Anachronism

On this episode, I speak with a young composer of new orchestral music, Hamish Ander.  Hamish joined me from Melbourne, Australia where he uses modern music technologies to bring new orchestral music to life.  He and I met through a mutual friend, and I was immediately impressed by his ability to create convincing simulacra of orchestral performances.  He uses a keen, classically-trained ear to navigate complex modern music technologies.  In addition to creating his own new musical works, he helps other composers get a realistic snapshot of orchestral music without the massive investment of hiring a live ensemble. His is a refreshing and genuine emerging musical voice and I know you will enjoying hearing him share about his journey into classical music on this episode.  For my composer friends, if you'd like to connect directly with Hamish to help with your work, please send me an email at salutations@gustavhoyer.com and I can connect you directly.

In this episode, I am honored to welcome composer Peter Boyer to the Anachronism podcast.  Peter and I recorded this interview shortly before the highly successful premiere of his newest work, Balance of Power, upon which we touched in our discussion: https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/lang-lang-kennedy-center-nso-concert/2021/09/19/5e146496-1945-11ec-8380-5fbadbc43ef8_story.html   Peter and I crossed paths in conservatory at the Hartt School in Connecticut when we were students. He has gone from there to become one of the most frequently performed American orchestral composers of his generation. His works have received over 500 public performances by nearly 200 orchestras, and thousands of broadcasts by classical radio stations around the United States and abroad. He has conducted recordings of his music with three of the world's finest orchestras: the London Symphony Orchestra, the Philharmonia Orchestra, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He has received commissions from several of the most esteemed American institutions and ensembles, including the Kennedy Center for the National Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Pops, Cincinnati Pops, and “The President's Own” United States Marine Band. Other orchestras which have performed his music include the Philadelphia Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, Houston Symphony, Dallas Symphony, Nashville Symphony, and Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. We talk about how he got started writing 'classical' music and he shares some of the human side of his journey with orchestral music.  I know you'll be enriched by our discussion. You can learn more about him and his work at https://propulsivemusic.com  - Photo of Peter Boyer courtesy of Danika Singfield.    

We are back with some active listening. In this episode, I share a recent release, Phi.  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/track/1djFGNxniWf98LWVO1w5Wk Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/album/phi-feat-peter-pejtsik-the-budapest-film-orchestra/1563857077?i=1563857078 This orchestral work derives its name from its structural reliance upon a special mathematical relationship known by the greek letter that denotes it.  This musical ratio has a long history of influence in the arts, and its manifestations in the natural world are ubiquitous. You'll note the nautilus shell in the album art...there's one clue for you. You can read about Phi and the Golden Proportion (aka the Golden Ratio or Golden Mean) here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_ratio To help you hear the structure of this piece, I share a poem that is built upon the same structural approach.  You will hear Phi in words and music on this episode.   I encourage you to subscribe so that you don't miss some great interviews and discussions coming up.  If you like this podcast, I would be grateful if you would take a minute and leave comments or a review at your favorite podcast location.  You can help me share this experience with others.  

On this episode, I share insight into my latest release Terra, the Bringer of Life. It was written for a special series of concerts commemorating the 100th anniversary of Gustav Holst's The Planets. I share snippets of the arrangement and line them up with Terra. Spotify:  https://open.spotify.com/track/6CY1MNTjfMqpMWydSthnya?si=16b5984ec28241ad Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/terra-the-bringer-of-life-single/1552408114  

In part two of my conversation with Steve, we turn out attention to his work as a composer and how it was that 'classical' music entered his life. I had the pleasure of co-producing concerts in LA with Steve in 2009-2010. Here's a link to our performance of his work, With You Always   Composer Richard Wagner

This is the first of a two-part conversation with filmmaker and composer, Stephen Ashley Blake. In this episode, we discuss his current film project, Steal Away. https://stealawaymovie.com/ It is the story of how the Fisk Jubilee Singers brought the music of the Spiritual to the world. The influence of their legacy has touched almost every form of modern music making around the world.  We talk about the film and the singers' legacy. Here are links to some of what we touch on: The book that inspired the film Dark Midnight When I Rise The Cubism of Picasso https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cubism Black Historian W.E.B DuBois' work The Souls of Black Folk Composer Billy Childs' chamber jazz piece Scarborough Fair      

