Music Crush with FNMC

Today, Elizabeth and Nicole catch up with their friend Lisa Bost to discuss her work as a flutist and composer. Elizabeth commissioned the gorgeous flute quartet, Starling, back in 2021 for her album, and the three chat about the piece’s inception and listen to some snippets from the official recording. Lisa also shares fascinating perspectives on her fluid experiences moving between the flute and composer communities, describes her creative process, and has inspiring advice for the composition-curious. https://www.lisabost.com/Starling: https://www.lisabost.com/store/starling-for-flute-quartetStarling murmurations: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V4f_1_r80RYDiandya: https://www.lisabost.com/store/diandya-for-solo-flute

Christian Glascock is back (again!) to discuss his award-winning piece, Echoes of the Deep for flute and electronics. Whale lovers, you’re in for a real treat (and good company). Christian Glascock: https://www.christianglascock.com/Echoes of the Deep: https://www.christianglascock.com/product-page/echoes-of-the-deep-for-alto-flute-and-fixed-media-electronics

Elizabeth and Nicole welcome back multi-year Composition Competition winner, composer and flutist Christian Glascock. Christian catches us up on his latest venture: grad school at BGSU! He talks about the value of taking a “gap year”, and then the gang listens to and discusses his composition, Ascension for flute quartet. Christian Glascock: https://www.christianglascock.com/Marilyn Shrude: https://www.marilynshrude.com/Ascension: https://www.christianglascock.com/product-page/ascension-for-flute-quartetHerman Beeftink: https://hermanbeeftink.com/

In honor of FNMC's current commissioning project, we're delighted to revisit this interview with Kevin Day from season 2! Flutists can still join the Day Commission through April 15 RIGHT HERE!

Nicole and Elizabeth explore the various levels and types of community which exist in the music world and how to nurture them. They also play a little armchair psychology as they reflect upon different generations’ approaches towards stress and anxiety. https://www.flutenewmusicconsortium.com/nmf2026.html

Lebanese composer Sami Seif fills us in on his 2025 solo competition winner, “Miniatures from Phoenicia”, originally premiered by the amazing Mary Kay Fink, and nerds out with Elizabeth and Nicole about how extra cool flutists are (admittedly, this is Nicole’s paraphrase). Sami also shares some fascinating tidbits about Lebanese music and inspires us with his delightfully positive pedagogical philosophy. Nicole and Sami discuss the pleasure of traveling for work. Finally there’s some sage advice here for collaborating happily with your favorite composers.https://www.samiseif.com/Seif, Miniatures from PhoeneciaElizabeth Younan, Fantasia II for Solo Flute Saad Haddad, Tasalsul I for Solo FluteNadim Taraby, BAYĀTI, HAYĀTI for Violin (2), Viola, Cello, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, and oboe

Elizabeth and Nicole talk high-brow music in humble places, curating thought-provoking recital experiences, and shirking traditional “responsibilities” attached to the repertoire canon. What makes a concert interesting? What are the performer’s responsibilities to the audience? And how does this translate into pedagogy? Deep thoughts to kick off 2026 with Music Crush (and listen to the end for an update on Lake Bacon)!

Flutist-composer Kyrese Washington won FNMC’s 2025 composition competition in the flute and piano category.Today they explain how their winning composition, “Poem” came to life and how their compositional persona really blossomed during the pandemic, despite improvising and composing for fun from an early age. There are some grateful shout-outs to mentors Tim Hagen and Valerie Coleman, and a fascinating review of their commission from Katherine Needleman. Keep listening for some very fun musical suggestions and video ideas!https://colemanpagemusic.com/composer/kyrese-washington/Bjork, PostCharlie XCX, BratChaka Kahn, “Tearing It Up”

