Podcasts about kusc

In this episode, violinist Moni Simeonov shares how he integrates daily health and wellness practices into his life as a professional violinist. Additionally, we discuss how to find balance, practice techniques and strategies, inner development and reflection, the importance of practicing self-doubt as much as we practice absolute self-expression free of critical thought, and so much more. This episode is a beautiful example of a professional musician actively approaching health and wellness from a three-dimensional and holistic perspective.  Moni Bio: A native of Bulgaria, Moni Simeonov began playing the violin at age 5, and ten years later, came to the United States on a full scholarship to the Idyllwild Arts Academy. He performs with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and Opera, Ensemble San Francisco, and until recently, was the Concertmaster for the Sacramento Philharmonic. He has also served as a guest concertmaster with Reno Philharmonic, Louisiana Philharmonic and the Pacific Symphony. His doctoral studies included minor fields in Viola Performance, Schenkerian Analysis, Japanese Language, as well as an emphasis on the interpretation of the Balkan folk music. On tour and in Los Angeles, Mr. Simeonov dedicates considerable time and energy to community engagement work and to musical activities and presentations for young people. Moni has performed and coached alongside Midori for her Orchestra Residencies Program American and International tours. Until 2014, he served as a director for the program. Outreach activities have taken him to places as diverse as homeless shelters in Peru and at-risk centers in Tennessee, to Syrian refugee camps in Lebanon, and hospitals for the terminally ill in Sri Lanka. Moni's summer teaching includes engagements with the Interlochen Summer Festival, the Singapore Violin Festival, and the Atlantic Music Festival. Moni is also the founder of Bulgaria's first chamber music academy – “Quartet Intensive” in Sofia. Moni has concertized and taught around the United States, South America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. His recordings have been archived by PBS, NPR, KUSC, Bulgarian National Radio and TV, as well as Japanese Broadcasting Company – NHK. Moni received his BM and PC from the Eastman School of Music under Zvi Zeitlin, his MM and AD from Yale University with Ani Kavafian, and his GC and DMA from USC's Thornton School of Music where he studied with Midori. Moni served as Adjunct Instructor at USC's Thornton School of Music until 2014. That year, he was appointed Director of String Studies and Violin Professor with the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at California State University, Long Beach. Moni is also the creator of zenviolin.com. Show Notes: USC  Midori Bob Cole Conservatory of Music Colburn Mind Over Muscle -Jigoro Kano Nurtured by Love-Shin'ichi Suzuki  The Inner Game of Tennis - Timothy Gallwey  Thinking Fast and Slow - Daniel Kahneman  Atomic Habits - James Clear  Peak - Anders Ericson 

Composer Nina Shekhar joins us to chat about her work exploring identity, vulnerability, love, and laughter in her work and her process for exploring such complex aspects of humanity in seemingly mundane experiences, such as the car horns on the streets of India. We talk about how she approaches the business side of a professional career in composition, and how her work as a flutist, saxophonist, and pianist has informed her comfort with a wide array of compositional styles. And we speak about how we can all be more mindful to empower and promote the agency of composers and performers from marginalized communities and avoid the risks of exploiting any individual's otherness. Nina Shekhar is a composer who explores the intersection of identity, vulnerability, love, and laughter to create bold and intensely personal works. Described as “tart and compelling” (New York Times), “vivid” (Washington Post), and “surprises and delights aplenty” (LA Times), her music has been commissioned and performed by leading artists including LA Philharmonic, Albany Symphony, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, New World Symphony, Civic Orchestra of Chicago, Eighth Blackbird, International Contemporary Ensemble, JACK Quartet, New York Youth Symphony, Alarm Will Sound, The Crossing, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, ETHEL, violinist Jennifer Koh, saxophonist Timothy McAllister, Ensemble Échappé, Music from Copland House, soprano Tony Arnold, Third Angle New Music, The New York Virtuoso Singers, Left Coast Chamber Ensemble, Lyris Quartet, Ray-Kallay Duo, New Music Detroit, and Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra. Her work has been featured by Carnegie Hall, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Walt Disney Concert Hall (LA Phil's Noon to Midnight), Library of Congress, National Gallery of Art, National Sawdust, National Flute Association, North American Saxophone Alliance, I Care If You Listen, WNYC/New Sounds (New York), WFMT (Chicago), and KUSC and KPFK (Los Angeles) radio, ScoreFollower, and New Music Detroit's Strange Beautiful Music. Upcoming events include performances by the New York Philharmonic, LA Philharmonic (joined by soloists Nathalie Joachim and Pamela Z), Minnesota Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, and her Hollywood Bowl debut with the LA Philharmonic. Current projects include commissions for the Grand Rapids Symphony, 45th Parallel Universe Chamber Orchestra (sponsored by GLFCAM), and Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) (sponsored by LA Phil and New Music USA). Nina is the recipient of the 2021 Rudolf Nissim Prize, two ASCAP Morton Gould Young Composer Awards (2015 and 2019), and the 2018 ASCAP Foundation Leonard Bernstein Award, funded by the Bernstein family. The transcript for this episode can be found here. For more information about Nina Shekhar, please visit her website, Facebook, and Instagram.

KUSC's Brian Lauritzen discusses how the Divine Comedy inspired Adès' Dante. This talk was given at the first performance of Dudamel Leads Adès' Dante at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Pieces discussed: Thomas ADÈS Dante (U.S. premiere; commissioned by the LA Phil and The Royal Ballet, with generous support from the Lenore S. and Bernard A. Greenberg Fund) See this year's Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2021/22 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

KUSC's Brian Lauritzen is joined by composers Ellen Reid and Nico Muhly for a conversation on creating music. This talk was given at the first performance of Pekka Kuusisto + Ellen Reid at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Pieces discussed: Ellen REID Desiderium for solo violin (world premiere, LA Phil commission with generous support from Elizabeth and Justus Schlichting) Ellen REID Fear l Release Hannah KENDALL Verdala Ellen REID/Roxie PERKINS Lumee's Dream (world premiere arr., LA Phil commission) KiMani BRIDGES The Flower Missy MAZZOLI Vespers William KRAFT Encounters I: Soliloquy (In Memoriam, performed by Joseph Pereira, percussion) Meredith MONK (ARR. DAVID LANG) Double Fiesta Nico MUHLY Shrink (West Coast premiere) See this year's Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2021/22 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

KUSC's Brian Lauritzen is joined by composer inti figgis-vizueta and musician Jay Campbell for a conversation about contemporary music. This talk was given at the first performance of Jay Campbell + inti figgis-vizueta at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Pieces discussed: William KRAFT Encounters I: Soliloquy (In Memoriam, performed by Joseph Pereira, percussion) Liza LIM An ocean beyond earth for solo cello Thomas MEADOWCROFT Walkman Antiquarian Wadada Leo SMITH Gondwana: Earth, a Blue Sanctuary, Oceans, Seas, Lakes, Rivers, Springs and Lagoons; Paradise Gardens and Skies (world premiere, LA Phil commission) inti FIGGIS-VIZUETA Talamh (Land) (world premiere of string orchestra version) inti FIGGIS-VIZUETA amaru (world premiere, LA Phil commission) See this year's Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2021/22 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

KUSC's Brian Lauritzen discusses pieces by Beethoven, Julia Adolphe and Nokuthula Ngwenyama. This talk was given at the performance of Beethoven and Julia Adolphe at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Pieces discussed: Nokuthula NGWENYAMA Primal Message Julia ADOLPHE Woven Loom, Silver Spindle (world premiere, LA Phil commission) BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7 See this year's Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2021/22 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

KUSC's Brian Lauritzen explores a Mozart concerto and three Ravel favorites. This talk was given at the first performance of Mozart and Ravel at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Pieces discussed: RAVEL Menuet antique MOZART Piano Concerto No. 21, K. 467 RAVEL Le tombeau de Couperin RAVEL Bolero See this year's Upbeat Live schedule at: laphil.com/ubl. Join us in person for our 2021/22 season! Get tickets: laphil.com/calendar.

