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Jo Cheung is director and founder of Olympias Music Foundation, a Manchester charity championing diversity in music – from violin lessons for children on free-school meals, to community choirs for vulnerable BAME women and school children. Since 2015, they have delivered over 2000 free music lessons to 250 children in Manchester, and engaged with many more through workshops and performances.We chat how Olympias got here, where it’s going and stop off along the way at:
The completely unregulated nature of teaching musicTaking music education from school to the community and what that really means in practiseOlympias’s huge Making Manchester project and their plans for the next yearhttps://www.joyeecheung.com/
https://www.olympiasmusicfoundation.com/
Educational & crossgrade versions available at significantly discounted prices.Get your 30-day free trial version of Dorico that will allow you to try out all of the features Dorico has to offer with no restrictions.
This episode is sponsored by Dorico: the next-generation music notation software from Steinberg.
Slung Low Theatre CompanyMaking ManchesterCommunity Integration AwardsEmma DohertyHayley SuvisteCookbook!
Links and Show Notes—
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Raymond Yiu is a Hong-Kong born, London-based composer, jazz pianist, conductor and writer on music. Originally trained as an engineer, Yiu was self-taught as a composer until he undertook his DMus under the auspice of Julian Anderson at Guildhall in 2009. His debut album The World Was Once All Miracle showcases his talent with three identity-exploring works informed by his time at Guildhall.
How to get your foot on the ladder as a self-trained composerWhy he won’t be getting a publisher any time soonWhy Raymond never wrote the Cantonese pop songs that inspired him so muchhttps://raymondyiu.com/
Educational & crossgrade versions available at significantly discounted prices.Get your 30-day free trial version of Dorico that will allow you to try out all of the features Dorico has to offer with no restrictions.
This episode is sponsored by Dorico: the next-generation music notation software from Steinberg.
Links and Show NotesRaymond Yiu: The World Was Once All Miracle out now on CD (with great liner notes)
Lontano ensemble directed by Odaline de la Martinez
North West Wind recordingRaymond with Odaline de la Martinez’Raymond with Lukas FossNo Dice’s latest spoken word gigJoe Hisaishi of Studio Ghibli scoring fame (I said his name wrong)Benetton’s ad with an image of David _Kirkby_—
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Saknas det avsnitt?
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Lara Agar is a composer, violinist, and collaborator who recently caught my eye with a credit on Shades of Blue, a dance piece performed at Sadler’s Wells and broadcast on the BBC. We talk about how the piece came about, curating nights, and the different relationship musicians, dancers, and actors have with their art. Also in the episode:
The benefits of long-term creative partnershipsLara’s accidental rock operaLara’s love of chaosMusic’s uniquely non-visual role in today’s worldhttps://www.laraagar.com/
Educational & crossgrade versions available at significantly discounted prices.Get your 30-day free trial version of Dorico that will allow you to try out all of the features Dorico has to offer with no restrictions.
This episode is sponsored by Dorico: the next-generation music notation software from Steinberg.
Links and Show Notes
Joe and Lara’s pretty faces
Rosalie Warner
Kantos – In The Field
EXAUDI vocal ensemble
SET
Music played in this episode
Shades of Blue (intro bed and breakbeat example)
Anima Rose
JABBERWOCKY - performed by EXAUDI (excerpt and in full at the end)
Accidental Rock Opera
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Aubrey and I geek out about marketing in the classical realm.
Why classical’s core product will always be live musicWhy we shouldn’t be streaming whole concerts for freePlus Aubrey gives her advice on how new groups should approach finding and keeping new listeners, and how to get around the fear of the unknown with newly written music.If you’re a musician or arts administrator of any kind, this is an essential listen. If you fall outside of that, enjoy looking behind the curtain at what an orchestra exec spends her time thinking about.
Some Aubrey bio fun facts: she grew Seattle Opera’s BRAVO! Club to the largest group for young patrons in the US, led the Bumbershoot Festival to achieve an unprecedented 43% increase in revenue, and propelled the California Symphony to double the size of its audience and nearly quadruple the donor base.
https://www.aubreybergauer.com/
Educational & crossgrade versions available at significantly discounted prices.Get your 30-day free trial version of Dorico that will allow you to try out all of the features Dorico has to offer with no restrictions.
This episode is sponsored by Dorico: the next-generation music notation software from Steinberg.
Links and Show Notes
💿 Get our CD Stillness with 25% off when you order before Christmas 💿It’s a CELLO-BRATION! - California Symphony (Available till Dec 11 2020. Emphasis mine.)
The referenced LSO video. Click ‘show chat replay’ to see Maxine Kwok in action.