Today’s episode features an awe-inspiring conversation with harpist, arts administrator, and new music advocate Elizabeth Huston. As the Executive Director of the L.A.-based composer collective, Synchrony, she has been involved in commissioning, producing, and educating numerous composers over the years. She tells us how she creates an engaging show, describes the process by which composers get paid for their music, and gives performers some practical tips for getting to know your composers and their works for a more meaningful collaboration. Stick around for the contemporary harp music primer at the end! https://elizabethharpist.com/R. Murray Schafer, Crown of Ariadne: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRAV0kXvy5MCaroline Lizotte, Suite Galactique: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgIgOTgMCpkJan Krzywicki, Starscape: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8zdeK_tx_0

This episode features an inspiring conversation we had with award-winning flutist and arts advocate Dr. Iva Ugrčić, the founder and director of LunART Festival, a celebration of women artists in its eighth year.  She takes us through her educational journey, from Serbia to Paris to Madison, Wisconsin, and walks us through the criteria she uses for selecting composers, both for her festival and for her own commissions. Iva has no regrets and appreciates everything she has experienced in work and life.  And she tells us that she’s already living her dream! We love that. https://www.ivaugrcic.com/Chen Yi, Gi: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty_ex4KABIcSato Matsui: https://www.satomatsui.com/3rd Coast: https://www.thirdcoastchambercollective.com/projects/chamber-camp

Elizabeth and Nicole are catching up after a long, luxurious summer. Elizabeth crocheted, and Nicole learned how to swim. Nicole might have gotten too detailed about the process of learning how to swim as a 51-year-old…then Elizabeth got all fancy and tied it into metacognition as she learned it in her back-to-school faculty seminar. Discussions on skill vs talent and the general superiority of musicians in the teaching realm abound, and Elizabeth chooses a swear word to post on her office door for the beginning of school. Ever the party pooper, Nicole manages to bring this whimsical conversation back around to the coming crisis in arts funding. 

Asha Srinivasan, composer of the 2015 FNMC Composition Competition winner for flute and cello, Dviraag, joins us today to discuss her auspicious beginnings as a classical singer in India, how she blends her Indian and American heritage in her work, and so much more! She stresses how making art is a process of self-discovery, but her specific tips can really help us all collaborate better with one another. And she spills some tea on her latest flute project with her colleague from Lawrence Conservatory, Erin Lesser!https://www.twocomposers.org/asha/about.phpLaurie Berkner: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurie_BerknerAruna Sairam: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aruna_SairamMetallica, Black album: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqDeH3hwxfwAnd some additional listening recs Asha sent us later!:Mehdi Hassan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehdi_HassanJohn Luther Adams, Become Ocean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGva1NVWRXkLouis Andriessen, De Staat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC1TkipqZrMDonnacha Dennehy, Gra agus Bas: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORJ1wgRI3WU

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-PIBach, 3-Part Invention #3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq7W41doqk0Salonen 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/saltAlejandro 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/6i0ipfMU70Ah8uL1J3l7pdAmy Beth Kirsetn, Pirouette on a Moon Sliver: https://youtu.be/jj57RIRl66E?si=c9jWrO-7m9BpzSkjRobert Dick, [email protected]: https://youtu.be/c01bXIpVF_s?si=bk1SLFQNwwpeBW35Steve Reich, Mallet Quartet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrJkrCs5hUkBill Ryan, Towards Daybreak: https://billryanmusic.com/compositions/Towards%20Daybreak/Jacob TV, Lipstick: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8QCsoF5W9IAndre Jolivet, Chant de Linos: https://youtu.be/SZzTzcs5Y_8?si=CsR4pGXWyEBUdMAPEarspasm: 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-dickinsonMary Oliver: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poets/mary-oliverBilly 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!

In this season finale episode, Nicole is puzzling over how to keep a healthy balance between ambition and personal boundaries. Elizabeth is starting to see her past experiences through a more nuanced lens. No one is everyone’s cup of tea, and this conversation is all about being kind to yourself and acknowledging the things you can’t control…this is middle age, folks!