On June 26 at 10 am PT, LA Opera On Air will return to KUSC radio station with a broadcast of "Billy Budd." With an all-male cast of 25 solo roles, and vast choral and orchestral forces, all conducted by James Conlon, it's the most grandly scaled of Britten's many operas. Liam Bonner, Richard Croft and Greer Grimsley take the leading roles. And, of course, June is also Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ+) Pride Month. Benjamin Britten, the composer, was an openly gay man in a time and place where homosexuality was illegal. In this Behind the Curtain conversation, LA Opera's Connects Vice President Stacy Brightman speaks with Dr. Mitchell Morris, UCLA's chair of Musicology and chair for LGBTQ Studies; Dr. Morris speaks about Britten, his work, and how or if this opera is relevant in relation to how far the LGBTQ community has come since the opera's premiere in 1951. Please note, this frank conversation touches on adult themes and may not be appropriate for all listeners.

Ale Cohen and Mark "Frosty" McNeill share their journey through “experimenting with sound” and community in building the Internet radio collective DUBLAB over the past two decades. They share what inspired and drove them to build this institution and how it has shifted gears in our listen-from-home global era.   Dublab is not your average radio station. Mark calls it “experimentation with sound” that was formed as a reaction to the 1996 Telecommunications Act, which forced the closure of low-power stations. We talked about online radio as a “misuse of technology” -- as a “hack” and a mutant use of tech. Initially, dublab acted as “an excuse to gather the creative community of Los Angeles.” They share stories of how contemporary much often started out of the studio and how dublab became a testing ground for new sound and to honor the music that went before. Guests: Mark “Frosty” McNeill, Founder, and Alejandro Cohen, Director, dublab Alejandro Cohen is a musician and composer from Los Angeles, and the Director of non-profit radio station DUBLAB. Over the last two decades, Cohen has released music under numerous projects and groups including Languis and Pharaohs. He has composed music for TV shows, documentaries, and educational materials, and recorded more than two hundred solo artists and bands as a sound engineer and consultant forhttp://dublab.com/ ( dublab.com), KPFK 90.7 FM, Sony/Columbia, and the Society for the Activation of Social Space Through Art and Sound (SASSAS). As Executive Director of the Internet radio station and creative collective DUBLAB, Cohen curates the station's programming and podcast offerings, fundraises for the organization, and curates the annual ambient music event Tonalism. Mark “Frosty” McNeill is a DJ, radio producer, sonic curator, filmmaker, and creative community builder based in Los Angeles. He was the founder of http://dublab.com/ (dublab.com), a pioneering web radio station that has been exploring wide-spectrum music since 1999. McNeill hosts https://www.dublab.com/shows/celsius-drop/ (Celsius Drop), a weekly dublab radio show and has produced long-running programs for Red Bull Radio, Marfa Public Radio, and KPFK 90.7fm. McNeill co-curated/produced the https://lightintheattic.net/releases/4714-pacific-breeze-japanese-city-pop-aor-boogie-1976-1986 (Pacific Breeze) compilations of Japanese City Pop music for Light in the Attic Records as well as Somewhere Between, a forthcoming album focused on the more experimental side of Japanese pop. His output on a multitude of international media platforms has focused on sharing transcendent sonic experiences. Mentioned Links Email: info@dublab.com Frosty Web: http://dublab.com/djs/frosty (dublab.com/djs/frosty) Twitter: http://twitter.com/dublabfrosty (@dublabfrosty) Instagram: http://instagram.com/dubfrosty (@dubfrosty) Facebook: http://facebook.com/dubfrosty (@dubfrosty) Ale Web: https://www.dublab.com/djs/ale Dublab Web: https://www.dublab.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/dublab Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dublab/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dublab/ (https://www.facebook.com/dublab/)  Linktr.ee links: https://linktr.ee/dublab (https://linktr.ee/dublab)  KUSC - https://www.kusc.org/ (https://www.kusc.org)  KXSC - https://kxsc.org/ (https://kxsc.org)  SASSAS - The Society for the Activation of Social Space through Art and Sound - http://sassas.org/ (http://sassas.org)  Echo Park Film Center - Your Host: Gigi Johnson, EdD I run transformative programs, speak/moderate, invest, advise, and produce multimedia on creativity and technology.  I taught for 22 years at UCLA, where I ran the Center for Music Innovation and the podcast "Innovating Music," built four industry-connecting programs, and taught undergraduates, MBAs, and executives about disruption in creative industries.  Before UCLA, I financed media M&A at Bank of

