Beyond Mastery
Interviews highlighting new trends and new thinking in contemporary musicianship. Eugene Friesen interviews musicians and thought leaders who point the way toward a new kind of relevancy for creative artists, innovative forms of collaboration, fresh insights into the creative process, and original approaches to audience engagement and development.
Beyond Mastery
Strings of Change: John Mark Rozendaal’s Cello-Driven Activism
John Mark Rozendaal is a renowned musician and fervent climate justice activist. Celebrated for his mastery of Baroque and Renaissance music, John Mark has shifted his focus towards a critical and urgent mission—saving our dying planet. John Mark’s unique protest, playing Bach in front of Citibank to spotlight their substantial investments in fossil fuels, not only led to his arrest but also spotlighted the powerful role that music and musicians can play in societal change.
In this conversation with Eugene Friesen, John Mark shares his transition from performing in esteemed early music ensembles and teaching at prestigious institutions to taking bold actions with Extinction Rebellion and Climate Defiance. Eugene and John Mark discuss the motivations behind this dramatic career shift, the challenges of overcoming feelings of helplessness against climate threats, and how we can bind together to make impactful statements on global issues.
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