Season 1
MASE Podcast trailer
Adina Mornell
Emily Achieng' Akuno
Dianna Kenny
Liora Bresler
Welcome to the M-A-S-E Podcast! I’m thrilled to be here with you on this exciting journey. My name is Ευάγγελος Χειμωνίδης (or Evangelos Himonides for our global audience), I am Professor of Technology, Education, and Music at University College London in the UK, and I’ll be your host as we delve into the captivating worlds of Music, Arts, Sciences, and Education. But first, let me share a little about my own path. Over the past year, during my journey to improving physical health, I discovered the magic of audiobooks and podcasts. These audio companions accompanied me on extended walks, providing solace, inspiration, and a wealth of knowledge. I found myself immersed in the stories of other thinkers, creators, makers, and luthiers—their experiences, their struggles, and their triumphs. And so, the idea for the M-A-S-E Podcast was born. My mission is to explore the rich tapestry of creativity, learning, and discovery that binds our diverse worlds together. Whether you’re a musician, an artist, a scientist, or an educator, -or perhaps some or all of the above- this podcast is for you. What can you expect? Well, it won’t be formal—we’re all friends here. Picture a cozy chat over a cup of coffee (or tea, if that’s your jam). We’ll dive into your favourite armchair, kick off our shoes, and unravel the threads of interesting people’s journeys. From the highs to the lows, the unexpected twists, and the heartwarming anecdotes, we will celebrate the human spirit, the pursuit of knowledge and the joys of creativity. And guess what? You are part of this journey too. We’ll explore the intersections of creativity, science, and education together. So, buckle up, because the M-A-S-E Podcast is about to take flight. Remember, there are no strict rules here—just genuine conversations. So, grab your headphones, hit play, and let’s embark on this adventure—one hour at a time. Thank you for tuning in, and welcome to my wonderful MASE.
For episode 5 of the MASE podcast, it is a pleasure and honour to host Professor Adina Mornell. Adina has conducted doctoral studies in Music Psychology and Instrumental Music Education at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna (Dr. phil.); a Graduate of the Technical University of Berlin (MA in Musicology, Psychology and English Literature); and conducted undergraduate studies in Piano, Psychology and Literature studies (BA) at the Oberlin College and Conservatory of Music, Ohio, USA. While active as a solo concert pianist, Adina was Chair of the Department of Keyboard Instruments at a state music school in Berlin with both artistic and pedagogical responsibilities for music teachers between 1987 and 2005. During that time, she began holding workshops and giving lectures in an academic context. For twenty years she was full professor and Chair of instrumental and vocal music education, first at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Graz, Austria, and then at the University of Music and Theatre in Munich, Germany. As a guest professor she taught and continues to teach at universities and higher educational institutions in places such as Los Angeles, Vienna, Melbourne, and Zurich. Her lectures and workshops cover subjects including deliberate practice and the three stages of expertise; experts in stress situations; human factors and behaviour, causality models and error-prevention strategies; stage fright and anxiety in musicians (the four-component theory) as well as resilience and “grit” in handling both success and failure. In 2008, she initiated the biannual series of international and interdisciplinary symposia Art in Motion. The last event was held in May 2025, focused on “The Drive to Thrive,” exploring what humans can learn from examples in nature about how to perform, compete, and enjoy life with a healthy dose of motivation. Next year’s event, the 10th Art in Motion to be held in May 2027 in the city of Monheim, Germany (https://www.artinmotion2027.com/), will explore the topic “Body of Knowledge” – what we know about the processes involved in motor learning and performance across artistic and athletic domains. Her career as a pianist includes multi-media projects and concerts for international companies and organisations, TV and radio performances as well as CD recordings released worldwide. intro music Things Ain't What They Used to Be Artists: Nicolas Gold · Ross Purves · Evangelos Himonides ℗ Sonustech Released on: 2020-11-23 Lyricist, Composer: Mercer Ellington and Ted Persons outro music Francis Poulenc, Improvisation n. 15 in C minor - Hommage à Edith Piaf (1959) Artist: Cynthia Stephens-Himonides