Jill Robinson at TRG
Aubrey’s excellent blog. This post is California Symphony’s ‘Public Commitment to Diversity’, which I love.
Geffen Playhouse’s Zoom play: The Present
San Francisco Symphony: Throughline (free!)
Live with Carnegie Hall: Remembering Ruth Bader Ginsburg (also free!)
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Ellie and I have a really open chat about our experiences with choral conducting and running a music group. Plenty of golden advice from Ellie, plus she explains why conductors shouldn’t silo into orchestral or choral, the weirdness of masterclasses, and creative administration.
Ellie is a conductor, and founder of Kantos Chamber Choir (who I sing with). She recently debuted with the Hallé and toured with Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet production as the Young Associate Conductor. She is musical director with the Hallé Youth Orchestra, Radius Opera, Stafford Choral Society; and associate conductor with Manchester Chamber Choir and Huddersfield Choral Society.
Ellie Slorach https://www.ellieslorach.co.uk/
This episode is sponsored by Dorico: the next-generation music notation software from Steinberg.
Educational & crossgrade versions available at significantly discounted prices.Get your 30-day free trial version of Dorico that will allow you to try out all of the features Dorico has to offer with no restrictions.Links and Show Notes
In The Field - Kantos Chamber ChoirRoyal Opera House - Opportunities for Women Conductors
Jamulus
Ellie’s Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme masterclass with Marin Alsop
Ellie conducting the Hallé Youth Orchestra
National Theatre Live (online screenings have now finished)
Piece of the Month blog series - No Dice Collective
Music played in this episode
Robert Nathaniel Dett – O Holy Lord
Rory Wainwright Johnston – Ave MariaAvailable to hear as part of Kantos’s In The Field project
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Shruthi Rajasekar is a composer from Minnesota USA who straddles the worlds of Western contemporary music and south Indian Carnatic music from a truly unique position. Having grown up in the US with prominent Carnatic musician Nirmala Rajasekar as a mother, Shruthi is a joy to talk with as we cover:
Choral culture and education in the US vs UKHow the pandemic is actually improving conversations around pieces in the rehearsal processShruthi’s experience at SOAS and RNCMWe also get super into the weeds discussing how despite its insane cross-rhythms, Carnatic music never changes time signature – plus how Shruthi breaks those rules in her piece, Numbers.Shruthi Rajasekar https://www.shruthirajasekar.com/
Educational & crossgrade versions available at significantly discounted prices.Get your 30-day free trial version of Dorico that will allow you to try out all of the features Dorico has to offer with no restrictions.
This episode is sponsored by Dorico: the next-generation music notation software from Steinberg.
Links and Show Notes
Many thanks to NMC for allowing Shruthi’s piece Numbers to be played in this podcast. Find out more about their great Young Composers Scheme album on their website or stream the piece.Shruthi’s ‘German and Sanskrit’ piece, Devotee (played throughout)
Shruthi’s mum, Nirmala Rajasekar
Out of Context #1: Diversifying Programming with Integrity – Shruthi’s article for I Care If You Listen
B C Manjunath's Instagram:
“My mood for few days has simply been in Triplets, Sextuplets and Duodeciplets” 😅Transcribed madness. 42:28s anyone?
Music played in this episode
Devotee
Numbers—
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or Picking Weird Enough Instruments That People Can’t Look Away
Cello/singer–accordion duo Good Habits perform live for us all the way from New Zealand. We chat musical storytelling, capturing attention, and moulding a bar gig into a full blown concert by playing the room right. We also hear about their experience writing pop songs for a Chinese media company!
Good Habits https://www.facebook.com/goodhabitsband/
Links and Show Notes
Classical evolutionThe Trouble Notes
The Unthanks
The Fitzgeralds - amazing!
Silkroad Ensemble
A great series on mixing basics by Dan Worrall for Fabfilter
Benjamin Marrington-Reeve
Hugh Morris
Bonus link: https://www.facebook.com/goodhabitsband/videos/841706926030804/
(for context https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Klhfo6sB4N4)
Music played in this episode
Under My Nose (PODCAST EXCCCLLUSIVE)
Forget It (also EXCCLUSSSIVE)
Hitch—
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⭐ Revolutionary alternatives to tokenistic diversity programmes
⭐ Deconstructing boundaries between jazz and classical and freeing yourself to make the music you want to make
⭐ Methods for sneaking improvisation in front of classical musicians without them freaking outVijay Iyer is an ECM-signed artist. He has worked with Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble, written violin concertos for Jennifer Koh, and music for the LA Phil New Music Group. He has been ‘Jazz Artist of the Year’ more times in more magazines than it is polite to count and it is my immense honour to welcome him to Classical Music Now.