It was a year ago that Benjamin and I spoke about his fine piano artistry on my album, The Gilded Age.  In this second half of our conversation, he plays a bit of music for us and gives us a look inside Liszt's monumental Piano Sonata in b-minor. You can connect with Benjamin on Instagram (@bhardingmusic), facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/benjamin.harding) and his website www.benjaminhardingmusic.com/blog

It was a year ago that Benjamin and I spoke about his fine piano artistry on my album, The Gilded Age.  With a strange year for so many of us, I wanted to reach back to him to catch up. In this episode he shares an up-close look at the challenge of learning a really challenging piano masterpiece (Franz Liszt's b-minor Piano Sonata), and shares his thoughts about it. We get a glimpse of the technical and emotional challenges such a works presents.  I divided our discussion into two parts.  In part 1, we discuss a little bit about how life has changed for performers in the last year, and we dive into the piece.You can connect with Benjamin on Instagram (@bhardingmusic), facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/benjamin.harding) and his website www.benjaminhardingmusic.com/blog

In this episode, I welcome back composer, author, and educator Jeffrey Nytch.  Jeff and I spoke last year about his music, how he discovered the orchestral tradition, and we listened to some of his symphonic music.  In this episode, I touch base with Jeff to hear about the bi-aural audio project he was presenting in Boulder, CO, and then we turn to the impacts of our society's response to the COIVD pandemic on the art and livelihood of classical performers.  It is a conversation filled with insight, and hope, and hope you find his comments as engaging as I did.  You can keep up with Jeff at this website:  https://jeffreynytch.com

We're back after a harrowing escape from a potential lifetime of imprisonment in a mysterious musical prison (h/t The Golden Sparrow).  I had the opportunity in September to have a discussion with an outstanding composer and musician, Leanna Primiani, and that conversation is in this episode. Like all my guests, Leanna shares a bit of how she encountered 'classical' music and how it seized her imagination for a lifetime of music creation.  She composes music for media (film/tv/video games) as well as for the orchestral concert stage.  We talk about her sensitivity to the mixture of colors and how this led her to explore the introduction of electronic sounds into the fabric of the orchestra. She's an engaging guest and I know you will enjoy hearing her insights.  Take a moment to learn more about her and hear her music at her website: http://www.leannaprimiani.net/  

"In fevered dreams, my subconscious replayed fragments of my current imprisonment like a stained-glass window assembled by a madman. In my dream I saw glimpses of machines without controls, photos of long-deceased dignitaries, instruments that remained silent, and poetry that I could not read. In short, they were involuntary ruminations of an imagination that had been overwhelmed by an unveiling of truths for which it was unprepared. "Welcome to season two of Anachronism with seven-part adventure through The Golden Sparrow.Part 8 - The FinaleBackground: In March 2019, I opened a musical escape room in my hometown of Fort Collins. It ran for a few months and featured live musicians and musical puzzles.  As a business venture, it was operationally difficult to sustain, but as an artistic enterprise it was quite rewarding. To create the room, I started with the story that grounded the experience and I thought it might make a nice addition to this podcast. I spent the last few months crafting the experience of the escape room into a short tale that I will now share over a series of weeks with you, my listeners.  Join me for a plunge into the mysterious past of Fort Collins, CO with music and imagination. This story will also introduce you to a new recording of the music I composed along with the fragments that comprised the puzzles.If you enjoy the Anachronism podcast, please take a moment to reach out to me. I touch on a lot of different topics, so I'd love to hear from you about what you enjoy, and what I can do to better share my love of music and to enrich your life with these episodes.  Thanks for listening!web: https://gustavhoyer.comemail: salutations@gustavhoyer.comfacebook: https://www.facebook.com/gustavhoyer.composer.impresario/Twitter: @gustavhoyerLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustav-hoyer-9809552/

"Flush with the excitement of serendipity, I had a renewed hope of working through the maze set out by Elias Franklin. Having exhausted the desk of its contents, I now turned my attention to other nooks and crannies in his office."Welcome to season two of Anachronism with seven-part adventure through The Golden Sparrow.Part 7 - Puzzling sounds.Background: In March 2019, I opened a musical escape room in my hometown of Fort Collins. It ran for a few months and featured live musicians and musical puzzles.  As a business venture, it was operationally difficult to sustain, but as an artistic enterprise it was quite rewarding. To create the room, I started with the story that grounded the experience and I thought it might make a nice addition to this podcast. I spent the last few months crafting the experience of the escape room into a short tale that I will now share over a series of weeks with you, my listeners.  Join me for a plunge into the mysterious past of Fort Collins, CO with music and imagination. This story will also introduce you to a new recording of the music I composed along with the fragments that comprised the puzzles.If you enjoy the Anachronism podcast, please take a moment to reach out to me. I touch on a lot of different topics, so I'd love to hear from you about what you enjoy, and what I can do to better share my love of music and to enrich your life with these episodes.  Thanks for listening!web: https://gustavhoyer.comemail: salutations@gustavhoyer.comfacebook: https://www.facebook.com/gustavhoyer.composer.impresario/Twitter: @gustavhoyerLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustav-hoyer-9809552/

