Musicians vs the World

My guest today is Dr. Erin Parkes, Founder and Executive Director of the Lotus Centre for Special Music Education. She is here to talk about her work with Adaptive Concerts, which are performances that are adapted for neurodivergent audiences that may respond differently to stimuli, and especially music. ABOUT OUR GUEST: Dr. Erin Parkes holds a Ph. D. in music education from McGill University, whe...

After 12 years as a composer for media, David Bertok is branching out into the world of concert music with his most recent project, ONE, which will be released in October. He joins Christine in this episode to discuss his journey through music, his belief in the human touch of music, and the perfection in imperfection and experimentation. Topics include: *David’s background from Germany to LA *The...

"You can't be the producer and the generator at once" When you get a chance to learn from an influential and innovative musician like Evan Frankfort, you can't pass it up! In this episode Evan shares fantastic practical advice for aspiring musicians/producers as well as his own philosophies on creativity, curiosity, craft, and of course....The Spiritual Machines! 4- time Emmy nominated, Songwriter...

Just like the many students in the US returning to school this month, music teachers are making goals of their own for the upcoming school year. In honor of that, Christine is switching from interviewer to interviewee, and with the help of producer, Russ, will be discussing some of the activities she's planning on implementing to help her students become more connected and creative in their music...

Binaural beats are an audio illusion often used in psychology circles to aid in stress reduction and concentration. Our guest today, composer John Joseph Wiater, used this compositional technique in a creative way to enhance the emotional impact of his score for the film “I Think I’m Sick.” He’s here to talk with us about it today. TOPICS INCLUDE: -John’s background -Finding the first composing jo...

Today we are talking with Award-winning mixing engineer Shalev Alon. We’ll be discussing the art of mixing music, the difference between vocal and instrumental mixing, and we’ll also hear his excellent advice on building a successful career in music. TOPICS INCLUDE: -Mixing Music in depth: The width, the depth, and the height -Our ears are in charge of the final decisions – if it sounds good, it’s...

Today we are talking with ASCAP award-winning composer, Matt Bowen. We discuss his musical development from a classically trained violinist touring with a youth symphony to a full-time composer. We also dive into the compositional process behind his project, the Amazon Series "Gen V." Topics Include: • Matt’s Background in violin • San Diego Youth Symphony • Learning harmonic structure • Do you kn...

Today we are talking with Elyssa Samsel, the composer behind the music of the Lionsgate feature film "Miller's Girl." We discuss her process of composing and creating the score for the popular film, including the use of conventional and unexpected instruments to add depth to scenes and characters. In addition, Elyssa discusses her background composing for musical theater and animation, the importa...

“Cliff End Records is more than a label; it’s a movement that empowers artists and navigates them through a vast ocean of musical possibilities.” In this episode Christine talks with Dina Rizvic and Alan Jones about the founding of Cliff End Records, and their goal of helping musicians create their art on their own terms. TOPICS INCLUDE: -Dina and Alan's backgrounds -The beginning of Cliff End Rec...

Composer Jason Brandt joins us today as we’re talking about how the composer needs to function as part of the story telling team in the world of film and television production. We discuss strategies you can use as a composer to help to support your message, transport your audience to different settings, and even foreshadow key narrative events. Topics Include: What Stravinsky and Metallica have in...

Have you stopped to think about what makes music funny? What makes a good action score? And what can a composer do to suck the life out of their composition? In today’s episode, we’re talking to Composer Matt Novack. We discuss all of this and really get into the details, so if you want to learn about how to write music like this, this is the episode for you. Matt Novack is a classically trained c...

Today we are talking with Composer, Producer, Cellist, and Teaching Artist, Margaret Maria, about music’s power to change the world for the better. She shares her passion for creating music and giving back to the community by walking us through her not-for-profit organization "OrKidstra" as well as her creative projects. • Love at first sight with the cello • Learning to be fearless at Curtis Inst...

