Classical Classroom

Violist, composer, and educator Jessica Meyer has a unique story in the classical music world; it starts with a viola, and ends with a viola, but goes a lot of unpredictable places in between. Hear the story of her creative journey from focused specialist to Renaissance woman, and hear some of her incredible music along the way.

Music in this episode (all written and performed by Jessica Meyer):

• "Source of Joy"
• "The dappled light just beyond her skin…"
• "But Not Until" (viola and cello duo feat. Andrew Yee)
• "Released"

Audio production by Todd "Electrotodd" Hulslander with unplugging by Dacia Clay and assistance from Mark DiClaudio.

Conductor Fabien Gabel came to Houston to conduct the Symphony in a program of pieces by Mendelssohn and Tchaikovsky. In this episode, he gives a primer on Mendelssohn, talks about what a "Fingal's Cave" is, and gives the world's first audible eye roll at the use of the term "Suicide Symphony" (re: Tchaikovsky's Pathetique). Also discussed: the difference between love and obsession with regard to Mexican food.

Music in this episode:

• Mendelssohn, The Hebrides, Op. 26 "Fingal's Cave," Slovak Philharmonic Orchestra
• Mendelssohn, Piano Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Rudolf Serkin
• Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 6 in B Minor Op. 74, TH.30 (Pathetique), Czech Philharmonic

Audio production by Todd "Todd's Cave" Hulslander with Indiana Jones-ing by Dacia Clay and assistance from Mark DiClaudio.

Ravel's Boléro. Next to most of the soundtrack to Koyaanisqatsi, it's possibly the most repetitive piece of music ever written, amiright (respect, Philip Glass)? As it turns out, I am wrong, so wrong. In fact, Boléro is a piece built entirely around change. Howard Pollack, professor at Moores School of Music, author, lecturer, and guest on BBC specials and NPR shows like Morning Edition and Fresh Air, is our tour guide through this amazing piece of music by a very subtle and sneaky composer.

Music in this episode:

• "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" from The Nutcracker Suite by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
• Boléro by Maurice Ravel as performed by Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, conducted by Charles Dutoit

Audio production by Todd "Treble Clef" Hulslander with bass clef by Dacia Clay.

Violinist/fiddle player Gaelynn Lea came to Houston fresh off of performing at South by Southwest and spent some time with the Classical Classroom(and Skyline Sessions – check out her video performances!). She talks about how music has gradually become her life. From first finding an instrument that was right for her body as a kid (she has a rare condition called Brittle Bones Disease that means she's got different physical challenges than others), to meeting and collaborating with Alan Sparhawk (of the band Low), to winning the Tiny Desk Contest and selling her home to go on tour.

Music in this episode:

• Violin Partita, No 1 in B Minor
• "Gentle," by Low from Ones and Sixes
• Plus, music performed by Gaelynn Lea

Audio production by Todd "Turnt Up" Hulslander with dinosaur acts by Dacia Clay and help from Mark DiClaudio.

Note: This episode was originally posted on April 13, 2015.

This week [see above], composer Nico Muhly is premiering a brand new work, How Little You Are, in Austin. He talks about the classical (or, concert) music world's premiering process, and about how and why listening to classical music golden oldies is different than listening to a new work, about the inspiration for his new piece, and of course, about Prince.

Music in this episode:

• Mozart: Magic Flute. Conducted by John Eliot Gardiner.
• Bach: Magnificat.
• Stravinsky: Petrouchka. Michael Tilson Thomas conducts the Philharmonia Orchestra.
• Joni Mitchell: A Case of You (from Blue)
• Prince: A Case of You (from A Tribute to Joni Mitchell)
• Nico Muhly: Sensational Calligraphic Scribble / Amor Nos Une / Room Song (from Object Songs)
• Philip Glass: Koyaanisqatsi (from Koyaanisqatsi – Life Out of Balance motion picture score)
• Nico Muhly: Mothertongue Pt. 1: Archive (from Mothertongue)

Audio production by Todd "TIE fighter" Hulslander with lightsaber skills by Dacia Clay. Editing by Mark DiClaudio.

