micro/Maker by Loose Leaf Transmissions

Andrew Noseworthy reflects on how a DIY ethos became less a philosophy than a survival skill—one forged through limited access, institutional gatekeeping, and the repeated experience of being told “no.” Rather than waiting for permission, he learned to build the structures he needed himself: founding labels, curating genre-fluid concerts, organizing consortium commissions, and prioritizing collect...

Shelley Washington shares how her earliest experiences composing music were actually a creative rebellion against piano practice as a child — a spark that would later shape her career. From early improvisations to discovering composition formally during graduate school, Shelley’s path unfolded with encouragement, collaboration, and discovery. micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!...

From an early encounter with a living composer who jokingly warned him about the difficulty of the profession, Charly Daniels moves through the formative stretch of his creative life — first believing he’d follow a conventional composer’s path, then discovering that the reality was far more winding. He recalls early orchestral successes, the ego shock of graduate-school rejection, and the moment h...

Composer and percussionist Sean Hamilton didn’t plan to become a musician — in fact, he came to drumming through historical reenactments, not the school band. In this episode, Sean shares how he discovered his voice through punk, screamo, and grindcore, and how those early influences continue to shape his approach as a composer and performer. He and Tyler discuss what it means to seek out the edge...

Anna Huffka joins Tyler Kline to talk about the intentional design behind her salon, from the layout of the service to the feeling she wants clients to carry with them. She shares how her approach centers on comfort, calm, and care — down to the gratuity structure, the dry approach to cutting, and a signature lay-down shampoo experience. Tyler also reflects on his own shift from viewing haircuts a...

Improvisation reshaped how James May thinks about composing. In this conversation, he talks about how studying free improvisation at University College Cork helped him move away from rigid notation toward scores that invite performers to explore sound and texture. James shares how this shift—from control to collaboration—has led him to create music that’s both structured and alive, blurring the li...

What began as a budget constraint became a revelation: when Emma O’Halloran couldn’t afford a librettist, she turned to her uncle, the celebrated Irish actor-playwright Mark O’Halloran. Adapting his fierce short play Mary Motorhead into an opera showed Emma the power of direct, unflowery text—and the joy of music layered with words. Their partnership grew into Trade and beyond, a collaboration mar...

Caterina Schembri talks about returning to her earliest creative love—literature—and how that reconnection reshaped her compositional voice. What began as a lifelong attachment to books eventually surfaced as a desire to write her own texts, opening up a new dimension in her work where language and music develop together. She describes the different ways text enters her process: sometimes through...

Emily Koh talks with Tyler Kline about her evolving identity as both a composer and bass player — and how those worlds finally merged after finding community in Georgia. She shares the origin of her “super bass” concept, composing for violin and bass as a single sonic unit alongside percussion, and the inspiration behind her piece Memento Mori. Emily also reflects on the physicality of bass freque...

Shruthi Rajasekar talks with Tyler about what pulled her toward the UK—first as a study-abroad student, later as a graduate student, and eventually as part of her professional orbit. She traces the pattern she’s begun to recognize in herself: moving toward the things that scare her, even when the first experience abroad was marked by culture shock, loneliness, and the complexities of navigating ra...

Ania Vu shares how she wrestles between musical freedom and formal clarity — between gestures that defy meter and notational structure that keeps things communicable. She discusses her favorite extended techniques, the challenges of letting go of control, and the artistic impact of works like Joshua Hey’s Lens from Alpha Centauri . micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday! Listen to m...

Hannah Selin unpacks her idea of biocentric composition—music that honors and engages with the natural world. She and Tyler talk about field recordings, data sonification, and what it means to write music in dialogue with nature rather than about it. Along the way, Hannah reflects on the limits of concert music as activism, and how meaning begins when sound and awareness meet. micro/Maker episodes...

