Interview: Meet The Mosaic Team

Published September 21, 2020

Allison Lehman: My name is Allison (she/her/hers) and I am a theatre artist, educator, and administrator. I recently moved back to the DC area, where I was born and raised, after graduating from Marymount Manhattan College where I received my Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Arts with concentrations in Directing and Performance, and minors in Arts Management and Communications. 

Anita Gosevska: My name is Anita (she/her/hers) and I am a clarinetist and music educator from Galloway, New Jersey. I am the first in my family to be born in the US; my parents are both from Macedonia. I am currently studying clarinet performance and music education at Rutgers - Mason Gross School of the arts.

Emily Singleton: My name is Emily (she/they) and I am a violist, composer, and writer from Gainesville, Florida. I am currently a senior in high school and in my third year of dual-enrollment classes at University of Florida.

Hannah Ishizaki: I’m Hannah Ishizaki (she/her/hers), and I am a composer in my third year at the Juilliard School. I’m from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I also play the violin!

Ryan Williamson: My name is Ryan (he/him/his)! I grew up in Nyack, NY and my family is based in Chicago, IL. I’m currently living in Manhattan studying French Horn performance as a third year undergraduate at The Juilliard School.

Umi Garrett: My name is Umi Garrett (she/her/hers) and I’m a 20 year old pianist from Orange County, California. I’m currently a junior studying at The Juilliard School. 

What drew you to your art form?

Allison: The short answer is that, pretty early on in my life, my parents quickly realized they had a particularly outgoing and passionate young woman on their hands. So when I was 6 years old, they signed me up for my elementary school’s drama club and the rest is history. But what really draws my spirit to theatre is how inherently collaborative and intersectional it is. I’ve always been obsessed with how theatre is this perfect convergence of every other form. It’s literary, musical, physical, visual, poetic, electric; it’s all these different artists and perspectives and forms coming together to exist in a vessel of live storytelling. 

Emily: I was a very bookish kid and from my enthusiasm for reading I felt a need to write stories of my own, however I never felt my literary writing amounted to much since it never felt as effective and meaningful as the books I read and loved. Besides reading I just really loved making things, so I did a lot of drawing and other crafts because the feeling of creating something was too enjoyable to abandon. Music has been my main focus from a young age, so when I discovered I could write music, like what I wrote, share that with others, and have them like it too, it opened up a whole new plethora of opportunities. The ability to develop art as a form of communication and collaborative experience is really fulfilling to me.

Hannah: When I was little, I wanted to be an inventor. Composing allowed me to invent ways to organize sound. I would always play around on the violin, improvising. My father downloaded a free notation software, and I started writing what I was playing around with down. 

Ryan: My mother played (and still plays!) the horn and as soon as I heard her make a sound, I was hooked. My father is a clarinetist, so the only trouble I had was deciding which instrument I wanted to play! Both of my younger brothers (Connor, 16; Matthew, 14) play trumpet and tuba respectively, and sometimes we make music together. My family constantly inspires me.

Do you have any routines connected to your artistic craft?

Allison: So many! I approach my work as a director and educator from an ensemble theatre perspective. A ritual I love to use during the rehearsal process especially is group warm-ups. There’s obviously a lot of truth in the saying “practice how you perform” and I think warming up together is a great way to get artists connected and centered before digging into the meat of text work, blocking, etc. 

Ryan: I’m big on meditation before stressful performances, auditions, and practice sessions, since normally I tend to get ramped up and anxious. Headspace and METTA meditations are a must for me!

Umi: Ever since I got injured last summer, I try to be super conscious of stretching before practicing, especially long practice sessions. I tend to get tense (hence the injury), so I’m trying to learn more about how to relax both mentally and physically. Stretching is also sort of meditative for me, and it helps me to get into focus! Some of my pre-performance rituals include visualizing, studying the score, drinking smoothies, and taking deep breaths. 

What has been your favorite moment in your artistic life?

Allison: There have been so many moments, both on and off stage, where I’ve been so proud to be working in my craft. I think my favorites, however, have been while working in educational theatre. The amount of individual growth in those settings is always so special, and there’s really nothing more fulfilling as an educator than to see your students take ownership of a story you’ve worked long and hard to create together. 

Anita: I don’t think I can choose a favorite, but one that is coming to mind right now is from my sophomore year in region band. Thomas McCauley, the Director of Bands at Montclair State University, was our guest conductor and we were playing a wind band version of Elgar’s “Nimrod”. The piece was beautiful, but we weren’t really nailing the style, so Dr. McCauley told us the background of the piece and some general feedback, and then said, “Play it like you are playing it for somebody you love.” That moment gave me chills, and the next run of the piece felt like magic to me. His simple statement transformed the music, both the way we played it and the way it felt to play it. It was a moment I hold dear in my heart to this day, and try to apply to all of my endeavors.

