis Cruz Azaceta reflects on modern society’s great tragedies.

Though she's a successful visual artist, Ellen Harvey remains obsessed with failure. Bharatanatyam survived colonial oppression to embody Indian identity at home and abroad. Xenia Rubinos’ complex music is infused with simple messages about big ideas.

Bach’s Goldberg Variations continue to challenge pianists and fascinate audiences. Kevin Cornell’s illustrations tend to evoke childlike emotion, even in adults. Sculptor Michael Murphy’s installations are perceptual puzzles.

Tango is a complex improvised form that’s danced the world over. Jesse Krimes describes his six years in federal prison as a kind of “artist residency.” Celebrated opera tenor Stephen Costello has been both blessed and betrayed by his voice.

For more than thirty years, Judith Schaechter has been applying avant-garde sensibilities to a once traditional art form; stained glass. In the past century or so, tattoos have gone from being a mark of the outsider to a more socially accepted expression of self. With a voice and stage presence as big as his personality, Eric Owens is among the most celebrated bass-baritones in the opera world.

Spoken word poet-turned-rapper Watsky pulled no punches in his first collection of essays. If life is itself a performance, what can theatre teach us about how to be ourselves? Dindga McCannon helped pioneer art quilting, a fresh approach to a traditional medium.

Conducting opera may be classical music's toughest job. Fabio Luisi does it with grace. Scholarly translations are a battle between literal accuracy and literary interpretation. Elizabeth Streb may well be the most fervently anti-dance choreographer you’ve ever met.

20 years on, Kevin Barnes is as much an enigma to those close to him as he is to his fans. Long before selfies, commissioned portraits provided a way to shape one's public image. Designer Walé Oyéjidé is on a mission to help all men unleash their inner fashionisto.

For Sugar Tongue Slim, wordplay is a way of life; hip-hop lines his pockets, poetry feeds his soul. Fine art jeweler Bruce Metcalf refuses to use traditional metals and gems in his work. For generations, 20th century American writer H.P. Lovecraft has been terrifying readers.

The ceramics of Roberto Lugo pay homage to their classical past but are firmly rooted in the realities of his inner city upbringing. Zaria Forman & Nick Pedersen are using art to reframe the climate change conversation. Composer Gerald Busby could not have guessed that after surviving heartbreak, HIV and drug addiction, he would experience an artistic rebirth in his twilight years.

Performance anxiety is common even among the most accomplished professionals. Moe Brooker is rightly regarded as one of the greats of American abstract painting. By melding art and science, Brandon Ballengée promotes awareness of endangered species.

After her father George died, Mira Nakashima inherited his shop and set to work continuing the artistic legacy of a master craftsman in wood. Despite only occasional glimpses of the mainstream, tap dance remains an iconic American art form. With custom-composed pieces employing a staggering range of vocal styles, Roomful of Teeth makes music that can be difficult to define.

The characters in Michelle Cuevas’s children’s books leap off the page. Mason Bates challenges existing notions of what belongs in the concert hall. Antonio Martorell has been at the forefront of Puerto Rican art for over half a century. The anthropological perspective of singer-songwriter Joan Shelley.

Kenny Scharf’s exuberant cartoons infuse daily life with a dose of whimsy. Buffy Sainte-Marie's 1960s protest songs made her the subject of FBI attention. Artists find unconventional ways to express patriotism.

Allora & Calzadilla are one of the art world’s most dynamic power couples. Doug Balliett has created a career as diverse as his own musical talents. Veruschka Stevens uses polymer clay to create joyful statement jewelry. Levitin’s lifelong love of music has served him in recordings and on the page.

Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah is leading the charge into jazz's next chapter. Tommy Pico designed his epic poetry for a thoroughly modern medium. Ron Nagle’s hit songs and ceramics are born of dedication to harmony and craft. Sidney Hutter’s plate glass creations have pushed the boundaries of his medium.

