Podcast appearances and mentions of shara nova

Shara Nova is the creative force behind this hugely influential indie pop solo project.  She as worked with Sufjan Stevens, David Byrne, and Laurie Anderson.

Shara Nova is a composer, vocalist, and producer currently creating from Detroit, Michigan. Shara has released six albums under the monikerMy Brightest Diamond and has composed works for The Crossing, Conspirare, yMusic, Brooklyn Rider, Roomful of Teeth, Aarhus Symfoni, and American Composers Orchestra among many others. In 2024 she starred in the Tony Award Winning musical “Illinoise” on Broadway, directed by Justin Peck, co-written by Jackie Sibblies Drury with music by Sufjan Stevens, witha live album released on Nonesuch Records.

In this chat, we get to meet My Brightest Diamond - aka: Shara Nova. I got to speak with Shara surrounding the release of her newest MBD record, called Fight the Real Terror. In this discussion, she and I go deep into this album - its themes, its stark minimalism, and its conception, which was borne largely by the loss of the great Sinead O'Connor. Shara had a deep affinity for Sinead's work both musically and politically, and I speak with her about how Sinead's voice (and I mean that in all shadings of the word) has inspired her own work and her own life, as an artist, a human, and an activist. It's a great talk with a great artist (and someone who I've been listening to for virtually my whole music-listening life). Thank you for listening.

My Brightest Diamond is the project led by singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and composer Shara Nova (formerly Worden), who has continued to weave her own way through pop, experimental and classical worlds. Her latest, Fight The Real Terror, strips things down to just Shara and her guitar, and is full of the raw emotion that erupted from her upon learning about Sinéad O'Connor's passing in 2023. Shara Nova plays some of these new My Brightest Diamond songs, in-studio, and wields an autoharp besides. Set list: 1. Fight the Real Terror 2. Safe House 3. Have You Ever Seen An Angel

Penkios amerikiečių kompozitorės – Rachel Grimes, Angélica Negrón, Shara Nova, Caroline Shaw ir Sarah Kirkland Snider – susivienyjo bendram darbui ir išleido albumą „The Blue Hour“ (2022), kuris pristatomas kaip kolektyvinės kūrybos dainų ciklas pagal Carolynos Forché epinę poemą „Žemėje“. Nors autorių braižas truputį skiriasi, kritikai giria „puikų ir nepaprastai vieningą darbą“. Ciklą stilistiškai jungia visose dalyse dainuojanti viena iš kompozitorių – Shara Nova, žinoma kaip indiroko ir akademinės muzikos atlikėja, nors dažnai prisijungia ir kitos keturios kompozitorės. Tačiau labiausiai kompozicijas suartina styginių orkestras „A Far Cry“, įrašytas tarsi elektroninių semplerių ansamblis.Laidos autoriai Mindaugas Urbaitis ir Šarūnas Nakas

Shara Nova, the mastermind behind My Brightest Diamond, serves up elegantly crafted songs with mathematical precision and emotional heft. That's what you'll hear when My Brightest Diamond takes the tiny stage as part of KCRW's School Night at Bardot tonight. One song we hope to hear is “Black Sheep,” because it  struts in like modern cabaret. Be sure to wait for the last bit at the very end to wipe away any Monday blues. 

Conspirare's founder and leader, Craig Hella Johnson, commissioned many of the pieces on House of Belonging and composed the opening track himself. The album's texts convey and explore themes about spirituality, philosophy, the natural world, and the human need for deep connection with others. Composers Kevin Puts, Derrick Skye, Alex Berko, Moira Smiley, Shara Nova, and Michael Schachter were recruited for the project, and the music of  Margaret Bonds and Ross Lee Finney completed the album. The emotive texts include verses by Euan Tait, John Muir, William Stafford, Wendell Berry, Rabindranath Tagore, David Whyte, Langston Hughes, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Hildegard of Bingen.Help support our show by purchasing this album  at:Downloads (classicalmusicdiscoveries.store) Classical Music Discoveries is sponsored by Uber and Apple Classical. @CMDHedgecock#ClassicalMusicDiscoveries #KeepClassicalMusicAlive#CMDGrandOperaCompanyofVenice #CMDParisPhilharmonicinOrléans#CMDGermanOperaCompanyofBerlin#CMDGrandOperaCompanyofBarcelonaSpain#ClassicalMusicLivesOn#Uber#AppleClassical Please consider supporting our show, thank you!Donate (classicalmusicdiscoveries.store) staff@classicalmusicdiscoveries.comThis album is broadcast with the permission of Sean Dacy from Rosebrook Media.