"I stood motionless before the wardrobe for a moment while I waited for something else to happen. I had turned a key in a long dormant lock, and I had no idea what I had opened, or perhaps freed. "Welcome to season two of Anachronism with seven-part adventure through The Golden Sparrow.Part 6 of our story moves into a mysterious chamber.Background: In March 2019, I opened a musical escape room in my hometown of Fort Collins. It ran for a few months and featured live musicians and musical puzzles.  As a business venture, it was operationally difficult to sustain, but as an artistic enterprise it was quite rewarding. To create the room, I started with the story that grounded the experience and I thought it might make a nice addition to this podcast. I spent the last few months crafting the experience of the escape room into a short tale that I will now share over a series of weeks with you, my listeners.  Join me for a plunge into the mysterious past of Fort Collins, CO with music and imagination. This story will also introduce you to a new recording of the music I composed along with the fragments that comprised the puzzles.If you enjoy the Anachronism podcast, please take a moment to reach out to me. I touch on a lot of different topics, so I'd love to hear from you about what you enjoy, and what I can do to better share my love of music and to enrich your life with these episodes.  Thanks for listening!web: https://gustavhoyer.comemail: salutations@gustavhoyer.comfacebook: https://www.facebook.com/gustavhoyer.composer.impresario/Twitter: @gustavhoyerLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustav-hoyer-9809552/

"“There’s a desk in one of the rooms at 25 Franklin Ln. that has a symbol…”  I stopped as I realized that this discussion was starting to descend into farce.  If he knew about the symbol, he wasn’t going to admit it.  "Welcome to season two of Anachronism with seven-part adventure through The Golden Sparrow.Part 5 deepens the mystery of 25 Franklin Ln. and its peculiar history.Background: In March 2019, I opened a musical escape room in my hometown of Fort Collins. It ran for a few months and featured live musicians and musical puzzles.  As a business venture, it was operationally difficult to sustain, but as an artistic enterprise it was quite rewarding. To create the room, I started with the story that grounded the experience and I thought it might make a nice addition to this podcast. I spent the last few months crafting the experience of the escape room into a short tale that I will now share over a series of weeks with you, my listeners.  Join me for a plunge into the mysterious past of Fort Collins, CO with music and imagination. This story will also introduce you to a new recording of the music I composed along with the fragments that comprised the puzzles.If you enjoy the Anachronism podcast, please take a moment to reach out to me. I touch on a lot of different topics, so I'd love to hear from you about what you enjoy, and what I can do to better share my love of music and to enrich your life with these episodes.  Thanks for listening!web: https://gustavhoyer.comemail: salutations@gustavhoyer.comfacebook: https://www.facebook.com/gustavhoyer.composer.impresario/Twitter: @gustavhoyerLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustav-hoyer-9809552/

"It’s difficult to convey how quickly my sense of pride and hope at becoming the owner of this storied property would turn to a deep sense of unease. This unease did not descend upon me clothed in the robes of routine buyer’s remorse.  I was triggered by a specific discovery that, at the time, deeply shook me. "Welcome to season two of Anachronism with seven-part adventure through The Golden Sparrow.Part 3 of our story continues our journey deeper into the life and times of Elias Franklin.Background: In March 2019, I opened a musical escape room in my hometown of Fort Collins. It ran for a few months and featured live musicians and musical puzzles.  As a business venture, it was operationally difficult to sustain, but as an artistic enterprise it was quite rewarding. To create the room, I started with the story that grounded the experience and I thought it might make a nice addition to this podcast. I spent the last few months crafting the experience of the escape room into a short tale that I will now share over a series of weeks with you, my listeners.  Join me for a plunge into the mysterious past of Fort Collins, CO with music and imagination. This story will also introduce you to a new recording of the music I composed along with the fragments that comprised the puzzles.If you enjoy the Anachronism podcast, please take a moment to reach out to me. I touch on a lot of different topics, so I'd love to hear from you about what you enjoy, and what I can do to better share my love of music and to enrich your life with these episodes.  Thanks for listening!web: https://gustavhoyer.comemail: salutations@gustavhoyer.comfacebook: https://www.facebook.com/gustavhoyer.composer.impresario/Twitter: @gustavhoyerLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustav-hoyer-9809552/

