In this happy hour episode, we discuss our plans for the fall semester, Lydia's artist residency with Dr. Philip Ewell, and Emily's women's history course (and newfound obsession with Harry Potter). We also provide an update on the future of the podcast. Get in touch with us at: thetheoryclubpodcast@gmail.com
In the last episode of season four, Lydia chats with Dr. Jenny Snodgrass (Lipscomb University) about her experiences as an opera singer (and with computer programming), her upcoming career change, the music theory pedagogy conference coming up next month, and her 2020 book Teaching Music Theory: New Voices and Approaches . Jenny's book Music Theory Pedagogy Conference (June 2-4) Music Theory Pedagogy Journal Bridging The Music Theory Gap Blog Timestamps: Jenny's background: 2:42 Jenny's experien...
In episode seven of season four, we chat with Dan Inglis about his choose your own adventure music education, his career as a voice and piano teacher, and his music theory YouTube channel centered around developing aural skills for singers. Dan's website (he's available for Zoom lessons!) Dan's YouTube channel Timestamps: Dan's background: 4:11 Dan's Solfège Trainer: 44:31 Get in touch with us at: thetheoryclubpodcast@gmail.com...
In episode six of season four, Lydia talks to Amelia Wellers about her experiences in music performance and music production, having a career outside of music, her rock album Wallflower ( produced with Kyle Joseph), and how she uses music theory as a singer-songwriter and producer. Stream Wallflower everywhere! Get in touch with us at: thetheoryclubpodcast@gmail.com
In episode five of season four, Lydia chats with Dr. Marc Hannaford (University of Michigan) about his experiences as a jazz pianist, pursuing careers in both music performance and music academia, and his forthcoming article "Fugitive Music Theory and George Russell's Theory of Tonal Gravity." https://marchannaford.com/ https://marchannaford.bandcamp.com/ Timestamps: Marc's background: 4:12 Balancing a career in both academia and performance: 13:02 Marc's experiences teaching during the pandemic...
A special bonus episode that Lydia recorded for her Everyday Musicology class! Lydia names her favorite Beyoncé songs, describes Beyoncé's particular expression of Black womanhood, and explores her complicated relationship to feminism, Black capitalism and Black excellence. Shoutout to her brilliant professor Dr. Castro and all of her amazing classmates! Sarah Olutola's "I Ain’t Sorry: Beyoncé, Serena, and Hegemonic Hierarchies in Lemonade " Kenya Hunt's Girl Gurl Grrrl: On Womanhood and Belon...
In episode three of season four, we listen to and discuss American composer Edgar Meyer's violin concerto featuring soloist Hilary Hahn.
Episode two of season four, during which we listen to and discuss Beethoven's Egmont Overture, reflect on the implications of performing the piece, and discuss music as a mood regulator. Timestamps: Our experiences playing the piece: 7:18 Listening to and discussing the piece: 23:16 What do you use music for? 35:57 Get in touch with us at: thetheoryclubpodcast@gmail.com
In this bonus episode, we listen to Vitali's Chaconne for violin and piano, and Lydia geeks out about all of the interesting music related things she's been reading in class. Susan McClary's chapter in Ritual, Routine, and Regime: Repetition in Early Modern British and European Cultures (ed. by Lorna Clymer) Suzanne Cusick's Feminist Theory, Music Theory, and the Mind/Body Problem Joseph Straus' book Extraordinary Measures: Disability In Music Get in touch with us at: thetheoryclubpodcast@gmail....
We're back for another eight episodes! In this happy hour episode, we dive deep into our courses for the new semester, from Schenkerian analysis to African history. Get in touch with us at: thetheoryclubpodcast@gmail.com
In this bonus episode, we catch up about our new semesters and discuss Joseph Straus' article in Music Theory Spectrum, "Music Theory's Therapeutic Imperative and the Tyranny of the Normal," centered around disability in music. Get in touch with us at: thetheoryclubpodcast@gmail.com
Episode seven of season three, during which Lydia chats with Dr. Brent Ferguson (College of Southern Maryland) about his work as a composer and music theorist, his approach to music theory pedagogy, our experiences at community colleges, Renata Yazzie's (University of New Mexico) lightning talk at SMT 2021, and Linda Shaver-Gleason's "Is Music a Universal Language?" Shaver-Gleason's piece Bobby's McFerrin's video Brent's virtual sound museum Follow Renata Yazzie on Twitter @nata_yazhi Timestamps...