"You would think weightlessness is a good thing, but it's not. Because people weren't meant to float. Without gravity, we lose blood volume, bone density, muscle. Without it, we're untethered. So when you feel yourself being pulled toward something, it's not necessarily a bad thing. It may keep you centered. It may keep you safe." —Grey's Anatomy, season 16, episode #17, Shonda Rhimes Thoughts, thoughts, all sorts of thoughts. With an abundance of time on our hands as we stay home, if we have not exercised our brains in this way, it may feel uncomfortable, and in these times we find ourselves collectively, understandably unsettling. The above quote caught my attention this past week as it feels our attentions are being being pulled toward the necessities of life, what we sincerely need to simply live. Don't get me wrong, the past eleven years, economically, have been much needed and appreciated, and while each of our journey's is unique, perhaps we've forgotten what we truly need, what others truly need, to live well. At the moment, we are all being pulled to our homes, to our sanctuaries, to our immediate families with whom we reside with but perhaps never see often because of our busy schedules. Admittedly, some of our loved ones may be far away due to age, relationships, work, etc., but we at least have the phone, video chat and other technological ways of communicating. Becoming grounded in what roots us, is what reminds us of what truly is a priority in our life, helps us to make better decisions to remain true to those values when the choices are vast. And sometimes when the choices are so vast and so ubiquitous for such a long time, we would only be being human to lose sight of our roots. I am not suggesting that we need to have a pandemic to root us, but that is where we find ourselves, so I am determined to see some good in this perilous situation. There will be good that will come out of it when we come out of it on the other side, but as well, there is good we can partake in during this time of staying home. Today, while I had originally planned a different topic for the episode to be shared, I have decided to focus on something that will hopefully be helpful to direct our attention to, to elevate the time we have indoors, wanted or unwanted. The gift and mood lifting power of daily and weekly rituals. Under the umbrella of daily and weekly rituals lies our daily and weekly routines. Consciously creating routines in which we know boost the quality of our lives from our health, to our rest and rejuvenation to our productivity are ways to rest more easily which benefits our mind and well-being and decreases our stress. Each of these efforts strengths our immune system and ultimately strengthens our overall health, both physically and mentally. Today I would like to share with you rituals you can incorporate into your daily and weekly routine even while you stay home. 1.Wake up well Design a morning routine in which regardless of whether you are heading out the door (when our routines get back to normal) or staying home, you want to get out of bed and partake in. In episode #243 I share 12 Ways to Make Your Mornings Magical, Mindful and the Foundation of a Great Day. 2. Create a daily routine you love As I shared with my students what would be expected of them while we stepped into our extended break (Oregon has announced they will be closing all schools through the entire month of March.), one student immediately decided she would find a favorite place she enjoyed being, give herself this window during her day to complete her schoolwork and then be done. I was so tickled to hear such thoughtful and conscientious attention to both her academics, but also her well-being by compartmentalizing and stepping away from work so she could relax and just be. All of us, whether at home, and especially now that we are home, would benefit from creating a schedule in our day for productivity, but also meals, rest and exercise. Knowing we have accomplished something will let us rest more easily and make it easier to sleep at night. As well, we will be giving our bodies and mind a healthy balance to remain strong. 3. An afternoon brain break Whether you enjoy an afternoon tea or an afternoon nap or an afternoon outside exercising, create a ritual that will be something you look forward to as you make your way through your day. If you are like me, and live alone, this may be a good time to call loved ones to check in. If you live with others, it may be a great time to be together if you are busy doing your own thing throughout the day. Either way, make a point of intentionally not doing work, but rather something relaxing and enjoyable. Something that elevates the everyday even more so that each day you look forward to such moments. 4. Welcome the flowers I shared on Instagram yesterday (see below) how one of the items on my grocery list this weekend (I went early and wore gloves as well as washed my hands before and after) was to welcome a few bouquets of flowers into my home. Recent researched has shared that having fresh flowers can "lower blood pressure and heart rate, lower ratings of pain, anxiety, and fatigue, and more positive feelings and higher satisfaction [about one's home]". So while, we need to stay home as much as possible, if possible keeping in my sanitation requirements, welcome some flowers into your home and perhaps bring a bouquet for your neighbor and leave them on their doorstep with a note. You may help their health more than you realize. https://www.instagram.com/p/B9wz7UJHcOY/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 5. What to listen to? What brings you joy. Create a listening ritual that carries you through your day. From the classical music I wake up to on WRTI with host Gregg Whiteside and Breakfast with Bach at 5am to the jazz in the evenings from my Spotify playlist, as well as podcasts about food and France enjoyed while I walk the dogs along the river, around the neighborhood or through the trees, what we turn on melodically has a tremendously powerful effect over our well-being. Choose what you love and let it elevate your days. Music I listen to: WRTI - classical and jazz KUSC - classical TSLL playlists Escape to France . . . Luxurious Classical Music (more than 10 hours of music) Everyday Jazz French Cafe Jazz (no lyrics) Jazzy Dinner playlist (Spotify) Podcasts I have been loving recently: The Land of Desire (French history and culture) MilkStreet Radio Inside Julia's Kitchen The Splendid Table 6. Fitness Habits That Energize The key to sustainable exercise routines is to keep them seemingly small, yet consistent and intentional. As I shared in the first episode of 2020 on the podcast, #272, 8 Ways Tiny Habits Will Welcome the Great Changes You Seek, tiny habits have a powerful way of instituting the change we desire. Why? Because they are more likely to stick, and truly become habituated into our daily routine. From waking up and doing one set of sit-ups (by the end of the week you will have done five sets!), to meditating for one minute each morning, to sipping a glass of water upon waking up in the morning, when you choose thoughtfully the habits you want in your life, reduce them down to seemingly so small, there is no reason not do the task, and before you know it, as you see the positive change, you won't want to reduce your effort and may even want to increase it. So as we find ourselves with more time at home and being unlikely to attend our favorite fitness class or gym, find exercise habits at home that will fulfill the exercise routine you need, but in a way that you enjoy. I am shifting my weekly yoga classes to a YouTube yoga instructor for the time being (but I cannot wait to return to the yoga studio), and my walks will be where I can keep my social distance at a healthy length from others, for their sake as well as mine. 7. Create an evening ritual for winding down before going to bed Something I look forward to every day, weekday or weekend, is my evening routine. After the work on the blog has been completed, after dinner has been made and savored, it is this hour or two before I drift off to sleep that is priceless. My dogs as well have become accustomed to our routine and even though they do not know the time of day we humans live by, they know when bedtime is near. From calming down the house, dishes washed, kitchen cleaned, work put away, to lighting a candle in the living room, turning on a pre-taped show or picking up a book or magazine I want to slip away to for a while, these simple activities tell my mind it is safe to rest, to relax, to be done for the day. All the while sipping some tea and nibbling on a piece of chocolate truffle, the ultimate signal to my body and brain that the day is done. 8. Be Conscientious About Your Daily News Intake Going along with #5, what media we choose to be part of our daily routines has a profound effect on our mental health. I shared and encouraged my students to limit their news intake as it can easily overwhelm us. I did not suggest sticking their head in the sand and ignoring the news, but rather choose one or two times a day in which you check in with a credible news source, and then go about your day. 9. Work space set-up Cultivate a welcoming work space whether it is temporary or where you work on a normal workday. Provide a clean work desk (check out this post - 10 Ways to Make Your Desk Space Efficient and Inspiring), welcome the natural light, reduce unhelpful distractions and decorate or rearrange in such a way to beckon you to work well. 10. Befriend water Choose to bring and drink water with you throughout the day. Staying hydrated has oodles of benefits, but on the immunity side of things, it will help rid your body of toxins. Even if I am enjoying my regular cup of tea in the morning, afternoon or evening, I regularly will have a glass of water as well or have my Hydroflask full of water if I am out walking (it is in my car for when I return). Cultivating this habit will satiate your appetite, refresh your body and elevate many arenas of your life that we take for granted. https://www.instagram.com/p/BzGjIGCABD7/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 11. Turn your ideas into gold Yes, William Shakespeare may have written King Lear during his quarantine tenure in the 16th century, and while we may not produce such masterpieces, we can use this time let our creative ideas run free so that we have time to see what they want to reveal. Keep a notebook or small journal handy and write down what pops into your mind. You may be able to tend to the idea now or it may be an idea you can implement later, but either way, it will be a positive exercise to focus on positive, hopeful, inspired things. Our mind is a muscle, and it finds the tracks we repeat again and again. So practice thinking in such a way that lifts you up, gets you excited and who knows where your creative thoughts will take you. As for me, I am planning TSLL's upcoming British Week (the third full week in May), pulling together April 1st's TSLL's Spring Shopping Guide and whatever else wishes to reveal itself to me. :) Excited to see what I will discover. Have fun! 12. Incorporate regular self-care and model it for others in your life That hot bath you used to take infrequently, but love and look forward to deeply . . . take it regularly, every week, every other day, but make it a ritual you look forward as well as savor when you slip into the hot bubble bath of comfort. Last year, I shared 31 Ways to Practice Self-Care, episode #242, and as I shared in this episode, while the bubble baths and other pleasures are certainly part of this regular self-care routine, self-care needs to go deeper. When self-care goes deeper, it has even more powerful and long-lasting positive effects on our life. Be sure to check out the show notes and/or episode for much more information on this topic. The current situation in which we find ourselves is unprecedented in our times, but it has the potential to reveal a tremendous amount about our strengths, compassion and ability to rise in ways we may not have known we were capable. I am confident that while the unknown has the potential to paralyze, it can also teach us an abundance about ourselves, those around us, the world and then reveal to us what we should truly be focused on for a better world moving forward. SIMILAR POSTS/EPISODES YOU MIGHT ENJOY: The Benefit of Daily Rituals Why Not . . . Establish Weekend Rituals? 34 Inspiring Daily Rituals to Ignite Your Creativity, episode #255 Petit Plaisir: ~Begin to cultivate a candle cupboard/closet. I first learned of this idea from Queer Eye's Tan France when during his tour of his home for Architectural Digest he opened up a small closet (I would call it a cupboard) and shared his stocked candles. Now, mind you, my current Candle Cupboard has two candles in it waiting to be enjoyed, but as I come across candles that I love, if they are on sale, I purchase one or two more than I normally would. I don't expect my Candle Cupboard to ever be as full as Tan's, but I love this idea as a Petit Plaisir. My Candle Cupboard is only barely stocked, but I love this idea and will continue to add to it as my budget and sales and treasures are found. Thank you Tan for sharing this wonderful idea! ~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #280 ~Subscribe to The Simple Sophisticate: iTunes | Stitcher | iHeartRadio | YouTube | Spotify

