Beyond the Notes with Vonn Vanier
Beyond the Notes uncovers the craft, stories, and “aha” moments behind today’s most influential music makers. Host Vonn Vanier sits down—remotely—for in‑depth chats with composers, producers, engineers, and performers (from Grammy winners to game‑score innovators), exploring how they broke in, solved impossible challenges, mentored the next generation, and even pursued unexpected passions. Each episode delivers a 30–60 min deep‑dive plus bite‑sized clips to inspire your own creative journey.
Beyond the Notes with Vonn Vanier
How SF Opera Is Hooking Gen Z on a 400-Year-Old Art Form
How do you get Gen Z to care about a 400-year-old art form?
Matthew Shilvock, General Director of San Francisco Opera, has spent his career finding out. The stories he shares reveal exactly why opera still matters.
In this episode, he talks about the moments that still give him chills, why staging Wagner’s Parsifal next to a brand-new Monkey King excites him, and what it feels like when 20,000 people cheer for opera at a baseball stadium.
From childhood awe to leading San Francisco Opera—one of America’s great cultural institutions—Shilvock shows why opera is still funny, intense, surprising, and maybe just exactly what Gen Z is looking for.