The Confident Musicianing Podcast
What collaborative pianists/accompanists wish you knew and studying abroad from Brazil with Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano
Do you know how to work with a collaborative pianist/accompanist? Are you sure you know all of things to remember? Check your knowledge with this conversation!
Today we are chatting with Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano, collaborative pianist and adjunct professor of voice at Duquesne University.
We dive into:
- Studying music in both Brazil and America
- How you can be prepared studying abroad
- What do remember when working with a collaborative pianist/accompanist
- What collaborative pianists/accompanists wish you knew
- The proper etiquette of working with a collaborative pianist/accompanist
- And much more!
So sit back, relax, and enjoy the convo!
This episode is available as a blog post. Click here to read!
Click here for Nathália's YouTube Channel.
More about Dr. Kato Giordano (click here!)
Do you know how to work with a collaborative pianist/accompanist? Are you sure you know all of things to remember? Check your knowledge with this conversation!
Today we are chatting with Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano, collaborative pianist and adjunct professor of voice at Duquesne University.
We dive into:
- Studying music in both Brazil and America
- How you can be prepared studying abroad
- What do remember when working with a collaborative pianist/accompanist
- What collaborative pianists/accompanists wish you knew
- The proper etiquette of working with a collaborative pianist/accompanist
- And much more!
So sit back, relax, and enjoy the convo!
This episode is available as a blog post. Click here to read!
Click here for Nathália's YouTube Channel.
More about Dr. Kato Giordano (click here!)
have a legible score available for them, or if you're playing a public performance, like acknowledge them on your recital posters and programs. You know what I mean. It's not everything's not about you, it's about all of you ye, hello, and welcome back to Confident Musicianing. Today we are talking with Dr. ato K Giordano. Dr a Giordano has a doctorate in music from the University of Colorado Boulder, a master of music at the University of Colorado Boulder, a Master of Music at the University of Colorado Boulder, a Master of Music at the Campinas State University in Brazil and a Bachelor of Music at the Pará State University in Brazil as well. She is a collaborative pianist and adjunct professor of voice at Duquesne University and adjunct professor of voice at Duquesne University, and she was the collaborative pianist at the University of Wyoming between 2020 and 2022. And she collaborates with the vocal ensembles, opera workshop and vocalists and instrumentalists at Duquesne University. Hello, D. N. Hello, Eleanor. Well, you know that for you it's just , right?
Your host, Eleanor:a .
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:Thanks for acknowledging my title, though.
Your host, Eleanor:Yeah, yeah. Well, it is lovely to have you on. I'm so grateful. Let's dive right in. I saw when I was doing a bit of background research on you that you have quite the extensive education background, with studying not only in Brazil but also the States. What made you want to study in both places and what is one thing that you wish you knew before coming to the States and studying in a new country?
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:Well, firstly, thank you so much for having me. It's a real pleasure to be here with you today. So I went to school in Brazil because that's where I'm from. So that's where I went to college and that's where I also went for my first master's degree.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:Then what made me come to the States is because, ever since I was a teenager, I've always been interested in a company, interested in accompanying, which is, you know, maybe later we can talk about this the term accompanying, but anyway, so what you know, I've always been interested in what people know as accompanying. So that means playing with other people, playing for other people, playing with other people, playing for other people. Anyway, so in Brazil we do not have a collaborative piano or a company as a degree at universities. Yes, so my first master's degree is actually in piano performance, solo piano and I've always wanted to pursue a degree in chamber music, a company or, you know, collaborative piano, right? So after doing my research, I decided to come to the States and that's how. That's how I ended up here. So in 2015, I came to the States and then I did my master's in collaborative piano and then I decided to to pursue my doctorate.