Nicolás Lell Benavides talks about what it means to compose for real people—and the accountability that comes with it. He and Tyler discuss how opera has reshaped his sense of collaboration, why trusting performers makes the music stronger, and how staying open to revision keeps the work alive. It’s a look inside the workshop: where artistry meets empathy and every choice counts. micro/Maker episo...

Hannah Boissonneault shares the winding path that led her to music school—one filled with detours, self-doubt, and ultimately, resilience. In this excerpt, she recalls the first time she met a working composer, how one supportive teacher helped her take the leap, and why it took persistence to find her place in the composition world. Her story is a powerful reminder that there’s no single right wa...

Chris Opperman ’s career defies categorization. From video game soundtracks to jazz, rock, classical, and experimental projects, he thrives on variety—taking inspiration from Miles Davis, Frank Zappa, and Carla Bley in continually evolving his voice. He shares how hyperfocus, single-tasking, and even a “six-minute rule” help him balance composing, orchestrating, teaching, and running his label—whi...

Composer Mahdis Golzar Kashani shares memories of discovering music as a child in post-revolution Iran. In this excerpt, she describes how early improvisation at the piano opened the door to composing, even as formal training and musical resources were limited. With the encouragement of her mother, Kashani began creating pieces that blended her natural musical instincts with the sounds she heard i...

Vanessa Ague reflects on the early moments that shaped her path as an arts critic — from a life-changing childhood viewing of Spirited Away , to writing an extra credit essay in high school that sparked a love for interpreting meaning in art. She talks about her long-standing connection to Miyazaki's work and the importance of recognizing criticism as its own creative act. micro/Maker episodes rel...

When his teacher first suggested organ lessons, Graeme Shields wanted nothing to do with it. Years later, that same instrument would become a central part of his creative and professional life. In this conversation, he and Tyler talk about discovering unexpected inspiration, writing for community, and how artistic values can stay constant even as life and context change. micro/Maker episodes relea...

A scholarship took James May to Ireland—and changed his creative life completely. In this conversation, he recalls how studying experimental sound practice at University College Cork opened his ears to new ways of listening, performing, and creating. From free improvisation to extended vocal techniques, James shares how that year taught him to trust instinct over tradition and to see music as some...

For Yue Song , composing always begins with a feeling—a fleeting sound, image, or story that sparks curiosity. From there, it’s about experimentation, not for novelty’s sake, but as a way of keeping music alive. In this conversation, Yue reflects on balancing respect for musical tradition with an openness to new forms, and how every composer plays a small part in the long history of sound. micro/M...

Joshua Mallard breaks down what it really means to collaborate in creative industries — from game audio to classical commissions. He and Tyler talk about how making music for interdisciplinary teams flips the lone-genius composer stereotype on its head, and why work-life balance becomes the next frontier for working artists. micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday! Listen to music/Ma...

Anna Huffka talks with Tyler Kline about how her Japanese heritage and design sensibility influence her approach to beauty. She shares why the concept of iki — celebrating imperfection with intention — resonates more than chasing unattainable ideals. They also touch on Japanese beauty trends and the thoughtful attention to detail that defines them. For Anna, it’s about making people feel seen by e...

Shelley Washington shares how her deep connection with family naturally flows into her music, whether consciously or not. The strength and joy of her familial bonds become a quiet, continuous thread that shapes her creative spirit. micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday! Listen to music/Maker with Tyler Kline wherever you get podcasts, or at musicmakerpodcast.com . Support Loose Lea...

For Han Hitchen , taboo isn’t a gimmick — it’s a consequence of writing honestly about what society tries to ignore. Inspired in part by Julius Eastman’s unapologetic music, Han shares how his work confronts subjects like death, periods, the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and queer identity itself. By turning discomfort into dialogue, his music insists on visibility for experiences many would rather...

Phong Tran discusses his deeply collaborative approach to composing for performers, and how writing with others in mind becomes a shared artistic identity. He opens up about a moment of learning with pianist Miki Sawada, and how it reshaped his views on virtuosity, labor, and care in the creative process. micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday! Listen to music/Maker with Tyler Kline...