 Up-and-coming composer, Dianna Link, won FNMC’s Composition Competition in 2023 with her flute-piano piece, “Old As Time”. It’s a feminist reimagining of the tale of Beauty and the Beast, and she spoke with us about her interest in exploring themes of resilience and self-determination in her reworking of this classic fairy tale. She also discusses the existential crisis of having to fit neatly into one box in school, her inspiring time spent studying through OAcademy and Boulanger Initiative, her history of taking liberties with the score, and music-crushes on her main mentors, Annika Socolofsky and Alex Gardner.  https://www.diannalink.com/ Boulanger Initiative: https://www.boulangerinitiative.org/ OAcademy: https://oacademy.live/ Tophouse, “The Mountain Song”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaDC_e4SjBQ Twisted Pine, “Come Along Jody”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6-OLP2FTI8 How to Train Your Dragon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQxr-HeSp68

Composer Reena Esmail sat down with us today to fill in some background for the beautiful new solo flute piece that FNMC recently commissioned, Pathways of Desire. She also shared some surprising insights on the differences (musical and pedagogical) between Western and Hindustani classical musics, discussed the value of carving your own path, and revealed the secret to pleasing her with your performance! A teacher at heart, she’s curious about ways the old conservatory model of teaching could be updated, and recognizes a big truth she learned years ago as a student: it’s easier to learn when the teacher believes in you. If you're looking for some positive inspiration in the middle of a hard week, this episode is for you.  https://www.reenaesmail.com/ The Observable Universe: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/723150/the-observable-universe-by-heather-mccalden/ Reena’s Sonata for Trombone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze0de_DFbFQ Thomas Adès, Inferno: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r2vc_oulPg Schumann piano Quartet, mvt. 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MKZAG8Oqu8 Mendelssohn B minor piano trio, mvt. 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LDPTbFtprE

Flutist Christine Erlander Beard enjoys an active international career as a soloist, chamber artist and teacher. You may know her from her current commissioning project, #theflutistactivist initiative. Today she joins Elizabeth and Nicole to discuss her social advocacy work, both on and off stage, her lifelong love affair with the piccolo, and the importance of teaching the whole person, with your whole self.  https://www.christiebeard.net/ Linthicum-Blackhorse, C10H15n: https://youtu.be/PWq8kY1htHA?si=psJO3DwNK75Zc2ci Jan Novak, Marsyas: https://youtu.be/xsx4vMZXfds?si=3uOAkM2wzOQNTJlr EJ Louwerse, 50 Fish: https://youtu.be/qyCgAvrjAVQ?si=WRYYBxCmjjt3TyT3 Erwin Schulhoff, Sonata: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9A9F5YlbVo

Expat flutist Chelsea Czuchra is puzzling over the divide between “classical” and popular music in Western culture and how to build an authentic bridge to art music in our communities that doesn’t involve academia. We don’t exactly figure out the answer in this delightful chat, but we’re confident you will be as charmed and fascinated by her Switzerland-based work as we were!  Making Music in Looking Glass Land: https://archive.org/details/makingmusicinloo0000high Be Spoken: https://www.letsbespoken.org/ Angela Beeching: https://angelabeeching.com/ Kaija Saariaho: Flute Concerto : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7sjyGRUoRI Meshell Ndegéocello - No More Water: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDhajrZgo0TK7cAyIl8dE7fikx_pvdt4M&si=ur0hnpHyHnCRnUEC Jessica Myers, My Heart is the Churning Sea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vFJKjahuwM

Polish flutist Alicia Molitorys speaks with us today about how she got interested in new music despite the lack of early support, the amazing and unique perspective of growing up in Poland and then studying in the West as a young adult, and fills us in a little bit on one of her latest projects, “Dark Sky” with composer Allison Ogden. We got interested in Alicja’s work after she applied to perform at FNMC’s New Music Festival, a long, long trip for her which will be generously supported by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute through their "Polish culture worldwide" fund (thank you Mr. Mickiewicz!). Alicja: https://contemporaryartmusicproject.org/alicja-molitorys/ Wissam Boustany: https://www.wissamboustany.com/ Brian Ferneyhough, Cassandra’s Dream Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IKVMdH60-A Agata Zubel "Not I": https://open.spotify.com/track/1mPQCAuI9ZnOuLrikm6UD9?si=607f4fac6a674eb5 Sławomir Kupczak "Halny"  for electronics and improvising flutist (2017): https://soundcloud.com/user-395603716/s-awomir-kupczak-halny-for?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing  Nikolet Burzyńska "Green Mazurka" for flute, cello and piano:  https://youtu.be/XBKLEh0_XnA?si=bkVlYgg78pUFn07I  KIOLOIK with the score and recording: Kioloik (hendrich.pl)