Shara Nova, a classically trained vocalist and self-taught multi-instrumentalist who records dazzling, shapeshifting music as My Brightest Diamond, has always felt like an outsider.  Over the course of many albums, she has resisted the conventions of genre, blending elements of rock, art pop, and chamber music into a sound totally her own. SIGN UP FOR SHARA'S NEWSLETTER HERE!---Support TBAS by becoming a patron!!!!---Call Zak with your advice @ 844-935-BEST---IG: @bestadviceshow & @muzacharyTWITTER: @muzacharybestadvice.show---PAST ADVICE FROM BRILLIANT MUSICIANSSlowing Down with Katie Crutchfield of WaxahatcheeBeing Close with Michael FrantiNot Knowing with Merrill Garbus of Tune-YardsPlanting Seeds with Matt Berninger of  The NationalFacing the Truth with Tamara Lindeman of The Weather StationSharing from a Deep Well of Knowledge with Daniel Messé of HemPower Hour with Jon London

Shara Nova has released five albums under the moniker My Brightest Diamond and has composed works for The Crossing, Conspirare, Cantus Domus, Brooklyn Youth Chorus, Roomful of Teeth, many community choirs, as well as yMusic, Brooklyn Rider, violist Nadia Sirota, Aarhus Symfoni, North Carolina Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony, American Composers Orchestra and the BBC Concert Orchestra, among others.In 2019, she composed for over 600 community musicians and the Cincinnati Symphony in celebration of their 125th season, a piece entitled "Look Around," with director Mark DeChiazza. Her baroque chamber p'opera “You Us We All” premiered in the US in October 2015 at BAM Next Wave Festival. With co-composer and performer Helga Davis, Nova created a four-screen film entitled “Ocean Body,” along with director Mark DeChiazza, which premiered at The Momentary in August 2021, shortly followed by the premiere of “Infinite Movement,” her baroque masque for 100 musicians, set to text by artist Matthew Ritchie, which premiered at The University of North Texas in November 2021.Ms. Nova is the featured singer on “The Blue Hour” with the string orchestra A Far Cry and co-composers Rachel Grimes, Angélica Negrón, Sarah Kirkland Snider and Caroline Shaw on Nonesuch Records (Sept ‘22). A collection of songs by Nico Muhly with Detroit's acclaimed wind ensemble Akropolis Quintet also features Ms. Nova's voice entitled Hymns for Private Use (Oct ‘22). A number of music composers, including Sarah Kirkland Snider, Bryce and Aaron Dessner, Steve Mackey and David Lang have created works specifically for her voice. She has collaborated with Matthew Barney, The Decemberists, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Sufjan Stevens, David Byrne, Laurie Anderson, and many others.Shara has a couple different branches to her life:Singer and Composer Branch: https://shara-nova.com/Pop Music Branch: https://www.mybrightestdiamond.com/Instagram: @mybrightestdiamondTwitter: @MyBrightestDmndWriting on Substack: https://substack.com/profile/91251132-shara-nova

