Vanessa Ague reflects on the early moments that shaped her path as an arts critic — from a life-changing childhood viewing of Spirited Away, to writing an extra credit essay in high school that sparked a love for interpreting meaning in art. She talks about her long-standing connection to Miyazaki's work and the importance of recognizing criticism as its own creative act.

micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!

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micro/Maker is a production of Loose Leaf Transmissions: Made for All Ears.

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When his teacher first suggested organ lessons, Graeme Shields wanted nothing to do with it. Years later, that same instrument would become a central part of his creative and professional life. In this conversation, he and Tyler talk about discovering unexpected inspiration, writing for community, and how artistic values can stay constant even as life and context change.

micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!

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Support Loose Leaf Transmissions on Patreon at patreon.com/LooseLeafTransmissions.

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micro/Maker is a production of Loose Leaf Transmissions: Made for All Ears.

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A scholarship took James May to Ireland—and changed his creative life completely. In this conversation, he recalls how studying experimental sound practice at University College Cork opened his ears to new ways of listening, performing, and creating. From free improvisation to extended vocal techniques, James shares how that year taught him to trust instinct over tradition and to see music as something far broader than notes on a page.

micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!

Listen to music/Maker with Tyler Kline wherever you get podcasts, or at musicmakerpodcast.com.

Support Loose Leaf Transmissions on Patreon at patreon.com/LooseLeafTransmissions.

Follow us on Instagram: @loose.leaf.transmissions

micro/Maker is a production of Loose Leaf Transmissions: Made for All Ears.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For Yue Song, composing always begins with a feeling—a fleeting sound, image, or story that sparks curiosity. From there, it’s about experimentation, not for novelty’s sake, but as a way of keeping music alive. In this conversation, Yue reflects on balancing respect for musical tradition with an openness to new forms, and how every composer plays a small part in the long history of sound.

micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!

Listen to music/Maker with Tyler Kline wherever you get podcasts, or at musicmakerpodcast.com.

Support Loose Leaf Transmissions on Patreon at patreon.com/LooseLeafTransmissions.

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micro/Maker is a production of Loose Leaf Transmissions: Made for All Ears.

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Joshua Mallard breaks down what it really means to collaborate in creative industries — from game audio to classical commissions. He and Tyler talk about how making music for interdisciplinary teams flips the lone-genius composer stereotype on its head, and why work-life balance becomes the next frontier for working artists.

micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!

Listen to music/Maker with Tyler Kline wherever you get podcasts, or at musicmakerpodcast.com.

Support Loose Leaf Transmissions on Patreon at patreon.com/LooseLeafTransmissions.

Follow us on Instagram @loose.leaf.transmissions.

micro/Maker is a production of Loose Leaf Transmissions: Made for All Ears.

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Anna Huffka talks with Tyler Kline about how her Japanese heritage and design sensibility influence her approach to beauty. She shares why the concept of iki — celebrating imperfection with intention — resonates more than chasing unattainable ideals. They also touch on Japanese beauty trends and the thoughtful attention to detail that defines them. For Anna, it’s about making people feel seen by embracing what makes them unique.

micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!

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Support Loose Leaf Transmissions on Patreon at patreon.com/LooseLeafTransmissions.

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micro/Maker is a production of Loose Leaf Transmissions: Made for All Ears.

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Shelley Washington shares how her deep connection with family naturally flows into her music, whether consciously or not. The strength and joy of her familial bonds become a quiet, continuous thread that shapes her creative spirit.

micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!

Listen to music/Maker with Tyler Kline wherever you get podcasts, or at musicmakerpodcast.com.

Support Loose Leaf Transmissions on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/LooseLeafTransmissions.

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micro/Maker is a production of Loose Leaf Transmissions: Made for All Ears.

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For Han Hitchen, taboo isn’t a gimmick — it’s a consequence of writing honestly about what society tries to ignore. Inspired in part by Julius Eastman’s unapologetic music, Han shares how his work confronts subjects like death, periods, the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and queer identity itself. By turning discomfort into dialogue, his music insists on visibility for experiences many would rather erase.

micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!

Listen to music/Maker with Tyler Kline wherever you get podcasts, or at musicmakerpodcast.com.

Support Loose Leaf Transmissions on Patreon at patreon.com/LooseLeafTransmissions.

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micro/Maker is a production of Loose Leaf Transmissions: Made for All Ears.

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Phong Tran discusses his deeply collaborative approach to composing for performers, and how writing with others in mind becomes a shared artistic identity. He opens up about a moment of learning with pianist Miki Sawada, and how it reshaped his views on virtuosity, labor, and care in the creative process.

micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!

Listen to music/Maker with Tyler Kline wherever you get podcasts, or at musicmakerpodcast.com.

Support Loose Leaf Transmissions on Patreon at patreon.com/LooseLeafTransmissions.

Follow us on social media @LooseLeafTransmissions.

micro/Maker is a production of Loose Leaf Transmissions: Made for All Ears.

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Hannah Boissonneault shares how her path shifted from film scoring dreams to a love for concert music and live performance. She reflects on the challenge of seeing her creative pursuits as separate — band work, composition, performance — and how she eventually came to embrace all of it as part of a unified artistic identity. Through pandemic isolation, shifting priorities, and personal healing, Hannah has found clarity in seeing her career not as a fixed goal, but as a series of evolving creative phases.

micro/Maker episodes release every Tuesday and Friday!

Listen to music/Maker with Tyler Kline wherever you get podcasts, or at musicmakerpodcast.com.

Support Loose Leaf Transmissions on Patreon at patreon.com/LooseLeafTransmissions.

Follow us on Instagram: @loose.leaf.transmissions

micro/Maker is a production of Loose Leaf Transmissions: Made for All Ears.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.