A new thriller out of Germany is the focus of Kenneth Turan’s film review this week. The LA Times and Arts Alive film critic spoke to KUSC’s Gail Eichenthal.

KUSC’s Alan Chapman has a lot to say about music, but can he say it in 60 seconds? That’s the Chapman Challenge. We ask a question and Alan has a minute to answer it. Today’s question is from Lee in San Diego who writes,…

On Arts Alive today, LA Times and Arts Alive film critic Kenneth Turan tells us about a perfect Valentine’s Day entertainment for lovers of sheep, and, of stop-motion animation. He spoke to KUSC’s Gail Eichenthal.

The Los Angeles Philharmonic’s survey of the politically-charged Weimar Republic era continues this weekend at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Esa Pekka-Salonen will conduct the orchestra and soloists in fully staged performances of the Kurt Weill/Bertold Brecht masterpiece, The Seven Deadly Sins. KUSC’s Gail Eichenthal…

In today's episode we'll be discussing the loss of Kobe Bryant, Utah's Gender Equality Issue, light therapy for seasonal affective disorder, and of course, we'll do a spotlight of an inspiring woman! Oxford University's "Map the System" presentation   Favorite Things Alisha:  Libby (your local library's ebooks and audiobooks for free)  KUSC app (to listen to LA's classical music radio station) Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! (an NPR Podcast) Allyson:  Bath & Body's Wine Cellar 3-wick candle Cetaphil Gentle Daily Scrub Light Therapy Lamp 

KUSC’s Alan Chapman has a lot to say about music, but can he say it in 60 seconds? That’s the Chapman Challenge. We ask a question and Alan has a minute to answer it. Today’s question is from Barbara in Long Beach who wants…

A romantic comedy from the 1950s with a classic soundtrack opens this weekend at Laemmle Theaters in West LA and Pasadena. KUSC’s Gail Eichenthal got the good word from LA Times and Arts Alive movie critic Kenneth Turan about this early Federico Fellini film.

KUSC’s Alan Chapman has a lot to say about music, but can he say it in 60 seconds? That’s the Chapman Challenge. We ask a question and Alan has a minute to answer it. Today’s question is from Bob Marcotte who wants to know…

On Halloween night, KUSC's Alan Chapman is joined by organist Clark Wilson to discuss the history behind silent film music and Wilson's own experience with accompanying silent films.

KUSC's Alan Chapman is joined by soprano Julia Bullock to discuss the program, which includes masterworks by Gershwin, Copland, Previn, and Barber. About This Performance: Dudamel launches our season with the beauty and bravura of masterworks by beloved American composers.

Superstar pianist Yuja Wang stopped by KUSC to chat with Jim Svejda about the rewards and challenges of her repertoire and how the shallow can become sublime.

Description: Gwendolyn Sanford is most famous as a composer for TV shows Weeds and Orange Is the New Black, but she got her start as a quirky children’s singer. In fact, it was because of her children’s band that she and her writing partner Brandon Jay scored the audition for Weeds in the first place. On this episode, we talk about how to craft suitable music for show characters, play some of Gwendolyn’s favorite TV cues, and learn more about her hilarious, unbelievably “L.A.” tale of spontaneity, opportunity, and good old fashioned grit. Note to Our Listeners: The Underscore team is currently undergoing transition, as we shift our focus to other exciting projects within the musical-digital realm. Thus, the Underscore podcast is now on indefinite hiatus, at least in its current incarnation. We are so grateful to the astounding guests and loyal listeners who’ve made our ears dance and brains light up episode after episode. If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, please continue to listen, revisit, and share it with friends, as the unique stories and artists featured on the show deserve to be celebrated! Last but not least, we hope you stay in touch with Chrysanthe, Thomas, and the rest of the Underscore team; we have many more things coming soon... Playlist: Here is a Spotify playlist with hand-picked selections from Chrysanthe, Thomas, and Gwendolyn Sanford. Music Featured in Interview “Free to Be...You and Me” by Marlo Thomas (iTunes / Spotify) “Freedom of the Heart (Ooodily, Ooodily)” by Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang (iTunes / Spotify) “Drain” by Gwendolyn Sanford (CD Baby) “Selfish Shellfish” by Gwendolyn and the Good (iTunes / Spotify) “Somebody Else’s Man” by Gwendolyn (iTunes / Spotify) “Huskaroo TV Spot” (from Weeds) by Brandon Jay & Gwendolyn Sanford (iTunes / Spotify) “Toy Piano or Toy Poodle” (Weeds cue) by Brandon Jay & Gwendolyn Sanford “Skimming Tree Tops” (Weeds cue) by Gwendolyn Sanford & Brandon Jay “Walk the Walk” (Orange Is the New Black cue) by Gwendolyn Sanford & Brandon Jay “Walk the Walk by Gwendolyn Sanford & Brandon Jay “Bad Man” by Gwendolyn Sanford (Music video on YouTube) “Fun with Cigarettes” (from Orange Is the New Black) by Gwendolyn Sanford & Brandon Jay (iTunes / Spotify) Lightning Round: What genre is your music? Folklore Performance ritual? Warm up my voice and play her songs without singing them. A modern/technological tool that’s extremely helpful to your practice? Metronome A failure that turned out for the best? Not getting signed with the Good Time Gang and not getting the TV show for kids. Something besides music that you’re obsessed with right now? Being a good mom. (Gwendolyn has two daughters, but only one of them is a Good Time Gang fan.) A piece of art that changed your life? Performing The Insanity of Mary Girard (by Lanie Robertson) at age 12 Find Gwendolyn Sanford online: Personal website / Gwendolyn and the Good Time Gang Something Old: “Piano Concerto No. 5 - Emperor” by Ludwig van Beethoven (iTunes / Spotify) Something New: “Birdsong” by Regina Spektor (iTunes / Spotify) Something Borrowed: “my lips from speaking: III.” by Julia Wolfe, performed by Lisa Moore (iTunes / Spotify) Something Blue: “The Blue Studio” piano trio by Stephen Hartke (Live performance on YouTube) Credits: Hosts: Chrysanthe Tan and Thomas Kotcheff Guest: Dorian Wood Script: Chrysanthe Tan Recording engineer: Mark Hatwan Produced by: Chrysanthe Tan Editing: Mark Hatwan Underscore is an extension of the Classical KUSC family Podcast theme: "Playground Day" by Chrysanthe Tan (iTunes / Spotify) Social Media: Facebook: /underscorefm Twitter: @underscorefm Instagram: @underscorefm Thomas is @thomaskotcheff on Twitter and Instagram. Chrysanthe is @chrysanthetan on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Facebook group: Join our Facebook group, Underscore Society, to give us your thoughts, request future topics, and connect with other podcast listeners! Newsletter: Sign up for our mailing list to receive Underscore updates, offers, and opportunities to connect with other music aficionados. Email: Thoughts, questions, suggestions? We’re at info@underscore.fm