Pianist Lisa Kaplan of eighth blackbird joins us to chat about the many evolutions of their organization, from the original ensemble to their many teaching endeavors. We chat about the Chicago Artists Workshop and Blackbird Creative Lab, two of the ways in which they continue to “move music forward” beyond their primarily performance-based projects. Kaplan shares about how the ensemble conceptualizes and puts projects—such as This is my Home—into action. We speak about how the organization integrates interns into their administrative process. And, we ask, "why 'eighth blackbird'?" Born in Motown, Lisa Kaplan is a pianist specializing in the performance of new work by living composers. Kaplan is the founding pianist and Executive Director of the four-time Grammy Award-winning sextet Eighth Blackbird. Kaplan has won numerous awards, performed all over the country and has premiered new pieces by hundreds of composers, including Andy Akiho, Jennifer Higdon, Amy Beth Kirsten, David Lang, Missy Mazzoli, Nico Muhly, George Perle, and Pamela Z. She has had the great pleasure to collaborate and make music with an eclectic array of incredibly talented people - Laurie Anderson, Jeremy Denk, Bryce Dessner, Philip Glass, Bon Iver, J. Ivy, Glenn Kotche, Shara Nova, Will Oldham, Natalie Portman, Gustavo Santaolalla, Robert Spano, Tarrey Torae, Dawn Upshaw and Michael Ward-Bergeman to name a few. As a proud, single-mama-by-choice, Kaplan has been having an incredible time raising and learning from her happy-go-lucky 4 year old, Frida. Musically as of late, she has also greatly enjoyed and appreciated the opportunity to do both composing and arranging for Eighth Blackbird as well as some producing. In 2019, Kaplan co-produced her first record, When We Are Inhuman with Bryce Dessner. Kaplan is a true foodie, gourmet cook, avid reader, crossword and Scrabble addict, enjoys baking ridiculously complicated pastry and loves outdoor adventures. She has summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, braved the Australian outback, stared an enormous elephant in the face in Tanzania's Ngorongoro Crater and survived close encounters with grizzly bears in the Brooks Range of Alaska. The transcript for this episode can be found here. For more information about eighth blackbird, please visit their website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Spotify.

Een live optreden van sopraan Rianne Wilbers in de studio van Radio 4. Ze zingt - met een loopstation als begeleidend instrument - werken van Anthony Fiumara, Shara Nova, Jornt Duyx en John Cage. 23.04 CD Christmas Carols with The King's Singers Trad. arr. Brian Kay: Gaudete The King's Singers 1'39” 23.12 LIVE Anthony Fiumara: Embrace Rianne Wilbers [sopraan, looper] 5'38” LIVE Shara Nova: I have never loved someone (compositie speciaal voor deze uitzending) Rianne Wilbers [sopraan, looper] 1'30” LIVE Jornt Duyx: Unseen Rianne Wilbers [sopraan, looper] 3'30” LIVE Morton Feldman: Only Rianne Wilbers [sopraan] 1'30” eigen opname musici / Jornt Duyx Shara Nova, arr. Remy Alexander op een orkest-arrangement van Nathan Thatcher: I have never loved someone - my brightest diamond Rianne Wilbers [sopraan]; Tom Sanderman [saxofoon] 3'07” eigen opname VPRO Gábor Tarján: Heat and memory (fragment) Emma Breedveld [viool]; Gábor Tarján [elektronica] 10'00”

Michigan musician, songwriter and water protector Samantha Cooper became one of over 900 defendants in the struggle to stop line 3 this past summer. She was invited to stand with Indigenous leaders, upholding their treaty rights and protecting the natural resources guaranteed to them under federal law. After spending a month in Minnesota, Sam created an interpolation of a song called "Tomorrow" by Miner. Her video single is a love note to the rights of Manoomin (wild rice). The song "Let the Wave" features Frank Bibeau - the Attorney in a historic rights of Manoomin case unfolding in Minnesota. This track also features artists Shara Nova of My Brightest Diamond, Jaike Spotted Wolf of Camp Migizi, and Holly T Bird of Title Track, as well as contributions from Seth Bernard and Dan Rickabus. Check out the song, streaming everywhere now! /// State of Water is a program of the Michigan-based non-profit organization Title Track, and is powered by the Clean Water Campaign for Michigan. The podcast is made possible through a generous contribution from the Esperance Foundation. /// EPISODE 24 / Samantha Cooper interviewed by Dan Rickabus / Produced, edited and mixed by Dan Rickabus / Narrators - Alex Smith, Ben Darcie, Dan Rickabus, Jenny Jones, Angela Gallegos, Rachel Marco-Havens / Graphic by Dani Renwick of Charmellow Design / Theme Music - Mike Savina, Seth Bernard & Dan Rickabus / Featured Music - "Let the Wave" by Samantha Cooper (feat. Shara Nova, Jaike Spotted Wolf, Holly T Bird & Frank Bibeau)

