Contemporary Classical Music Podcast
The great Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges has had an enormous influence on artists, writers, philosophers and thinkers of all kinds, and composers are no exception. We spoke with renowned Borges scholar Daniel Balderston about the life and times of Borges and with composers Carla Kihlstedt, Diego Vega and Gheorghi Arnaoudov about how his work … Continue reading #277 Musical Legacies: Jorge Luis Borges
New music releases have slowed to a trickle, it's true, but they haven't stopped entirely! Seth chats with four creative musicians and ensembles who have recently released wildly inventive new music including saxophone quartet Nois, Third Coast Percussion, Sunny Knable and Amy Wurtz. Music:Vaisseau Fantôme by Nikki HarlaftiApertures by Matthew Arrellin - Performed by NoisSongs … Continue reading #276 Is This Nois?
Access Contemporary Music's popular Sound of Silent Film Festival features newly commissioned scores performed live to modern silent films. 2020 marks the 15th anniversary and they're celebrating with two ambitious programs presented virtually. Seth talks with several of the filmmakers and composers about their inspiration and process and plays selections of the scores. Find out … Continue reading #275 Sound of Silent Film
Composers and performers are finding incredibly creative ways to continue connecting and making great music in the midst of a global pandemic. Seth talks with composers Suzanne Farrin, Gene Pritsker, Carlos Simon, Liza Sobel and Greg Bartholomew as well as countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo and American Composers Orchestra's Artistic Director Derek Bermel. MUSICNacht (excerpt) by … Continue reading #274 Pandemic Dances
Narrative is an important aspect of both music and storytelling. Seth will talk with composers Nathalie Joachim and David T. Little and writer J. Robert Lennon about how they structure their music and stories. We'll hear music performed by cellist Nicholas Photinos and pianist Yasuko Oura and chat with them about their perspectives on narrative … Continue reading #273 What’s the Narrative?
Full Episode https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLKKOqw6qRyqeUtYpFr8yw4N29I5gNtx5m According to the New Yorker "astrology is currently enjoying a broad cultural acceptance that hasn’t been seen since the nineteen-seventies. The shift began with the advent of the personal computer, accelerated with the Internet, and has reached new speeds through social media." Seth chats with expert astrologers Rebecca Gordon and Sam Reynolds … Continue reading #272 Stargazing
Pianist Jenny Lin likes to test her limits. In 2006 she challenged composers to write virtuosic works for her in which they imagined that she had an eleventh finger. Not surprisingly, these pieces are now some of the hardest in the piano repertoire but she hasn’t rested on her laurels since then. Her latest labor … Continue reading #271 Live at LPR: Jenny Lin Plays ICEBERG
Jeremiah Moss’ book, Vanishing New York inspired this live program featuring the music of New York City composers who were an important staple of the ’70’s and ’80’s scene but were taken too soon. We’re honoring Julius Eastman, Arthur Russell, Ben Weber, and Tui St. German Tucker by representing their works and stories. This program … Continue reading #270 Live at Lincoln Center: Vanishing City
Rolling Stone declared Nels Cline as one of the 20 “new guitar gods” and one of the top 100 guitarists of all time. He may be best known as the guitarist of rock band Wilco, but he’s also a talented composer. Seth sits down with Cline to discuss his compositional and improvisational style, making the … Continue reading #269 Nels Cline
There’s a subsection of contemporary music called ‘Musical Historicism;’ a genre of music that uses historical elements and revives them in modern works. From Minimalism to Totalism, Modernism to Post-Modernism to Neomodernism; we’re taking a look at pieces that influence contemporary compositions, either to mimic the past or to be the antithesis. Hosted by Seth … Continue reading #268 Antecedents