"The office was breathtaking, and in its day would have effectively communicated the wealth and influence of which Mr. Franklin had been possessed.  Everything in there was a legitimate antique that had been delicately mummified in the same dust that covered the first floor. "Welcome to season two of Anachronism and a new seven-part adventure through The Golden Sparrow.Part 2 of our story continues our journey in the mysterious history of Old Town, Fort Collins, CO. and the legacy of one Elias Franklin.Background: In March 2019, I opened a musical escape room in my hometown of Fort Collins. It ran for a few months and featured live musicians and musical puzzles.  As a business venture, it was operationally difficult to sustain, but as an artistic enterprise it was quite rewarding. To create the room, I started with the story that grounded the experience and I thought it might make a nice addition to this podcast. I spent the last few months crafting the experience of the escape room into a short tale that I will now share over a series of weeks with you, my listeners.  Join me for a plunge into the mysterious past of Fort Collins, CO with music and imagination. This story will also introduce you to a new recording of the music I composed along with the fragments that comprised the puzzles.If you enjoy the Anachronism podcast, please take a moment to reach out to me. I touch on a lot of different topics, so I'd love to hear from you about what you enjoy, and what I can do to better share my love of music and to enrich your life with these episodes.  Thanks for listening!web: https://gustavhoyer.comemail: salutations@gustavhoyer.comfacebook: https://www.facebook.com/gustavhoyer.composer.impresario/Twitter: @gustavhoyerLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustav-hoyer-9809552/

"There are some things about Fort Collins, CO that you should understand at the outset. I won’t go into the whole history of the city as that is not directly relevant to our story.  However, there are some peculiar features of this small prairie town that made it the kind of place where the following events would happen."Welcome to season two of Anachronism and a new seven-part adventure through The Golden Sparrow.This episode inaugurates a new series for the Anachronism Podcast.  In March 2019, I opened a musical escape room in my hometown of Fort Collins. It ran for a few months and featured live musicians and musical puzzles.  As a business venture, it was operationally difficult to sustain, but as an artistic enterprise it was quite rewarding. To create the room, I started with the story that grounded the experience and I thought it might make a nice addition to this podcast. I spent the last few months crafting the experience of the escape room into a short tale that I will now share over a series of weeks with you, my listeners.  Join me for a plunge into the mysterious past of Fort Collins, CO with music and imagination.This story will also introduce you to a new recording of the music I composed along with the fragments that comprised the puzzles.If you enjoy the Anachronism podcast, please take a moment to reach out to me. I touch on a lot of different topics, so I'd love to hear from you about what you enjoy, and what I can do to better share my love of music and to enrich your life with these episodes.  Thanks for listening!web: https://gustavhoyer.comemail: salutations@gustavhoyer.comfacebook: https://www.facebook.com/gustavhoyer.composer.impresario/Twitter: @gustavhoyerLinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/gustav-hoyer-9809552/

As we learned in our previous episode, one of the reasons that people want music in their lives is its ability to help inform our mood. In this episode, I dive into two pieces that are filled with straightforward joy.  Both Mozart's Piano Sonata in G, K. 283 and my own 'Bubblegum' are three-movement sonatas with similar structures, but different styles.  It's two takes on the joy of life and this episode will give you a preview of my upcoming EP release of music drawn with the materials of American Pop Music. Pour a cool drink and join me for some candy for your ears!In this episode:Mozart, Piano Sonata in G-Major, K. 283AllegroAndantePrestoHoyer, 'Bubblegum' for Pop BandSpring in My StepSkippin' Out My Front DoorEverything's Going My Way 

