Meet Josh Condon, Resident Artist and Director of Community Music Programs for Arizona Musicfest, an organization which features 50+ concert performances of the industry's top talent each year in North Scottsdale. As head of their community education program called Music Alive!, he lectures on topics surveying a huge breadth of music history and analysis, including popular song, symphonic repertoire, jazz performance practice, and musical theatre.  Let’s dive into Josh’s journey and discover how music has shaped his path.

Can you tell us about your journey in music and how you came to be involved with Arizona Musicfest?  My musical journey has been wonderfully varied. Originally from western New York, I began as a pianist studying both classical and jazz traditions, becoming a choral director and concert producer by 16. After studying music at Ithaca College, I traveled the world as a cruise ship musician before moving to Arizona nearly nine years ago to study music direction and conducting for theatre and opera at ASU. Since then, I’ve been deeply involved in the music community, and in late summer 2023, a colleague’s recommendation led to my role with Arizona Musicfest as leader of the Community Engagement program.

Arizona Musicfest brings world-class talent to the stage—how do you see your educational programming complementing these performances?  Every Wednesday morning in our Community Room at the Arizona Musicfest, I gather with fellow music lovers in a seminar-style format called Listen Up, typically lasting 90 minutes.  Many of those seminar topics are inspired by the music and the artists that are part of our mainstage concert season – offering a musical diversity that allows people with different tastes to find something they’ll love.   Beyond the concert season, however, is a wealth of music-making and lifelong learning opportunities for folks who want to explore all kinds of musical experiences and topics – we often have events happening every single weekday during the heart of our concert season of November through April.

Your lectures cover everything from symphonic music to jazz and musical theatre—how do you approach making such a wide range of topics accessible to all audiences?  I am inspired by great communicators such as Leonard Bernstein.  He had a way of talking about music that made it approachable, demystifying the art in a way that gave people a deeper appreciation for what they were listening to.  At the end of the day, music is organized sound, and each genre of music organizes sound in a different way.  I love illuminating the magic behind the music, both from a historical and cultural perspective, but also from a technical perspective that gives people an opportunity to have a glimpse into the creative process of music.  I don’t approach these seminars from an exclusively academic perspective – there is a story involved in every composition, every recording, and every artist - and I love finding out that story and sharing it with an audience.

What’s one musical topic or genre you particularly love to teach, and why?  This is a tough one! I definitely have a soft spot for symphonic music because there is so much to talk about.  But I really enjoy talking about other genres and topics as well and the variety of different ways I can unpack them.  As a pianist, I often demonstrate things in class, so anytime I can find a way to work that in, I do.

Have you found any surprising connections between different musical styles or historical periods that really resonate with your audiences?  Yes.  All music has a story – where it came from, who has been impacted by it, etc.  My job is to identify that story so that no matter what your musical tastes are – you can discover our shared humanity across time and culture.  It’s really a profound thing and something I really only truly understood and appreciated upon taking this job and doing the research.

Can you share a memorable moment from one of your community programs or lectures?  The most memorable for me is the feedback I receive from audience members.  “I didn’t even know what today’s topic was, but if I had known I might not have shown up.  I’m so glad I did!” Other things might be observing how music moves people – in any given session, it is very common for the audience to burst out laughing, and then a little later, find that the music has moved them to tears.  From there, we can all share our impressions – and when that occurs, the bonding that occurs within that community is truly special.  And something our world needs more of!

In your view, what role does music education play in building a stronger, more connected community?  Music creates a shared experience – it illuminates an important aspect of being human. No culture has ever existed without it.  Music influences culture and vice versa, and as a means of self-expression it can truly change lives.  Music builds empathy and communicates to you the listener that you are not alone in the feelings that you have.  Suffice to say that music education helps develop artists, build audiences, and create meaningful connections between people.  Though it is cliché to say, music truly brings people together, in ways that people simply would not otherwise be together.  When that occurs, a little bit more empathy and love is poured out, and we all discover something about our shared human experience.  Music makes the world a better place!

How do you keep your own creativity and musicianship sharp while also being a full-time educator and program director?  Fortunately, at Musicfest, I have multiple opportunities to perform and curate my own content.  Outside of that, I remain active as a performer in jazz clubs, theatres, churches, and community orchestras. I bring all those experiences to the classroom and am also fortunate that many of my “students” at Arizona Musicfest frequent my performances as well!

While not specifically educational, I’m looking very much forward to our intimate concert series called Club Musicfest that I’m curating which will feature some amazing local talent.  For our educational programming, we will continue bringing in wonderful guest artists and presenters who will bring their expertise to the table, in programs such as our Pizza-cato Chamber Music series for classical music enthusiasts, Behind the Curtain for musical theatre fans, A History of Jazz Piano with pianist extraordinaire Nicole Pesce, an interactive Creative Aging series on music and the brain, and much, much more!

On a personal note, who is in your family and are they also involved in the Music Program for Arizona Musicfest?  My wife Lexy is a professional singer whom I often perform with – she’ll be joining us for some of the cabarets upcoming and often makes special appearances singing at some of our social events!  We met performing together on Princess Cruise Lines.  My son, who two years old, participated in some of our music classes for toddlers earlier this spring as well! So, Arizona Musicfest has definitely been a family affair in more ways than one!

More about Music Alive!:  Unless otherwise noted, all programs are free and take place in the Arizona Musicfest Community Room, located at 7950 E. Thompson Peak Pkwy.

To find out more:  AZMUSICFEST.ORG