The works of choreographer Kyle Abraham feel like a memoir. Nelson is one of her generation’s most celebrated writers and critical thinkers. Nelson is one of her generation’s most celebrated writers and critical thinkers. Woolfalk’s imaginary world is populated by mutants, governed by utopian values.

Mark Mothersbaugh’s sustained a life in art far removed from his band, Devo. Much of haute couture feeds off Liz Casella’s creativity. In illustrating the human brain’s complexity, Greg Dunn creates great beauty.

Reuben Margolin attempts to evoke the natural world with his kinetic sculptures. Composer Jennifer Higdon makes classical music, but still loves Beyonce. The art of skater/painter Chemi Rosado-Seijo is founded in community activism. Rahbar has found the antidote to her existential angst in her work.

Teacher-turned-cartoonist Gene Yang believes in the educational power of comics. If you feel like you missed out on 1970s glam rock, The Struts are here to help. Believe it or not, romance is alive and well…and living in your phone.

Producer Ian Brennan truly believes in the democratic power of music. Nina Berman blurs the line between fine art and editorial photography. Leroy Johnson has lived on the edges of the art world for all his 80+ years.

Janet Echelman's giant sculptures are the net result of technology, engineering, and civic engagement. Arturo Rios discovered his true passion while working in a hat maker’s mail room. Since time immemorial, we’ve been using art to cope with our inevitable fate. Justin Bettman uses found materials to create public “sets” for his portraits.

The Very Fortunate Daniel Handler, Lisa Hannigan: Stalking the Muse, Nina Chanel is Selling Out (In a Good Way)

The complex interior worlds of Jason Reynolds, Alisa Weilerstein, and Ibeyi, explored.

The unconventional paths of Heidi Latsky, Gary Baseman, and Bang on a Can.

Honest self-reflection is a virtue for Leslie Jamison, Josh Radnor, and Luciana Souza.

No frontiers limit Shannon Hale, Wu Han, or Banda Magda.

Shara Nova of My Brightest Diamond is the very model of a modern polymath. In this full-length special, filmed in front of a live audience, she performs the songs and shares the stories that have shaped her life.

Niche definers: Jim Garland, Tank and the Bangas, Ani DiFranco.

What matters lasts, with Lila Downs, Heather-Dewey Hagborg, Steve Tobin, and Josh Ritter.

Making lemonade with Do Lab, Cheryl Boyce Taylor, and Julien Baker.

Keeping it real with Ricky Reed, Danzy Senna, and Donn T.

Do what you love and don’t care who likes it. Joyce DiDonato, !llmind, and Kenneth Goldsmith articulate how.

Knowing the rules, then breaking them is common to all Articulate’s subjects this week: Caroline Shaw, Lizzo, and Robert Janz.

Wealth, insecurity, and...partying? Articulate’s season 3 premieres with Andrew W.K. and Lauren Greenfield.

Cellist David Finckel, in concert and conversation with Jim Cotter.

For Hélène Grimaud, music has been both a profession and salvation. Sarah Williams Goldhagen is on a crusade to fix architecture, now. Scott McCloud understands comics.

Don’t be fooled by the “lighthearted” music of They Might Be Giants. Sylvia Plath should be remembered as more than a poster girl for despair. An artist falls in love with an engineer. Perspectives shift.

Pritzker Prize-winning architect Balkrishna Doshi learned a lot about his craft as a bedridden 10-year-old. Tori Marchiony finds out why Amy Seiwert is constantly pushing against boundaries- seen and unseen. Actor/writer/director Josh Radnor and singer-songwriter Ben Lee were friends for a decade before they decided to make music together.

Yannick Nézet-Séguin is one-of-a-kind in the world of conducting. Type designer Tobias Frere-Jones disagrees with your 1st-grade teacher. Singer, songwriter, actor, and director Hayley Kiyoko.

Poet, dancer, and playwright Marc Bamuthi Joseph, in concert and conversation with Jim Cotter.