In the 15th episode of the Son Lux podcast "Plans We Make,” @Ian Chang speaks with composer, singer-songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Shara Nova aka @My Brightest Diamond on the topic of Reinvention. Over the course of four groundbreaking albums, she has resisted the conventions of genre, blending elements of rock, art pop, and chamber music into a sound totally her own. https://www.billfrisell.com/ Subscribe to the podcast now: https://smarturl.it/sonluxpodcast Plans We Make is available wherever you listen to podcasts, and full videos will go up on YouTube. Subscribe here: https://sonlux.lnk.to/SubscribeYoutube Follow Son Lux Instagram : https://sonlux.lnk.to/InstagramYD​ Facebook : https://sonlux.lnk.to/FacebookYD​ Spotify : https://sonlux.lnk.to/SpotifyYD​ Website : https://sonlux.lnk.to/_WebsiteYD​ Twitter : https://sonlux.lnk.to/TwitterYD​ Youtube : https://sonlux.lnk.to/SubscribeYoutubeYD​ https://sonluxmusic.com

Big Red Machine - "Phoenix (feat. Fleet Foxes & Anaïs Mitchell)" from the 2021 album How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last? on 37d03d. Last month, The National's Aaron Dessner and Bon Iver's Justin Vernon released their second album under the name Big Red Machine, titled How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last?. The album features a heavyweight line-up of guests, including Taylor Swift, Sharon Van Etten, This Is The Kit, Ben Howard, Naeem, Lisa Hannigan, My Brightest Diamond's Shara Nova, and on today's Song of the Day, Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes and Tony Award-winning singer/songwriter Anaïs Mitchell.  "'Phoenix' was one of the last songs we wrote for this record," Dessner says via a press release. "I was thinking about The Band and the Grateful Dead... maybe imagining this Big Red Machine album was some version of The Last Waltz. Justin first heard it while driving and immediately the chorus melody came into his head. I shared the sketch with Robin Pecknold, who I've been a fan of forever and who I'd been dreaming would join us on this record. Robin wrote the verses and pre chorus as a kind of dialogue with Justin, recalling a conversation they once had backstage in Phoenix. Later Anais wrote words to the chorus and The Westerlies added their magic to the instrumental. JT Bates rumbles around in rare form on the drums on this song. I think it's what I always imagined Big Red Machine would sound like." Pecknold adds, “It was a high, high honor to work on this song, and beyond that it was a really interesting creative challenge. Justin's vocals and the beautiful chorus were already in place before I got my hands on it, so I felt my job melodically and lyrically was to set his entrance up in the best possible way. I felt like a pilgrim putting questions to an elusive sage, not needing clear answers, but happy for the chance to ask.” Read the full post on KEXP.org Support the show: https://www.kexp.org/donate See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On the 201st episode of Audioface:REVIEWS: "Donda" by Kanye West, "Screen Violence" by CHVRCHES, and "How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last?" by Big Red Machine.New Singles: "family ties" by Baby Keem with Kendrick Lamar, "Peer Pressure EP" by Ray Vaughn, "Meanwhile EP" by Gorillaz, and "You Can Do It" by CaribouThe baby from Nirvana's Nevermind cover is grown up and wants to sue. The Donda review, with a special comment from Audioface regular guest Annie. Fallout from the Donda rollout, including his Stem Player gadget, bringing Marilyn Manson and DaBaby into the fold, his ongoing one-sided beef with Drake, and an update on his name change. The Screen Violence review. Anderson .Paak proves he listens to Audioface. The How Long review. Olivia Rodrigo credits Paramore for her similar sounding song, R. Kelly has no buyers for his music catalog, Grimes insists she's not boyfriend Elon Musk's cheerleader, and Lil Nas X returns to Taco Bell. ---SUPPORT AUDIOFACE!Subscribe to this podcast (or Follow on Spotify) so you don't miss new episodes on Mondays. Tell some friends about this show to keep it growing! We appreciate it, and you.Keep up with Audioface's 2021 Playlist:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5Gm0rc9gByK4idEhZw6oRu?si=a28c212ddf014641Reach out to us: https://twitter.com/audiofacepod/https://intsagram.com/audiofacepod/https://www.youtube.com/audiofacepod?sub_confirmation=1For advertising opportunities, email info (at) syndicate23 (dot) co

