Composer Daniel Kessner came up in the SoCal composition world in the 60s and 70s, and he has Seen Some Things. Today he discusses the wild experimentation of the 20th century and the importance of learning your Bach inventions. Stick around for some great advice for up-and-coming composers and a fun preview of his bass flute and electronics piece, Imaginary Temples.

⁠https://www.universaledition.com/en/Contacts/Daniel-Kessner/⁠

Schumann piano quartet in E-flat, Andante: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4EDwHCR-PI

Bach, 3-Part Invention #3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq7W41doqk0

Salonen Violin Concerto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n0kZc3Utpc

Nicole asks Elizabeth if she has any age-related non-negotiables, in performance and in life. Like, how do you know you’re too old to learn a new technique? When do you give yourself permission to prefer happiness over work? And furthermore, for whom are you accepting the work? Nicole spills the beans about getting fired from her first teaching gig and Elizabeth wonders how gender affects likeability at work. They both agree that reading the room might be the most important professional skill.

Brandon Shaw, Startup Musician

Inga Chinilina, winner of FNMC’s 2024 Composition Competition in the solo flute category, joins us today to discuss her winning piece, “Learning to Love America” and how she weaves immigrant experiences into her works. She also explains her PhD research, which wrestles with the inherent solitude in personal listening and the limits of human perception. She is a composer who seeks first and foremost to translate her experiences into sounds, and urges potential collaborating performers to ask for everything they want in a commissioned piece!

https://chinilina.com/

Chinilina, Salt Soaked: https://chinilina.com/salt

Alejandro Escuer: https://alejandroescuer.com/

Tristan Barton: https://www.tristanbartonmusic.com/

Rose Hegele: https://www.rosehegele.com/

Khovanshchina: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khovanshchina

Christian Glascock won FNMC’s composition competition in 2024 with his flute-piano work, but it’s not her. Today he fills us in on his book "Plugged In: Practice and Performance Method for Flutists," which he co-wrote with his former flute professor, Abigail Walsh. He also discusses the therapeutic role composition plays during turbulent times and the joy of meeting his composition heroes in real life. Stay tuned for more, cuz this guy’s got a bright future ahead of himself!

Christian Glascock: https://www.christianglascock.com/

In the Blink of an Eye: https://open.spotify.com/album/6i0ipfMU70Ah8uL1J3l7pd

Amy Beth Kirsetn, Pirouette on a Moon Sliver: https://youtu.be/jj57RIRl66E?si=c9jWrO-7m9BpzSkj

Robert Dick, everyone@universe.existence: https://youtu.be/c01bXIpVF_s?si=bk1SLFQNwwpeBW35

Steve Reich, Mallet Quartet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrJkrCs5hUk

Bill Ryan, Towards Daybreak: https://billryanmusic.com/compositions/Towards%20Daybreak/

Jacob TV, Lipstick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8QCsoF5W9I

Andre Jolivet, Chant de Linos: https://youtu.be/SZzTzcs5Y_8?si=CsR4pGXWyEBUdMAP

Earspasm: https://www.youtube.com/@earspasm

Kari Cruver Medina was born a composer and storyteller! She prefers to live a life which dwells in possibilities (thank you, Emily Dickinson), and chooses to “tend and befriend” whenever she can. Today she chats with Nicole and Elizabeth about not doing it all in favor of a life led with intentionality and exploration. We also learn more about her wildly varied duet for flutes, Cabinet of Curiosities, an FNMC competition winner in 2024, and get schooled in some poetry for beginners.

https://www.karicruvermedina.com/

Emily Dickinson: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/emily-dickinson

Mary Oliver: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/mary-oliver

Billy Collins: https://youtu.be/DOvbl3ZPPV4?si=eZrO6PgS9Liw4vvb

Are you regularly cooking up new, complicated projects in need of funding? This episode’s for you. Elizabeth reveals her super-secret project, South Dakota Chamber Winds, which came to fruition this past summer. What follows is a pretty specific discussion about how to strategize for grant writing, how to survive running The Thing, and for dessert, a delightful lil’ name drop of some perhaps new-to-you composers you should know. Nicole and Elizabeth also go down the rabbit hole of analyzing the unique vibe of non-academic venues with non-academic audience members. And finally, there is an ode to the ever-patient, ever-suffering regional personnel manager.

South Dakota Chamber Winds: http://www.southdakotachamberwinds.com/

Marie A. Douglas: https://www.marieadouglas.com/

Alyssa Morris: https://www.alyssamorrismusic.com/

Jonathan Newman: https://jonathannewman.com/

An eclectic and versatile performer, NYC-based clarinetist Chris Grymes has made a name for himself in the new music scene, as a performer, show producer, and the founder of Open G Records, which he started in 2012. Today he talks about his decades-long friendship with Joan Tower, the surprisingly inherent music of Jiu-Jitsu, and the guiding principle that drives his choice of projects: making nice stuff with his friends. He considers himself the funny uncle of the new music world and hopes, first and foremost, to leave behind “something that’s not dumb”.

National Sawdust: https://www.nationalsawdust.org/

Boulez,Dialogue de l'ombre double: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJKhUZEhtX8

Open G Records: https://www.youtube.com/@OpenGRecords

Radiohead, OK Computer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDRauh2lETo&list=PLD3LS5Z2bqoFChIzb5H0CY-XwmUB02buA

Brahms, op. 118: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b76pK6FRGJc&list=PLabI4D17uS1IEfjbHmdKQk_aP-RcpsByO

Stravinsky, Firebird (full): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFEUfvMnCmM&list=PLt_iN-ytBvZxkr4sS-It8d8rvDDhuu1VI

Season 3 of Music Crush is coming soon!