Your host, Eleanor:Oh my gosh, that's so interesting. I had no idea that in Brazil, like collaborative, piano wasn't a degree, yeah, piano wasn't a degree. Yeah, interesting, that's really cool, yeah. And then I guess, when you know, when you came to the States and studied music in a whole different country, a whole different environment.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:What is maybe something that you wish you knew before studying in a new country you wish you. You knew, before studying in a in a new country, um what I wish, what I wish.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:I knew um that it's okay to feel vulnerable yes when I, when I came to the states, it was my first time moving hundreds and hundreds of miles away from my parents. I went to school, well, I did my bachelor's in my hometown, but then I moved to southern Brazil for my masters. But, you know, still I was able to see my parents and my family, you know, multiple times a year. You know, because it was, you know, just a matter of hopping on a plane and going to my home.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:But you know, moving overseas is a different story. You know so I felt extremely vulnerable, you know, and I was nearly 30,. You know so, I was in a different place in my life that feeling vulnerable wasn't. Feeling vulnerable wasn't in my mind. It wasn't okay, you know, because I think probably was just too silly to think that, you know, I'm an adult and I'm a grown-up.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:I'm not allowed to have these kind of feelings. But here I am, in my late 20s, you know, feeling so vulnerable and sensitive and you know which. It's so, so natural and so normal to have these kind of feelings when you're in a country where, I mean, everything is so new to you and the culture and you know the system as a whole so, yeah, so that's something that I wish I knew. Yeah, I have learned my lesson, for sure.
Your host, Eleanor:Yeah, I think I mean that like that is so insightful. I think you know the idea of feeling vulnerable in a new country. I think you know like it is such a completely different system and especially, as you were saying, you know when you're. You're maybe like in your late 20s and you're like an adult now, so you should know how the world works. But it's a completely different world in a new country. So that, yeah, yeah, I think I think that's a completely different world in a new country. So that, yeah, yeah, I think I think that's really, really important that you said that Kind of on the same idea.
Your host, Eleanor:You know, for me at least, I am just about to move to the UK and, even though it is a country that I do belong to, I do have a British passport, it's you know. At the same time, it's kind of a new thing because I have lived almost all my life in the States and I think that there might be some listeners as well who might be thinking of moving either far away or maybe doing something abroad. So if anyone is maybe like considering it but maybe is nervous about it, is there anything that maybe you would like to tell them or any advice when thinking about should I do this thing where I do something abroad?
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:Yeah, well, an advice that I would definitely give one is be open-minded, you know, be willing to I don't know, to just learn what you don't know. You know, and that doesn't mean, uh, just in terms of music. You know what I mean Um, because most likely you're going to be exposed to other cultures as well as I was, you know, and we learn so so much, and so it's extremely enriching, not only musically, but also personally and culturally. So you know, that's priceless, uh. So be open-minded, be extremely disciplined, um, which, uh, I do not. I mean, I do not worry about you at all. I know how disciplined you are, but, yeah, that's something extremely important too, not only with your studies, but also with your finances and things that you don't think about until you're on your own. You know what I mean. Yeah, just be disciplined in general, and you know I, for example, I did not have the help of my parents when I moved overseas. You know what I mean. So that's, that's, it's a. It was a brand new experience too.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:Yeah that for the first time in my life, I was on my own and I had to figure things out.
Your host, Eleanor:You know.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:So, yeah, and I think the most important piece of advice that I would give is have faith meaning believing things that you cannot see, and I'm here quoting a mentor of mine who is? Actually British too. Oh, okay, yes, and you know, my life really changed the time I heard that from him and. But you know, it almost became like a mantra.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:you know, whenever I feel so discouraged, I remember him saying that and it's so true, you know, because we are doing things and we are working hard and it's of course it's impossible to see where that whole hard work is taking us.
Your host, Eleanor:Yes.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:You know, is leading us. So yeah, just have faith and keep going. Do not don't give up faith. And keep going, do not, don't don't give up.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:There are moments when you think, um, you know you cannot do this anymore, or in reasons, but you know, just um, just have faith and, uh, listen to your inner voice. We also that's something that I also learned being um you know, that's something that I also learned being um you know, miles and miles away from my family, um, we, we have to trust our instincts. We, we do have them. Yes, um. So, yeah, those are my advices.
