Composition Conversations

All great artists take inspiration from their predecessors. Whether that is in visual arts, literature, or music, by studying the techniques of great figures of the past, one can gain knowledge that may be essential to their own work. Today's guest, Dr. James Noyes, is no exception.  As a lifelong researcher of Claude Debussy's works as well as a composer, Dr. Noyes has gained a comprehe...

Let's say you're writing a story and need to pick a main character. What would you choose? Probably a human; if not, maybe an animal or even an alien species, if you're into sci-fi. In one of her pieces, Elizabeth Gartman chooses microplastics.  As an award-winning and widely-commissioned composer, Gartman is unafraid to bring innovative, strange ideas to her sound world. In relinqu...

Imagine the president of a foreign country has just arrived in the United States and is stepping off the plane. Immediately, they are welcomed by a lush, heroic rendition of their national anthem played by professional musicians who play for the military. The person in charge of writing this music is today's guest, Alex Tedrow.  As the composer for the official U.S. Army Band, "Pershing&...

Think about your favorite song. What type of music is it? Pop? Rock? Maybe rap? Regardless of your answer to this question, most songs and pieces can easily be categorized into these types of music called "genres". Even within classical music, it is usually easy to distinguish between works from different eras.  Innovative composer Wesley Thompson challenges this hard-set categorization...

For centuries, composers and musicians have adhered to the limitations of equal temperament, a tuning system that defines the 12 tones we’re most familiar with. Almost every melody and song you've heard likely uses this system. But in reality, an infinite number of pitches exist between any two notes—pitches we rarely think to use. These microtones surround us constantly, present in everythin...

Classical musicians constantly program works by esteemed composers like Beethoven, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky. While the works of the past are undeniably remarkable, we need not look back in time to find exceptional classical music. All around us, incredible musicians are creating unique, captivating pieces: all we have to do is look. Join me, Wesley Lin, in a fascinating adventure where we discover...