Classical Queeros

Better late than never! On an episode that was released almost a week and a half late, Shahid and Alice talk about Julius Eastman, a remarkable Black gay composer and musician who lived in New York in the 60s (during something called the Stonewall Riots......maybe you've heard of them?)

Julius Eastman was decidedly himself in everything he did, no matter what anyone else thought. His works were provocative to say the least. Let's all look to him this Pride Month as an inspiration to be ourselves in the face of a world that tells us we can't.

Recommended Listenings:

Gay Guerilla

Crazy N*****

Evil N*****

Stay On It

Feminine

Eight Songs for a Mad King (by Peter Maxwell Davies)

Due to the unflinching tendency of life to keep moving even when we're busy and want it to pause for a little while, we did not have time to record a full episode this month. Instead, we are gifting you with a live performance of Hot Mess from June 2019. This performance had three songs and was recorded in video form, but today you get two songs in audio form only.

But! If 10 entire people join our Patreon, we'll release the full video with all three songs!! 

Please enjoy, and don't think too poorly of us when you finish listening. <3

Shahid and Alice are joined by the host of Aria Podcast, Julianne Colwell, who teaches them about the legendary, iconic, and truly remarkable Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

You can find Julianne and her podcast on Instagram @ariapodcast. On her show, Julianne interviews musicians from all over the ~scene~. She also donates all her Patreon proceeds to LGBTQ+ and BIPOC organizations. What a cool gal!! Go support her!!

Background Music:

Didn't It Rain? by Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Lonesome Road by Sister Rosetta Tharpe with the Lucky Millinder Jazz Band

I Want A Tall Skinny Papa by Sister Rosetta Tharpe with the Lucky Millinder Jazz Band

The Blues by Jonah Whales and Sammy Price

Up Above My Head by Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight

Strange Things Happen Every Day by Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Recommended Listenings:

I Want A Tall Skinny Papa

Rock Me

any thing with Marie Knight!

Beams of Heaven

Didn't It Rain?

Up Above My Head

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Classical Queeros is a podcast that aims to spotlight queer composers and make classical music more accessible. Follow us on Instagram @classicalqueeros and Twitter at @classicalqueero, and check out our website at classicalqueeros.com!

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Our episode was sponsored by: Honeybee Writing Coach! Write to learn, write to succeed, write to lead. honeybeewritingcoach.com

PrettyLitter! You can visit prettylitter.sjv.io/classicalqueeros to both purchase quality litter and support your favorite podcast!

Classically trained French horn player Sasami Ashworth is a queer, Korean-American who is better known for her singer/songwriter career as a self-proclaimed "synth queen" with a style that can be described as "shoegaze with stage presence." In this episode, Alice teaches Shahid about Sasami, even though Shahid has actually worked with her before! You can check out Sasami's website at sasamiashworth.com. 

Music Discussed (from album SASAMI): 

Not The Time 

Jealousy 

Morning Comes 

Background music: 

You Don't Have to Walk a Begonia (arr. Richie Francisco) 

This episode is sponsored by: Honeybee Writing Coach! Write to learn, write to succeed, write to lead. honeybeewritingcoach.com 

Richie's Bread! Fresh, home-baked sourdough bread delivered to you. (Southern California only.) Follow on Instagram @richies_bread

While queer composers who are marginalized by even more than their sexuality deserve the spotlight, we at Classical Queeros thought it was important to remember that even the cis white men who we call the "Greats" were gay, too. In this episode, Shahid and Alice invite champions Cameron Clendaniel and Charles Brunson to fight on their behalves in a ga(y)me show all about the gay composers we already know and love, like Tchaikovsky, Bernstein, and more. 

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Classical Queeros is a podcast that aims to spotlight queer composers and make classical music more accessible. Follow us on Instagram @classicalqueeros and Twitter at @classicalqueero, and check out our website at classicalqueeros.com!

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Our ad today was for PrettyLitter. You can visit prettylitter.sjv.io/classicalqueeros to both purchase quality litter and support your favorite podcast!

Billy Strayhorn? Wasn’t he a jazz guy? Why yes, he was. But he was in jazz because he was kept out of classical music. Sure, Billy gave us a TON of classic and timeless jazz tunes. But the world of classical music missed out on a priceless voice because of its own gatekeeperism. In this episode, Alice regales Shahid with the grandeur of Billy Strayhorn’s life in New York, and its entanglement (positive or otherwise) with “the king of all, sir” Duke Ellington.

Works Discussed:

Piano Concerto in a minor - Edvard Grieg

Concerto for Percussion and Piano - Strayhorn

Sophisticated Lady - Duke Ellington

Take the A Train - Strayhorn

Lush Life - Strayhorn

Background Music:

Grieg Piano Concerto in a minor

Sophisticated Lady

Theme from Ratatouille

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Classical Queeros is a podcast that aims to spotlight queer composers and make classical music more accessible. Follow us on Instagram @classicalqueeros and Twitter at @classicalqueero!

Shahid (who can’t ride a bike) spends this episode educating Alice (who can ride a bike) on the wondrous career of Wendy Carlos - photographer, artist, trans woman, cat mom, dog mom, bisexual queen, mapmaker, etc. Not only is she an icon, but she’s currently alive! Check out her website at http://www.wendycarlos.com/

Works Discussed (all by Wendy Carlos):

Trio for Clarinet, Accordion, and Piano

Dialogues for Piano and Two Loudspeakers

Variations for Flute and Electronic Sounds

Episodes for Piano and Tape

Pomposities for Narrator and Tape

Noah

Switched on Bach (album)

The Well-Tempered Synthesizer (album)

A Clockwork Orange (film score)

Landmarks

Sonic Seasonings (album)

Switched on Bach 2 (album)

By Request (album)

Brandenburg Concertos (album)

Tron (film score)

Digital Moonscapes (album)

Beauty in the Beast (album)

Secrets of Synthesis (album)

Peter and the Wolf (album with Weird Al??)

Switched on Bach 2000 (album)

Tales of Heaven and Hell (album)

Rediscovering Lost Scores, Vol. I and II (album)

Background Music: Funeral of Queen Mary (from A Clockwork Orange)

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Classical Queeros is a podcast that aims to spotlight queer composers and make classical music more accessible. Follow us on Instagram @classicalqueeros and Twitter at @classicalqueero!

If you've ever wished the classical music world were less straight, you've come to the right place! Hosts Shahid Osuna and Alice Park, two gay flute players, teach each other about a new, forgotten queer composer in each episode. Coming soon!