In the lead-up to FNMC’s New Music Festival, we caught up with composer Brandon Nelson, whose music for Triage Woodwinds will be featured in a concert there. He discusses the wealth of opportunities that can result from growing up in a small town, the adventure of learning how to play recorder as an adult, and the very modern experience of meeting collaborators on Twitter. Living in an isolated place (the beautiful UP of Michigan) means learning how to work remotely, and Brandon has some sage advice to give in that regard. Plus, Nicole and Elizabeth learn that Recorder Karate is a thing! Come for the deep thoughts about sharing creative space, stay for the piccolo quartet about moose cheese.  https://bnelsonmusic.wordpress.com/ http://www.triagewoodwinds.com/

Elizabeth and Nicole are getting ready for FNMC’s New Music Festival! Today they talk about how proposals were selected for this festival, and perhaps it’ll provide a new perspective for people who propose in the future, and to other conferences/festivals as well. So if you’ve ever been rejected from a festival, we’ve been there too, and we’ve got some tips! Elizabeth’s hair looks great, by the way.  Here are the deets on our upcoming festival in Omaha in October: https://www.flutenewmusicconsortium.com/nmf-2024.html 

 Self-proclaimed “all-purpose nerd” Linda Antas is a composer, arts technologist, flutist, and educator on the faculty at Montana State University. Her current research involves audiovisual works, real-time signal processing, sonification, and physical computing. Today, she shares her thoughts on walking in the woods, meditation, and keeping your hands on your instrument whether or not you’re performing regularly. Listen on for some great advice about getting started in electro-acoustic music and resisting the constant dopamine hit of the wrong kind of social media! www.lindaantas.com Brandi Carlile: https://www.youtube.com/@BrandiCarlile Messiaen, Vingt Regards sur l'Enfant Jèsus (1944): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovMnmIoZh74

This one’s not about new music, folks. Nicole is processing the hard truths on Katherine Needleman’s Facebook and confronting her own accidental complicity in the past, while Elizabeth reminds us of some various cultural phenomena proving that the 90s wasn’t as great for women as we thought back then. And yes, a certain flutist fellow does come up. What do you do, as the grown-up in the room, when younger people need your support? We're still figuring it out ourselves. Katherine Needleman’s Substack: https://katherineneedlemanoboist.substack.com/ Reporting Title IX complaints: https://www.equalrights.org/issue/the-title-ix-process/ Gavin de Becker, The Gift of Fear: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Gift_of_Fear

Composer and author Dale Trumbore discusses her book, Staying Composed: Overcoming Anxiety and Self-Doubt Within a Creative Life and shares some of her philosophies, including seeing the music she writes as a memoir, embracing the suckitude in the creative process, vaccinating yourself against meanness, and applying the Girl Scout motto to her work. We adored our time with her and know you will too!  https://www.daletrumbore.com/ How to Go On: https://www.daletrumbore.com/how-to-go-on Infinitely and Without Apology: https://www.daletrumbore.com/infinitely Snow White Turns 60: https://www.daletrumbore.com/swt60 Y La Bamba: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=au-mBoepJUA Tori Amos, Little Earthquakes: https://youtu.be/uov7BZDOvFg?si=BTisn5FzU2NeTNjW Messiaen, O Sacrum conVivium: https://youtu.be/x0__tgrjTkc?si=nbOZfrIhApFFPz9g Ravel, String Quartet: https://youtu.be/O4a-BNQgqqE?si=GaAohSvd_r9cdJB_