Episode six of season three, during which Lydia chats with Anna Rose Nelson (University of Michigan) about her experiences as a strings player, her research on (post) modernist music from Webern to Ferneyhough, and music theory as a compositional tool. We also read and discuss Lloyd Whitesell's "White Noise: Race and Erasure in the Cultural Avant-Garde" and Susan McClary's "Terminal Prestige: The Case For Avant-Garde Music Composition." Timestamps: Anna's background: 3:26 Anna's masters thesis a...
Episode five of season three, during which we chat with Dr. William Montgomery and Hillary Lester of the Sounds of the World podcast! They tell us all about how they met and started their own music podcast, about their own compositional styles and methodologies, and about their favorite instruments to write for. Check out their show wherever you get your podcasts! williammontgomerycomposer.com thehealthymusiciansite.com soundsoftheworldpodcast.com Timestamps: Hillary's background: 2:42 Bill's ba...
In this Halloween themed episode, we discuss the music of Krzysztof Penderecki, John Williams and George Crumb to try and explore the qualities that makes their music sound spooky! Timestamps: Penderecki's "The Awakening of Jacob" from The Shining : 3:25 The theme from Jaws by John Williams: 9:17 "Ancient Voices of Children" by George Crumb: 17:33 Get in touch with us at: thetheoryclubpodcast@gmail.com
Season three episode three, during which Lydia chats with TJ Laws-Nicola (University of Kansas) about their path to musicology, their experiences as a disabled music student, and "The Gaze as Theoretical Touchstone" by Corinn Columpar (as well as a much needed pipe organ tangent!). Timestamps: TJ's background: 1:37 TJ's experience at KU: 16:18 Discussing "the sonic gaze" and TJ's research: 38:03 Get in touch with us at: thetheoryclubpodast@gmail.com...
Season three episode two, during which Lydia chats with Richard Desinord (Howard University) about his path to music education, his dissertation centered around harmony in gospel music, and our experiences as Black music theorists. Timestamps: Richard's background: 1:35 Richard's dissertation at Eastman: 14:57 Engaging with classical music while Black: 23:41 "Whoa, YOU'RE a music theorist??" 1:04:41 Get in touch with us at: thetheoryclubpodcast@gmail.com...
We're back for another eight episodes! In this episode, we have a drink and a casual chat about moving to new places, starting school in person, and our developing research. Lydia's blog Timestamps: Emily and Lydia both move: 2:38 Schenkerian analysis and our other favorite classes: 7:44 Emily's research project and repertoire: 25:23 Get in touch with us at: thetheoryclubpodcast@gmail.com...
Our last episode of season two! We discuss our excitement for the coming school year, the background and art songs of American composer Libby Larsen, and (of course) some aural skills pedagogy. Thank you for listening and for your continued support, stay tuned for our third season starting October 8th! Have a great start to your semester :) Timestamps: Our introductions to Libby Larsen: 8:12 "Blue Piece" for violin and piano: 12:41 "Lift Me Into Heaven Slowly:" 17:41 "Bucking Bronco:" 27:03 "Bil...
Episode seven of season two, during which we chat with Megan Lyons (University of Connecticut) about her dissertation on the art songs of Amy Beach, Beach's controversial politics, how to analyze art song, and a whole lot of theory pedagogy! No Stupid Questions Timestamps: Megan's background: 2:32 Should written skills and aural skills be the same class? 14:24 How Megan picked her dissertation topic: 21:24 Amy Beach's racist (and sexist?) background: 29:19 Listening to and discussing "After:" 45...
Episode six of season two, where we read and discuss Susanne Cusick's chapter in Queering the Pitch: The New Gay and Lesbian Musicology . We also discuss our first piece of racist hate mail, our experience dating other musicians, personifying music (specifically as a woman), and pleasure as a form of self care. Queering the Pitch Please by Black Girl Bliss Timestamps: Hate mail: 1:47 Emily's Facebook poll about women in music: 10:50 An introduction and summary of the chapter: 12:45 So you wanna ...
