Relevant Tones

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 legacy inspired their musical creations. 

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 more about the fest at acmusic.org.

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 Farrin

Pandemic Dance #32 and #30 by Gene Pritsker

     Performed by: Carson Cooman, organ

Another Rising by Carlos Simon

     Performed by: Anthony Roth Constanzo, counter tenor

Reverse Forward by Liza Sobel

Useless Machines for Thinking, Dreaming, Feeling

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.

Air Date: May 1, 2020 8:00 EDT 

This program was streamed live to Facebook and YouTube.  Don’t worry, we were all safe at home…

MUSIC

Song of Songs by Karen Tanaka  

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.

Air Date: May 1, 2020 8:00 EDT

This program was streamed live to Facebook and YouTube.  Don’t worry, we were all safe at home…

MUSIC

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 astrologers Rebecca Gordon  (Dr. Oz, Harpers Bazaar) and Sam Reynolds (Bill Nye) about sun signs, the  western zodiac versus Chinese zodiac and what you can do if through no fault of your own you were born under a bad sign and are, consequently, a bit of a jerk.   

Music in Part 2 includes

Performed by the Osso Quartet

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 astrologers Rebecca Gordon  (Dr. Oz, Harpers Bazaar) and Sam Reynolds (Bill Nye) about sun signs, the  western zodiac versus Chinese zodiac and what you can do if through no fault of your own you were born under a bad sign and are, consequently, a bit of a jerk.  

Run Rabbit Run (excerpts) by Sufjan Stevens

Performed by the Osso Quartet

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 astrologers Rebecca Gordon  (Dr. Oz, Harpers Bazaar) and Sam Reynolds (Bill Nye) about sun signs, the  western zodiac versus Chinese zodiac and what you can do if through no fault of your own you were born under a bad sign and are, consequently, a bit of a jerk.

Sun in Virgo by Peri Mauer

Performed by:

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-concert panel presentation with Jeremiah Moss, Open House New York director Gregory Wessner, author of Country of Cities Vishaan Chakrabarti and composer Frank J. Oteri. 

Hosted by Seth Boustead


Music


Three Short Pieces by Arthur Russell


Lyric Piece by Ben Weber


Experimental Music for Ezra Pound by Arthur Russell



The Moon’s Silent Modulation by Julius Eastman