Picking up from our previous conversation, Elizabeth opens with a story about her feminist radicalization (just kidding–there is no such thing) and small world, Alex was there too! Alex explains how she left the rat race of SoCal for a tiny island off Washington state, describes composition as improvising in slow motion and reminds us that it’s always worth being kind. Enter some shared wise words about appreciating your own musical fingerprints, reading life with nuance, and fostering mental health as part of the curriculum. Nicole shares her pedagogical philosophy (applicable to all of life!), and Elizabeth explores the limitations of teaching students how to live their lives.  https://www.alexshapiro.org/ Athena Lab: https://athena.gatech.edu/

Celebrated composer and author Alex Shapiro and Nicole trip down memory lane recalling Alex’s residency at University of Wyoming, and Nicole asks “what do you get out of it?” Alex describes being an extroverted introvert, the “warm fuzzies” she gets from her composer community. Nicole mentions the weirdness of being a woman. Elizabeth, Alex, and Nicole also deconstruct bro culture and conclude that the key is education through intentional programming and normalization of diversity. Finally, Alex encourages us to have an attitude of abundance rather than scarcity. https://www.alexshapiro.org/ Midwest Clinic: https://www.midwestclinic.org/ Cat Bohanan, Eve: https://www.catbohannon.com/home/eve

Jacob Thiede is a composer and saxophonist from Murray, Kentucky, where the smell of tobacco barns and honeysuckle fill the air. He holds a PhD in Music Composition from the University of North Texas and currently finds himself as a financial advisor for TIAA. Today, Jake chats about his compositional experiments with white noise, the relationship between music and light, and his application of ride rhythms from heavy metal to metric modulations in his own works. Listen for some detailed ideas about how dance affects music and some financial advice you probably weren’t expecting to hear!  New Amsterdam Records: https://www.newamrecords.com/ Kings Kaleidoscope: https://kingskaleidoscope.com/ Nico Muhly, Drones: https://nicomuhly.bandcamp.com/album/drones www.jakewritesmusic.com 

College freshman Christian Yom, winner of FNMC’s 2023 Composition Competition for his chamber piece Sansori, was kind enough to talk to these two middle-aged ladies today about his love for Korean food and traditional music, Ravel, and lifelong learning. He encouraged us to dream big, take risks, and appreciate rejection as a part of the learning process.  https://www.christianyom.com/ Sansori: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEUCO5l8Po4 Ravel La Valse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg2i2NB-i3o National Young Composer’s Challenge: https://www.youngcomposerschallenge.org/ Charles Ives Music Festival: https://charlesivesmusicfestival.org/

Kian Ravaei, winner of the 2023 FNMC Composition Competition with his EDM-inspired flute + electronics piece, Ecstasies, chats with us today about his composer warm-ups, a delightful-sounding rejection letter group chat, and his latest project combining traditional Persian and Jewish musics, plus a primer on DJ life and the many iterations of EDM. Kian Ravaei.com  Kayhan Kalhor: kayhankalhor.net Rezz: officialrezz.com California Suite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQfPi-FyiFY

Today, Elizabeth and Nicole are having cocktails with composer Joseph Hallman, who is splitting his time between his hometown of Philadelphia and Miami these days. Between sips, he catches us up on how he survived the pandemic, explores his extensive catalog of compositional gifts, and shares some very generous thoughts on dealing with anxiety and growing older and wiser. http://www.josephhallman.com/ Hallman, four pieces: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIBCnHS41d4 ASALTO NAVIDENO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QP2JPuwhnyE Bjork, Body Memory: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXPDeUN03Qs Bjork, Crystalline: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x8Y8OVYBRUo

Get to know Zara Lawler, aka The Flute on Its Feet, in this amazing chat featuring tales of serendipity, the porousness of her artistic boundaries, and a mini-history of the dancing flutist! With projects ranging from farm concerts in rural Massachusetts to choreographing the Bach B minor Suite in New York City, this fascinating conversation will provide you with the most perfect, midweek creative shot in the arm. zaralawler.com Hailstork, Flute Set: https://youtu.be/BJau0QYLd7E Reverse Busking: https://youtu.be/zFYfSS7cQp8?si=22drbQLYr3BG5Hk6 Symmetrical Lives: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJEgXw7FN1g Minuet for goats: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgLx5o8-74U Azonto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q_ralziDS4

