Marcia Peck is an award-winning writer and accomplished musician, celebrating over 50 years as a cellist with the Minnesota Orchestra. 

Inspired by the rhythms and sounds of music echoed in language, her debut novel, Water Music: A Cape Cod Story, combines all of her passions –music, writing, and Cape Cod. The book has received critical acclaim and has received many book awards, including Literary Titan Gold, National Indie Excellence Award, New England Book Festival Regional Lit Winner, and Feathered Quill Reviewers Choice Award Winner. Additionally, she was a finalist for American Writing Awards, Eric Hoffer Award Grand Prize, Firebird Book Awards, and Wishing Shelf Book Awards. Pacifica book Awards designated it as a “Notable Book” and her book was long-listed by both Historical Fiction Company Book-of-the-Year Award and Somerset Book Awards. 

Peck's writing has received awards from New Millenium Writings (First prize for "Memento Mori"), Tamarack Awards (honorable mention for "An Unexpected Cadence"), Lake Superior Writers' Conference (First Prize for "Pride and Humility"), Glimmer Train(finalist for Very Short Fiction Award for "The Flavor of Borscht"),Flash quake (nomination for Pushcart Prize for "Long Distance"), and MnArtists Mini Stories (Winner for "Little Vladimir's Father").

 She is the grateful recipient of Artist Fellowships from the Minnesota State Arts Board, Loft-McKnight, and the Jerome Foundation as well as residencies at Hambidge Center in Georgia and Ragdale in Illinois. A cellist with the Minnesota Orchestra for her entire musical career, she is inspired by the rhythms and sounds of music echoed in language. Peck graduated from the legendary Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. She studied with famed Italian cellist Antonio Janigro in Germany for two years. 

Her articles have appeared in Musical America, Strad Magazine, Strings Magazine, Senza Sordino, the magazine of the Minnesota Orchestra and the op-ed pages of the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Her fiction has appeared in Chautauqua Journal, New Millenium Writings, Gemini Magazine, Glimmer Train, 26 Minnesota Writers (Nodine Press), Tribute to Orpheus 2(Kearney Books), and three volumes of Open to Interpretation: Fading Light(Taylor and O'Neill).

Her work has been supported by the Minnesota State Arts Board, The Loft Literary Center, and the Jerome Foundation, Ragdale Foundation and Hambidge Center. Peck grew up in New Jersey and summered in Cape Cod. Her love for Cape Cod has been a strong and deep current throughout her life. She and her sisters still return to the house their father built in Orleans. She lives in Minnetonka, Minnesota with her husband and two very naughty dogs For more information, please see: www.marciapeck.com.

Artifice

Ep. 218: Marcia Peck

Hailing from the vibrant city of Austin, Katrina Cain is a Texas-rooted  artist with a voice shaped by the open road. Born in Dallas and raised across many statelines, she grew up without a hometown, and that search for belonging runs deep through her songwriting. Now finding herself at home in Austin, Katrina's sound captures the raw truth of Americana with the polished grit of modern country.

Katrina first caught national attention on NBC’s The Voice with a standout rendition of “Rhiannon,” and her journey has only grown more compelling since. Her 2024 EP Gold introduced her as a fearless storyteller, inviting new audiences to share in the honesty- and often, humor- of life’s struggles. With the lead single’s music video, “New Mercedes,” amassing over two million views, Katrina proves she’s a rising star who’s here to stay. 

Her upcoming, full-length album, recorded in early 2025, features an impressive lineup of talent including Matt Hubbard (Willie Nelson), Philippe Bronchtein (Chase Rice), Doug Pettibone (Lucinda Williams), 
Andy Rogers (The Wilder Blue), with engineering by Chris Bell (The Eagles, Reba, Jim Lauderdale) With this new release, Katrina continues to venture into her own authentic sonic palette, embracing Texas-country textures and stories steeped in wanderlust.

You can hear her music on all streaming platforms and follow her journey on Instagram and Facebook.

