Composer Quest • Podcast Episodes

It's finally here. Four years and 166 episodes later, we've arrived at the finale of the Composer Quest podcast. Before I get too sappy about it, I want to let you know what you'll be in for in this monster episode. It rounds out the end of my world tour, after my journey home to Minnesota. This episode is definitely one for the fans; most of my interviewees in this episode have been prior Composer Quest guests, and I ask them what they've been up to. I don't want to give away too much about how the episode unfolds, but I am really excited for you to listen, when you have 4 hours and 42 minutes to spare. The post Tour 12: Finale in Minnesota appeared first on Charlie McCarron.

Ever since I heard music psychologist Dr. Diana Deutsch on Radiolab, I've been fascinated by musical illusions. In this penultimate episode of Composer Quest, I got to visit Diana in person! Join me on a trip that starts at a Halloween organ concert in San Diego and ends in Phoenix with an unprecedented songwriting/podcasting experiment. The post Tour 11: Psychology in the Southwest appeared first on Charlie McCarron.

This episode marks my return to the US after my trip to Australia and Asia. Despite the jet lag, I was able to get 5 interviews in for this episode. Also, Jeff Goldblum?! And you'll just have to listen for yourself to find out why this episode is called "Squirrels in California." The post Tour 10: Squirrels in California appeared first on Charlie McCarron.

The second act of my Taiwan adventure features more interviews with music makers in Taipei, plus an interview with me about interviewing. We also discuss the jingles heard everywhere in Taipei, from the train stations to the 7-Elevens to the garbage trucks. The post Tour 9: Surprises in Taiwan 2 appeared first on Charlie McCarron.

Join me on a musical tour through Taiwan in today's episode of Composer Quest. I stumbled into a music festival celebrating Hakka culture, and I got to record a bunch of interesting ensembles, including the Taiwanese jazz group Sizhukong. Plenty of other surprises come up in this episode, including an impromptu flight to another country... The post Tour 8: Surprises in Taiwan appeared first on Charlie McCarron.

Australia has been my dream vacation spot since I was about six years old. In today's episode of the Composer Quest World Tour, you'll get an audio peek into my adventures staying with musical families in Melbourne and Poatina Village, Tasmania. The post Tour 7: Family in Australia appeared first on Charlie McCarron.

If you've ever thought about moving to Los Angeles to pursue a creative career, today's episode will give you a glimpse into that world. I talk with six creators about what it takes to turn art into your job, while staying motivated and creatively fulfilled. The post Tour 6: Creative Work in LA appeared first on Charlie McCarron.

Take a peek behind the scenes of the Composer Quest Olympics in today's episode. I also talk with video game composers in Chicago about career advice, rhythmic composing tips, and silly six-second Vine melodies. The post Tour 5: Games in Chicago 2 appeared first on Charlie McCarron.

From pig racing to public-access TV, this three-hour episode chronicles my adventure around New England. I talk with four different songwriters about their process, and I co-create two songs from scratch along the way. The post Tour 4: Songwriting in New England appeared first on Charlie McCarron.

This episode, I'm in Philadelphia and New York to chat about music theory, film scoring, and slot machine composing. The post Tour 3: Theory in New York appeared first on Charlie McCarron.