Your host, Eleanor:I, I love that. I love that. You know we touched on kind of musical stuff, but we also touched on a lot of non-musical stuff as well, with just kind of moving to another country. That's that is really interesting, I think. You know, as you were talking about that, I was thinking about, like, because I'm gonna be moving back to the UK so like I gotta, I gotta think about all of that stuff when I do that as well. Yeah, so you are an adjunct professor of voice at Duquesne University. I find this particularly interesting. It's really cool. What made you decide to teach voice and how does your experience with the piano come into that?
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:Right, I actually do not teach voice. I'm a vocal coach, which is different. Yeah, unlike a voice teacher, a vocal coach shouldn't be dealing with a vocal technique. So I deal with the other elements inherent to the vocal repertoire, like diction and inflection of the text, phrasing things like that. So I know that the title is misleading but, usually pianists who are specialized in vocal repertoire, like me, and serve as vocal coaches at music schools and universities. They belong to the voice area, therefore the title Professor of Voice.
Your host, Eleanor:Oh, I see. Okay, that makes a lot more sense.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:That's right. Yeah, so at Duquesne University I serve both as a vocal coach but also as a music director for opera workshop, so I'm directly involved, you know, in the voice area, and so that's why I'm listed as a and I do not belong to the to the keyboard area area.
Your host, Eleanor:Yeah, which is very interesting, yeah, yeah, so how does so? How does piano? I guess because piano is your like, you have degrees in piano and piano is your thing. So how does that kind of work into your role at Duquesne?
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:Yeah, so you know, it's very, very common to see pianists who decide to specialize in vocal rap, which means they are I mean, they pretty much play vocal repertoire. But not only that, but they really dig into this whole world, which is, it's a you know, the upside down world, if you're translating to a stranger things. You know we there are some people like me very passionate about the vocal world. So we do study diction. You know, we do study other languages in order to be able to help voice students. You know, with those, with these things, with these elements. So so we actually play, when, when a student come to see us, we play for them. So we coach them from the piano. So of course, you know, it's a, it's essential that that we, we have to have piano skills you, you know because we are playing but also listening at the same time.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:So it's a very interesting role, for sure. And you see vocal coaches at universities. You're going to see vocal coaches who prepare professional singers at opera houses yeah, singers at opera houses, yeah. So we are basically, or essentially rather, team teaching alongside a voice teacher. You know what I mean. So the voice teacher deals with the technique part, then the vocal coach deals with all the rest.
Your host, Eleanor:That is really interesting. I had no idea how that was structured. I mean, I'm not a voice person, so I play the oboe, yeah there are degrees in the scouting.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:That is for that. You get a master's in vocal coaching. You get a master's in vocal coaching, you know.
Your host, Eleanor:You get a master's in yeah, there are master's and doctorate degrees, uh, all over the country, um, specifically for that which is so so cool that, yeah, no, that is so cool, and I love how you touched a bit on like how language comes into that, um, and I mean I wonder how your knowledge of Portuguese kind of fits into that, because Portuguese is a romance language and, like most operas are romance languages, so, yeah, so how does, how does how does that that fit, or has has Portuguese kind of helped you learn, like, say, italian better or something like that?
