Sonorities

We profile Illinois Alum and singer Daniel Teadt. Daniel earned both his bachelor and masters degrees at Illinois where he was a student of Ronald Hedlund and John Wustman. Today he is a professor of voice at Carnegie Mellon University.

"Two Butterflies" is used by kind permission of the copyright holder, Burning Sled Music.
Music by Daron Hagen on the poem "Two Butterflies went out at Noon" by Emily Dickinson, and taken from the song set for voice and piano Songs of Experience. 
 

Harry Partch (1901-1974) enjoyed an extended residency at the University of Illinois from 1956-1962, where he continued his work to invent new instruments and compose new music for them. His work has  inspired student composers at Illinois for generations. 

In this episode Kerrith Livengood introduces three student compositions written for one of Partch's best known inventions, the adapted viola.

Selections heard in this podcast:
When This Fire Dies, Our Shadows Roam for adapted guitar and adapted viola, by Stephen Caldwell

Piece for adapted viola by Joshua Iyer

"Gabriel Thomas" from  Night Partches for adapted viola and intoned voice by Ralph Lewis. Performed by Luke Fitzpatrick.

Harry Partch Estate Archives, 1918-1991 Finding Aid at the Sousa Archives and Center for American Music.

Elizabeth Peterson is the associate Director of Bands where she directs the Illinois Wind Orchestra and is the student teaching coordinator for the School of Music. In this episode we are introduced to Encore at Illinois, a series of webinars on current topics in music and music education that will be of interest to musicians and music educators of all ages. 

Lamont Holden, AKA "The Letter L Beats," discusses the classes that he teaches in beatmaking and songwriting at Illinois.

@TheLetterLBeats (Instagram)

Guest artists for Spring 2021
My Best Friend Jacob, Tuesday, February 16th - 9:00am
Bubba Got Beatz, Tuesday, February 23rd - 9:00am
Clint Music, Tuesday, March 2nd - 9:00am
Triza, Tuesday, March 9th - 9:00am
Jelie 303, Tuesday, March 16th - 9:00am

Additional guests:
Yuneer Gainz (@yuneergainz)
Smart Boy Beatz  (@smartboybeatz)
CJ Plays (@cj.plays)

Professor Eli Fieldsteel introduces student composers Ethan Prado and Brian Hinkley.

Legerdemain for Solo Snare Drum by Ethan Prado
Ethan Prado on Youtube

Brian J. Hinkley homepage
Vigor for Saxophone Quartet

As Director of Global Arts Performance Initiatives for the University of Illinois, Jason Finkelman plays a central role in the musical life of both the Champaign-Urbana and the campus communities. In this episode we explore Jason's projects past, present and future, and what led him to become such a prolific force in our local community.

CORRECTION: Nick Rudd passed away in May of 2020, not March as reported in the interview.

Robert E. Brown Center for World Music (Gateways to World , Global Transfer, and Sudden Sound Concert Series)
Improvisers Exchange Ensemble
AsiaLENS (Film series at the Spurlock Museum)
Krannert Art Museum
Capoeira Angola Center, Champaign, IL
Painted Bride Arts Center, Philadelphia, PA
Nick Rudd Music Fund
Kuroshiro
WEFT 90.1 FM Community Radio (Fanfare for the Speeding Bullet, Sundays at 8pm)

Berimbau (Brazilian musical bow)
Buchla Music Easel
Mark Deutch and the Bizantar

In this episode we speak with choral conductor and Illinois graduate Donald Nally. He is conductor of the professional choral ensemble The Crossing, which has received many accolades and awards, including two Grammy Awards and six nominations. Currently they are nominated in the category of Best Choral Album for Carthage: the Music of James Primosch.  

In addition to Carthage, we’ll discuss some very innovative ways that The Crossing has adapted to making music in the age of COVID.

protect yourself from infection by David Lang
The Forest - a film by The Crossing
Rising w/ The Crossing

Conductor James Blachly is the conductor of the Johnstown Symphony Orchestra (Pennsylvania) and the Experiential Orchestra of New York City (EXO). The EXO's recording of The Prison by Dame Ethel Smyth is nominated for a GRAMMY Award.

Johnstown Symphony Orchestra
The Experiential Orchestra (EXO)
Morning Meditations (EXO YouTube playlist)
The Prison, By Dame Ethel Smyth on the Chandos label
James Blachly website

Sophia Byrd is a senior in the U of I Lyric Theatre program and is one of the performers on Place  by composer Ted Hearne and Librettist/Poet Saul Williams. Place is nominated for GRAMMY awards in Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance (Ted Hearne, Steven Bradshaw, Sophia Byrd, Josephine Lee, Isaiah Robinson, Sol Ruiz, Ayanna Woods and Place Orchestra) and Best Contemporary Classical Composition (Ted Hearne, composer).

Sophia Byrd
Ted Hearne's Place
Lyric Theatre at Illinois
Reggie Chapman, "Cranes in the Sky" (Solange)

Composition Professor Eli Fieldsteel introduces two of our student composers Tomás García and Cody Paul. Masters student Tomás García shares a recording of his work for solo alto saxophone Inside the Loop in a performance by Wilson Poffenberger. Doctoral student Cody Paul presents Delta, A Self Portrait for Piano and Chamber Orchestra, in a premiere recording by the Illinois Modern Ensemble.

Composition at Illinois
Website of Tomás García
Soundcloud page of Cody Paul