If you want to access the work for yourself and check go to https://en.schott-music.com/shop/autoren/vijay-iyer
Links and Show Notes
MixTape by Vijay’s studentsWadada Leo Smith
Fluxus movement
Mutations – Vijay Iyer
Shepard tone demonstrationProbably the most famous use of it in music
Time, Place, Action – Vijay Iyer (extracts)
Still Life With Commentator – Mike Ladd, Vijay Iyer
Vijay Iyer presents Ritual Ensemble at Wigmore Ensemble
Vijay’s conversation with Georgina Born
We didn’t really dig into Vijay’s views on genre and community, but they're really good so if you're interested you can hear him talking about it in an interview for the Ojai Music Festival, where he was musical director in 2017 – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUtV9E5AB_I
Music played in this episode
Emergence – Vijay IyerRead Hugh’s article on Emergence that sparked this episode!
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Acknowledgements
Vijay Iyer EMERGENCEPublished by Schott Music Corporation, New York NYEmergence was commissioned by the National Forum of Music in Wroclaw, Poland which organizes Jazztopad Festival. It was premiered by the NFM Leopoldinum Chamber Orchestra in April 2016.
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Ah what a lovely chat. We begin with a love letter to new music and Manchester, work through why everyone should be improvising and the parallels between graphic scores and electroacoustic soundscapes, before ending with the role of music in activism, and electro finding a mainstream home in horror music and Amazon’s Alex Rider adaptation.
Sarah Keirle - http://sarahekeirle.wixsite.com/
Links and Show NotesThe Illy Quane Episode
James Keirle
International Anthony Burgess Foundation
The Vonnegut Collective episode
I found it! Turns out we liked the piece enough to commission him… Theme & Transformations by Mark Bowler reflecting deforestation (not temperature change)
Sonification & The Problem with Making Music from Data - Tantacrul
https://harryovingtonmusic.com/sonic-rewild
Harrison Birtwistle: Silbury Air (with score) – See also this excellent primer by London Sinfonietta which includes an explanation of what metric modulation is if you’re wondering.
Can you hear Sarah Keirle’s burp in Okypete and Aello? I can’t. Send me a timestamp!
Danny Saul
Music played in this episode (in order)Gethsemane intro bed
Okypete and Aello extracts throughout
Blue Lungs outro bed
Okypete and Aello final piece played in full
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Illy Quane: trumpet player extraordinaire, composer, and very funny guy. If you’re looking for some light lockdown distraction, this is it.
We chat about our disappointment with existing brass repertoire (apart from one piece for brass ensemble), Illy explains his developing thoughts on creating gran-friendly contemporary music programmes, and Joe recounts the moment he realised The Sixteen had more than sixteen members.
All in-betweeny music composed or arranged by Illy, and can be heard in full at the links below.
Links and Show Notes
Penderecki - Threnody (Animated Score) starts 0:32
Illy playing with the University of Manchester Brass Band (I’m at the back right)
Kantos Chamber Choir
AGBEKO - ‘22-legged Afro-Party Monster’
A Fela Kuti tune - Water no get enemy
EXCLUSIVE: Secret Footage of Quartet Menine Performing The Metal by Tenacious D Found in Deepest Darkest Corner of YouTube
Quartet Menine playing an arrangement of Debussy’s Dr Gradus ad Parnassum
Shout out Darren Bloom
The New New Manchester Manchester School School presents: And And And And I’ll [Live] (discussed later)
Other members of The New New Manchester Manchester School School, Izzy Williams and Aaron Breeze.
Worship Music
The Lion King (but the songs are different and the plot is terrible)
Jacob Collier’s beautiful performance of Hallelujah live for BBC
BeatSketch_#1 - BIRD SCUFF
‘Like those videos of people playing along with a Nigel Farage Speech’ example
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Today we’re chatting improv and Adès with the Vonnegut Collective. An enjoyably Coronavirus-free interview recorded back in March with a healthy dose of silliness and fun to complement the deep thoughts on what makes a good piece, and the place of improvisation in music education.
Vonnegut Collective - https://vonnegutcollective.co.uk/
Links and Show NotesOmer Meir Wellber
Remix Ensemble
Frank Zappa - The Yellow Shark - Intro
Rem Koolhaas architect
As Gemma won’t give us her favourite Dire Straits song, here’s Spotify’s
Django Bates
Markus Stockhausen
Cornelius Cardew Scratch Orchestra
John Stevens - Search & Reflect
Iceberg
https://vonnegutcollective.co.uk/projects/thomas-ades-tullis-rennie/
Adès Piano Quintet score (check out the sorta uncoupled piano in the first movement)
Tullis Rennie - Muscle Memory (it’s really cool)
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Today we are blessed with a great window into the world of arts reviewing and writing thanks to Hugh Morris, and the similarities and differences to creative writing thanks to Georgia Affonso.