KUSC’s Jim Svejda talks to Oscar-nominated composer Alexandre Desplat about his spare score for Wes Anderson’s “Isle of Dogs”.

Description: Dorian Wood is a magical typhoon disguised as a humble singer-songwriter. LA Weekly calls them "a fearless artist and performer whose voice inhabits a room like a choir of ghosts," while Mondosonoro compares their concerts to "a meteor shower and the four elements." If we had to boil down the essence of Dorian Wood’s music, we’d call it a mixture of theatrical-experimental, folk, gospel-soul, and classical music, with a large dash of performance art. Speaking with Dorian was a rare treat. On this episode, we listen to musical excerpts and talk about sensuality, queerness, classical roots, bittersweet family, Dorian’s "curvy delicious body," and so much more. Note: Dorian is non-binary, and their pronouns are them/they. At the time of this recording, Dorian still used he/him pronouns and thus the interview reflects those old pronouns. We are proud to publish this podcast episode with Dorian’s full, enthusiastic blessing. Playlist: Here is a Spotify playlist with hand-picked selections from Chrysanthe, Thomas, and Dorian Wood. Music Featured in Interview: "Corpulenxia" by Dorian Wood (iTunes / Spotify) "Piano Sonatina in G Major, Anh. 5 No.1: I. Moderato (iTunes / Spotify) "Blood Red River" by Dorian Wood (unreleased cover of Beth Orton song) "A Gospel of Elephants/Hpssos" by Dorian Wood (Amazon / Spotify) Live performance video "Little Doggie" by Tommy Santee Klaws (iTunes / Spotify) "Paisa" by Dorian Wood (iTunes / Spotify) "Ashes to Ashes" by Dorian Wood - David Bowie cover (YouTube) "Martillos" by Dorian Wood (iTunes / Spotify) Lightning Round: What genre is your music? Cookies Performance ritual?  Cookies A modern/technological tool that’s extremely helpful to your practice? Toilet A failure that turned out for the best? I have yet to find it. Something besides music that you’re obsessed with right now? God A piece of art that changed your life? "The Look" by Roxette Other links: Paisa GoFundMe campaign: https://www.gofundme.com/paisa-short-film Dorian’s custom pet portraits: http://petproper.net/ Find Dorian Wood online: Website / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook / YouTube Something Old: "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis" by Ralph Vaughan Williams (iTunes / Spotify) Something New: "Clouded Yellow" by Michael Gordon (iTunes / Spotify) Something Borrowed: "Hungarian Rock (Chaconne)" by Gyorgy Ligeti (iTunes / Spotify) Something Blue: "Bluebird Story" by DJ Okawari feat. Jumelles (iTunes / Spotify) Credits: Hosts: Chrysanthe Tan and Thomas Kotcheff Guest: Dorian Wood Script: Chrysanthe Tan Recording engineer: Mark Hatwan Produced by: Chrysanthe Tan Editing: Mark Hatwan Underscore is an extension of the Classical KUSC family Podcast theme: "Playground Day" by Chrysanthe Tan (iTunes / Spotify) Social Media: Facebook: /underscorefm Twitter: @underscorefm Instagram: @underscorefm Thomas is @thomaskotcheff on Twitter and Instagram. Chrysanthe is @chrysanthetan on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Facebook group: Join our Facebook group, Underscore Society, to give us your thoughts, request future topics, and connect with other podcast listeners! Newsletter: Sign up for our mailing list to receive Underscore updates, offers, and opportunities to connect with other music aficionados. Email: Thoughts, questions, suggestions? We’re at info@underscore.fm

Composer David T. Little sits down with KUSC's Brian Lauritzen for a conversation about his opera "Soldier Songs", which will be presented October 13 at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood as a part of the Off Grand series. They discuss the opera and the role that arts organizations can play in welcoming home veterans after active duty.

Description: In our last episode, Washing Machine Revelation, we interviewed composer Reena Esmail, who talked about her unique blend of Indian and Western classical music, revealed her composing ritual, and told us about the washing machine that sparked a revelation. For this bonus episode, Reena treated us to a live Hindustani vocal improvisation. Find Reena Esmail online: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter Credits: Hosts: Chrysanthe Tan and Thomas Kotcheff Guest: Reena Esmail Script: Chrysanthe Tan Recording engineer: Mark Hatwan Produced by: Chrysanthe Tan Editing: Mark Hatwan Underscore is an extension of the Classical KUSC family Bonus Opening music: “Part and Parcel” by Thomas Kotcheff (YouTube) Podcast Ending music: "Playground Day" by Chrysanthe Tan (iTunes / Spotify) Social Media: Facebook: /underscorefm Twitter: @underscorefm Instagram: @underscorefm Thomas is @thomaskotcheff on Twitter and Instagram. Chrysanthe is @chrysanthetan on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Facebook group: Join our Facebook group, Underscore Society, to give us your thoughts, request future topics, and connect with other podcast listeners! Newsletter: Sign up for our mailing list to receive Underscore updates, offers, and opportunities to connect with other music aficionados. Email: Thoughts, questions, suggestions? We’re at info@underscore.fm