In this episode, Gustav Hoyer discusses research led by Dr. Tomas Schäfer as published through his research into the psychology of music listening (1).  Music is a mirror for our own personal inward journeys, a tool to help define our moods, and a glue that connects us to others. We explore these three reasons that his research identified and Gustav shares some of his own compositions as well as excerpts of other works that have served these functions for him. In this episode we hear:Hoyer, Piano Quartet in c-minor, 3rd mvmt (‘Wonder’)Grieg,  Holberg Suite, IV. Aria excerpt(performed by Sir Neville Marriner and Academtn of St. Martin in the Fields)Rachmaninov, Second Piano Concerto, 2nd Mvmt excerpt (performed by Gary Graffman and the NY Philharmonic Orchestra)Hoyer, Vignettes from an American Life. 5th mvmd (‘Front Porch Rondo’)Bach, Toccata in D-Major excerpt (performed by Glenn Gould)These links will take you to Spotify, but they are available at many other music locations as well.If you like this podcast, please leave us a review wherever you get this podcast, and share it with your friends. If you have thoughts, complaints, ideas about this podcast, please reach out to him at salutations@gustavhoyer.com.  We'd love to hear from you!(1) The psychological functions of music listening Frontiers in Psychology, August 2013, Vol 4, Article 511 Thomas Schäfer1*, Peter Sedlmeier1, Christine Städtler1 and David Huron2 

Have you ever wondered how a composer creates a sound world? Gustav takes you through his music from Acts, the 3-Man Show, to showcase the thoughts and the process. http://acts3manshow.com/Background: Bryce Lenon was the author and co-producer of this live stage drama.Pedro Eustache ( http://www.pedroflute.com/ ) plays the Duduk, John Hester plays the Double BassInitial production was in 2011. Gustav takes you through how to create a story through music: evoke a setting:timbre / instrumentscreate momentum:tempoidentify a character:Saul / PaulNerothe churchTimbres of this music: the churchrhythmicunderlaymentbellstringshornsdudukharpbasschoirHope in the face of resistance - Enter the KingdomPathos, regret, mourning  / moves into action - SaulEnergy and adventure - Bound for RomeGrim determination - Unbendingtaut energy - Rumble in JerusalemDangerous unpredictability - Nero’s harpFaith and redemption - Miserere The story unfolds.  See if you can hear the tale through music...Ancient Judea in Roman Palestine, full of intrigue and rebellionSaul, an early bloody enemy of christians, is seized in transformation and the duduk becomes the aural avatar of his shame, remorse, and repentanceSaul now stands as one of the leaders of the new church and faces opposition in every cityFilled with hope, Saul heads beyond Asia Minor to Greece to bring the teachings of christianity to the European continentFilled with determination Paul continues to press into resistance and violent opposition in every city. Overtaken by an angry mob upon his return to Jerusalem in Judea, he is imprisoned and not lynched because, as a Roman citizen, he enjoys certain rights and privileges. Having appealed to Caesar on the basis of these rights, he is sent to Rome to face an official hearing.The court’s of Nero are filled with opulence, abundance, perversion, and terror.  The unpredictable Nero, thought to be half-insane, leaves those in his presence always on the edge of dire dangerSaul’s appeal has resulted in a death sentence. As a Roman, he will be beheaded.  This is the voices of the christians in Rome in hiding as he again lays bare his soul in repentance for being an enemy of Christ and his church. The choir intones a prayer of repentance that is punctuated by 7 tolls of a bell over their ‘Amen’ signifying that the church will continue long after Paul’s death. Never miss a podcast: Gustav Hoyer, Composer & Impresariohttps://gustavhoyer.com/FacebookTwitterYouTube 

