As President of The Juilliard School, Dr. Joseph Polisi is a twenty-first century visionary poised at the helm of a world-renowned performing arts institution; he is a fierce proponent of the arts, an author, a teacher, and a performer.

Notes On The Road recently had a rare and fortuitous opportunity to chat with lyric soprano Amy Burton, a star of the operatic scene and member of the esteemed voice faculty at Mannes College.

Notes on the Road asked New York City Opera flutist and uber-chess officionado, John McMurtery, to talk to us about his passion for the infamous 64-squares.

John weighed in with remarkable insights on what continually drives him to step up his game, what training methods he finds most effective, and which slippery tips and tricks to watch out for from a brand-new kind of opponent.