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:Yeah, definitely, it definitely helps, I'm lucky. So the structure of the language is very similar to Italian and also French, even Spanish, you know, because they all have the same roots. Yeah, so it and also the sounds, you know, portuguese is a very um it's, it's a complex language, and in a very beautiful way, because it it's just a mix of all these languages that I just, um, you know, mentioned yeah um have the nasal sounds from french and we have the pure vowels from Italian.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:You know what I mean? Yeah, it's really really cool. I mean, as you can see, I'm just so passionate about this. I could keep going on and on all day. But yes, definitely, being a Portuguese speaker helps me with that, and but you know, besides, that I've always been interested in languages in general.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:So you know, I have, I have. Well, my grandparents were Japanese so and I lived in Japan as a kid, so you know, I have that a little bit of you know Japanese in my brain. I'm not as fluent as I used to be, unfortunately but, you know, I remember a little bit and I've've always, I've always, as I said, I've been interested in other languages. So I've studied German, I've studied, I've done operas in Russian. So I, I mean, I'm not, I am NOT, I wouldn't be able to coach Russian but, at least I had the contact with the language, which is pretty nice.
Your host, Eleanor:Yeah.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:So you know I understand the concept and how the structure of the language you know works. Yeah, so, yeah. So I've had contact with a lot of languages that you know I'm not fluent in necessarily, but you know I could probably assist with diction a little bit.
Your host, Eleanor:Yeah, no, I love that. That is so, so cool. I mean, I also love languages. It's a hobby of mine to learn languages. I also love languages. It's a hobby of mine to learn languages. So I mean, I just wanted to touch on that a little bit because, you know, as soon as you were, like you know, language is part of my job, I'm like, okay, let's dive into that. That is so extremely cool. You know how the vocal aspect has languages with it. Um, kind of talking a little more about the piano aspect, you have a lot of experience with working with students, um, not only with, like, opera and vocal coaching, but also, like, as a collaborative pianist, like also, um, like me, like you, you've been an accompanist for me as well. Um, and so how, as you have worked with young musicians, um, what are a few things that you think maybe young musicians should be working more on, like as a whole?
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:um, you know, there is a meme that I adore that is on my office door and it says the answer is in the piano score. Ooh, so I'm sorry. I'm not trying to be passive aggressive, but, you know, oftentimes people focus on their own parts, as they should, yeah, but it's crucial that they get to know the other parts too. You know so. It's common that they forget or even don't realize that their part is just a fraction of the total. It's 50% of the music if they're playing a duo, or it's 33% of the music if they're playing a trio.
Your host, Eleanor:You know what I?
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:mean the 30 is a 33% of the music if they're playing a trio. You know what I mean.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:Um, so, um, yeah, it's just, it's, it's really important that you know what's going on, um outside of your own bubble, um, yeah, so I think that's. You know that's, that's what um. I would tell young musicians who are, you know, just starting to um, as they, they, um, they get more and more advanced. Um, you know they're going to start collaborating with other people, whether it's a pianist or, you know, a string quartet or whatever, but you know it's important for them to know what. What's going on, and you know that the music is is just the juxtaposition of all the parts and yeah, yes so yeah, I think, I think it makes sense.
Your host, Eleanor:No, that that makes that makes perfect sense. Um, and I, I love that, that meme that you talked about as well um, yeah, no, that that makes perfect sense in the fact that, yeah, I feel like a lot of people, myself included, sometimes feel like, you know, our part is maybe the part like, because we're the soloist, right, so it's the most important part, but in actuality, it's like it's just a, you know, a fraction of the whole, um, and if you can't, like, follow a pianist, then it's not gonna work. Um, so, yeah, no, I'm really glad that you you brought that up. Yeah, yeah, natali, what does your most effective practice routine look like? If you were to describe like a really good practice routine, what are some things that you make sure that you do?