Gustav takes you through a very recent story relating the challenges of distributing his music for streaming services.Currently, there is a struggle with genre: What is ‘Classical Music’?When a composer uploads music into the world of streaming, it is quite confusing where the composer fits in this process. How does the process of uploading music for a classical music composer differ from Folk and popular music?Why can't the composer be listed as the primary artist? The music is a little different and usually performed by an ensemble instead of the composer. Shouldn't there be a different process for this large umbrella called "Classical Music?"As you will hear, some classical music has words, some do not. Some is more focused on the harmonies rather than the rhythms. Is this why it is challenging? Maybe "classical music" is too broad a category.Snippets:Mars, the Bringer of War from Holst’s The PlanetsBach Brandenburg Concerto no. 3: II AdagioBeethoven Piano Concerto no. 5 (‘Emperor’): III RondoBrahms Ein Deutsches Requiem: II. Denn Alles FleischGrieg Peer Gynt Suite no.1: I. Morning MoodGregorian Chant Agnus DeiStravinsky The Rite of Spring: Glorification of The ChosenStrauss Salome: The Dance of the Seven VeilsDebussy La Mer: II. Play of the WavesBrahms Wie Melodien Zieht EsBartok Duke Bluebeard’s Castle: II. The ArrivalScarlatti Preambulo and Allegro VivoProkofiev Romeo and Juliet: Death of TybaltCopland Rodeo: IV. Hoe, DownTsontakis Ghost Variations: II ScherzoCan a classical composer make money on their music with streaming?  Or are live shows the only way for a composer to make a living? To make minimum wage selling albums:1.65 albums/hr : 3300 album salesTo make minimum wage streaming:amazon 1172 / hr : 2.3M streams to make minimum wage for a yeariTunes - 1785 / hrgoogle 3000/hrYouTube 6250 / hrspotify - 8,334 / hrapple match - 75,000 /hrIf you would like to share your thoughts about this episode, please email Gustav at salutations@gustavhoyer.comGustav is streaming on:SpotifyAppleCD Baby (for purchase)Google Play (for purchase) 

Let's go on a special treasure hunt together through The Gilded Age!  We'll zoom in on some favorite moments from the album, but it's up to you to match the "buried treasure" with the right track. The first person to match the buried treasure with the nine tracks wins a free download of the Gilded Age.  Good luck!To play:1. Visit The Gilded Age album page & scroll down to the Buried Treasure Contest.2. Listen to this Podcast episode, "Buried Treasure" & compare with the full tracks on the album: Spotify3. Match the buried treasure with each of the nine tracks.4. Be the first to submit the correct answers and win a free download of the album!Buried treasure clues from the episode:3:29 Musical Oddments 5:12 Chromatic Wiggle 7:47 Silence, Sound, and Space 10:13 Chromatic Rising 13:29 Return of the Theme15:20 Inspiration 17:53 Unsettled 19:30 Shivering 22:01 Transition  Links for this episode: The Gilded Age Album + Buried Treasure ContestAbout Gustav Hoyer 

Pianist Benjamin Harding stops by the Anachronism Podcast to share his experiences of talking with his audiences. He shares with us what audiences really want during a classical music concert and how we can educate people about the music. The answers for tearing down the barriers are more simple than we think. In the end, it may be about educating ourselves as classical musicians to be more human with our audiences. Links for this episode:https://www.benjaminhardingmusic.com/https://gustavhoyer.com/gilded-age/Liszt Dante Sonata https://youtu.be/FYWbC0baMcg 

Composer to composer: relating the love of classical music through composition.Another fabulous composer to composer conversation about the tools of their craft. How do the personalities of the instruments feature in a composition? For a tuba concerto, are there different challenges than writing for a violin? A bigger conversation about how classical music differs from other genres unfolds, and ultimately answers the ongoing questions: why classical music and how can we get more people listening and enjoying? --Elena's Website 

Today's episode features two of my works and explores the vocal, linguistic roots of lyricism in music.  You will participate in a guided listening on my piece Snowfall on a Midwinters Eve, which is the third movement of my 1st string serenade: Vignettes from an American Life. It opens with two string techniques: pizzicato and col legno.This is from the recording From Darkness Into LightOn Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Darkness-Into-Light-Gustav-Hoyer/dp/B0015EJX44On Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/album/1LnCsVAKzoGhYbNPRfTeBjOn YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRR5vj0tnQY The second piece is from the incidental music for the stage play: Acts, the 3-Man Show.It is a choral work for the text Miserere which is a Latin translation of Psalm 51.  This performance is by the Grace Community Church Choir conducted by William Brandenstein. On YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUrx5aJSSRQ Grab a cup of coffee or tea and actively listen with me.  

We welcome Scott Harrison, an arts administrator hailed as a leader with "imagination and ambition" by the LA Times for his tenure as executive director of Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. Scott has many adventures to tell through his considerable experience in the classical music world. After getting to know Scott Harrison, several contemplative topics were discussed.Do musical instruments have personalities? What leads someone to become an arts administrator? How can we break the barrier of that worrisome wall between the audience and the musicians? And, why are we still calling it “classical” music?__1.  blumehaiti.org - the organization of which I am a founding board member and very proud of our work strengthening the music education ecosystem in Haiti. 2. hawaiisymphonyorchestra.org - Excited to announce that for the next few months, I am helping the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra as interim executive director while they search for their permanent ED 3.  https://internationalmusician.org/hawaiian-oboe-legacy-project-creates-one-of-a-kind-instrument-and-concerto/  - One of the coolest and most community-rooted new music projects I've heard of in a while is one that just concluded at the Hawaii Symphony - the Hawaiian Oboe Legacy Project - an oboe built form local kauila wood with a concerto commisioned by local composer John Magnussen telling the story of the Two Hawaiian Seasons. 