Taylor Mac believes that theater is sacred. But that doesn’t mean it must be sacrosanct. Tori Marchiony explores the enchanted worlds of young adult author Holly Black. Vieux Farka Touré was drawn to music because of his father, but pursued it in spite of him.

Shawn Colvin has dedicated her life to music. Masatoshi Izumi's family’s relationship with stone goes back hundreds of years. Erika Sanchez writes for teens who are complex and confused like she was at their age.

Delving into the poem that’s survived re-reading longer than the Bible and Shakespeare. Music has always been the quickest route to Kaki King’s soul. Thi Bui on how writing about her family’s journey from war-torn Vietnam helped to heal.

Loss has shaped Tracy K. Smith’s perspective- as a poet, and as a person. David Lang may be a Pulitzer Prize-winner, but he’ll always think like an outsider. Open Mike Eagle’s “art rap” is a new style of humor-infused, socially aware hip-hop.

When countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo sings, he confounds expectations of how a man should sound. Long before Kory Stamper started writing dictionaries, she was just a kid in love with language. Former NASA physicist Robert Lang finds a natural fit for his mathematical mind in the ancient art of origami.

Goth, in all its forms, appeals to the dark side of the human spirit. Humanity’s greatest fear is not the unknown, it is the certainty of our own mortality. H.P. Lovecraft’s intergenerational legacy of horror.

Olivia Laing’s writing explores the aspects of life that are most difficult to put into words. Bill Fontana finds musical potential in everything. Merrill Garbus of Tune-Yards has managed to quiet the destructive voices in her head.

David Sedaris has been regaling us with tales drawn from his own life for nearly three decades—and he’s still on the hunt for fresh material. Priscilla Renea went from YouTube sensation to mega-hit songwriter. She’s indefatigable, and she’s doing things her way. Jeffrey Gibson’s life and work are profoundly shaped by his Native American origins.

Maaza Mengiste: Writing Home - The award-winning author Maaza Mengiste writes of an Ethiopian home she left behind; Dick Boak’s Eclectic Adventures - Boak followed his instincts and created a role in the evolution of the Martin Guitar company; Nicola Benedetti: A Great Scot - Internationally renowned Scottish violinist was cast into the spotlight at age 16.

Elizabeth Strout: Steady As She Goes-author Elizabeth Strout, spent decades finessing her own unique narratives, often using her own upbringing as a touchstone; Pamela Frank: Fit As A Fiddle-celebrated violinist Pamela Frank was at the height of her career when she suffered a life-altering injury; The Very Moving Rennie Harris-pioneer of hip-hop dance theater, but it took a while...

Tod Williams and Billie Tsien: Made to Last - World-renowned architects united in vision and practice. Carmen Maria Machado: Claiming Her Space - Carmen is self-assured and outspoken, often turning a mirror not only on herself but on society’s unchallenged biases to create immersive fiction.

Esperanza Spalding's Discipline(s) Highly distinguished musician, Esperanza Spalding does more than just make music: Lee Child: Not "The Man" Lee Child left his former life behind to author and unlikely hero - Jack Reacher, a vagrant vigilante who reaps justice for the underdog; and Nick Phan: Forging Connection: The award-winning tenor, Nicholas Phan explores the world in song.

Billy Collins: The People's Poet - Is one of the best-selling poets alive; Gemma New: In Name & In Nature - The conductor, Gemma New, has followed opportunity around the world; Ming Peiffer: Not A Usual Girl - Award-winning writer Ming Peiffer forges works for stage and screen that deconstruct her own observations and experiences of life today.

Perpetual Andrew Motion: Tori Marchiony profiles former U.K. Poet Laureate Sir Andrew Motion. He’s five decades in and still finding room to grow; Vijay Iyer-Key Changes: Among the most highly regarded jazz pianists of his time, Vijay Iyer has made his instrument of choice an instrument of discovery; Susan Choi-Interrogator of Truth: Susan Choi’s books reflect her skepticism of authority.