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:some things that you make sure that you do? Ah, that's a very um, it's a very interesting question, because the answer to that question is constantly changing for me, and it's always, you know, it's always changed.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:It's so funny because, you know, as young musicians I mean, I'm including myself, you know, when I was younger yeah, I would I've always thought that, you know, I would always have the same practice routine for the rest of my life. You know that I have the same amount of time that I have and this and that, but you know, life happens and here I am, in my mid-30s, a mother of a 10 month old, you know, and I do not have the time that I used to have just a year ago. You know what I mean. Yeah, it's um's, um. It's constantly changing and I'm going to tell you, like today, what you know. I'm going to describe you what is an ideal routine for me.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:I would love to have, like it would be amazing if I had an hour in the morning, an hour in the afternoon, an hour in the evening. So you know to practice and just focus on, um the things that I should be working on. And you know my technique, and um I don't know learning music, um, well, that's the other thing that you know. As life happens, you, um, your, you, the possibility, your, your professional possibility is also um rotten. So, like today, you know um I have to play for auditions, but I also have to prepare for a, an opera workshop that is coming up, and I also have to take care of my technique. But then I also have to do this. I have, you know so, and and then, all of a sudden, I'm like, well, three hours actually, not that much for all all the things that I have to prepare for um, but you know what I always tell my students.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:Well, let me answer the first question though. So, yeah, so, if I could have an hour each you know time of the day, like in the morning, one hour in the afternoon, one hour in the evening, it would be amazing. But that's not what happens in real life. Yeah, happens, um, in real life. Yeah, so then what I'm gonna tell you what I usually tell my students, because you know they ask me these questions all the time like, oh, how much you think I should, I should, um practice, and my answer to them is, um, almost always the same, which which is I really don't. I really don't care how much you practice, but how you practice.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:So, how efficient can you be? You know, with 30 minutes that you have available for practicing? You know what I mean, because that's sometimes what happens to me. Well, I'm solo parenting this week. I only have, I don't know, 45 minutes between 45 and 90 minutes a day to um, you know, to practice the piano. So how how can I be efficient? You know so coming up with uh strategies, and only you are able to tell yourself what you should be focusing on.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:So I think just it's an exercise of being very true to yourself of being very true to yourself, Because practicing it can be fun, but it also can be a pain. Yes, but not okay. What I mean is you know it's hard when you have to work on, when you have to deal with things that you're not good at. Yes, you know what I mean. It can be painful, and that's what I mean when I say it's a pain, Because it is. You know. It's a real pain and it's so much more fun to be sounding good and to be working on things that you're good at because of course you want to be.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:you know, hearing your good self, yeah yeah 100%. Yeah. So you know, I think, when it comes to efficiency, really truly focusing on the things that you are not good at at all, you know that's.
Your host, Eleanor:I think that's the key okay, yeah, yeah, yeah, I think that that's that's really really well said. You know, work on the stuff that you're not good at.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:I think, yeah, I think of course you know if you have, if you have several hours in the day, then yes, you have. You do have time to sound good and to sound bad but, if you have. If you have a limited amount of time, then you know you better sound really bad, so you can sound good.
Your host, Eleanor:Yes, yeah, 100%. I think I don't remember who said this, but I I heard someone say, like a good musician's practice session sounds bad and a bad musician's practice session sounds like they're amazing, right, um, which is such like a juxtaposition of of how that works. But I think you know, if you are just practicing the things that you are always good at, and then someone asks you to play something that maybe you should have been practicing but you didn't, then then you know it's not a good situation, but a good musician and these I mean this is like I like you don't want to kind of label yourself. It's like oh I'm good or oh I'm bad, but like an effective way of practicing is doing the, the, the hard stuff and sounding. You know like you are working on something that you struggle with.
Your host, Eleanor:Yeah, 100%, yeah, yeah, yeah. I know, I know it's the reality of it, yeah, yeah, um, yeah, so it's kind of, I guess, going on the same idea of, of that many of our listeners will be preparing for auditions. I mean, I have an audition coming up actually on Friday, um, so we have, you know, like we're all. I mean, every musician is preparing for something, but, um, what are like like when you audition, when you prepare for your auditions what are maybe your top three things that you do beforehand to prepare.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:Let's see. Well, so, since my area is collaborative piano, when I play for, if I have an audition coming up or anything that I really do, it involves a partner. You know, it involves a collaborator. So that means that I'm never alone on stage.