Description: Reena Esmail knows she doesn’t look like a stereotypical composer, but that doesn’t prevent her from making a big impact. Known for her signature blend of Indian and Western classical music, Reena joins us in the studio to discuss stage fright, getting in touch with her heritage, how the #MeToo movement inspired her, and the washing machine that sparked a revelation. Playlist: Here is a Spotify playlist with hand-picked selections from Chrysanthe, Thomas, and Reena Esmail. Music Featured in Interview: “String Quartet: Ragamala” by Reena Esmail (Listen / Score) “Piano Sonata No. 15 in C, K.545: 1. Allegro” by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (iTunes / Spotify) “Jhula Jhule” by Reena Esmail (Listen / Score) “Die Forelle, D. 550” by Franz Schubert (iTunes / Spotify) “Träumerei” by Robert Schumann (iTunes / Spotify) “This Love Between Us” by Reena Esmail (Listen) “Tuttarana” by Reena Esmail (Listen / Score) “#metoo” by Reena Esmail “Nishani” by Reena Esmail (Listen / Score) Additional Links: Hindustani Music: Cultural Collisions (and Washing Machines) - Reena’s blog on NewMusicBox about the washing machine Lightning Round: What genre is your music?  Indpressionism -- “the opposite of Impressionism” Performance ritual? Performance ritual: “breathe, open your mouth, smile.” Composing ritual: A very specific, solitary tea ritual involving the Harney & Sons Soho blend. A modern/technological tool that’s extremely helpful to your practice? iPad. It was so game-changing that Reena celebrates the anniversary of getting her iPad (July 17, 2017). A failure that turned out for the best? Failing to be a pianist Something besides music that you’re obsessed with right now? Hardcore math and data sets. A piece of art that changed your life? The chandelier at Mandarin Oriental by Dale Chihuly on 59th and Broadway in New York City. Find Reena Esmail online: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Twitter Something Old: “Call Me a Rainbow” by The Mummers (YouTube) Something New: “String Quartet No. 9” by Georg Friedrich Haas (YouTube) Something Borrowed: Bye Bye Beethoven Concert by Patricia Kopatchinskaja (YouTube) Something Blue: “Aquarium” by Nosaj Thing (iTunes / Spotify) Credits: Hosts: Chrysanthe Tan and Thomas Kotcheff Guest: Reena Esmail Script: Chrysanthe Tan Recording engineer: Mark Hatwan Produced by: Chrysanthe Tan Editing: Mark Hatwan Underscore is an extension of the Classical KUSC family Podcast theme: "Playground Day" by Chrysanthe Tan (iTunes / Spotify) Social Media: Facebook: /underscorefm Twitter: @underscorefm Instagram: @underscorefm Thomas is @thomaskotcheff on Twitter and Instagram. Chrysanthe is @chrysanthetan on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Facebook group: Join our Facebook group, Underscore Society, to give us your thoughts, request future topics, and connect with other podcast listeners! Newsletter: Sign up for our mailing list to receive Underscore updates, offers, and opportunities to connect with other music aficionados. Email: Thoughts, questions, suggestions? We’re at info@underscore.fm

Description: In episode 6, Goofy Baby Songs, we interviewed composer, accordionist, and electronic musician Isaac Schankler, who shared their inspirations and led us in a goofy baby jam session. For this bonus episode, Isaac treated us to an exclusive live studio performance on the accordion. Find Isaac Schankler online: Website / Twitter / Bandcamp Credits: Hosts: Chrysanthe Tan and Thomas Kotcheff Guest: Isaac Schankler Script: Chrysanthe Tan Recording engineer: Mark Hatwan Produced by: Chrysanthe Tan Editing: Mark Hatwan Underscore is an extension of the Classical KUSC family Opening music: "Part and Parcel" by Thomas Kotcheff (YouTube) Ending music: "Playground Day" by Chrysanthe Tan (iTunes / Spotify) Social Media: Facebook: /underscorefm Twitter: @underscorefm Instagram: @underscorefm   Thomas is @thomaskotcheff on Twitter and Instagram. Chrysanthe is @chrysanthetan on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Facebook group: Join our Facebook group, Underscore Society, to give us your thoughts, request future topics, and connect with other podcast listeners! Newsletter: Sign up for our mailing list to receive Underscore updates, offers, and opportunities to connect with other music aficionados. Email: Thoughts, questions, suggestions? We’re at info@underscore.fm

Playlist: Here is a Spotify playlist with hand-picked selections from Chrysanthe, Thomas, and Isaac. Music Featured in Interview: "Alien Warp Etude" by Isaac Schankler, performed by Aron Kallay (iTunes / Spotify) "Etudes, Op. 25: No. 1 in A-Flat Major ‘Aeolian Harp’" by Frédéric Chopin (iTunes / Spotify) "Mouthfeel" by Isaac Schankler (artist website) "Point of Origin" by Yanni (iTunes / Spotify) "Return to Forever" by Chick Corea (Amazon / Spotify) "Twirly Moustache" by The Shpil (iTunes / Spotify) "Four Organs" by Steve Reich (iTunes / Spotify) "Baby Is Bigger" by Isaac Schankler "It’s Not Ero! (feat. Senah Kim)" from the Hate Plus video game soundtrack by Isaac Schankler (iTunes / Spotify) "Everybody Dance" by Isaac Schankler "Inconsolable Baby" by Isaac Schankler "Pheromone" by Isaac Schankler, performed by Meerenai Shim and Jacob Abela (Bandcamp / YouTube) Lightning Round: What genre is your music? Electro-baby-non-pop. Performance ritual? Isaac envisions a performance ritual in which the performer sits in the center of the room, there are speakers situated all around the edge of the room, and the audience chills out in the space between, just soaking in the music. Some people are in beanbags or even have books. A modern/technological tool that’s extremely helpful to your practice? Graph paper A failure that turned out for the best? Getting rejected from a ton of jobs after college. It was a good thing, because Isaac ended up looking outside of the box and getting into video game music, computer music research, etc. Something besides music that you’re obsessed with right now? Their six-month old kid, Felix. "I miss him right now." A piece of art that changed your life? The novels of Ursula K. Le Guin, including The Lathe of Heaven, Dispossessed, and The Left Hand of Darkness Find Isaac Schankler online: Website / Twitter / Bandcamp Something Old: "Il Mercenario (L’ Arena)" (from The Mercenary) by Ennio Morricone (iTunes / Spotify) Something New: "Chicken in the Pot" (from SOLO: A Star Wars Story) by John Powell (iTunes / Spotify) Something Borrowed: "Nothing Is Real (Strawberry Fields Forever)" by Alvin Lucier (iTunes / Spotify) Something Blue: "The River" by CFCF (iTunes / Spotify) Credits: Hosts: Chrysanthe Tan and Thomas Kotcheff Guest: Isaac Schankler Script: Chrysanthe Tan Recording engineer: Mark Hatwan Produced by: Chrysanthe Tan Editing: Mark Hatwan Underscore is an extension of the Classical KUSC family Podcast theme: "Playground Day" by Chrysanthe Tan (iTunes / Spotify) Social Media: Facebook: /underscorefm Twitter: @underscorefm Instagram: @underscorefm Thomas is @thomaskotcheff on Twitter and Instagram. Chrysanthe is @chrysanthetan on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Facebook group: Join our Facebook group, Underscore Society, to give us your thoughts, request future topics, and connect with other podcast listeners! Newsletter: Sign up for our mailing list to receive Underscore updates, offers, and opportunities to connect with other music aficionados. Email: Thoughts, questions, suggestions? We’re at info@underscore.fm