Jonathan Safran Foer: Illuminating Everything-Best-selling author Jonathan Safran Foer writes to interrogate his own past, and all of our futures.; Nate Powell: Drawing on Experience-Superstar graphic novelist Nate Powell is known for beautifully rendered comics with a strong moral core; Gustavo Dudamel: Playing Nicely-Venezuelan-born conductor Gustavo Dudamel is on a mission to sew harmony.

John Darnielle: From Self-Destruction to Self-Construction; Darnielle has excelled as a front-man, songwriter and author; Elizabeth Acevedo’s Literary Realizations: As a grownup, Elizabeth Acevedo realized that the books she had needed as a child still didn’t exist; Meg Saligman: The Big Picture The scale of Meg Saligman’s murals is difficult to grasp close-up.

Aaron Sorkin’s Second Act - Aaron Sorkin is best known for his award-winning screenwriting- A Few Good Men, The West Wing, Moneyball, The Newsroom. But his first love is the theater. Rhiannon Giddens' Living History - Singer, instrumentalist and folk historian Rhiannon Giddens is on a musical mission, to remind us of what we all share. Regardless of who we are or where we're from.

Caroline Shaw is one of the most original new voices in contemporary music, who’s cooking up some very fine music across a wide swathe of genres.

KT Tunstall: From the Ashes The Scottish singer-songwriter KT Tunstall realized she was becoming a pop music cliché– on top, but unhappy.; Pam Tanowitz: Out of the Shadows Pam Tanowitz is among the finest choreographers in modern dance. Natasha Trethewey’s Redemption Natasha Trethewey coped with the tragedies of her young life by turning them into exceptional poetry.

Self, Aside: Stephanie Blythe: Uncaged: One of the fastest rising stars in opera; Diana Al-Hadid: Excavating the Muse The story of Gradiva– a sculpture that came to life; (What’s So Funny About) Nick Lowe As a young singer-songwriter, Nick Lowe was preoccupied with looking cool and getting famous.

Marina Benjamin writes to parse the questions that loom largest in her life. It’s a self-examination, yes. But never self-obsession. Stefan Sagmeister has spent the past 40-odd years demonstrating how graphic design can make even the most abstract ideas tangible. Donald Nally, conductor of the groundbreaking chamber choir, The Crossing, wants audiences to listen, and think.

Explore the life and art of Patricia Racette, a supremely talented singer and storyteller.

The works of playwright Sarah Ruhl rewrite history. Michelle Dorrance is an embodiment of the history of tap dance– a uniquely American art form. With his spindly, whimsical characters, illustrator Ralph Steadman created one of the most identifiable visual styles of the 20th century.

Thomas Heatherwick is the wunderkind of large-scale 21st century design. The writings of Alice McDermott uniquely express a particular form of Irish-American identity. For more than 4 decades, Dean Friedman has been reinventing himself creatively. But at heart, he’s still a singer-songwriter.

Bill T. Jones has lived through tragedy and triumph to become an elder statesman of dance. A decade on, the British pop star Lily Allen is still as forthright as ever- in her lyrics and her personal life. When companies need help refining or defining their identity, they call Michael Bierut.

Gregory Pardlo’s writing is informed both by his unconventional early life and his uncannily keen eye. If you’re looking for choreography that is as dense with emotion as it is with intense physicality, look no further than Sonya Tayeh. Bruce Adolphe believes that classical music has much to gain from other, far-reaching disciplines, including neuroscience!

For the past 40 years, Arthur Yorinks has been the power behind the throne for many of America’s most significant artists. But his work stands on its own. Karen Russell’s stories live in a space between the everyday and the surreal. Jason deCaires Taylor’s greatest assets are underwater. All of his sculptures are entrusted to the oceans.

For the last 20 years, talent has allowed Andrew Bird to mostly write his own ticket. Now, he’s coming up with some of his finest work yet. Join us for a full-length episode of Articulate featuring new music by Andrew Bird and personal insights into his life...so far.