Your host, Eleanor:Okay.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:I'm very rarely by myself on stage.
Your host, Eleanor:Mm-hmm.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:So, and that's what I really love about what I do, and so I always make sure that I treat my partners with respect. Mm-hmm, you know, that's really number one thing for me.
Your host, Eleanor:Yeah.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:That I mean you know you can get so much out of. You know this like simple sentence, like treat your partner, your collaborator with respect. I mean, I don't know. I mean that can mean so many things. You know it means um, um contact them. You know, um um find advance. You know like don't, don't try to contact them, like last minute.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:You know yeah or I don't know, like basic things like have a legible score available for them, or you know if you're playing a public performance, like acknowledge them on your recital, posters and programs. You know, what I mean. It's not everything's not about you, it's about all of you.
Your host, Eleanor:Yes.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:You know. So that's, that's the culture that I come from when, I say culture, I mean the collaborative piano culture and um. You know, at the beginning of um, our conversation um, I talked about the. You know the term um, accompanist, and you know it's not that I have anything against uh, the term um, but I know that is a trend.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:It's been a trend since the um I'd say like the second half of the 20th term um, um you know, uh showed up it's because I think it just um, it makes it more clear that it's a an equal partnership than having a pianist um just accompanying. You know what I mean, like being second in the partnership. So I mean, of course there are, there are still some programs in in the US and also outside of the US that you know refers to our art as as accompanying which.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:Which is fine, but you know, I think, more than the term, it's the attitude, right, and I just want to make sure that you know, people know that this is an equal partnership.
Your host, Eleanor:Yeah.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:So you know when I talk about treating my, know when I talk about treating my collaborators with respect.
Your host, Eleanor:I always hope that it's a two-way street.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:You know Pianists also are treated with respect and that everyone involved knows and understands that it's all about an equal artistic partnership.
Your host, Eleanor:That's interesting, that that is so important to say, especially because you know we might have some listeners who are maybe thinking about, um, you know, playing with a collaborative pianist, um, maybe for the first time is so. So just like for like um. So so it's like for some examples. So what would an example of, like you know, having it go both both ways, for the collaborative pianist and the instrumentalist as well? So maybe what are some examples of things that you would like to see in maybe younger musicians in terms of that respect?
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:terms of that respect. Well, you know, I think there are so many, I think there are levels and levels of of respect. So it goes from like very basic stuff, like, as I said, um, you know, having a illegible score. I cannot tell you how many times I've received, you know, music that I can barely read. You know, I mean, that's very basic right, but it still happens and it's fine. And you know, people learn and it's okay To. You know, like I've I've had, yeah, situations like this, um, and I've also had, um, you know, some more um, intense. I would say like maybe this is not the the place to um, uh, to talk in depth about you know, some bad experiences that I had, but you know, things happen.
Your host, Eleanor:And.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:I think that let's put it this way Maybe you want to treat your I mean anyone really but in this case, like your partner, your collaborator, the same way you want to be treated right. So you would like to have, for example, your name printed in a program you know, because you worked hard and you practiced, and you practiced and you want your, you know the audience to. I mean to know about you and you know your name right. What else you want to? You want to have a voice during rehearsals.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:You know you don't want to only be told what to do. Yeah, okay, and I'm not talking about hierarchy like between teacher and, because that's a different type of relationship, right? But I'm talking about like 101, you know rehearsals and 101 environments.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:Yes, um, so, you know, you want to have a voice and you want to be a part of, uh, the the creative process. You know, um, yeah, so, yeah, I've, I've, I've been in a situation like you know. The person pretty much said well, you were being paid to just play for me, yeah, yeah.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:So that was quite, quite of a shock. I'm like, oh wow, okay, well, you know, so it's, it's. It can be awkward, but it shouldn't be, and you know we, there are so many ways of avoiding awkward and unnecessary uncomfortable situations If you, you know, if you just treat your colleague the same way you would like to be treated.