Flutist-composer Tim Hagen discusses the personal “sonic encyclopedia” that guides his performance style, explains why all performers should compose, and encourages us to explore our “why” in a carefully crafted mission statement. We think his dream collaborations will surprise and inspire you, and there’s a great sneak peek at his upcoming projects (oh so many!) along with his favorite advice from composer Adolphus Hailstork.  https://www.timothyhagen.com/ Matthew Syed, Bounce: https://www.matthewsyed.co.uk/book/bounce-the-myth-of-talent-and-the-power-of-practice/ Carol Dweck, Mindset: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2006-08575-000 William Westney, The Perfect Wrong Note: https://www.goodreads.com/en/book/show/27585 Soper, Only the Words Themselves Mean What They Say: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVWHGx-LRL4 Alex Temple, Willingly: https://alextemplemusic.com/2013/02/willingly/ Schoenberg, Gurrelieder: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yiC_gudbtvc

Today, Elizabeth and Nicole get some much-needed, soul-searching inspiration from composer Carter Pann. We talk about the value of not being perfect in your youth, the complicated beauty of embracing identity in your work, and Carter shares some great advice about ways to stay curious for adventurers of all ages. Trigger warning: we may or may not dunk on social media.  https://www.carterpann.com/ Charles Wuorinen, The Golden Dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehdYwbTAHn4 Paul Schoenberg, Pierrot Lunaire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48WnNgrH57E Fred Lerdahl, Fantasy Etudes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CUIE4Q_QOKk Steve Reich, Double Sextet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4ITDgWp_gQ Olivier Messiaen, Quartet for the End of Time:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYpBHc8px_U Igor Stravinsky, Octet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFUUWFf7QOw

Composer KEVIN DAY is a winner of the BMI Student Composer Award, a three-time finalist for the ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Award, and was shortlisted for the 2022 Pulitzer Prize, and he’s not yet 30. Today the young professor and composer-about-town talks about his family musical legacy, juggling the beginning of an academic career while finishing his student days with a bang (his DMA dissertation for University of Miami is slated to be an opera he has been commissioned to write), and considers what today’s music students need to be successful. When asked about his heroes, Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, and Tyler the Creator do make appearances, alongside Jennifer Higdon and John Coltrane in this wonderfully eclectic exploration of styles and inspirations.  Kevin Day: https://www.kevindaymusic.com/ Tania Leon: http://www.tanialeon.com/ Marcos Balter: https://marcosbalter.com/ Demondrae Thurmon: https://music.indiana.edu/faculty/current/thurman-demondrae.html  Cubauza: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYfLnaqrMQo  Data Lords: https://www.mariaschneider.com/home/discography Symphony #3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wekB1fyR8p4

Ever wonder how FNMC’s Composition Competition came into existence? Today Nicole talks with Elizabeth, who runs the competition, about how we determine categories, choose finalists, and the elements of the competition that perhaps make it most uniquely FNMC: our commitment to repeatedly programming winning pieces, and the membership vote that drives the whole shebang. Composers looking to learn more about FNMC’s Composition Competition, or in search of some helpful tips for any competition, this one is required listening for you! (PS, Elizabeth won the Graduate Research Competition hosted by NFA, not FNMC, but you probably already knew that.)

Composer and University of Florida professor Paul Richards likes a big canvas! Today he chats with Elizabeth and Nicole about the limitlessness of the recording studio, reimaging his classical works as prog rock music for his album, Rough Translations, and elaborates on one of his guiding principles as an artist: “The world doesn’t need more beautiful things, but rather an expanded concept of what is beautiful.”  paulrichardsmusic.com Arvo Part, My Heart’s in the Highlands: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tM9uPq_20k Sarah Kirkland Snider, The Unremembered: https://www.sarahkirklandsnider.com/albums/unremembered Dr. John, Right Place Wrong Time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4PjWgiH-LQ&pp=ygUIZHIuIGpvaG4%3D

Elizabeth and Nicole discuss their experiences attending new music festivals (with heavy–and admiring–emphasis on New Music Gathering) and explain their own process in programming FNMC’s New Music Festival. There are some great tips here for developing winning proposals, as well as a reveal of our upcoming NMF dates!