Ep. 219: Katrina Cain

Lady Dhyana Ziegler, DCJ, Ph.D., is currently President and CEO of Z/Creators, LLC and Professor Emerita of Florida A&M University, U.S.A. . She has worked in the field of higher education and technology for more than 35 years as a professor and administrator. Dr. Ziegler is the author of four books, more than 60 scholarly publications - including book chapters - and has produced more than 100 videos and other
multimedia works. She has presented at numerous national and international conferences. Besides her academic career, Dr. Ziegler is a multimedia writer, digital content producer, and songwriter (to name a few). She serves on several boards and other professional organizations.

Ep. 220: Dhyana Ziegler

Amy Reader is an Asheville-based fiber artist and educator. She works primarily with wool, yarn, felt, and thread. Her work explores tiny moments of joy found in the natural world, translated through her vivid sensory experience as an autistic artist. 

Amy has been a professional artist since 2018. She was named one of The Rising Tide’s 20 On The Rise in 2019. In 2023, her solo show Beneath the Surface was featured on the Hello, Rose City! Artist Corner on KGW in Portland, OR. 

Amy splits her time between creating her artwork, teaching workshops, and creating educational content for her Patreon.

Ep. 221: Amy Reader

Ann Wood@Woodlucker is a paper botanical artist who graduated from Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 1986. 

She also earned a two year degree from Hawkeye Institute of Technology in photography.

Before creating botanical pieces, she was an exhibitor at craft shows with her husband, Dean Lucker, all over America. Some of the shows include the Smithsonian Craft Show, The Philadelphia Museum Show, and many of the American Craft Expo venues such as the Baltimore Craft Show.

She started an Instagram account 10 years ago creating paper botanicals that currently has 375,000 followers. Her work focuses on creating flowers, food, mushrooms, and even some paper animals all paper. 

During the pandemic, her paper botanical wall was shown with Royal Delftware at a museum in the Netherlands.

Ann has been featured in many national and international magazines, including Martha Stewart Living and Better Homes & Gardens.

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/woodlucker/

Website:  www.woodlucker.com

Ep. 222: Ann Wood

Qu’est-ce qui pousse de jeunes étudiantsà se lancer dans les métiers d’art ?

Dans cet épisode, réalisé au CERFAV, centre d’excellence dédié au verre, quatre étudiants, Marie, Giovanni, Bruno et Paul, partagent leurs parcours et leurs motivations profondes.

Entre reconversion, héritage familial ou simple fascination pour la lumière et la matière, chacun raconte comment le verre s’est imposé à lui comme une évidence. De la découverte fortuite d’un atelier à l’émotion du premier souffle, leurs récits dévoilent la puissance d’une vocation qui allie savoir-faire, créativité et passion.

Un voyage au cœur de l’artisanat, entre transmission et recherche de sens, dans le cadre du projet européen CRAEFT (craeft.eu), consacré à la redécouverte des pratiques artisanales et de leur rôle dans notre monde contemporain.

EN
What drives young students to pursue a career in crafts?

In this episode, recorded at CERFAV, a centre of excellence dedicated to glassmaking, four students, Marie, Giovanni, Bruno and Paul, share their personal journeys and what truly inspires them.

From career changes and family traditions to a fascination with light and matter, each story reveals how glass became a calling. From the chance encounter with an atelier to the emotion of the first breath through the pipe, their words capture the power of craftsmanship – a blend of skill, creativity, and passion.

A journey into the heart of contemporary craftsmanship, between transmission and meaning, within the framework of the European project CRAEFT (craeft.eu), dedicated to rediscovering and revaluing traditional craft practices in today’s world.


Les voix du verre – Podcast CRAEFT x CERFAV: 01 La motivation

The Whys and Wheys of Wisconsin Cheese
Presented by Nicole Bujewski, Kristin Mitchell, Keith Burrows and Leslie Damaso


Wisconsin cheese is more than a local delicacy—it’s a national treasure. Join us from the historic town of Mineral Point, in the heart of Wisconsin’s Driftless Area, for a look at The Wisconsin Whey—what the book is about, how it came to life, and why this landscape makes such exceptional dairy possible. 

Our storytellers come from a community steeped in cheesemaking history. They’ll share notes on gathering voices from the region, highlight revered makers and their craft, and offer a taste of the lore that gives Wisconsin its “cheesehead” pride—truly a compliment here.