Season two episode five, during which we chat with Susan O'Brien about her personas as an actor, singer and poet, as well as her experience starting Forte Chicago, an all-female opera sketch comedy troupe. Forte Chicago Improvised Shakespeare Timestamps: Susan's background: 3:13 The challenge of pathfinding in music: 10:14 Susan's work with Forte Chicago: 26:40 Improv Shakespeare: 39:40 Dealing with (gendered) criticism: 43:53 Get in touch with us at: thetheoryclub@gmail.com...
Episode four of season two, in which we chat with Dr. Malia Jade Roberson about public music theory, performance anxiety, her struggles with tenure, and her experience publishing with Hal Leonard. musictheoryshop.com Timestamps: Public pedagogy: 2:42 Malia's background: 14:35 Malia gets published: 34:23 "Those who don't do, teach:" 50:32 We are all music entrepreneurs: 1:05:57 Get in touch with us at: thetheoryclubpodcast@gmail.com...
Episode three of season two, where we discuss performing and recording music during a pandemic, and Lydia's performance of Judith Weir's one woman opera. Lydia's performance Get in touch with us at: thetheoryclubpodcast@gmail.com
Season two episode two, where we chat with Corinne Costell (Roosevelt University) about her research on racism and cultural appropriation in opera, her work developing an anti-racist curriculum for white musicians, DBR's opera aria "They Still Want To Kill Us," and the implications of the term "ally." Corinne's conference presentation Daniel Bernard Roumain's "They Still Want To Kill Us" (on YouTube through July 31st!) Timestamps: Corinne's background: 4:06 Lydia rants about the tenure system: 1...
We're back for another eight episodes! This summer season we'll be focusing on music, research, performances and theories by women. In this episode, we discuss the music of American composer Jennifer Higdon, our views on recital requirements in conservatories, and the constant dilemma of "making it" as a musician. Timestamps: Emily's experience with the piece: 3:30 Lydia rants about recital requirements: 7:02 The fear of not being a good enough musician: 17:16 Listening to and discussing Fanfare...
Episode seven, in which sit down with Dr. David Kjar (Roosevelt University) to discuss his path to musicology, his experience playing early music, his thoughts on reimagining the early music movement, and the role of "authenticity" in historically informed performance. Streetwise Opera's performance of Bach's St. Matthew Passion Timestamps: Dr. Kjar's background: 1:34 Dr. Kjar's current project: 13:48 Discussion of Dr. Kjar's chapter on "Thirdspacing" Early Music: 17:02 Revisiting the idea of th...
Episode six, in which we chat with Dr. Linda Berna (Roosevelt University) about her "retrograde" path to music theory, her dissertation about Samuel Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915 , Sergei Prokofiev's "The Butterfly," and applying the philosophies and theories of non-musicians to expand the way the think about music. Timestamps: Dean Berna's background: 1:42 Picking a dissertation topic: 18:25 Barber's Knoxville : 27:40 Discussion of Dean Berna's chapter on Prokofiev: 30:52 Graphic notation:...
Episode five, in which we listen to and discuss a choral piece by Latvian composer Eriks Esenvalds. We also talk about our experience with modern and post tonal music, and the unique relationship of instrumentalists to their instruments. Megan Ihnen and Alan Theisen Boccherini's Body by Elizabeth Le Guin On a Lesbian Relation With Music: A Serious Effort Not To Think Straight by Susanne Cusick (chapter 4 in Queering the Pitch: The New Gay and Lesbian Musicology) Timestamps: Modern and post tonal...
Episode four, in which we discuss Lydia's experience preparing for and participating in the Midwest Music Research Collective virtual conference in March 2021. She presented her paper titled, "The Black American Sound: Examining The Influence of 1930's Chicago on Classical Music at Large." We also dive into the erasure of Black Americans from the classical music canon, the inherent hierarchical nature of the canon, and cultural appropriation in music performance. Lydia's presentation video The c...