The pair collaborated on a piece for No Dice Collective in 2019 based on a photo of Anthony Burgess (the Clockwork Orange guy) walking his dog, and we share the stories behind the piece in this episode and play the piece in full.
Hugh Morris - https://www.facebook.com/hughmorrismusic
Georgia Affonso - https://twitter.com/georgia_writesLinks and Show Notes
Harrison Birtwistle Mask of Orpheus - ENO
ENO Baylis scheme
For those as fashion unconscious as me...Chorus of rage as ENO gives critics’ coveted extra tickets to young bloggers - The GuardianGeorgia and Hugh’s object: Anthony Burgess walking his dogGeorgia Affonso x Sophie Sully - Dilly the SlugHugh makes it on BuzzfeedGood King Agatha | Hugh Morris & Edmund Phillips | Manchester Contemporary Youth Opera (check out more of Hugh’s work!)As ever, thank you for spreading the word about the podcast!
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Today I’m thrilled to share an interview with Adam and Rakhi of Manchester Collective. Emerging in 2017, they're already an established part of the Manchester scene thanks to their impressive work ethic and immersive concert experiences.
We discover their origin story: how the group was founded, its roots in changing the makeup of classical audiences, and how they came into the world seemingly full-formed with three seasons planned ahead (hint: a whole year of planning).
We also find out what their secret sauce is, their ‘warts and all’ approach to live performance, and Adam’s #logisticslife revealing the glamorous world of lighting rig updates and taping down crystal glasses that makes a concert really shine.
Manchester Collective - https://manchestercollective.co.uk/
Rate us on iTunes - it really helps!Subscribe to the mailing list for new episode notifications
Links and Show NotesBlack Angels score Google search
Black Angels performance
Quote from Black Angels: “The crystal glasses should be goblet-shaped. A fine grade of crystal will produce a truly beautiful effect. The glasses should be mounted on a board (by taping).”
Alphabet
Islington Mill
Heinrich Biber - Battalia à 10 (1673) Check out the col legno (back of the bow) in movement one, the nuts dissonance in movement two, and the musket fire in movement seven!
Australian Chamber Orchestra
Rakhi performs Spiegel im Spiegel
After the Tryst (not Rakhi)
Russian Ark
One of those incredible live Nina Simone performances
Intro/outro music: Goodbye by Luke Mather
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I chat with composer David McFarlane and writer Gregory Kearns on their 2018 collaboration about the Christmas apocalypse, which all stemmed from a set of small bells David received in a Christmas cracker set.
As well as hearing excerpts of their piece, Carol For Our Children, performed by No Dice Collective, we branch out into chats about leading community workshops, space to make mistakes, struggling to take our own creative advice, hang-ups about writing overtly emotional work, and the role of intuition and emotion vs formalised thinking in the creative process.
A really interesting, cross-disciplinary chat that touches on broad themes of individual creative processes. Should be interesting to anyone with a creative urge!
David McFarlane - https://d-mcf.com/
Gregory Kearns - https://twitter.com/gregorykearns
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Links and Show NotesDavid McFarlane’s eye-tracking head theramin
Cath Snow
33 ⅓ Series: 93. J Dilla’s Donuts
Alicia Keys, John Mayer & Questlove- If I ain't got you / Gravity
Tweet us your poem!
Jonathan Harvey famous bell piece
Meet The Composer Podcast - New Music Fight Club (great name)
NB: My non-binary life
Christmas in L.A. - Vulfpeck
Christmas In L.A. - The Killers
The Handsome Family - So Much Wine
The Road OST - Nick Cave & Warren Ellis
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Hello there! Come on in…
Today I’m speaking to Czech composer Jiří Kadeřábek and No Dice pianist Jasmin Allpress about their shared journey bringing the piece Hindyish together.
We’ll hear how they worked across Europe via Skype and phone calls to bring the piece together, how Jiří makes this very stylistically post-modern piece sound cohesive, as well as walk through the piece itself before ending with a recording of Jasmin playing it at our Soloist concert of June 2018.
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Links and show notes:Ligeti Piano Concerto
Carl Vine 5 Bagatelles
http://www.jirikaderabek.com/en/
https://www.larisatrio.co.uk/
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