Classical Classroom

Michael Webster. Photo courtesy of the Shepherd School of Music website. The HAL 9000 that we use to produce these little gems has met an untimely demise. Fear not! We've got a brand new HAL 9001 on order. Until next week, please enjoy this old gold from the Classroom vault. --------------------------------- Was Tchaikovsky's Symphony VI (aka "Pathetique", aka "Suicide Symphony") a suicide note or did he die of cholera, per the Official Word? You decide... Read More

Jeremy Eskenazi, founder of the Muzio Clementi Society. Photo courtesy of the Society. Muzio Clementi is often called the "Father of the Piano" and is known for his sonatinas. But as it turns out, this smarty pants single-handedly changed classical music and made it what we know today. Jeremy Eskenazi, founder of the Muzio Clementi Society, tells all about the quiet mover and shaker in this episode - from a Tardis in Australia (seriously!). Audio... Read More

MPR's Emily Reese. Photo by Nate Ryan, courtesy of Minnesota Public Radio. Beethoven's Fifth. We've never done a show on it because everybody knows it! Right? Emily Reese, on air host for Classical Minnesota Public Radio, host of Top Score (part of the Infinite Guest podcast series), and creator of MPR's Learning to Listen, says that we are wrong, so wrong! Emily takes us through the entire symphony, which, as it turns out, is completely surprising... Read More

Composer David Ashely White. Photo courtesy of the Moores School website. It's Christmastime in the Classroom! David Ashley White - Professor of Composition at (and former director of) the Moores School of Music, composer, and guy who writes hymns for actual hymnals - teaches us what makes a "carol" and shares some of his favorites with us. There are oldies, goodies, and stuff you've never heard. We assure you, it will put you in the... Read More

Pianist Jon Kimura Parker. Photo by Tara McMullen, courtesy of jonkimuraparker.com. Pianist, Shepherd School of Music professor, and recording artist Jon Kimura Parker - or as we like to call him, Captain Jon Solo - talks about the hidden world of the guest soloist. From the singular experience of performing with an orchestra in one ear and a concert hall in the other, to rehearsal times that will give you stage fright just hearing about... Read More

Detail of Johann Nepomuk della Croce's portrait of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Public domain. Okay, I lied last week: Producer Todd is still working on the new Two Star Symphony album (for which we are pretty darn excited). But! Never fear: We have unearthed a timely gem from the vault to keep you busy until next week, when we will really for real have a new episode for you. Please enjoy! PS, The info about the... Read More

Conductor James Gaffigan. Photo by Mat Hennek. Courtesy of Mr. Gaffigan's website. (Producer Todd is off recording Two Star Symphony's new album right now (sweet!), so we have unearthed some old gold for you from the vault. Please enjoy this repeat of our class with conductor James Gaffigan. We'll be back next week with another spankin' new episode.) Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 is dramatic, cinematic, erratic, sarcastic, and full of existential longing - according to... Read More

Composer Missy Mazzoli. Photo by Stephen S. Taylor, courtesy of missymazzoli.com. Classical music: the future frontier. These are the voyages of the podcast Classical Classroom. It's mission: to explore strange new music - Sorry. I'll stop. Where was I? Right! Composer, performer, and Mannes College of Music composition faculty member, Missy Mazzoli talks to us about the future of classical music, from the future, aka, New York. Also talked about in this episode: Beth Morrison,... Read More

Professor Kenneth Goldsmith. Photo courtesy of Shepherd School website. What makes creativity? Is it money? Is it a gift from the Powers That Be? Is it won through trials and tribulations? Shepherd School of Music Professor of Violin Kenneth Goldsmith unveils the ancient formula. He looks at how Haydn, Grieg, and Ravel - composers from different life circumstances and different times - all used their mysterious powers of creativity to explore the same theme. Audio... Read More

Composer Vivek Maddala. Photo courtesy of the composer's Myspace page. What would the movies be like without music? They're like peanut butter and jelly, Luke and Darth, et and cetera... Would we be as moved at a movie without music? Film composer Vivek Maddala takes us behind the scenes to show us how movies use music to toy with our emotions. But like, in a nice way. Audio production by Todd "Sir Toddius of Toddsville"... Read More

"You gotta hear this one song. It'll change your life." - Pierre Jalbert to me*. Very small composer Pierre Jalbert holding the sheet music for George Crumb's "Black Angels". JK! the sheet music is huge! Pierre is kind of tall. Photo by Dacia Clay. Have you ever heard a piece of music that truly moved you? Has a piece of music actually changed the course of your life? Ravel and George Crumb wrote pieces of... Read More

Jerry Ochoa. Photo by Sarah Prikryl, courtesy of twostarsymphony.com. It's getting close to midnight. Something evil's lurking in the dark... AAACK! It's a special Halloween edition of Classical Classroom! Last year for the holiday, we exhumed some composers from the dead. This year, we kidnapped a living composer, violinist, and maker of scary movies and forced him to introduce us to spooky tunes. Then, we ordered him to tell us why it is that creepy... Read More

Composer Peter Boyer. Photo by Marisa Leigh, courtesy of Mr. Boyer's website. Why do composers write symphonies? What goes into writing a symphony? If it has three movements, is it still a symphony? I mean, really: What IS a symphony anyway?! Grammy-nominated composer and conductor Peter Boyer answers all of these questions and more by taking us deep into his Symphony No. 1. From making dots on a page, to recording the piece with the... Read More

Varieties of trumpet and mutes. Photo by Dacia Clay. This episode does double duty: teaches you all about the trumpet and trumpet playing, while carrying out the secondary mission of Classical Classroom, i.e., the humiliation of the show's host. Trumpet players George Chase and Jason Adams of the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra teach host and former trumpet player, host Dacia, a trumpet lesson. Along the way, they say all kinds of important things about the... Read More

Flutist Leone Buyse. Photo by David Long. Courtesy of leonebuyse.com. Like an Around the World and Back snap, Bach's Suite in B Minor for Flute and Strings takes the listener pretty much everywhere. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll dance fast and slow, you'll wonder if you're Polish or French, yet feel German. But don't worry: Rice University's Shepherd School of Music professor and flutist Leone Buyse will be your guide on this musical (spiritual?) journey.... Read More