On My Playlist
For Henry Michaels 鈥�14, music is an important part of his daily life.
As director of audience experience and engagement at the Music Academy of the West in Santa Barbara, California, Henry Michaels pretty much eats, breathes and sleeps music. The academy is one of the country鈥檚 premier summer schools and festivals for classical musicians ages 18 to 35. Every year since 1947, it鈥檚 put on an eight-week summer school and festival during which musicians live on site, take lessons and perform. His job is 鈥渕aking sure every audience member has a great experience from the moment they buy a ticket through the event until they鈥檙e gone.鈥� We鈥檙e quite sure that you鈥檒l enjoy his musical picks.
In 2014...
Michaels grew up in North Carolina, where he developed his love for music in high school. He earned his master鈥檚 degree in music and trombone performance. Here are the albums鈥攁nd one song鈥攈e was listening to during his days at 撸先生.
鈥淪ummer Highland Falls鈥� by Billy Joel
When I was at Towson, I drove home one weekend to see Billy Joel live. This song was new to me. I鈥檓 drawn to catchy songs with sad lyrics, and I was really struck by it. A lot of time on the way back I was listening to it on repeat.
鈥淎ntifogmatic鈥� by Punch Brothers
Like everything the Punch Brothers do, it鈥檚 really eclectic. They are genre-bending musicians in a lot of ways. There鈥檚 some jazz influence, some classical, some pop, but they鈥檙e technically a bluegrass band.
鈥淭he Goat Rodeo Sessions鈥� by Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile
It鈥檚 so interesting to hear something that can sound so much like bluegrass or folk but with the classical cello chops of a Yo-Yo Ma thrown in.
鈥淟ive in London鈥� by Regina Spektor
There鈥檚 something so pure about a live album. Her voice is so beautiful, and there鈥檚 the off-the-cuff stuff that happens in a live album, the pauses and changes you don鈥檛 expect.
In 2021...
The 32-year-old Michaels writes the academy鈥檚 Project Resonance blog, and though he only plays his trombone for personal pleasure now, music is still very important to him. 鈥淲orking at a music institution, listening to music, writing about music, talking about music are all big parts of my daily life.鈥�
鈥淚 and Love and You鈥� by the Avett Brothers
It鈥檚 a little bit funny that as a native North Carolinian who grew up not that far from where the Avett Brothers are from, they weren鈥檛 really on my radar until I moved to California. Their music deals a lot with poignant topics but with catchy rock, pop and folk music.
鈥淧unisher鈥� by Phoebe Bridges
There鈥檚 something about these deep, very personal lyrics that are associated with such infectious tunes.
鈥淧hosphorescent Blues鈥� by Punch Brothers
The music is sad but kind of hopeful. The technical playing with them is just always so good.
鈥淓xperiments in Living鈥� by Spektral Quartet
The album includes string quartet music from as early as the 19th century and as recently as now. There鈥檚 a twist to it, though: They intend the album be listened to in a random order. If you buy a physical copy, they include a set of specially made tarot cards that you can shuffle to create the order. You can also do that online through their website.