In the rarified world of classical music, the road to success is a daunting one. Especially for young conductors. CONDUCTING LIFE follows the remarkable journey of Roderick Cox as he tirelessly pursues his dream — to secure a top position with a major orchestra. Poignant and revealing, this is a story about the passion, sacrifice, and courage it takes to succeed in an elusive profession with limited opportunities.

Cox’s path to the podium is an unlikely one. Born into a gospel choir home, this Georgia native showed musical promise before the age of three. In high school, Cox’s musicianship took a leap forward, thanks to a foresighted gift from Zelma Redding, Otis Redding’s widow. But it wasn’t until he entered Columbus State University Schwob School of Music that the largely self-taught musician began his formal classical training in earnest.

Shot over seven years, Diane Moore’s intimate portrait captures the highs and lows of an award-winning conductor and his quest to succeed in a discipline that has traditionally overlooked artists like Cox.

CONDUCTING LIFE celebrates how one gifted musician, despite formidable odds, channels his love of music to achieve mastery in the highly competitive field of orchestral conducting.

This documentary short delivers a call-to-action in support of the Roderick Cox Music Initiative, which awards scholarships to aspiring young classical musicians of color. Roderick’s story is part of the larger conversation about increasing opportunities, diversity, and equity for musicians of color in classical music.

CONDUCTING LIFE has been screened in over twenty-nine film festivals and is the recipient of nine film festival awards. It is available for viewing on the internet streaming platforms Amazon and Reveel.net.

Film website: ConductingLife.com

The Story Swap documentary was produced in the spring of 2010 to capture the first international Story Swap exchange between students from Haiti and the United States. Story Swap is an innovative educational program of the Aspen Writers' Foundation that uses storytelling, creative writing, and the visual arts to generate understanding between various groups of diverse individuals. My role in this film was as both the Co-Producer and the New Orleans Field Producer. Story Swap was accepted into the 2010 Fort Lauderdale Film Festival and the Orlando Film Festival. The Story Swap premiere was held at the Aspen Idea's Festival in June of 2010.

In April of 2010, 14 students from Cours Prives Edme High School (Port-au-Prince, Haiti) and 12 students from Sci Academy (New Orleans, LA) participated in the international launch of Story Swap. The two schools were connected via satellite technology in this weeklong exchange. The Story Swap project was designed to encourage students to look beyond their borders in order to gain knowledge and forge understanding. Story Swap, through creative expression and the sharing of stories and experiences, helps students become informed, compassionate, global citizens.