Relevant Tones

Clarice Assad is a highly acclaimed composer, pianist, singer and arranger renowned for her musical scope and versatility.  A prolific Grammy nominated composer, Clarice Assad’s numerous commissions include works for Carnegie Hall, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Orquestra Sinfônica de São Paulo, Chicago Sinfonietta, San Jose Chamber Orchestra, the Boston Youth Orchestra, the Bra...

There are a variety of reasons that people decide to leave home for good and settle in another country. But according to the U.S. State Department there has been a veritable  exodus lately with a 47% spike in expatriation in 2019 over 2014. We talk with four composers living abroad about their lives and music. MUSIC Studies for Player Piano: Prelude by Conlon Nancarrow A Winter Sketchbook, mv...

This is a pivotal moment for Hong Kong as it fights for political autonomy and searches for a national identity. Hong Kong has long been a global hub for artists and musicians but the future is uncertain.  We talk with Antony Dapiran, author of City on Fire: the Fight for Hong Kong, about the protest movement and William Lane, the founder of the Hong Kong New Music Ensemble, and we feature th...

The great Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges has had an enormous influence on artists, writers, philosophers and thinkers of all kinds and composers are no exception.  We spoke with renowned Borges scholar Daniel Balderston about the incredible legacy of one of the most influential writers of all time, and with composers Carla Kihlstedt, Diego Vega and Gheorghi Arnaoudov about how this lega...

New music releases have slowed to a trickle, it's true, but they haven't stopped entirely! Seth chats with four creative musicians and ensembles who have recently released wildly inventive new music including saxophone quartet Nois, Third Coast Percussion, Sunny Knable and Amy Wurtz. Features music by Nikki Harlafti, Matthew Arrellin, Ryan Lott, Sunny Knable and Amy Wurtz.

Access Contemporary Music's popular Sound of Silent Film Festival features newly commissioned scores performed live to modern silent films.  2020 marks the 15th anniversary and they're celebrating with two ambitious programs presented virtually.  Seth talks with several of the filmmakers and composers about their inspiration and process and plays selections of the scores.  Find out...

Composers and performers are finding incredibly creative ways to continue connecting and making great music in the midst of a global pandemic. Seth talks with composers Suzanne Farrin, Gene Pritsker, Carlos Simon, Liza Sobel and Greg Bartholomew as well as countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo and American Composers Orchestra's Artistic Director Derek Bermel.  MUSIC Nacht (excerpt) by Suzanne Fa...

Narrative is an important aspect of both music and storytelling.  Seth talks with composers Nathalie Joachim and David T. Little and writer J. Robert Lennon about how they structure their music and stories. We’ll hear music performed by cellist Nicholas Photinos and pianist Yasuko Oura and chat with them about their perspectives on narrative  structure in the works they’re performing. Ai...

Narrative is an important aspect of both music and storytelling.  Seth talks with composers Nathalie Joachim and David T. Little and writer J. Robert Lennon about how they structure their music and stories. We’ll hear music performed by cellist Nicholas Photinos and pianist Yasuko Oura and chat with them about their perspectives on narrative  structure in the works they’re performing. Ai...

According to a recent article in the New Yorker, "astrology is currently enjoying a broad cultural acceptance that hasn’t  been seen since the nineteen-seventies. The shift began with the advent  of the personal computer, accelerated with the Internet, and has reached  new speeds through social media." This live broadcast from Caveat in Manhattan features conversation with celebrity...

According to a recent article in the New Yorker, "astrology is currently enjoying a broad cultural acceptance that hasn’t  been seen since the nineteen-seventies. The shift began with the advent  of the personal computer, accelerated with the Internet, and has reached  new speeds through social media." This live broadcast from Caveat in Manhattan features conversation with celebrity...

Jeremiah Moss’ book, Vanishing New York inspired this live program featuring the music of New York City composers who were an important staple of the ’70’s and ’80’s scene but were taken too soon. We’re honoring Julius Eastman, Arthur Russell, Ben Weber, and Tui St. German Tucker by representing their works and stories. This program took place at the Lincoln Center Atrium and also featured a pre-c...

Rolling Stone declared Nels Cline as one of the 20 “new guitar gods” and one of the top 100 guitarists of all time. He  may be best known as the guitarist of rock band Wilco, but he’s also a  talented composer. Seth sits down with Cline to discuss his  compositional and improvisational style, making the bridge to classical,  and his album Lovers. Hosted by Seth Boustead Produce...