Your host, Eleanor:Yeah, yeah, I think. I mean, I think that that is so important to talk about. So, yeah, no, that's so good. So kind of shifting gears. Let's talk about maybe some projects that that's that's so, so good. So kind of shifting gears. Let's talk about, um, maybe some projects that you have going on in the moment or anything, um that you would like to share about. Um, yeah, do you have? Do you have any exciting projects?
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:yes, I do. Well, I just got you know. We just we did a lot of pieces for oboe actually, yeah, for oboe and piano including his oboe sonata. And I also played the opera L'Avoie Humaine with a singer for the second half, so it was all oboe and voice, which was very, very cool. So I just got done with the project, so it's still pretty fresh in my brain. But you know, looking ahead, I actually leave for Colorado next week, for CU Now, which is now stands for New Opera Workshop.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:And that takes place at CU, the University of Colorado in Boulder, where I went to school. So yeah, for the past few years I've served as a music director and also assistant music director for the opera workshop. So yeah, so it's a it's a very cool, creative and out of the box project. So how that works is we have a visiting composer every summer writing a brand new opera. Yes, so we workshop that opera for, you know, whole three weeks and then we present it at the end. So I mean it three weeks and then we present uh, we present it, uh, at the end.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:So I mean, it doesn't need to be a full opera, but most of them, most of the composers, uh write an act or two, you know, um yeah. So, uh, we are doing this this summer again and I am very, very excited to be, um, to be a part of that.
Your host, Eleanor:Yeah that, I mean, that sounds so cool. I've I haven't heard about this, but it's, it is so freaking cool, my gosh. Um yeah, where can people, if people want to, um, maybe hear your playing or or hear some of your stuff online? Where can people find you online?
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:Yeah, so people can find me online on duopragmacom. So Duopragma is a violin and piano duo that I have with my husband, violinist Andrew Giordano, and we do play standard repertoire for violin and piano. We do play standard repertoire for violin by both famous but also marginalized, historically marginalized composers. So, yeah, so we do have a duo called Dual Programma. So that's, yeah, that's our website, dualprogrammacom. And on the same website, you can also check out our teaching studio. Okay, because we do team teach, I get to work, you know, to coach his violin viola students, you know, we, we, we put together studio recitals every semester and, of course, I have my own piano students as well.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:So, yeah, that's where people can find me, and I also have a YouTube channel and you can just type my name, natalia Cato, and, and you're going to be able to find some performances of mine.
Your host, Eleanor:Yeah, that's lovely and we will be linking that in the show notes. So if anyone wants to listen to that or check out what Natalia is doing, make sure you go check those show notes. We are coming towards the end of this episode. Is there anything else that you want to to chat about or bring up um in in this time?
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:no, I just wanted to really thank you, eleanor uh, for this opportunity, and I wish you all the best. I cannot wait to see what the future holds for you. You are, you know, you are an amazing lady, an amazing person, an amazing musician, and it's been a pleasure, to you know, to be working with you for the past year. I'd say yeah yeah. The past year and a half, something like that. And yeah, and best of luck, and I hope that our paths will cross again one day yeah, me too.
Your host, Eleanor:Thank you so much. That is so, so lovely of you to say um, well, that is about it for this episode. Thank you so much for listening. Um, yeah, thank you so much for listening. Um, as always, all of the links to do with this episode will be in the show notes, from the blog post that goes to this episode, um, and all of the links that we just chatted about with um. You know, all of the stuff with Natalia online that will be in the show notes. Make sure you do yourself a habit and look at these show notes because, let's be honest, there's some good stuff in there, and if you want to show your love and support for the confident musicianing podcast, um, please do. Um, give us a follow. And, yeah, thank you so much, natalia, for coming on. Um, you know, to this episode. I am so grateful and, yeah, I hope you have a lovely rest of your day.
Dr. Nathália Kato Giordano:Thank, you thanks for having me.