Josh goes back to his roots when he travels to Portland, Oregon, where he grew up and had his first experiences with choral music. In this episode, the first of a number of “Portland” episodes, Josh talks with Ethan Sperry, who took over the choral program at Portland State University where Josh attended many years ago. We learn about Ethan’s rich experiences as a young musician in New York and how he came to this profession. Ethan and Josh also talk about the nature of conducting, the unique aspects of men’s choirs, and go deep into the nature of Ethan’s philosophies of musical motivation and inspiration.