151 - John Psathas

We are excited that joining us this week is New Zealand composer John Psathas. John is a favorite among percussionists, with his commission roster including powerhouse performers Evelyn Glennie, Ju Percussion, and Pedro Carneiro. His music was heard by billions in 2004 when he composed music for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Athens Olympics. Watch here. Listen below. If you cannot see the audio controls, your browser does not support the audio element 0:00 intro and hello 1:53 By the beach and a special "View" 3:50 Settling in New Zealand 7:23 Collaborative process when unfamiliar with the artist? 11:33 Writing process 17:28 Writing for the player's ease vs not. 22:50 Timpani works and solo timpani? 33:00 Laurel: Anatomy of Drumming (book) 49:27 Dave Weckl influence? 53:00 Ben: Evelyn Glennie 1:05:00 Recent work with Piano Circus? How do you choose who you collaborate with? 1:08:25 Online, and not just sharing the best experiences