The Choral Contrarians

Latest Episodes:

Artistic Debt Oct 24, 2025

Show notes

Richard and Eric discuss a question posed in The New York Times: "What do consumers owe to producers of art?" They wonder if the concept of 'debt' within the artistic framework is plausible, and muse on its potential ramifications. Is it ethical for organizations to purchase used manuscripts, or loan for rehearsals and performances?

Lost Episode: The Gift Economy Mar 05, 2025

Show notes

"The Gift Economy" is a Choral Contrarian Lost Episode, recorded in Summer, 2024.

Richard and Eric use the recent article "Toward a Gift Economy," composed by Simon Oliver (published July 2024) in the Plough Quarterly, as a springboard to both generally and specifically discuss 'gift' as it relates to a culture, economy, and potentially an artistic organization. Can the concept of a gift economy be leveraged for a more healthy ethic, both personally or culturally? Is it a flaccid, weak ideal, or perhaps a powerful tool that can be utilized in a variety of ways to create sustained health and wellness?

"Toward a Gift Economy":
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.plough.com/en/topics/justice/social-justice/economic-justice/toward-a-gift-economy&ved=2ahUKEwiRjvG1pfSLAxXNj4kEHYrKLcsQFnoECBMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw31tizlUbp2z82nH--SM7Ge

The Intersection of Emotion and Performance May 22, 2024

Show notes

Richard and Eric try to locate the intersection point of emotion and performance. They not only attempt to differentiate the difference between how emotion works for the audience versus performer, but also debate the value and perception of emotion's usefulness as a performer of music. Do we overvalue, or misjudge, emotion in the act of performance?

I had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was… May 14, 2024

Show notes

Richard and Eric wonder about the goings-on of music and performance in dreams. What piece is heard there? Who wrote that piece? What ensemble performed the piece you heard in the dream? Is there anything to be learned from those questions? Maybe there is something similar going on when a conductor references their mental/aural imagery when adjudicating and rehearsing their ensembles.

Ye Olde Fireside Chat Dec 28, 2023

Show notes

Richard and Eric gather round the old fireplace to chat about a variety of things, including reading a wonderful note from Swedish composer Mattias Sjöberg. High-back chairs and a roaring fire is a wonderful time to reminisce and celebrate hygge during the dark, winter season.

Wandering the Choral Backrooms Dec 14, 2023

Show notes

Eric and Richard ask the question no one is asking (and maybe for good reason): Is there an intersection between the concept of liminal space and choral music? They discuss this fairly defined aesthetic phenomena and posit if any aspect of it can be seen in the light of music performance. Oh, and they rank their favorite solfege syllables. Just riveting in every way.

The Future of Music? Dec 04, 2023

Show notes

Richard and Eric dive deep into an article in The Critic, entitled "Have I Seen the Future of Music; On a performance in three dimensions for all five senses," by Norman Lebrecht. The article largely reviews pianist Yuja Wang's recent collaboration with renowned English artist David Hockney. The author posits that, through the use of technology and three-dimensional space, this performance hints to not just a navigable way forward for music and music performance, but an exciting possible future filled with multi-sensory elements. Are there issues to ponder with this type of thinking? What do we mean when we say the 'future of music'? What might we think the future of music will really be like?
https://thecritic.co.uk/issues/november-2023/have-i-seen-the-future-of-music/

Destined to Drown in the Digital Sea Nov 13, 2023

Show notes

Richard and Eric, after struggling to come up with topics for the pocast, resort to asking ChatGPT for help. They review and analyze what offerings AI provides, which leads to a much larger discussion of how AI might intersect the fine arts, most specifically choral music. It is an interesting deep dive into the digital sea.

The Wallpaper of Spacetime Oct 26, 2023

Show notes

Richard and Eric look into a quote about art and music that has been making the rounds of social media recently. Formally attributed to postmodernist/neo expressionist artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, it reads: “Art is how we decorate space, music is how we decorate time.” Why does the statement illicit a strong response from those in the fine arts? What could it actually mean, or does it perhaps mean something that people are misinterpreting, en masse?

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse Oct 19, 2023

Show notes

Richard and Eric have returned from the proverbial grave!
They catch up a bit and then briefly tackle the difficult task of creating a discernible ethic an ensemble can utilize and rally around on a practical level. They look specifically to a recent movie: "The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse" directed by Peter Baynton and Charlie Mackesy (adapted from a book of the same name by Mackesy) for inspiration. Are there ground level ideas or simple philosophies that can be implemented 'below' the music making that can effect the entire process for the good?
To watch on AppleTV:
https://tv.apple.com/us/movie/the-boy-the-mole-the-fox-and-the-horse/umc.cmc.2aenzye90tqkj7iy0131oom9x

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