The novelization for STAR WARS: THE LAST JEDI gets our review with highlights from the audiobook featuring some shocking moments not featured in the final film. Speaking of the film itself, we have more to say about THE LAST JEDI home video release. Listener voice mail sparks a new debate over the Anakin/Vader transformation. In news, we follow Mark Hamill from SWSX in Austin all the way to Dublin, Ireland for St. Patrick's Day. Mark never fails when it comes to sharing his Star Wars insights and opinions! The maestro John Williams talks about his future in STAR WARS and his thoughts on Rey’s parents on KUSC radio, and we have the best quotes. RFR is proud to present SOLO in OHIO, happening May 25th in downtown Cleveland. We have the latest details! We look back at the history of Star Wars home video releases and share our memories from VHS to Blu Ray. Plus, some Ziro The Hutt memories, and we’re giving away a huge STAR WARS TOP TRUMPS prize to a lucky RFR listener...Find out how you can win!

In this episode, Rachael and Kirsty welcome a special guest to discuss the music of The Last Jedi - composer Christy. In this episode, we go straight into the spotlight discussion, exploring how Williams employs pre-existing themes as well as debuting new ones for characters such as Rose. We also have detailed discussions on the Force theme, particularly how it is employed for key scenes between Rey and Kylo Ren, and the love themes of Star Wars. Christy even shares some very special insights into what it was like to witness the score being recorded. Following the spotlight discussion, Rachael, Kirsty and Christy discuss the following: - The home media release of The Last Jedi in the United States (yes, including "you opened yourself to the dark side for a pair of purty eyes!") - Rian Johnson's comments on The Last Jedi at SXSW (yes, including the sex scene one!) - John Powell has started recording the 'Solo' score You can find Christy's writing on the music of Star Wars here: http://enjoyallneednothing-blog.tumblr.com/post/171548455215/organizational-post Listen to the KUSC interview with John Williams here: https://www.kusc.org/series/kusc-interviews/ Hear Rian Johnson discuss the music of Star Wars on the 'Soundtracking' podcast here: https://audioboom.com/posts/6557819-episode-69-rian-johnson-on-the-music-of-star-wars-other-movies Read the essay 'My Hero, Luke Skywalker' here: https://www.zacbertschy.com/blog/2017/12/29/my-hero-luke-skywalker

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #197 ~Subscribe to The Simple Sophisticate: iTunes | Stitcher | iHeartRadio | YouTube As a young girl I took piano lessons, and I will admit, it was not the greatest joy of my life. A timer would have to be set for me to sit down for even 30 minutes to practice, and even then I would get up from time to time to check and see how much more time I had to play. So, no, I was not someone who found joy in playing; however, when my mom would sit down and play and let the notes ring melodically throughout our home, I thoroughly enjoyed listening. We still have that piano, and from time to time I will get the opportunity to hear her play and watch her fingers dance across the keys. There is a tranquility that is shared when such harmonious tunes without lyrics are played. To my ear, it is quite peaceful. Perhaps that is why as well, I am drawn to jazz, as I do prefer music without lyrics when I am working, relaxing and simply going about my day. I enjoy bringing my story to the notes, rather than hearing someone else's. Perhaps that is a lack of imagination on my part, but when there are no words, the rhythm is mine to dance with and let my mind wander. Having always loved jazz since I was a teenager, I have since begun to welcome more classical music into my life and regularly beginning this past fall as I shared in this post (episode #187). Many of my students over the years have been actively involved in the symphony and orchestra, and successfully so, so I do find myself learning from them as I am by no means savvy when it comes to music. 1. Reduce stress If you find listening to classical music relaxing, then it can reduce your stress levels. Upon listening to classical music, your body releases "pleasure-inducing dopamine and inhibits the release of stress hormones, all of which generates a pleasant mood". Now, the key is to understand what you find relaxing, make it a regular practice and observe your body and mind relax which will then enable you to think more clearly and thus make better decisions. 2. Increase your ability to think abstractly The Mozart Effect, as it was coined in 1993, was discovered by Dr. Gordon Shaw of the University of California-Irvine to cause a temporary spike in an individual's IQ after listening to Mozart. While the findings need to be clarified: no, listening to Mozart doesn't make you smarter, but it does, Shaw states, "warms up the brain's ability to think abstractly". 3. Heighten EQ (emotional intelligence) In 2001 Southern Methodist University shared their findings of their study revealing participants were more "expressive and effusive with their comments, [and] . . . more forthcoming as well." Perhaps when we choose to listen to classical music as we relax, our walls come down a bit more, we are more willing to be vulnerable and less quick to react. 4. Increase focus A study done in France published in Learning and Individual Differences revealed that students who listened to a one hour lecture with classical music playing in the background scored better on the corresponding quiz than those who did not listen to music. Why? The researchers proposed that "the music put students in a heightened emotional state, making
 them more receptive to information . . . It is possible that music, provoking a change in the learning
 environment, influenced the students’ motivation to remain focused during the lecture, which led to 
better performance on the multiple-choice quiz”. 5. Fall asleep more quickly The University of Toronto discovered that when classical music is played when you settle into bed, participants in the study were able to fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep longer. Why? The study found that the music by Bach, Brahms, Handel, Mozart,  and Strauss offered "rhythms and tonal patterns that create a meditative mood 
and slow brainwaves". The inclusion of listening to classical music in my everyday routine has become a form of simple self-care. Having a sound mind to navigate successfully through the day is an invaluable tool, but it is one that can easily deteriorate if we do not tend to it. Many readers shared their favorite classical radio station (many of which have free apps available), and I have listed them below. An unexpected benefit I am finding is listening to the hosts of each of the programs whether I am listening to KUSC.org or WRTI.org as they speak about each song, often share the history and other intriguing information. I may never pick up a flute, a violin or an obo, but I certainly am finding I appreciate even more those who do and those who have written the music creations. Classical music stations: KUSC (southern California) WRTI (Philadelphia - classical music and jazz) KMFA (Austin, TX) Radio Classique (French station) ClassicFM (London) I have compiled a Luxurious Classical Music playlist on Spotify (of which there are many others to find as well) that plays for one hour and 16 minutes 12+ hours with more than 157 tracks (updated as of November 2020) and includes some of my favorites as well as new music I am ever so gradually being introduced to. View the playlist here. The Playlist: Luxurious Classical Music (below are just a sampling of the tracks): Vivaldi: 12 Violin Concertos, Op.8 "Il cimento dell'armonia e dell' invenzione" / Concerto No. 1 In E Major For Solo Violin, RV 269 "La Primavera" - 1. Allegro Yo-Yo Ma - Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: Unaccompanied Cello Suite No. 1 in G Major, BWV 1007: I. Prélude Vaughan Williams - The Lark Ascending 2 Cellos - Moon River Mozart : Serenade No.9 in D major K320, 'Posthorn' : IV Rondeau - Allegro, ma non troppo Giancarlo Andretti - Piano Sonata No. 5 in G Major, K. 283: I. Allegro Murray Perahia - Italian Concerto, BWV 971: I. (Allegro) Wolfgang Rübsam - Suite in A Major, BWV 824 Dubravka Tomsic - No. 1 in B Flat major, BWV 825: II. Allemande The English Concert and Trevor Pinnock - J.S. Bach: Brandenburg Concerto No.6 in B flat, BWV 1051 - 2. Adagio ma non tanto Alexis French - Waterfalls London Philharmonic Orchestra & David Parry - Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G Major, BWV 1048: Allegro Lara Downes - Wonderful Town: Story of My Life Petit Plaisir: ~Mozart in the Jungle, season 4 https://youtu.be/wiNDPi3mP6A Sponsors of this week’s episode: Casper Mattress Promo code: SS $50 toward your purchase Shaker & Spoon Cocktail Subscription Club Promo code: simple Save $20 on your first month Image: Katowice concert hall, Poland Sources of research: LiveStrong, USC News, WQXR.org Download the Episode