This conversation with flutist, composer, and educator MELISSA KEELING is like your daily dose of OM. Today, she chats with Nicole and Elizabeth about her world-altering move from the South to New York City to study with Robert Dick, the value of establishing authentic relationships in the business (saying it louder for the people in the back), and she encourages us to embrace the F Word (FUN)! Listen for some hot tips on getting started on the glissando headjoint, incorporating electronics into performances, and the value of a good jaw harp lesson.  https://www.melissakeeling.com/ Robert Dick, Flames Must Not Encircle the Sides: https://www.justflutes.com/shop/product/flames-must-not-encircle-sides-robert-dick AP AAMP:https://www.asburyamp.org/ Mike Mower, Doing Time: https://www.itchyfingers.com/view-IFP_041 Pink Floyd, Comfortably Numb: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_FrOQC-zEog Grateful Dead, Help on the Way / Slipknot! / Franklin’s Tower: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INzyBz1Ts1s

Deep Listening® Facilitator, flutist, composer, and scholar JANE RIGLER joins us today to walk us through a Deep listening session, share the fascinations of living abroad, and drop some sneaky advice on making yourself indispensable in the workplace. Jane calls herself a storyteller and a connector; we would like to humbly add brilliant philosopher to that list. Referenced inspirations: Pauline Oliveros, Laurie Anderson, Meredith Monk, Wade Matthews, Steve Fernandez, Butch Morris, Walter Thomspon, and Peter Kowald. https://janerigler.com  https://www.deeplistening.rpi.edu/

Trailer for Season 2

ANNE GUZZO, composer and creator/director of The Wyoming Festival: New Music in the Mountains, talks with us today about creating music to teach us about our responsibilities to the planet, making art music meaningful through the personal, and breaking down barriers in the classical arts. She also shares some insights on her recent break with academia and explores her experiences as a woman, and a native of “flyover country” in the classical music world.  https://anneguzzo.com Del’Shawn Taylor: https://www.delshawntaylor.com/ Andy Akiho: https://www.andyakiho.com/ Shawna Wolf: https://shawnawolf.com/home/ Shepard Symposium:https://shepardsymposium.weebly.com/ Music from Angel Fire:https://musicfromangelfire.org/ The Wyoming Festival: https://www.facebook.com/WyomingFestival/about

MEGAN IHNEN, a genuine American treasure, joins us today and we all marvel over the magic of internet relationships, namely the coaching she’s done with Elizabeth! Megan has some sage advice that she’s developed from her years as a career coach and an admirable ability to juggle coaching, commissioning, and performing. Elizabeth takes us through her coaching experience with Megan (a bit of a coaching reunion, if you will), and Megan gives us a bird’s eye view of her incredibly unique artistic activities, as well.  https://meganihnen.com Peter Lieberson, Neruda Songs: https://www.npr.org/2006/12/30/6696483/liebersons-neruda-songs-tracing-loves-arc  GRiZ, Airplane Mode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNepCLQ7gqs Michael Lanci, Songs for Joe Hill: https://www.michaellanci.com/songs-for-joe-hill.html

JENNIFER PIAZZA-PICK is currently Assistant Professor of Music (Voice) at Queens University of Charlotte. She regularly performs vocal chamber music and co-founded the chamber ensemble Whistling Hens, a soprano-clarinet duo which champions music by women composers. Their first album, Reacting to the Landscape, features the works of 7 living American women composers. Today Jennifer shares her later-than-some origins story in the new music world, discusses her processes (of commissioning, collaborating, and learning her parts!), and gives some amazing guidance to us all about staying curious and brave.  https://www.jenniferpiazzapick.com Pretty Yende: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ar7HGBg5o3k