Ani Liu melds art and science. Howard Jacobson is an unlikely pillar of English literature. Edgar Meyer innovates for the double bass.

Daniel Libeskind believes that architecture is, fundamentally, an act of optimism and of selflessness. The composer Missy Mazzoli is a trailblazer- undeterred by obstacles, undaunted by the salacious. For more than seven decades, the photographer Elliott Erwitt has been lauded for his humor and visual wit.

The world-renowned pianist, conductor and activist Daniel Barenboim is dedicated to making real change in the world through music. In the songs of Tift Merritt, the stuff of everyday life is ripe for the picking. For the interdisciplinary artist Vivek Shraya, creativity is at the heart of self-discovery.

The Carthy family has been at the vanguard of English folk for decades. The Israeli conceptual artist Oded Hirsch lives on the periphery- both philosophically and geographically. The rapper, singer and writer, Dessa Darling found peace with heartbreak, scientifically.

The 90-year old graphic designer Milton Glaser has spent a lifetime creating iconic brand identities. Camille Brown is known for integrating African American social dance traditions into uniquely modern choreography. The Pulitzer Prize-winner Julia Wolfe mines history to create her innovative experimental compositions.

Idealistic icons: Wilco frontman Jeff Tweedy and architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

The singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright has done things his way, struggling, at times, with himself and the world. Yet, he says, these rough periods haven’t made him tough. Against the backdrop of a global pandemic, composer David Serkin Ludwig created a new work about life in forced isolation.

In the late 1800s, the first automobile was invented for its function: to improve human transportation. In the decades following, style and substance have been competing factors in the longevity of the automotive industry. Today, cars are part of our larger identity, as a group and as individuals.

On this Articulate exclusive concert show celebrating Mario Lanza’s centenary, tenor Stephen Costello reflects on the life and work of the beloved singer and Hollywood star.

Marin Alsop is one of the world’s foremost conductors. She got there by helping change the classical world. For decades, Ian Bostridge has been enraptured by Franz Schubert’s Winterreise. The British tenor has found the song cycle to be as effervescent and relevant now as it was when it was first composed two centuries ago.

Zenos Frudakis has spent the last fifty years sculpting life out of bronze, aiming to capture the likeness and spirit of his subjects and to shine a light on those who have helped foster change in the world.

Leif Ove Andsnes has awesome musical powers, yet in person he is quiet and contemplative. Because, he says, the piano is his true voice. Royce Vavrek doesn’t court controversy, but it seems to follow in his shadow. The celebrated opera librettist and lyricist says if his work provokes, it’s not to advance any personal agenda.

Comics are nothing new. For at least 8,000 years, we’ve been using pictures to tell stories and communicate new ideas. Today, graphic novels have a lot to say. And so do the creators behind them.

Jason Robert Brown lives and breathes musical theater. From his early days as a fledgling composer through multiple Tony awards, he’s had to do it his way or not at all. Fate almost conspired to take music away from Angel Blue. But she refused to surrender to such a dark destiny and came out on the other side a better woman and a singer on some of the world’s biggest stages.

Jason Robert Brown lives and breathes musical theater. From his early days as a fledgling composer through multiple Tony awards, he’s had to do it his way or not at all. Fate almost conspired to take music away from Angel Blue. But she refused to surrender to such a dark destiny and came out on the other side a better woman and a singer on some of the world’s biggest stages.

Being declared stateless at just six months old did not predict greatness for the celebrated musician Daniel Hope, but the course of his life was changed when his mother began working for the legendary violinist Yehudi Menuhin.

Gish Jen has spent a lifetime navigating internal cultural conflicts, yet the best-selling novelist has found peace with a personal East/West divide that could serve as a model for all. Thomas Newman is among the most highly respected and successful film composers. Though part of a Hollywood musical dynasty, he has created a unique musical voice.

