Stay ConnectedA podcast about the most fascinating time in classical music history: right now.
Relevant Tones features interviews with and music by some of the most creative figures in contemporary classical music, themed shows exploring new trends in classical music and frequent live streamed shows featuring conversations and music performances.
Hosted and produced by Seth Boustead, Austin Williams, Stephen Anthony Rawson and Matt Dotson.
Copyright: © Seth Boustead
Virtuosic violinist Jennifer Koh is known for her commanding performances and technical assurance. Although she performs Tchaikovsky and Bach she’s interested in finding the connection between the arts and music of all eras from traditional to now.
Jennifer Koh tells us about some of the 60 works that have been written especially for her including a new work by Kaija Saariaho.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Sarah Zwinklis
Bedeviled by Phil Kline
Jennifer Koh, violin
Sense by Kaija Saariaho
Jennifer Koh, violin
The Singing Rooms by Jennifer Higdon
Jennifer Koh, violin; Atlanta Symphony Orchestra ; Robert Spano, conductor
Graal théâtre: Delicato and Impetuoso by Kaija Saariaho
Jennifer Koh, violin; Conner Covington, conductor; Curtis 20/21 Ensemble
We live in a charged political environment and though music is often seen as an escape, many composers have chosen to use their work to make a statement.
From Ted Hearne’s The Source, based on the story of Chelsea Manning, the US Army Private who infamously leaked classified military documents to WikiLeaks in 2010 to David T. Little’s operas about modern warfare to Bright Sheng’s music about the Cultural Revolution, we feature several composers who are speaking out.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Sarah Zwinklis
We’re opening our doors to Nick Photinos, David Schrader, and other Thirsty Ears Street Festival performers for a preview concert. The third annual festival kicks off on Saturday, August 11 and ends on Sunday, August 12.
You can visit the festival at Wilson street between Hermitage and Ravenswood; the two day event will feature fifteen stellar ensembles and soloists performing music from Beethoven to Shostakovich to Reich and everything in between on the main stage.
There’s delicious beer from Empirical Brewing, vendor booths, kid friendly activities and food trucks on both days.
$10 suggested donation, all proceeds support the ACM School of Music, a non-profit organization.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Bex Nystedt
Information, from “Artifacts” by Florent Ghys
Nick Photinos, solo cello and electronics
“La” Suite for Flute and Piano by Amy Wurtz
IV. Love
V. Laude
John Wachala, Flute; Amy Wurtz, Piano
Middleground by Shelley Washington
Zafa Collective
Improvisation by David Schrader
David Schrader, piano
Arizona Mirage by Mauricio Arias
Josephine Yang, piano
On a Windswept Plain by Trevor Patrick Watkin
Trevor Patrick Watkin, flute; Josephine Yang, Piano
Factory and Flowers, from “Artifacts” by Florent Ghys
Nick Photinos, solo cello and electronics
Grammy-winning composer, pianist and conductor, Joan Tower, has been said to be “one of the most successful women composers of all time” by The New Yorker.
This year she’s celebrating her 80th birthday and we're celebrating by talking with her about her most memorable works and stories. The Grammy-award winning Made in America made the cut and you’ll be surprised by Joan’s insight on how the piece came to be.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Sarah Zwinklis
Music
Fanfare No. 1 for the Uncommon Woman
Marin Alsop, Conductor; Colorado Symphony Orchestra
Black Topaz
Laura Flax, Clarinet; Patricia Spencer, Flute; Deborah Moore, Jonathan Haas, Percussion; Stephen Gosling, piano; Mike Powell*, trombone; Chris Gekker, trumpet
Silver Ladders
Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra; Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Petroushskates
Eighth Blackbird
Made in America
Nashville Symphony; Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Chopin, Kreisler, Bach and more have written compositions less than three minutes in length. This trend is no stranger to contemporary pieces. We’ll pack as many of these tiny gems as possible as we uncover why composers enjoy creating these mini masterworks.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Sarah Zwinklis
Music
3 Miniatures for Violin and Pianoby Krzysztof Penderecki
Ida Bieler, violin; Nina Tichman, piano
Petit Quatuor, by André Cormier
Bozzini Quartet
Free Tango Lessons on Wednesday by Jeff Morton
Bozzini Quartet
Slanted Birds by Anna Höstman
Bozzini Quartet
Talking with Strangers by Alex Eddington
Bozzini Quartet
Six Fugitive Memories by Vera Ivanova
Nadia Shpachenko, piano
Piano Miniatures by Mohammed Fairouz
Katie Reimer, piano
Fractal Miniaturesby Roger Zare
EOS Repertoire Orchestra; Jiao Wang, conductor
The Boston Modern Orchestra Project is widely known as the leading orchestra in the United States dedicated exclusively to performing the 20th and 21st century music and its signature record label BMOP/sound reflects those standards.
