Total Dissonance

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Ed, Tom and James spend about 30 minutes a week realising that the musical education they received was totally wasted on them. Join us in our exploration into the deep dark world of classical music and see it through our lens, the carefree lens of two complete idiots...

Total Dissonance


    • May 18, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 45m AVG DURATION
    • 15 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Total Dissonance

    Hans Zimmer & Video Games: Louis Marlowe!

    Play Episode Listen Later May 18, 2024 48:20


    In this episode, we talk to Film Composer & former RCM Student, Louis Marlowe about film composition, Artificial Intelligence and Video Game music. Thanks to Louis for being on the podcast, and we hope you enjoy the episode!

    The Future of Music: Ed Driver!

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2024 53:15


    We are delighted to welcome Ed Driver, a Composer at the Royal College of Music in this episode. We touch on the future of classical music and composition and touch on the music psychology that surrounds composition, creativity and the future of music at large. We hope you enjoy the episode!

    Episode 12: Lucilla Rose Mariotti!

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 29, 2024 41:56


    In this episode, we are delighted to speak with Lucilla Rose Marriotti, an Art diploma student at the Royal College of Music and an incredibly talented solo violinist with an already illustrious international career. In this episode, we touch on the Stradivarius she won, Sibelius and the ins and outs of being a concert soloist. Thank you so much, Lucilla, and we hope you enjoy the episode!

    Ep.11: Zoe Barnett!

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 11, 2024 42:37


    In this episode, we are delighted to welcome Zoe Barnett! Zoe is an amazing classical guitarist and Masters student at the Royal College of Music. With 89K followers on Instagram, Zoe is known on Instagram for playing classical guitar standing up. In this episode, we touch on time abroad, how her injury changed and shaped her professional career, and her relationship to social media. We hope you enjoy the episode! ☺️

    Ep.10: Henry Godwin!

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2024 39:34


    Happy New Year from us at Total Dissonance! In this episode (after a major technical speedbump), we kick off the year with Henry Godwin - an Opera Student at the Royal College of Music and Running Extraordinaire. In this episode, we touch on New Year resolutions, Running and musicianship, and how fitness plays a part in the lives of classical musicians.

    Total Christmas!

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2023 40:00


    In this special episode, Tom and Ed embrace the festive cheer touching on Christmas carols, the future of total dissonance, and spreading a general Christmas Spirit. From all of us at Total Dissonance, we hope you have a very Merry Christmas, and we are all excited for what is to come in the New Year! :)

    Ep.9: Gwydion Rhys - "More Korn than Gold"

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 26, 2023 43:26


    In this episode, we are delighted to speak with the esteemed Gwydion, concerning all things Korngold and Composition. We hope you enjoy this episode, and thanks to Gwydion for a wonderful conversation!

    Ep.8: Meet the Producer!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 18, 2023 42:32


    In this episode, Tom and Ed speak to...me! (James L'éditor.) I thought I'd have to redact this whole episode, but rare for this podcast, everything got left in. In this episode, we talked about School, Music Production, Faith and Future Plans. Hope you enjoy it!

    Ep.7 - Hate Comments!

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 14, 2023 36:15


    In this episode, Tom and Ed brave the dreaded iron fist of your judgment found in our beloved comments. Some are hate, some could be argued to simply be astute observations. We hope you enjoy this episode, and what could be considered to be a soft reboot of the podcast!

    Ep.6: Concerto Spice Challenge

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 10, 2023 57:26


    In this episode, Ed and Tom are on a spicy adventure to the Scoville citadel. After flipping a coin, one of them has to pick a concerto on a certain instrument. Then, depending on the concerto they choose and how they explain it, they'll get hot sauce punishments, from Nando's hot sauce to psycho juice (yep, that's a real thing). We hope you have a blast watching this spicy episode!

    Ep. 5 - Hamish McLaren!

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 30, 2023 45:36


    In this episode, we welcome our sophomore guest, Hamish McLaren. Hamish is a counter-tenor who studied at the Royal Academy of Music, with (what I'm convinced is) an encyclopedic knowledge of classical music. In this episode, we touch on classical music politics, tanks and dinosaurs. Thanks to Hamish for his wealth of knowledge and general charm, and enjoy the episode!

    Ep.4: Felix Martin - Lazy Snacks

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 12, 2023 49:56


    In this episode, we welcome our first guest, Felix Martin! In this episode, Tom and Ed unravel Felix's singing career, his journey as a trumpet player in his band Lazy Snacks, the intricacies of studio and live performance, and so much more. Thanks to Felix for being brave enough to beta testing as our first victim, and enjoy the episode.

    snacks lazy felix martin
    Ep.3: Composer Royal Rumble

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2023 52:42


    Tom and Ed oversee a WWE Royal Rumble between notable composers in this episode. This fantastic fumble of fists considers the composer's stature, repertoire, offspring, and of course, Tom and Ed's prestige academic consensus. We hope you enjoy the episode as we uncover the WWE composer's champion.

    Episode 2: Classical Instrument Tier List

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 24, 2023 63:01


    In this episode, Ed and Tom rank all the classical instruments from best to worst, or more eloquently, from: S-Tier: Cranks Serious 90's A-Tier: Pulls on a night out B-Tier: Fills out a concert hall C-Tier: I will tolerate your existence D-Tier: A*s E-Tier: Throw it on the Barbie I hope you enjoy this very deep, (CLEARLY educational and not at all comedic) critical analysis of classical instruments in Fortnite terms. And more importantly, an opportunity to put the piccolo in its place. Stay tuned for more!

    The Introduction to Insanity

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 4, 2023 32:42


    The introduction to insanity. You will probably be able to tell that this was the first material we ever recorded. Meet us, learn about what we like (and what we don't like), and enjoy 30 minutes of nonsense. Stay tuned for more!

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