Video game orchestral composer Amanda Cawley joins us to discuss creating the music and atmosphere for the video game Siegebreaker. It's a fascinating discussion of the challenges of composing and producing numerous musical options for interactive entertainment. Topics Include: • Creating different palates for different settings in different points of the game • Workflow for Video Game music - Who...

Composer Vinicius Barbosa Pippa believes that musicians need to be creative not only in their musical works, but also how they structure their career. In this episode we discuss Vinicius’ journey from Brazil to the Berklee College of Music, to LA where he is currently running his own company “The Music Giant.” During our conversation we discuss how to say yes to diverse opportunities without losin...

Today we are talking with Carlos Baker, who is sharing his story of overcoming childhood cancer and using creativity through becoming a songwriter and author to deal with the emotional aftermath. Topics Include: • The emotional aftermath of Cancer • Carlos’ hermitage in Germany • Seeing yourself as an artist • Using creativity to cope with depression and anxiety • Working with a producer • Song me...

Today we are exploring the world of music editing, the invisible art form that is a success only if you don’t notice it. We are lucky to have the award-winning music editor Yuri Gorbachow here to talk with us about this topic. Yuri Gorbachow is the founder of Aesthetic Corporation, a sound and music production company with a rich history in the audio for video industry. With a career spanning over...

In this episode of Musicians vs the World, we talk with Adam Lukas and James Everingham, the incredibly creative composers behind the music to the BBC’s Frozen Planet II. We’re going to do a deep dive into the inspiration and composition techniques they used when creating their beautiful score and we’ll also chat about their experience collaborating with Norwegian singer, songwriter and record pro...

Tormod Ringnes is a Norwegian sound designer and sound editor. He is an avid collaborator and sought-after artist for much of his contributions, expertise, and precise dictations in the sound design community. In this episode, Tormod describes his collaboration with filmmaker Margreth Olin, editor Michal Leszczylowski, and composer Rebekka Karijord on the 2023 Norwegian documentary film "Songs of...

In our latest episode of Musicians vs the World we’ll be learning about the role and importance of the sound editor and re-recording mixer in the film and television industry. It’s a possible career path for musicians, so we’re going learn about it over the next 2 episodes. My guest today is Supervising Sound Editor and Re-recording mixer, James Parnell from Monkeyland Audio. Topics Include: • The...

Our guest today is composer, producer, and songwriter, Kyle Rodriguez. He’s here to share his thoughts on building a career as a composer in the film industry through a non-traditional path. We also get to hear some great stories about gear, analog vs digital music production, and some tips on how to become a good composer’s assistant. Topics Include: Doing things the hardest way possible Analog o...

It’s football season! Ever wonder where the networks get the memorable theme music for their broadcasts? In our latest episode I’m talking with Alexander Hitchens, one of the top composers in the sports music business. He’s here to talk with us about his latest project composing music for NBC’s Big 10 football package, and how being observant and being prepared can change the course of your career...

In honor of Halloween, we’ll be talking with Grant Meuers, sound designer for “The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster,” on how not only music, but sound design can effect an audience’s experience and emotions. We talk about the importance of sound design, how to look at sound compositionally, foley, and how Grant balances his life while running his company “Snow Globe Sound.” Topics Include: • The d...

Dr. Malena McLaren joins me to discuss her decades-long passion project of discovering little-known Spanish clarinet works, their characteristics, and the stories behind their composers. This information is critical for composers wanting to integrate Spanish influences into their compositions, as well as musicians wanting to perform this music with appropriate stylistic nuances. Topics Include: •...

Have you ever heard of affiliate income, and how it can boost your financial situation as a musician and/or teacher? I am fortunate today to introduce you to Dr. Tonya Lawson who happens to be an expert in this very topic. We’ll be diving into details into how to use your website properly, together with social media, to generate income. Topics Include: · How passive income can create stability for...

After an intense introspective moment during the pandemic, Kelly Monrow decided to pivot her artistic expression from acting to music. Months within launching her career, the determined musician had already amassed more than 2.5 million streams and made her performance debut at SXSW in Austin. In this episode, she candidly shares her story, her creative process, and advice for other musicians want...