The Choral Contrarians

Richard and Eric discuss Umberto Eco's short essay ("On unread books") about Pierre Bayard's book entitled "How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read," which expounds upon the concept of unread literature.  We as humans, will obviously not be able to read all that we wish we could, and perhaps in the end, it is good that we don't have time to read (or listen...

Eric flies solo for this episode to discuss the phenomena of feeling down after attending the recent National ACDA Convention, though the feeling is most certainly shared by those in many professional fields.  How do we cope when we return to our normal lives after experiencing a mountaintop experience?  Eric offers a simple image that may prompt some small action and relief. 'musica obscura&...

Richard and Eric are together (finally), and LIVE from Tribe Street Kitchen in downtown Kansas City.  They are joined by choral artist Dr. Albert Pinsonneault from Northwestern University and the Madison Choral Project.   The three discuss a variety of topics (some serious ...but mostly not so serious) surrounding the American Choral Directors Association's 2019 National Convention.  Also inc...

Richard and Eric discuss the positive and potential negative ramifications of music saturation, which is becoming increasingly evident in modern society.  Does this saturation impact how we make ideological choices when it comes to music making and how does the concept of a ‘primary experience’ shield us from the potential harmful effects of music saturation? McCormick, N. (2009, April 8). Is ther...

Using two recent articles by David Brooks (New York Times opinion columnist and cultural commentator) as a jumping off point, Richard and Eric begin discussing the intersection and entanglement of ‘meaning’ and ‘emotion.’ How do these two concepts interact broadly as well as more intimately within a choral rehearsal and performance setting?  Does one influence the other?  How do we engage these co...

In this first discussion, Richard and Eric examine "antifragility" (a concept developed by essayist and scholar, Nassim Taleb), and its relevance within a choral context.  Can the metaphors and terms used by Taleb regarding antifragility's usefulness in the fields of risk analysis, engineering, economics, and biology create new ways of thinking about a myriad of issues in the choral...

In their first podcast, Richard and Eric introduce themselves, detail how they met, and delve into some general concepts that the Choral Contrarians podcast will pursue.   Readings and Writings cover two short letters sent between Elgar and Strauss in 1922.