Ellen Reid has a lot to say. The music of this softly spoken Pulitzer Prize-winning composer speaks volumes, even when it means confronting her own worst experiences. Vikram Paralkar would appear to be a mass of contradictions: a novelist whose work confronts mortality, a cancer physician who constantly helps others deal with death, an atheist who is married to a minister. Yet his joy for life is palpable.

Dan Harmon is the creator of seminal television shows Rick and Morty and Community. He’s found success on his own terms, but now, as he approaches middle age, he’s reflecting on how he’s gotten here. Liz Lerman creates dance with purpose that fosters engagement; but, like many great creative thinkers, doubt has always been part of the process.

Singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers creates story songs that are wise beyond her years; choreographer Brian Sanders questions received wisdom.

Stories have shaped our knowledge and communication and been the bedrock of how we’ve entertained ourselves since time immemorial. And even as technology advances and the world becomes more interconnected, stories are still core to our shared humanity.

Bassist Joseph Conyers uses music as a tool for social engagement and community building. In this Articulate exclusive, he discusses his community-based work and performs music from a variety of genres.

Timothy Showalter uses music to share and survive a tumultuous world. John Jarboe wants to help change it.

Physical beauty is assumed to be a passport to a better life, but in truth is a transitory visa. When it fades it can leave an unfillable void.

Novelist Veronica Roth and pianist Amy Yang see a way forward.

An inevitable part of the human experience, pain is impossible to objectively measure, but felt universally. And: Gil Shaham might be the last musician to own a great violin.

Making things better is the upshot of making things for singer-songwriter Yuna and architect Doris Sung.

In this Articulate special, we explore the life and work of conductor and composer Teddy Abrams. The thirty-something music director of the Louisville Orchestra is reviving and revolutionizing the relationship between the orchestra and its community.

At the height of their careers, painter Horace Pippin and singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading were unprecedented, seeding ground for future artists.

Throughout history and across civilizations, the humble shoe, once mere protection for our tender feet, has evolved new meanings. Today, shoes are signalers of taste and markers of status. They are taking us on fresh paths, integrating new technology to become more sustainable while helping push the boundaries of human performance.

Flutist Claire Chase and architect Mónica Ponce de León are at odds with society’s traditional notions of music and design, but they love a challenge to make something bigger and better.

Theater director Kenny Leon and children’s author Sophie Blackall use real life as fodder for their creations. Despite the risks, both are celebrated for making honest works for the masses.

Author Yiyun Li and choreographer Miguel Gutierrez make work that fuels—and is fueled by—self-understanding.

Early on, singer-songwriter David Gray and writer Aleksandar Hemon struggled to be heard at home. But when they found acceptance abroad, their own countries—and the world—soon caught up.

Deborah Eisenberg and Shira Erlichman fought inner conflicts in search of personal peace.

Poet Terrance Hayes and clarinetist Anthony McGill have been resolute in pursuit of their destinies.

Playwright Sarah Gancher and folk musicians Jay Ungar and Molly Mason travelled far to find home.

Writer Tochi Onyebuchi and visual artist Stephen Powers are both trying to change the world, one word at a time.

Singer-songwriter Valerie June has been knocked down, but never out, by heartbreak, illness, and hardship. Now in his early 60s, choreographer and dancer Stephen Petronio has built a life and a body of work by deciding whose rules he is prepared to follow.

A fatal accident in his teens would come to define life for Darin Strauss. Also, from champion skier to acclaimed composer, Steven Mackey has never lost his rhythm.

Natalie Merchant has experienced enough for several lives: teen rock star, fiercely independent solo artist, mother, wildly successful environmental campaigner. She’s been around the world and back, and she's done it in her own inimitable style.

Even after 50 years of accolades, including a Pulitzer Prize at 26 for his Doonesbury comic strip, Garry Trudeau reckons he may have gotten too much too young. And despite her mastery of the written word, Joyce Carol Oates is skeptical about how well conversation can express the complexities of thought and emotions.