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
Four-time Grammy winning super group Eighth Blackbird unveils their newest creative project: “to inspire the next generation of performers and composers to share in the ensemble’s vision: to champion a distinctive, dynamic and engaging performance aesthetic.”
We’ll talk to the birds and this year’s participants and bring you into the creative process as the lab comes to life.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Sarah Zwinklis
Conduit; Mvmt I: Touch; Mvmt II: Pulse by Robert Honstein
eighth blackbird
Duos: Mvmts 21-24 by Jörg Widmann
Nick Photinos, cello; Michiko Theurer, violin
Cold Mountain: “Listen” by Jennifer Higdon
Justine Aronson, soprano; Jocelyn Zelasko, soprano; Robert Fleitz, piano
Only the Words Themselves Mean What They Say by Kate Soper
Justine Aronson, soprano; Erika Boysen, flutes
Electric Aroma by Viet Cuong
Michael Maccaferri, clarinet; Dylan Ward, saxophone; Phoebe Wu, piano; Matt Keown, percussion
Dogs by Invoke
Invoke: Zachariah Matteson, violin; Nick Montopoli, violin; Karl Mitze, viola; Geoff Manyin, cello
The International Society for Contemporary Music (ISCM) holds arguably the world’s most important contemporary music festival in a different city each year.
Much like the Olympics, cities bid to be the host and this year it’s in Vancouver. In this first program of two, we hear from Jordan Nobles, Charlotte Bray, Jocelyn Morlock, and Stefan Prins.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Sarah Zwinklis
Skywriting, by Jordan Nobles
Redshift Vertical Orchestra & Electric Guitar Orchestra
At the Speed of Stillness, by Charlotte Bray
Aldeburgh World Orchestra; Sir Mark Elder, conductor
Lux Antiqua, by Jordan Nobles
The Esoterics; Eric Banks, conductor
My Name is Amanda Todd, by Jocelyn Morlock
Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra; Alexander Shelley, conductor
Hände Ohne Orte, by Stefan Prins
Hamburg-based Decoder Ensemble; Carola Schaal, clarinets; Jonathan Shapiro, percussion; Andrej Koroliov, piano; and Sonja Lena Schmid, cello
A special broadcast with Chicago’s Kontras Quartet, a group that has been blending the line between classical and folk music since 2009.
On this program we’ll hear folk-inspired repertoire from South Africa to Japan back home to the Midwest.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Sarah Zwinklis
Strum by Jessie Montgomery
String Quartet No. 1 “White Man Sleeps”: Movement I. “First Dance”
by Kevin Volans
Exodus Quartet: I. “A Tale; Generations of Suffering” by Rudy Perrault
Appalachian Polaroids by Steven Snowden
Japanese Folk Song Suite No. 2: Movement I. Yagibushi & Movement II. Nambu ushioi otaby Hajime Komatsu –
Komeng by Mokale Koapeng
8 Chinese folk songs: No. 5: Horse Herds Mountain Song & No. 8: Leaving Home by Zhou Long
Shortnin’ Bread by Florence Price
String Quartet No. 3 “Old Time” by Mark O’Connor
Black Bend by Dan Visconti
One of the most important new developments in contemporary classical music is part of a wider societal trend of gender fluidity. We talk with three composers who have transitioned about their music before and after, and their personal experiences.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Sarah Zwinklis
Forces Part 1 by Devin Fanslow
Ball State University Sax quartet: Soprano, Amanda Fratangeli; Alto, Om Srivastava; Tenor, Ethan Edwards; Baritone, Sean Sumwalt
Rotational Games by Brin Solomon
Brin Solomon, bassoon; Nic Gerpe, piano; Recording by Adam Borecki
Purple Stain by Alex Temple
Julia Holter, Voice; Spektral Quartet
This Changes Everything! by Alex Temple
John Seaton, Soprano Sax
Lake Song by Alex Temple
Jenna Lyle, Voice
Produced by Access Contemporary Music, the Discovery Series is a process-based exploration of musical creativity.
Three pieces are chosen for each program from a pool of more than seven hundred submissions. These pieces were workshopped at National Sawdust in Brooklyn and the sessions were led by composer/pianist Jeremy Gill.
The Discovery Series is an exciting sneak peak into the creative process, and the process of putting the piece together for the musicians tasked with bringing the music to life.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Sarah Zwinklis
Recurrent Stages: Stage II, by Ryan Homsey
Adelya Nartadjieva, violin; Suliman Tekali violin; Andy Lin, viola; Julia Yang, cello
Deux Fois Miro, by Adina Dumitrescu
Mak Dover, clarinet; Andy Lin, viola; Martin Smith, piano
Tune My Heart, by Roger Briggs
Joenne Dumitrascu, violin; Anna Betka, piano
Soundtrack of an Open Road, by Ted King
Maria Hadge, cello
Sonata form is one of the oldest composition structures in classical music but it’s being rediscovered, and in many cases re-purposed, by contemporary composers.