Can a piece of music be pictorial? If you have not experienced programmatic music, this episode will open your ears to a new experience.Today, Gustav takes you through his piece The Charge of the Light Brigade, inspired by the poem of the same name by Alfred Lord Tennyson.We will listen to this piece in fragments to dissect the journey, and then we will hear the piece in totality. In the end, you can decide if the musical gestures alone give you the full story.___About Tennyson's poem:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Charge_of_the_Light_Brigade_(poem)The historical account and photoshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charge_of_the_Light_BrigadeYouTube of the piece with text and photos:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-1uYWo2ZJ4About the 1812 overture:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1812_Overture

Why is classical music worth nurturing today? Why does it matter? How does one connect this music with a diverse audience? What's more valuable...recorded or live music?Amanda Cook, editor-in-chief of I CARE IF YOU LISTEN, joins Gustav to answer these questions.  A spirited discussion continues throughout and they discuss several topics related to contemporary Classical music, from the experience of attending a first concert to the political engagement of the arts and how the music can frame causes relevant to modern life. Amanda also shares her specific path to becoming a classical music fan, which includes  “getting her face blown off” by Mahler’s 1st symphony.  Bonus: A mini history lesson on Contemporary Classical Music!************************Amanda's website:http://www.arcookmusic.com/Amanda Cook on Twitter:https://twitter.com/arcookmusicI Care if You Listen:https://www.icareifyoulisten.com/  

Join Gustav as he walks you through Rush, the 2nd movement of Jeffrey Nytch's wonderful Symphony No. 1 (Formations). With an attention to detail that only another composer could offer, you will learn what a symphony is, all about the layers of colors of the music which are created by the different instruments, and how the storyline is created through the character of each sound clip. In the end, the entire movement is presented to hear all the pieces of Rush come together for your enjoyment.Here's a short video Jeff prepared to discuss this work: Mvt. II: Rush! On musical instruments and tone color:Link Tonal color in the classical era:Link The link between classical music, color and emotion:Link  

Composer Jeffrey Nytch stops by the Anachronism Podcast. What unfolds is a conversation among two trail blazing composers discussing the humanity of classical music. How can we make the music relatable to today's listeners?  Would telling stories help connect people to the music? What new production concepts will invite people to participate again and become insiders of classical music? Examples of creative projects to highlight the importance of the audiences' role in classical music are included.Jeffrey Nytch’s website:https://www.jeffreynytch.com Jeffrey Nytch on SoundCloud:https://soundcloud.com/jeffrey-nytch/tracks Projects Mentioned in the Show:Costa ConcordiaTrees Jeff's Upcoming Event:The Dairy Center for the Arts, in conjunction with the CU College of Music, presents the Pittsburgh New Music Ensemble Theatre of Music Oct. 4 and 5 at the Dairy Center. Fresh off a 21-performance run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, “The Gray Cat and the Flounder” is a touching tale of love and loss, told through original music, spoken word, puppetry, and animation. With binaural sound design and the audience in headphones, the audience experiences a unique sound world that is immersive and intimate. Ticket Link:https://tickets.thedairy.org/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent::loadArticle::permalink=PNME

This final episode of our series on active listening. We build on our introduction to some of the elements of music and take a look at the larger structures that create longer pieces.  We listen to some of the fundamental building blocks of my piece, Inspiration, and hear how they work together to tell a story over the course of 5 minutes.

In this second of our three-part series, we dive into the elements of classical music, melody, harmony, meter.  We listen to section from Inspiration and hear fragments that help peel back the surface and hear the component parts from which music is constructed

We are constantly surrounded by music and it can be difficult to slow down and give our full attention to it.  In this three-part series, Gustav Hoyer will walk through some thoughts about how to listen anew to engage classical music.   In this episode, Gustav begins with some thoughts about 'cleansing the palette' and then connecting with the players and context in which the music was made.  

In this initial episode, we introduce this podcast.