Contemporary Classical Music Podcast
Relevant Tones returns after our hiatus to bring you some of our favorite albums (and concerts) of the year. It was a great year for music! Hosted by Seth Boustead, Matthew Dosland, Stephen Anthony Rawson and Austin Williams. MUSIC For Adrienne I by Martin Gendelman What Stories We Tell by George Hurd Study No. 1 … Continue reading #473 Notable Albums of 2025
At the World’s Edge is a chamber music festival inspired by its roots in the Southern Alps of New Zealand and forging ties to Chicago and beyond. Host Seth Boustead talks with violinist and founding Artistic Director Benjamin Baker about his vision for the festival and features music the festival has commissioned. MUSIC Yabo by … Continue reading #472 At the world’s edge festival
Host Austin Williams and composer guest Neil Quigley chat about Neil’s music and its relationship to speculative history. Neil explains how his relationship to the Kilkenny Electroacoustic Research Laboratory is largely based in that practice. Among many other projects Neil created this love letter to his hometown and lans to wrap up the anthology in the … Continue reading #471 Neil Quigley
Join host Austin Williams as he speaks to members of the Coalescent Saxophone Quartet. The quartet consists of members Nathan Bogert, Michael Shults, Nick Zoulek, and Drew Whiting; each of which are incredibly accomplished musicians in their own right. The quartet has recently released a new album (The Wall Between Us) of works for sax quartet. … Continue reading #470 Coalescent Quartet
Join host Austin Williams and new music ensemble Hot Second ( Rebecca McDaniel Percussion and Dylan Feldpausch Violin/Viola) as we discuss their unique ensemble and its take on new music in Chicago. The conversation consists of thoughtful insights on how an ensemble can think outside of the traditional cannon and use influences from pop and … Continue reading #469 Hot Second
Grammy-nominated soprano Laura Strickling released the first installment of 40@40 in 2023 and the first anthology has just been published by New Music Shelf. This extraordinary album features world-premiere recordings of art songs commissioned by Strickling who says: "These twenty songs, from composers and poets of diverse backgrounds, are exceptional in their beauty, depth, quality, … Continue reading #468 Laura strickling 40@40
Cohosts Austin Williams and Stephen Rawson share what they have been listening to recently. Austin shares about an anthology of Irish Electroacoustic music that he became privy to recently and Stephen has a wide variety of vocal and chamber music that comes up. Stephen and Austin also reminisce about their time they shared as music … Continue reading #467 On the radar april 2025
We celebrate spring with a show of music inspired by travel from the classic road trip to a mythical odyssey and more. Hosted by Seth Boustead. MUSIC Road Trip by Sally Whitwell Three Manhattan Bridges, George Washington Bridge by Michael Torke (excerpt) Road Movies, mvmt 1 Relaxed Groove by John Adams Motorbike Odyssey by Jan … Continue reading #466 Road trip
Chiayu Hsu is an active composer of contemporary concert music and associate professor of composition at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Born in Banciao, Taiwan, Chiayu frequently explores ideas of cultural fusion. She derives inspiration from places, poems, myths, and images. Particularly, the combination of Chinese elements and western techniques is a hallmark of her … Continue reading #465 Chiayu Hsu
Host Austin Williams curates a listening experience with themes of feedback. Feedback is often associated with harsh sounds that are created when a microphone is placed too close to the speaker that it is amplified through. While this is a way feedback can be aurally achieved there are many ways composers implement feedback and other … Continue reading #464 Feedback