Emily: I have so many artistic memories that are significant to me, but my favorite moments tend to be when I'm having conversations with other artists sharing ideas, perspectives, and building something from that connection. One specific moment that comes to mind is when my friends and I played “Taps” half steps apart from each other on our viola, oboe, and trumpet in the echoey rotundas at Interlochen Arts Camp in 2018.

Ryan: My brass quintet, Brass22, received a Gluck Community Service Fellowship from Juilliard last year, entailing performances in various facilities around the five boroughs of NYC. After a concert at a homeless shelter in Manhattan, a man came up to us in order to thank us for the music. His brother, who had happened to be a brass musician, had recently passed away, and so our performance was very meaningful to this man on a personal level. I cannot fathom losing my brothers, and so in that moment I immediately thought of them. This performance always serves as a reminder of why I decided to become a musician.

Do you have any hobbies or other interests? 

Allison: I love politics and government, history, nature & the environment, literature, art, style, film, music. I’m also a big hockey and baseball fan!

Anita: I enjoy making art when I have time, whether it’s just coloring in a coloring book or making realistic pencil drawings. I also go through phases when I knit or crochet, and I have a few tops and scrunchies that I’ve gotten out of that hobby. This summer I’ve been trying to spend more time outdoors, so I’ve been going to the beach a lot and have also explored hiking trails in some local parks. I like psychology and literature, which are interests that blossomed during my later years of high school due to some excellent teachers and enjoyable curricular content, and I especially like the works of Oscar Wilde.

Hannah: I love reading, making jewelry, and woodworking. I’ve also been getting into cooking and baking recently — my favorite dish to make so far is pie.

Umi: I love watching TV shows and movies, going to parks and looking at cute dogs, going to thrift stores, and cooking/baking. But honestly, nothing beats spending time with good people. It really doesn’t matter what I’m doing; as long as I’m with the right people, I’m happy!

Who or what inspires you?

Allison: Women, nature, and Saturday mornings. 

Anita: I am inspired by the support that I have gotten through the years from my teachers. I distinctly remember in fifth grade being told by my teacher, Mrs. Shenk, “Anita, you are capable of doing whatever you set your mind to in life.” Hearing that from a teacher, and keeping it in mind throughout the years, has helped lift the invisible barriers within myself that constantly try to remind me of my limits, of what I simply can’t do. I am constantly inspired by my past and current teachers’ faith in me to continue with vigor in all I do artistically, and in life. When I don’t believe in myself, I remember that there are people who do, and push on.

Hannah: This is always changing, but I would have to say the act of collaboration inspires me. Whenever I am working with other people, I am inspired to write more, and we build off of each other’s creative energies. Also, I’m inspired by how when working with other people your ideas can change so quickly and create something that is truly unique and special.

Umi: I’m inspired by artists who treat their craft with integrity and authenticity. That’s why I feel so lucky being in NYC where I am constantly surrounded by incredible artists, both in and out of school. In the last two years, I’ve fallen so much more in love with the piano and I really attribute that to the fact that I’ve been in this environment filled with dedicated artists. 

What was the last piece you listened to? What was the last book you read?

Allison: The last full album I listened to is Aminé’s Limbo (so good, please give it a listen). I’m currently re-reading Ocean Vuong’s Night Sky With Exit Wounds, which is his incredible first full collection of poetry. 

Anita: The last piece I listened to was Roy Hargrove’s Strasbourg / St. Denis. I was introduced to the tune by a friend and recently came across an Instagram video of a trumpet player playing the head—which reminded me how much I enjoy the song—so I went and took a listen. The last book I read was The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon.

Emily: Nina Shekhar’s hush for microtonal piano duo was the last piece I listened to. It’s a beautiful musical hug which for me is especially needed in these times. The last book I read was Alexandra Kleeman’s Intimations, a remarkable collection of short stories.

Hannah: The last piece that I listened to was Totentanz by Thomas Ades. The last book that I read was The Glassblower of Murano.

Ryan: Anthology of Fantastic Zoology by Mason Bates. Quite an amazing work. The last book I read was Creativity Inc. by Ed Catmull, who is president of both Pixar and Disney Animation Studios. The book describes Pixar’s unique and innovative leadership and workplace practices, as well as narrating the unorthodox history of the company.

Umi: The last piece I listened to is Vienna Phil’s recording of Beethoven’s 4th Piano Concerto with Alfred Brendel. The last song I listened to is Peach Scone by Hobo Johnson. Lately, I’ve been reading 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami and The Inner Game of Tennis by Timothy Gallwey. 