Nicole Bujewski is a pastry chef who trained and then taught at the French Pastry School in Chicago and operated leFlour, a neighborhood bakery in Chicago. Nicole founded The Book Kitchen, inside the Republic of Letters bookstore in Mineral Point, in 2024. At the Book Kitchen, Nicole teaches cooking classes, sharing her passion for the culinary arts with students and enthusiasts. 

Kristin Mitchell, a graphic designer with more than 30 years of experience, expanded her Mineral Point-based design business in 2011 by founding Little Creek Press, an independent publishing division dedicated to producing books of literary merit.

Keith Burrows is a scientist and writer who has lived in the Driftless Area since 2007, and is co-owner of the Republic of Letters bookstore in Mineral Point. 

Leslie Damaso is a Filipino-American singer, musician, visual artist, poet, writer, teacher and co-owner of Republic of Letters.

***

Recorded via Zoom on Wednesday, September 17, 2025

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The Whys and Wheys of Wisconsin Cheese

David Singer is an internationally acclaimed clarinetist whose career has included two
performances at the White House and more than 150 appearances in Carnegie Hall.
Joseph Horowitz in The New York Times wrote about David Singer, “To describe his
playing would be to enumerate a catalogue of virtues.”

Mr. Singer’s recording of the Aaron Copland Clarinet Concerto was praised by
Lawrence A. Johnson from Gramophone Magazine in the UK as “one of the finest
accounts around,” and his performances have been featured on the BBC and on Sirius
XM as a principal performer of the Grammy Award-winning Orpheus Chamber
Orchestra, NYC.

Professor Singer taught as a guest teacher at both the Yale and Princeton Schools of
Music as well as at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern
California, and is Emeritus Professor of Clarinet/Coordinator of Chamber Music at
Montclair State University, NJ. He continues to coach young musicians across Southern
California and performs with the Singer Chamber Players and the Channel Islands
Chamber Orchestra.

His debut memoir, From Cab Driver to Carnegie Hall, chronicles his remarkable journey
of overcoming obstacles and ultimately becoming successful in music and life.
From Cab Driver to Carnegie Hall has just been chosen among many ten’s of
thousands of books to be part of the Los Angeles Public Library collection.

“From Cab Driver to Carnegie Hall shows how effort and perseverance can turn dreams
into reality.” “This book is a testament to inspiration and resilience.” Diana Lopez,
Readers’ Favorite Five Star Review

A Courageous Story of a Life in Music - This is an excellent view of an inspired life in
the turgid world of classical music in the late 1960’s – 2000’s. Reading of his struggles
and triumphs to reach the top of his field and survive is stirring. Baron, Five Star
Amazon Review

“An intimate, candid look at the highs and lows of one musician’s artistic pursuit.”
Kirkus Reviews

Links
Website: https://singerclarinet.com
https://singerclarinet.com/events-media/
https://www.facebook.com/singerclarinet

223: David Singer

"Wade Ronsse is a touring drummer, private drum teacher, session musician, and a small but enthusiastic part of Boise, Idaho's vibrant music scene. He tours nationally with Americana/Jam troubadour Jeff Crosby and has been a part of many (mostly locally) well regarded bands, including Lounge on Fire, Wend, Sun Blood Stories, Freeman Dejongh, and Rider & Rolling Thunder.

This more band-focused drumming has led to creative applications on projects spanning from heavy psychedelic rock, horn-driven R&B, psychedelic to avant-garde harp and string quartet experimental music, all the way to Honkey Tonk Country. His recording career is rooted in a deep appreciation for Boise-based musical creators, resulting in a small but cherished catalog of over 100 recordings with his favorite local musicians, collaborators, and friends. His 2025 record contributions include the surfy/twangy Day for Night with femme-fronted group Cactus Moon as well as the indie/folk and art rock Wait, Sky by Jesse Blake Rundle (released on DOE Records). 

When he's not behind the kit, Wade spends his time working on a small urban farm, taking long walks, reading and learning about mysticism and magick, consuming far too much Star Wars, and, of course, being a forever student of the drums."

instagram: @darth_wade.r

Ep. 224: Wade Ronsse

Christopher Ramos is currently serving as Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Music at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. He conducts the UVU Wind Symphony and directs instrumental studies within the music education area. He additionally teaches courses in conducting, music education, and music appreciation.