What is the lasting appeal? We’ll play music by four composers looking to the past for formal inspiration. This episode also features a tribute to David Maslanka who passed away shortly before the taping.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Sarah Zwinklis
Piano Quintet, mvt. I by Thomas Adès
Thomas Adès, piano; Arditti Quartet: Irvine Arditti, Ashot Sarkissjan, violin; Ralf Ehlers, viola; Lucas Fels, cello
Camille for Sax and Piano, mvt. I by David Maslanka
Stephen Jordheim, alto saxophone; Christina Dahl, piano
2, by Keeril Makan
Either/Or Ensemble: Jennifer Choi, violin; David Shively, percussion
Piano Quintet by Thomas Adès
Thomas Adès, piano; Arditti Quartet: Irvine Arditti, Ashot Sarkissjan, violin; Ralf Ehlers, viola; Lucas Fels, cello
Composer Mason Bates brings Steve Jobs’ life story to the stage in Santa Fe Opera’s production of The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs.
The opera combines expressive electronics with electric guitar, Bates’ signature rich orchestration and sleek lighting design for a truly modern experience.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Sarah Zwinklis
Dark Interlude and Scene 13
Santa Fe Opera
Scene 5
Santa Fe Opera; Sarah Coit; Edward Parks; Wei Wu; Otogawa Garrett Sorenson; Jessica Jones
Scene 3
Santa Fe Opera; Edward Parks; Wei Wu
Prologue (Paul’s aria)
San Francisco Conservatory of Music; Kelly Markgraf; Robert Tweten; Mason Bates; James Moore
Scene 6 (Chrisann aria)
San Francisco Conservatory of Music; Jessica Jones at San Francisco Conservatory of Music
Scene 2
San Francisco Conservatory of Music; Sarah Coit; Edward Parks
Overture and Scene 1Santa Fe Opera
Scenes 3-4 (Reed College)
San Francisco Conservatory of Music; Wei Wu
Scene 8 (Stanford)
San Francisco Conservatory of Music; Edward Parks; Sarah Coit
Scene 16 (Humans are Messy aria)
San Francisco Conservatory of Music; Edward Parks; Sarah Coit
Scene Walking Interlude
San Francisco Conservatory of Music
Pulitzer Prize winning composer, Bernard Rands shares his thoughts on his catalogue of over a hundred published works and recordings.
From his 1963 premiere at Darmstadt to 1986 Kennedy Center Friedheim Award winning orchestral suites Le Tambourin, to his 2011 Chicago Symphony Orchestra commission, Danza Petrificada and beyond.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Sarah Zwinklis
Tre Espressioni by Bernard Rands
Ursula Oppens, piano
Preludes mvt. IV Elegia, by Bernard Rands
Robert Levin, piano
Canti Lunatici, mvt. I Ed è Subito Sera by Bernard Rands
Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Lucy Shelton, soprano; Gil Rose, conductor
Canti Lunatici, mvt. IV La Luna Asoma by Bernard Rands
Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Lucy Shelton, soprano; Gil Rose, conductor
Canti Lunatici, mvt. VIII Mondsand by Bernard Rands
Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Lucy Shelton, soprano; Gil Rose, conductor
Canti Lunatici, mvt. IX The Moon by Bernard Rands
Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Lucy Shelton, soprano; Gil Rose, conductor
Canti Lunatici, mvt. XV Finita e la Notte by Bernard Rands
Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Lucy Shelton, soprano; Gil Rose, conductor
Preludes, mvt. VI Toccata by Bernard Rands
Robert Levin, piano
Now and Again by Bernard Rands
Network for New Music; Jan Krzywicki, conductor
Canti del Sole, mvt. I Mattina by Bernard Rands
Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Douglas Ahlstedt, tenor; Gil Rose, conductor
Canti del Sole, mvt. II The Dawn Verse by Bernard Rands
Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Douglas Ahlstedt, tenor; Gil Rose, conductor
Canti del Sole, mvt. III The Masque of the Twelve Months by Bernard Rands
Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Douglas Ahlstedt, tenor; Gil Rose, conductor
Canti del Sole, mvt. IV Soleil et Chair by Bernard Rands
Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Douglas Ahlstedt, tenor; Gil Rose, conductor
Canti del Sole, mvt. V Portami il girasole by Bernard Rands
Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Douglas Ahlstedt, tenor; Gil Rose, conductor
Canti del Sole, mvt. VI Vision and Prayer by Bernard Rands
Boston Modern Orchestra Project; Douglas Ahlstedt, tenor; Gil Rose, conductor
Relevant Tones is highlighting the performers and works featured in the second annual Thirsty Ears Festival: Chicago’s only classical music street festival!
This LIVE broadcast is coming straight our broadcast studio on Friday August 11th featuring several of the exciting ensembles and soloists taking the stage at the fest.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Sarah Zwinklis
Puerto Rican-born composer and multi-instrumentalist Angélica Negrón writes music for accordions, toys and electronics as well as chamber ensembles and orchestras.
Her works Bubblegum Grass Peppermint Field and La Isla Magica are as whimsical as their names suggest.
Leap into Negron’s mind and music in the latest installment of our Composers Among Us series.
Hosted by Seth Boustead
Produced by Sarah Zwinklis
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