Composer/pianist Sarah Gibson shows us her bag of tricks, plays the melodica, and tells us why she composed a piano piece for just the left hand. Then, we discuss how different concert venues affect our concert-going experience. Playlist Here is a Spotify playlist to pair with Underscore episode #B2! Co-hosts Chrysanthe and Thomas collaborated with our guest Sarah Gibson to curate these tracks based on the conversations, recs, and vibes of this episode. Guest Composer/pianist Sarah Gibson shows us her bag of tricks, plays the melodica, and tells us why she composed a piano piece for just the left hand. Sure Baby, Manana by Sarah Gibson and it's spring when the world is puddle-wonderful; Concerto for Left-hand piano by Sarah Gibson Outsider by Sarah Gibson, performed by HOCKET ensemble Piano Concerto for the Left Hand in D Major by Maurice Ravel (iTunes / Spotify) John Cage Prepared Piano app Find Sarah Gibson online: Website Twitter HOCKET Lightning Round Questions What genre is your music? Modern collaborative classical Performance ritual? Listening to Yo-Yo Ma playing the Bach solo cello suites, drinking a Coke, and listening to playlist in the car. A modern/technological tool that’s extremely helpful to your practice? iPad + bluetooth pedal; all Sarah’s music is stored digitally, and there are no more awkward page turns! What failure that turned out for the best? Her phone alarm went off during a show. Luckily, it was in the exact right key and added a nice flavor to the piece. Something besides music that you’re obsessed with right now? Her dog and cooking. (Not together.) A piece of art that changed your life? Ceiling of the Paris Opera House, painted by Marc Chagall Counterpoint How do different concert venues affect the concert-going experience? Something Old J Dilla's instrumental hip hop album Donuts (iTunes / Spotify / Music video), especially the song "Lightworks." Something New Los Angeles Philharmonic's newly-announced 2018-2019 concert season, which features 54 new music commissions, 22 women composers, and 27 composers of color. Article by Brian Lauritzen on the KUSC blog. Something BorrowedFor All I Care album by The Bad Plus (iTunes / Spotify), especially the song "Semi-Simple Variations." Something Blue Blue Planet II (Original Television Soundtrack) by Hans Zimmer (iTunes / Spotify) Credits Hosts: Thomas Kotcheff and Chrysanthe Tan Guest: Sarah Gibson Script: Chrysanthe Tan Recording engineer/editor: Mark Hatwan Produced by USC Radio Group ConnectFacebook group: Join our Facebook group, Underscore Society, to nerd out on music, tell us your favorite songs, and debate our Counterpoints! Email list: Sign up for our mailing list to receive Underscore updates, offers, and opportunities to connect with other music aficionados. Socials: We’re @underscorefm on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Email: Thoughts, questions, suggestions? We’re at info@underscore.fm Thomas is @thomaskotcheff on Twitter and Instagram. Chrysanthe is @chrysanthetan on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

KUSC’s Jim Svejda talks to composer John Williams about his score for “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” and “The Post”.

KUSC’s Jim Svejda talks to composer Hans Zimmer about his score for “Dunkirk”.

KUSC’s Jim Svejda talks to composer Carter Burwell about his score for “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”

KUSC’s Jim Svejda talks to composer Alexandre Desplat about his score for “The Shape of Water”.

Jennifer Miller is my guest this week. Jen and I go back to 2009, where we performed together in a production of Faust- she as Marguerite and me as Faust. That's us in the picture, way back then. Jen has since moved on to KUSC, where she hosts a show entitled, "California Classical All Night." "How do you make a living when you get out of music school" is a constant theme on my show, and this episode is no exception. Jen's at the beginning of her radio career, and she's killing it! Enjoy! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this pre-show talk, KUSC's Brian Lauritzen discusses "Gianni Schicchi" and "Pagliacci."

KUSC’s Jim Svejda talks to composer John Williams about his decades-long collaboration with Steven Spielberg and the new multi-cd set that celebrates their many movies.

Dustin O’Halloran collaborated with the German musician Hauschka on music for the movie Lion. They were both nominated for Best Score at this year’s Academy Awards. O’Halloran returned to the KUSC studios (he was our guest after winning an Emmy for his theme for…

Listen to La Bohème conductor Speranza Scappucci talk to KUSC's Brian Lauritzen about her career in opera and what it takes to be a woman in the field.

KUSC's Brian Lauritzen discusses "Moby Dick" with Music Director James Conlon.

Bonnie Grice is a two-time Gracie Allen Award winning radio host, producer and interviewer. She is the producer and host of “The Song is You,” a weekly radio show that explores the impact of music in our lives; and the “Eclectic Café”- both of which are featured on Long Island's NPR station 88.3 WPPB in Southampton. A public radio veteran, she co-hosted the show “Anthem” on National Public Radio and has been heard on WNYC in New York, WGBH in Boston and KUSC in Los Angeles. Bonnie is also a librettist and author.  She wrote the text for the two-act chamber opera, Mrs. Dalloway, based on the novel by Virginia Woolf, and she’s the author of From Z to A – A Classical Lover’s Alternative. Tune in to hear Bonnie talk about her Harry Potter obsession, why she loves living in the Hamptons, what it's like to work at NPR, and how long it took her to find her true voice. Plus Bonnie and Walker talk about how they both deal with criticism, what it means to hit your creative ceiling, and- for the first time- publicly address their perceived rivalry. It's really juicy. Is Walker dressed as a woman throughout the entire interview? Does Bonnie come bearing rainbow-colored gifts? Do they both break into an Italian aria? Tune in to find out.