He received the DMA in instrumental conducting at The Hartt School, studying with Glen Adsit and Edward Cumming. While at Hartt, he assisted in conducting Hartt's instrumental performing ensembles and the Greater Hartford Youth Wind Ensemble, and as part of the adjunct faculty he taught courses for graduates and undergraduates in conducting, brass methods, diversity and belonging, jazz pedagogy, and in the core music theory sequence. Before Hartt, Chris served as a band director at Dalat International School in Penang, Malaysia where he taught Western classical and jazz music in performing and theory courses across grades 6-12, and his students were invited to perform in international festivals across Southeast Asia.

He is also an active scholar working at the intersection of musicology, wind band studies, and music education with his latest publications forthcoming in the Music Educators Journal (NAfME) and the Utah Music Educators Journal (UMEA). In 2022 he received the Goldstein Award from the University of Hartford, and in 2016 he received the Joanne Kealinohomoku Prize from the Society of Ethnomusicology Southwest for his scholarship. He holds additional degrees from the University of New Mexico where he studied with Eric Rombach-Kendall, and from East Texas A&M University (formerly Texas A&M University-Commerce) where he studied with Phillip Clements (conducting), Luis Sanchez (piano), and Mike Morrow (horn).

In addition to his conducting, researching, and teaching, he actively performs both on the French horn and at the keyboard. He has produced, performed, and conducted on records for the Naxos, Summit, and Parma record labels, and he has performed in and conducted ensembles in concert halls, stages, forests, and patios across the United States and Asia. An avid supporter of new music, he has been part of numerous commissioning projects for solo horn, chamber ensembles, and wind ensembles. He is a second-place winner in The American Prize for conducting and in 2025-27 he holds the Harry Begian Conductor Scholar Award at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp. He is an active member in the College Band Directors National Association, Utah Music Educators Association, Utah Bandmasters Association, National Band Association, American Musicological Society, and National Association for Music Education, and is an honorary member of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia National Music Fraternity.

Ep. 225: Chris Ramos

Culinary Historians of Chicago studies the history of food and drink in human cultures. Why we procure, prepare and serve the food we do has cultural, sociological, geographical, financial and political influences. We encourage participation from all walks of life: from academics to home cooks, chefs to grill masters, farmers to heirloom gardeners, food scientists to students. Our programs, and those of our sister organization Chicago Foodways Roundtable, are supported by research, fieldwork and scholarship, though geared to an informed popular audience. We welcome everyone to gather at our table to share food, drink and their life’s culinary experiences.

If you would like to contact us, please e-mail us at CulinaryHistorians@gmail.com

CRAEFT aims to deepen our understanding of craft gestures that include care, judgment, and dexterity. Horizon Europe project No 101094349.

Great art almost feels like magic—it opens our minds to brand new ideas, and teaches us to see ourselves and our world more clearly. Of course, behind all great art, there are artists. And that’s where the real magic happens…

As we go beneath the art itself to explore how different artists do what they do, we see glimpses of the sorts of creativity, resilience, and bravery that lead to the art that moves our world. And maybe we can learn to borrow some of that magic for our very own thinking.

Join professional musician Emily Merrell for conversations with artists of all kinds. Together, we examine the mysteries of our own experiences, our muses and fears, our gifts and foibles, our beliefs about the origins of creativity, and the secret magic we’ve discovered in our unique creative processes. 

Mediums include: studio art, graphic design, dance, cooking, illustration, creative writing, storytelling, comedy, music composition, music performance, film making, acting, production, fashion design, photography, and more.

Visit https://emilymerrellmusic.com/artifice-podcast/  for more information.

- Theme Song "As You Are" by Emily Merrell @emilymerrellmusic
- Illustration and Graphic Design by Sarah Keele @sarahkeeleart
- Photography by Jen Palmer @jenpalmerphoto
- HMU by Shawna Turner @shawnaturnerdesigns

New tracks tagged #Artisan