Contemporary Classical and New Music in Boston: Interview with Olivia Katz and Dylan Dukat

In this podcast, guests Olivia Katz and Dylan Dukat join me, Iris Martinez, to talk about contemporary classical and new music, especially in Boston. From their music interests to the music community, learn more about what makes Boston such a special place and where Boston is working to improve.This was recorded in April 2025 for the Storytelling with Technology course at Emerson College, and was re-edited for release here!Berklee College of Music-Boston race and ethnicity statistics for domestic students mentioned are on page 6 of: https://www.berklee.edu/sites/default/files/2025-02/2024-2025%20Berklee%20Factbook.pdf.Read the transcript here.Guest Bios:Olivia Katz is a cellist, improviser, teacher and composer in the Boston area specializing in contemporary classical music. They are part of contemporary classical string quartet Semiosis Quartet and multi-instrumentalist and free improvisational trio Moon Unit. Olivia graduated from Boston Conservatory at Berklee in 2024 with a master's degree in contemporary classical music performance. Learn more about Olivia on their website and follow them on Instagram @olivia.katz.cello.Dylan Dukat is a composer, educator and performer in the Boston area interested in the ways performers interface with their instruments. They are an administrator for Vibrant Matter, a new music collective in Boston, and a member of the Millennium Composers Initiative. Selected works by Dylan can be found on Dulcamara Press. Dylan graduated with a master's degree in composition from Boston Conservatory at Berklee in 2024. Learn more about Dylan on their website and follow them on Instagram @d.dukat.Credits:This episode of Iris FM was hosted and primarily edited by Iris Martinez. Additional editing by Leo Martinez. Original improvisational music for the intro and outro by Leo Martinez.