For episode 4 of the MASE podcast, it is a pleasure to host Professor Emily Achieng' Akuno. Emily Achieng' Akuno is a Kenyan, trained as a music performer-educator. She traces her music education to the home environment, where as young ones, they sang at play. At church, Sabbath School for children was full of song. Her singer-grandmother is responsible for passing on the music talent to her offspring, and this was nurtured in primary school choirs and secondary school music classrooms. Emily remembers the tremendous moral and psychological support received from her first high school music teacher, Luzili Mulindi-King, who introduced her to the piano. The other impact came from Nina Gilbert (USA), the rich music practice environment provided by Alliance Girls High School where she spent 6 years as a student and the principal, the late Mrs. Joan Waithaka, who stood with her when she chose music over science subjects for high school. Her engagements have included high school and university level teaching of music, the latter exposing her to the network of colleagues and friends through the International Society for Music Education (ISME) and its partners including SEMPRE and WAAE. This led her to eventually be president of both ISME and the International Music Council, the IMC. Back home, she is professor of music of the Technical University of Kenya, and is currently serving as the Vice Chancellor of Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, about 6 hours drive from Nairobi. Emily's research activities have paid attention to music in the development of the individual, and thus cultural relevance of what is taught and how that happens, as well as, more recently, the whole notion of what music (the arts) mean in a cultural setting. Editor of Music Education in Africa, Afrocentricism often features in her writings and conversations about music education. intro music Things Ain't What They Used to Be Artists: Nicolas Gold · Ross Purves · Evangelos Himonides ℗ Sonustech Released on: 2020-11-23 Lyricist, Composer: Mercer Ellington and Ted Persons outro music Francis Poulenc, Improvisation n. 15 in C minor - Hommage à Edith Piaf (1959) Artist: Cynthia Stephens-Himonides
For this third episode. It is a great pleasure to host Dianna Kenny. Professor Dianna Kenny, formerly of The University of Sydney, where she held conjoint positions as Professor of Psychology and Professor of Music, is a world leading researcher, writer, clinician, and public intellectual. She is currently working in private practice in Sydney offering individual adult psychotherapy, child, adolescent, couple, and family therapy, mediation and family dispute resolution, and medico-legal consultancy. Dianna is the author of 12 books and over 300 scholarly articles, including book chapters, journal papers, online opinion pieces, and submissions to government. She is frequently an invited speaker at national and international conferences. Dianna's books span her many fields of interest in the psychology, including music performance anxiety, child development, psychotherapy, and gender dysphoria in children and young people. Her latest book titled: Gender Ideology, Social Contagion, and the Making of a Transgender Generation (Cambridge Scholars Press, 2025) has just been published. intro music Things Ain't What They Used to Be Artists: Nicolas Gold · Ross Purves · Evangelos Himonides ℗ Sonustech Released on: 2020-11-23 Lyricist, Composer: Mercer Ellington and Ted Persons outro music Francis Poulenc, Improvisation n. 15 in C minor - Hommage à Edith Piaf (1959) Artist: Cynthia Stephens-Himonides
For this second episode of the MASE podcast, it is a great pleasure to host Liora Bresler. Liora is professor Emerita at the College of Education, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, as well as the College of Fine and Applied Art. Liora has held professorships at Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, The Education University of Hong Kong, and Lund University. Her areas of interest are qualitative research methodologies (including case-study, narrative and aesthetic-based inquiry); intellectual educational entrepreneurship in academia; and arts education curricula in formal and informal settings. Her current work focuses on qualitative research as aesthetic experience integrating mind, body, and spirit. Liora has published over 150 papers and book chapters and has edited 17 special issues in such journals as Research Studies in Music Education, Educational Theory, Council of Research in Music Education, Visual Art Research, Visual Inquiry, and Arts Education Policy Review where she was the editor for international issues. She has authored and edited books on the arts in education, including Knowing Bodies, Moving Minds (Kluwer, 2004); the International Handbook of Research in Arts Education (2007, Springer), the co-edited International research in education: Experience, theory and practice (2002, Peter Lang), the International Handbook of Creative Learning (Routledge, 2011); and The International Handbook of the Arts in Education (Routledge, 2015). intro music Things Ain't What They Used to Be Artists: Nicolas Gold · Ross Purves · Evangelos Himonides ℗ Sonustech Released on: 2020-11-23 Lyricist, Composer: Mercer Ellington and Ted Persons outro music Francis Poulenc, Improvisation n. 15 in C minor - Hommage à Edith Piaf (1959) Artist: Cynthia Stephens-Himonides
In this MASE podcast premiere, Evangelos Himonides chats to Jeanne Bamberger. Jeanne Bamberger (née Shapiro) is Professor Emerita of Music and Urban Education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Adjunct Professor of Music at the University of California, Berkeley. Her research interests include music cognitive development, music theory and performance, teacher development, and the design of text and software materials that foster these areas of development. More information about Jeanne can be found on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeanne_Bamberger intro music Things Ain't What They Used to Be Artists: Nicolas Gold · Ross Purves · Evangelos Himonides ℗ Sonustech Released on: 2020-11-23 Lyricist, Composer: Mercer Ellington and Ted Persons outro music Francis Poulenc, Improvisation n. 15 in C minor - Hommage à Edith Piaf (1959) Artist: Cynthia Stephens-Himonides