Music that matters: Aubyn O'Grady

Aubyn O'Grady is the program director at the Yukon School of Visual Arts in Dawson City, Yukon, a job that keeps her on her toes, and brings new challenges each day.

So it's important her days get off to a good start, and for O'Grady that means waking up with some good music.

And that's how she came up with her first choice, Prokofiev's Montagues and Capulets from the opera Romeo and Juliet.

"I don't know too much about the opera, or about the other music in the opera," she said. "But this song is the best way to start your day if you feel like you want to conquer the world.

"I remember hearing this song in my youth, it must have been on Bugs Bunny or something — it has that kind of vibe."

O'Grady's next song is Jaan Pehchan Ho by Mohammed Rafi, a piece of music featured in the Bollywood hit movie Gumnaam.

"This song is for when I need a break from the endless scrolling of emails or whatever social media I'm on. This song, every time, just makes me want to dance."

O'Grady's third choice is a piece of music called the Secondo coro delle lavandaie from an Italian musical, first performed in Naples.

"I've been kind of obsessed with this area of Italy since reading the Elena Ferrante books, the My Brilliant Friend series. She paints such a beautiful picture of a friendship and that area of Italy.

O'Grady's next choice was also from Italy, a classic piece of pop from Edoardo Vianello.

"I heard this song in a movie ... about an Italian road trip and it just got stuck in my head and I love it."

There was nothing obscure about O'Grady's final selection, Burning Up, by Madonna. It's a song on Madonna's first album, but O'Grady said she didn't come across it until it was featured on RuPaul's Drag Race.

"I was listening to the lyrics and she was ferocious and taking risks and just giving it her all. She was so herself all the time, and it's just so admirable."