{"podcast":{"title":"The Bandwich Tapes","slug":"the-bandwich-tapes-6690876","podcast_index_feed_id":6690876,"rss_url":"https://feeds.transistor.fm/the-bandwich-tapes","website_url":"http://thebandwichtapes.com","image_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/5GIfl3nK5UwXazdSBzpvMJS83GPpF5ssHbRbNceSPlk/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS84ZjFm/MmEyY2I5NjliZDJi/NjYwN2E1ZjYwZGEy/NDMyZS5wbmc.jpg","author":"Brad Williams","episode_count":159,"summary":"The Bandwich Tapes is a podcast where host Brad Williams sits down with musicians for thoughtful conversations about the craft of making music. Each episode explores the experiences, influences, and creative decisions that shape an artist’s work. From improvisation and songwriting to collaboration, recording, and life on the road, the conversations go beyond biography to focus on how music actually gets made. Guests include instrumentalists, composers, songwriters, and producers from across the musical landscape. The tone is relaxed, curious, and musician-to-musician—an opportunity to hear artists reflect on their process, their collaborators, and the musical moments that have stayed with them. Whether you're a seasoned musician, a die-hard music fan, or simply someone who loves a good story, The Bandwich Tapes has something for everyone. So, come along for the ride as we explore the magic of music and the incredible journeys of the people who bring it to life.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-30T18:19:58.886509+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bandwich-tapes-6690876"},"episode":{"title":"Jake Nissly: Auditions, Adversity, and the Pocket Inside the Orchestra","slug":"jake-nissly-auditions-adversity-and-the-pocket-inside-the-orchestra","published_at":"2026-05-04T09:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bandwich-tapes-6690876/jake-nissly-auditions-adversity-and-the-pocket-inside-the-orchestra","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bandwich-tapes-6690876","url":"https://share.transistor.fm/s/668cb1fa","audio_url":"https://2.gum.fm/op3.dev/e/pdcn.co/e/pscrb.fm/rss/p/pdst.fm/e/dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/media.transistor.fm/668cb1fa/3e6e7966.mp3","summary":"On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes , I sit down with percussionist Jake Nissly , Principal Percussionist of the San Francisco Symphony , for a conversation about what it actually takes to build and sustain a career at the highest level of orchestral playing. Jake’s résumé is remarkable, but what stands out even more is the range of hats he wears: orchestral musician, soloist, educator, department chair at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music , drum set player, former drum corps kid, and even Little League coach. We spend time unpacking the reality of orchestral auditions, the intense preparation, the psychological pressure of playing behind a screen, and the almost figure-skating-level precision required to compete in that world. Jake walks through his own path: winning the Detroit Symphony job at 26, then later the Cleveland Orchestra , and ultimately facing the difficult experience of not receiving tenure. Rather than ending his trajectory, that moment reshaped it and eventually led him to the San Francisco Symphony. One of my favorite parts of this conversation centers on Jake’s concept of feel . He credits much of his orchestral success to his background in drum set and drum corps , where groove, flexibility, and listening are everything. That experience, he says, translates directly into orchestral playing, even in repertoire like Mahler or Ravel’s Bolero , where there’s still a pocket to find if you’re listening closely enough. We also talk about teaching and the changing landscape for young musicians. Jake shares thoughtful insights about how YouTube and digital access have transformed preparation, often producing incredibly polished players who sometimes struggle to develop ownership, personality, and soul in their playing. It’s an honest conversation abo…","meta_description":"On this episode of The Bandwich Tapes , I sit down with percussionist Jake Nissly , Principal Percussionist of the San Francisco Symphony , for a conversa…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":4006,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-bandwich-tapes-6690876/episodes/jake-nissly-auditions-adversity-and-the-pocket-inside-the-orchestra/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-bandwich-tapes-6690876/jake-nissly-auditions-adversity-and-the-pocket-inside-the-orchestra.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}