A Conversation with Generalist Musicians

Modern music culture is dominated by specialization. Performers, composers, conductors, musicologists, and educators are often encouraged to focus narrowly on their discipline, refining their craft within clearly defined boundaries. While specialisation has produced remarkable expertise, it has also led to a fragmentation of musical knowledge and practice, disconnecting musicians from the broader, integrative traditions that once defined artistic life.

Voces y Claves is a podcast dedicated to a different kind of musician: the generalist. It is a space for those who wear many musical hats. Musicians who play multiple instruments, compose, conduct, teach, write, arrange, manage artistic projects, or reflect philosophically on music. It is not a podcast against specialists, but rather a counterpoint to the dominant narrative. By bringing together generalist musicians, we explore how a more integrative, poetic, and human understanding of music can be cultivated in today's world.

This philosophy is deeply connected to my approach to teaching. I believe in restoring a sense of wholeness to musical education, where students are encouraged not only to master their instruments but to engage with music in all its dimensions, through improvisation, composition, conducting, listening, and teaching. In the same way, Voces y Claves aims to highlight musicians who embody this integrative spirit, whose work transcends rigid categories and embraces the full spectrum of musical life.

Each episode of Voces y Claves is a conversation, a dialogue that seeks to uncover the creative intersections, philosophical insights, and lived experiences of musicians who resist narrow definitions. Through these discussions, we hope to inspire a richer, more interconnected vision of what it means to be a musician today.

Join me as we listen to the voices and explore the keys that shape music beyond specialization.