There’s a subsection of contemporary music called ‘Musical  Historicism;’ a genre of music that uses historical elements and revives  them in modern works. From Minimalism to Totalism, Modernism to Post-Modernism to  Neomodernism; we’re taking a look at pieces that influence contemporary  compositions, either to mimic the past or to be the antithesis. Hosted by Seth Boustead Pr...

Over 60 years of composing, Thea Musgrave is a powerful voice that  demand respect around the world. We’re taking a deep-dive into her  massive library and showcasing her eclectic range including chamber,  orchestral, and electronic works. Hosted by Seth Boustead Produced by Dan Goldberg Music Turbulent Landscapes BBC Symphony Orchestra; Osmo Vänskä, conductor Concerto for Orchestra...

During the LA Philharmonic’s 2018/19 season, they commissioned 50 new  works from artists including Louis Andriessen, Unsuk Chin, Philip  Glass, and Steve Reich, just to name a few. Composer and curator of the first of the LA Phil’s new music series,  entitled Green Umbrella, Andrew Norman talks about the Southern  Californian composers that he’s presenting. Hosted by Seth Bous...

Virtuosic violinist Jennifer Koh  is known for her commanding performances and technical assurance.   Although she performs Tchaikovsky and Bach she’s interested in finding  the connection between the arts and music of all eras from traditional  to now. Jennifer Koh tells us about some of the 60 works that have been  written especially for her including a new work by...

We live in a charged political environment and though music is often  seen as an escape, many composers have chosen to use their work to make a  statement. From Ted Hearne’s The Source , based on the story of Chelsea  Manning, the US Army Private who infamously leaked classified military  documents to WikiLeaks in 2010 to David T. Little’s operas about modern  warfare to B...

We’re opening our doors to Nick  Photinos, David Schrader, and other  Thirsty Ears Street Festival  performers for a preview concert. The  third annual festival kicks off on  Saturday, August 11 and ends on  Sunday, August 12. You can visit  the festival at Wilson street between Hermitage and Ravenswood; the two  day event will feature fifteen stellar e...

Grammy-winning composer, pianist and conductor, Joan Tower, has been  said to be “one of the most successful women composers of all time” by  The New Yorker. This year she’s celebrating her 80th birthday and we're celebrating by talking with her about her most memorable works and stories. The Grammy-award  winning Made in America made the cut and you’ll be surprised by Joan’s i...

Chopin, Kreisler, Bach and more have written compositions less than  three minutes in length. This trend is no stranger to contemporary  pieces. We’ll pack as many of these tiny gems as possible as we uncover  why composers enjoy creating these mini masterworks. Hosted by Seth Boustead Produced by Sarah Zwinklis Music 3 Miniatures  for Violin and Piano by Krzysztof Penderecki I...

The Boston Modern Orchestra Project is widely known as the leading  orchestra in the United States dedicated exclusively to performing the  20th and 21st century music and its signature record label BMOP/sound  reflects those standards. In Boston, we’re listening to the newest recordings off BMOP/sound  label and talking to Creative Director and Conductor, Gil Rose. Hosted by S...

Composers and musicians meet in a “speed dating” style at the New  Music Gathering at Boston Conservatory at Berklee in Boston,  Massachusetts New Music Gathering is an annual three-day conference  dedicated to the performance, production, promotion, support and  creation of new concert music held at the Boston Conservatory at  Berklee. This year’s keynote speaker is Helga...

(Le) Poisson Rouge (LPR) is a multimedia  art cabaret founded by  musicians on the site of the historic Village Gate in New York City.   We’re here live for an exciting musical  program dedicated to Mexican  composers. Hosted by Seth Boustead Produced by Sarah Zwinklis Music Neuroma de Morton by Felipe Peréz Santiago Coleman Itzkoff, cello; Beomjae Kim, flute; Mike Sa...

We’re traveling to Knoxville, Tennessee for the Big Ears Festival!  Regarded as one of the  most unique, boundary-defying and eagerly  anticipated cultural  gatherings in the world – “a music festival with a  rare vision” (The New  York Times) Big Ears Festival returns in 2018  with perhaps its most  multi-faceted and diverse line up to date. Spanning four d...