What’s your favorite place to be? 

Allison: Any Dunkin Donuts drive-thru. 

Anita: My favorite place to be is in Strumica, Macedonia with my grandparents. It’s a city in the mountains with rural outskirts where my grandfather has a garden. I used to visit every summer, and each visit would be like a new chapter in a book of memories there. To me, it’s like a refuge from the real world of responsibilities and hardships, because when I’m there I’m reunited with the rest of my family and it’s always during the summer, which would be a period of rest in those days. I haven’t been there in a few years now, which is hard for me since here it is just my parents, my brother, and me. I hope to go back as soon as I can, although it will never be the same as when I would go in my childhood.

Emily: Inside Jo March’s attic.

Umi: Anywhere with good food and good people. 

Do you have any pets? If not, what pet would you want? 

Allison: My family has a 10-year old Shih Tzu-Lhasa Apso mix named Lea, and we’re hoping to adopt another dog soon! 

Hannah: I have a dog named Toby and a fish named Maurice! Toby is a 14 year old cockapoo and Maurice is a 3 year old Betta fish.

Ryan: I have my 14 year old dog named Lila and my Siberian cat Ruby, who is 5! They’re both in Chicago and I miss them very much (along with the rest of my family!).

Umi: I have the sweetest cat named Cleo. My dad is watching her right now while I’m in New York, and I miss her so much! She’s having a blast with my dad and grandparents though.

What’s a funny memory from your childhood? 

Allison: Here’s one my mom loves to hold over me to this day. Once when I was 3, I was wandering around my house looking for something to do while my mom was on a work call. For some reason (even though it was the middle of the day) I decided I wanted practice brushing my teeth on my own. I went into our upstairs bathroom, grabbed my toothbrush and, not being able to read very well, picked up the first thing I saw that resembled a tube of toothpaste. After a good thorough brush, however, I was horrified to find that my teeth were stuck together and I couldn’t couldn’t open my mouth. I ran to get my mom and hysterically tried to explain what happened through tears and gritted teeth, and upon a brief investigation she found that I had accidentally brushed my teeth with superglue. She was understandably freaking out and ended up having to call poison control. Apparently this actually happens a lot (?) and the good folks told her the superglue would wear off and I’d be just fine. A word to the wise: don’t keep superglue in your bathroom cabinets.

Emily: One of my violin teachers used to circle things to pay attention to in my sheet music with colored pencils, and if his students didn’t correct the mistake within x number of weeks as agreed, he would circle it with “red, the color of blood,” as he would say. That teacher also used to always wear really interesting t-shirts that I was a bit jealous of, one week he’d be wearing a shirt with an x-ray of a dog with homework inside its stomach, another week it’d be a school of fish shaped like a large shark that was scaring a real smaller shark, and the next it’d be some ants playing Tetris. His cat at the time was not often a fan of music—when the weather was fine enough, she would scratch the door to be let out the moment the violins were being unpacked, or she would meow to be let into the bedroom furthest from the studio.

Hannah: This isn’t a specific memory, but when I would practice violin, my dog would always “sing”! He always loved singing to lower notes more than high notes. It made practicing intonation a bit tricky, but we never wanted to stop him from singing. He loved the opening to Tzigane by Ravel more than anything.

Ryan: When my mom and I found Lila at an animal shelter, I was intent on getting a bearded dragon. I couldn’t fathom getting a dog. While I looked around for lizards, Lila was the first to run up to us and jump on my mom. The owner said that in her sixteen years she had never seen a mother try to convince her son that he needed a puppy. We ended up leaving the shelter and going home, only for my mom to return later that night to bring Lila home. After one night in a crate, she slept in my bed for the next seven years. 

Umi: I have always loved strawberries, especially when I was little. There was a strawberry farm near our house where I grew up, and every summer, we would go and they’d give us a small container to pick our own strawberries so we could take them home. Me being a 5 year old obsessed with strawberries, however, had no idea that was what you were supposed to do, so our whole family almost got kicked out when the workers realized that I was going down each line of strawberry bushes and stuffing my face with all the berries I could pick. They caught me red-handed, literally. 

What’s your favorite pi(e)?

Allison: SO many. At this very moment, though, probably blueberry.

Anita: Pumpkin pie. With whipped cream on top.

Emily: Just one?! π, but τ is better.

Hannah: There are so many good pies, but I would have to say a classic Dutch apple pie.

Ryan: Strawberry rhubarb, one hundred percent.

Umi: Peach cobbler, which is a sort of a pie. But I also love the classic warm apple pie with vanilla ice cream.