James Latimer

Percussionist, Professor Emeritus in the UW-Madison School of Music, and current director of the Capitol City Band, James Latimer shares his knowledge about the role that music plays in our lives. In this interview, he discusses how COVID-19 has negatively impacted interactive musical performance that strives to connect people, and defines the terms by which we can begin to understand how music informs human experience overall. “In the area between sound and silence,” he says, “is where music begins.” Not only does its magic enrich our lives, Latimer asserts, but “(i)t is fundamental to our existence.”