Simone Dinnerstein just came out with a new album called Mozart in Havana. While we weren't able to sync up our interview schedules this time around, we had to at least give her a shout out with this rerun because she is awesome. She may be coming to a city near you!

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Pianist Simone Dinnerstein talks all about her educational initiative, Bachpacking, and her community initiative, Neighborhood Classics, Bach Inventions, and how Led Zeppelin is more like Bach than Jay Z.

Music in this episode:

• Bach Inventions, played live by Simone Dinnerstein, and from her new album, J.S. Bach: Inventions & Sinfonias
• "Suit and Tie", from the 20/20 Experience by Justin Timberlake, feat. Jay Z
• "Misty Mountain Hop", from untitled album by Led Zeppelin

Audio production by Todd "Toddsy Turvy" Hulslander with yips of joy from Dacia Clay.

Concert pianist and entrepreneur Richard Dowling illuminates some of Chopin's pieces by "ragging" them on the piano. It's a lesson in classical music and ragtime all rolled up in one, topped with live performances, and served with a side of fries.

Music in this episode includes live performances by Richard Dowling of:

• Frederic Chopin, Nocturne in E-flat Major, Op. 9 No. 2
• Ethan Uslan, Chopin's Knocked Urn
• Frederic Chopin, "Revolutionary" Etude in C Minor, Op. 10 No. 12
• Joseph Lamb, Ragtime Nightingale
• Claude Debussy, Golliwogg's Cakewalk (not performed by Mr. Dowling)

Audio production by Todd "Toddry" Hulslander with sarcastic slow claps of approval from Dacia Clay.

Percussion is almost anything that we say 'yes' to playing." – Sean Connors

Wait. A percussion-only ensemble? Is that, like, a fancy drum circle? Sean Connors of the Grammy-winning percussion quartet Third Coast Percussionexplains that this is not too far off. But the operative word is "fancy." As Connors describes it, percussion ensembles are the mad scientists of the music world. Any object in the world is a potential instrument. And when they've run out of objects, they invent more. (Fun fact: Third Coast sometimes works with actual scientists at the University of Notre Dame where they are ensemble in residence.) Learn all about the crazy world of percussion ensembles and hear some amazing music in this show.

Music in this episode:

• Mallet Quartet: III (Fast), by Steve Reich, from Third Coast Grammy performance with Ravi Coltrane
• Wild Sound, mvt 4, by Glenn Kotche (Arduino and marimba versions)

Audio production by Todd "Neil Peart" Hulslander with air drumming by Dacia Clay and video production and general other assistance by Mark DiClaudio.

Craig Johnson wrote a beautiful piece of music that commemorates a tragic event: the brutal beating of a young gay man. The piece asks listeners to consider Matt Shepard, the person who lived through the event, and to consider the life Shepard lived prior to the beating. In this episode, part 2 of our 2-part series on activism in classical music, Johnson talks about his Grammy-nominated choral work, "Considering Matthew Shepard." He also talks about the strong and effective tool that classical music can be in bringing people together and in shedding light upon dark places.

Music in this episode:

• Music from "Considering Matthew Shepard," by Craig Hella Johnson
• By Johann Sebastian Bach
  • B Minor Mass
  • Prelude in C major from Book I of The Well-Tempered Clavier
  • St. Matthew Passion

Audio production by Todd "Hella" Hulslander with assistance from Dacia Clay and Mark DiClaudio.

To learn more about Conspirare, go here. To learn more about the Laramie Project, go here.

It's the first of April and we are welcoming a special guest (believe us: you will know him when you hear him). He introduces us to a fascinating mix of early music and Renaissance era instruments and performs examples of how each sounds.

Music in this episode:

• Songs From The Labyrinth, by Sting
  • Walsingham – John Dowling, composer /perf – Edin Karamazov and Sting
  • Come Again – John Dowling, composer/ perf – Edin Karamazov and Sting
• The Art of the Bawdy Song, Baltimore Consort featuring Merry Companions
  • Pox on you for a fop
  • Cuckolds all a-row
  • I gave her cakes and I gave her ale

The blame and audio production credit for this episode lie with Todd "Totally Redonk" Hulslander, with assistance from Mark DiClaudio and head shaking from Dacia Clay.