Classical Classroom

That’s not a violin – it’s a woodbox! Daniel Bernard Roumain talks about creative appropriation in classical music. The Haitian-American composer’s creative world was cracked open when he realized that everything – including the definition of “violin” – was ripe for reinterpretation. As a kid in garage bands, he took the decidedly uncool violin and made it his own. As a classically trained musician, he brings classical music together with hip hop, rock, bluegrass, and other genres to create his signature sound. We talk about DBR’s creative journey and about how innovators like John Cage have changed classical music by adding an important ingredient to the genre: imagination. Audio production by Todd “T-Dawg” Hulslander with super disco breaking by Dacia Clay. Music in this episode: Lots of woodbox improvisation by Daniel Bernard Roumain “Sonata No. 2” from Sonatas and Interludes for Prepared Piano by John Cage, played by Boris Berman “Sonata for Violin and Turntables, Part 1” from Woodbox Beats & Ballad