In Boston, we’re listening to the newest recordings off BMOP/sound label and talking to Creative Director and Conductor, Gil Rose.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Sarah Zwinklis
Symphony IV: III Scherzo: Vivace by Lukas Foss
Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Gil Rose, Conductor
Shanti by Peter Child
Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Gil Rose, Conductor
Toccata Concertante by Irving Fine
Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Gil Rose, Conductor
The Blizzard Voices by Paul Moravec
NEC Concert Choir; Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Gil Rose, conductor
Composers and musicians meet in a “speed dating” style at the New Music Gathering at Boston Conservatory at Berklee in Boston, Massachusetts
New Music Gathering is an annual three-day conference dedicated to the performance, production, promotion, support and creation of new concert music held at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee.
This year’s keynote speaker is Helga Davis, host of Q2, who discusses this year’s conference theme: accessibility. Performances include Matt Marks, Hub New Music, Sarah Bob, and the Boston-based Firebird Ensemble.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Sarah Zwinklis
Soul House by Rob Honstein
Hub New Music
She Thinks of Him Adam Tendler
Adam Tendler, electronics and vocal
Penetration Overture by Matt Marks
Matt Marks, performer; Mellissa Hughes, performer
OMG I’m Shot by Matt Marks
Matt Marks, performer; Mellissa Hughes, performer
Dark Flowers; I: Black Baccara by Jonathan Bailey Holland
Christopher Chaffee, flute; Joshua Nemith, piano
Mud Wrestling at the OK Corral by Eric Moe
Firebird Ensemble; Jeffrey Means, Conductor; Sarah Bob, soloist
(Le) Poisson Rouge (LPR) is a multimedia art cabaret founded by musicians on the site of the historic Village Gate in New York City. We’re here live for an exciting musical program dedicated to Mexican composers.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Sarah Zwinklis
Neuroma de Morton by Felipe Peréz Santiago
Coleman Itzkoff, cello; Beomjae Kim, flute; Mike Sasaki, piano; Caeli Smith, viola; Suliman Tekali, violin
Tres Danzas Seculares by Mario Lavista
Coleman Itzkoff, cello; Mika Sasaki, piano
De Animos y Quebrantos by Gabriela Ortiz
Brandon Ilaw, percussion; Coleman Itzkoff, cello; Beomjae Kim, flute; Caeli Smith, viola; Suliman Tekali, violin
Y Los Oros La Luz by Ana Lara
Bixby Kennedy,clarinet; Coleman Itzkoff, cello; Beomjae Kim, flute; Mika Sasaki, piano; Suliman Tekali, violin
Neurocardiogénico by Felipe Peréz Santiago
Coleman Itzkoff, cello; Beomjae Kim, flute; Mike Sasaki, piano; Caeli Smith, viola; Suliman Tekali, violin
We’re traveling to Knoxville, Tennessee for the Big Ears Festival! Regarded as one of the most unique, boundary-defying and eagerly anticipated cultural gatherings in the world – “a music festival with a rare vision” (The New York Times) Big Ears Festival returns in 2018 with perhaps its most multi-faceted and diverse line up to date.
Spanning four days – Thursday, March 22 – Sunday, March 25 – the festival will feature over 100 performances, including Bang on a Can, Brooklyn Rider, and International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), in venues throughout downtown Knoxville, Tennessee.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Sarah Zwinklis
In the Light of Air by Anna Thorvaldsdóttir
International Contemporary Ensemble
Griff by Béla Fleck
Béla Fleck & Brooklyn Rider
Cheating, Lying, Stealing by David Lang
Bang on a Can All-Stars
Flowers for Prashant by Tyshawn Sorey
Tyshawn Trio
Relevant Tones is proud to partner with The Look + Listen Festival, an annual event dedicated to presenting contemporary music in contemporary art galleries like Pratt Manhattan Gallery, Brooklyn’s BRIC House and The Studio Museum in Harlem.
The festival seeks to expand and engage audiences of 20th and 21st music by providing a unique opportunity to simultaneously experience new music and contemporary visual art.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Sarah Zwinklis
Spero Lucem by Nina Young
Ensemble Échappé
Springs by Paul Lansky
Sō Percussion
Unique Forms of Continuity in Space by Žibuoklė Martinaitytė
Yarn/Wire
Tuning Meditation by Pauline Oliveros
Phyllis Chen, piano
Deep Thought Music by Craig Harris
The Saints and Aints Brass Choir
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