In 2001, The National's self-titled debut was released on Brassland, a label co-founded by band members Aaron & Bryce Dessner and Alec Hanley Bemis. Two decades later, under Alec's guidance, Brassland has consistently boasted an adventurous roster that has included Bartees Strange, Hannah Georgas, Fusilier, Las Palabras and Bryce Dessner/So Percussion's Music for Wood and Strings. [This is episode features an exclusive ten-track Brassland playlist curated by Alec Hanley Bemis.] Visit Alec Hanley Bemis online: http://alechanleybemis.com Visit Brassland online: https://brassland.org Brassland Playlist: 01 Clogs: "Cocodrillo" (feat. Shara Nova née Shara Worden) — from the album The Creatures In The Garden Of Lady Walton      02 Bartees Strange: "Going Going" — from the album Say Goodbye To Pretty Boy 03 Hannah Georgas: "That Emotion" (radio edit) — from the album All That Emotion 04 Baby Dayliner: "You Push I'll Go" (feat Alex Sanchez) — from the EP You Push I'll Go 05 This is The Kit: "Earthquake" — from the album Wriggle Out The Restless 06 Las Palabras: "Condesa" — from the album Las Palabras 07 Fusilier: "dueling" — from the EP Duty 08 Buke and Gase: "Houdini Crush" — from the album General Dome 09 Bryce Dessner / So Percussion / Justin Vernon / S. Carey: "Music for Wood and Strings (Translucent remake) — remix from the album Music for Wood & Strings 10 Briars of North America: "Sala" (edit) — from the album Supermoon These Brassland artists were previously interviewed on TMT: TMT 206: Bartees Strange https://open.spotify.com/episode/6hXcUwntmL8u4uoLmoj3dU? si=kmuJFSNiT1aQaKJRfpM88A&dl_branch=1 TMT 210: Fusilier https://open.spotify.com/episode/7bDOiPGpOq3BqML5CelCHj?si=An4obJhIRJyXR8TZxW3F- A&dl_branch=1 TMT 225: Rafael Cohen (Las Palabras, !!! and El Guapo): https://open.spotify.com/episode/6hXcUwntmL8u4uoLmoj3dU? si=kmuJFSNiT1aQaKJRfpM88A&dl_branch=1   boice is also the host/producer of The StrandCast, The Official Podcast of Strand Bookstore in NYC at 12th and Broadway. Every other week listen to longform conversations with authors from different genres. For more information and to stream, visit: https://open.spotify.com/show/0OAjmWiwBFIRJwNTwGmkXr STREAM/SUBSCRIBE TMT ON SPOTIFY:                               http://bit.ly/TMTspotify SUBSCRIBE TO TMT ON SOUNDCLOUD:                 https://soundcloud.com/thisisboice TMT APP FOR iPHONE: http://bit.ly/TMTappiOS TMT APP FOR ANDROID: http://bit.ly/TMTappANDROID SUBSCRIBE TO TMT ON iTUNES: http://bit.ly/TalkMusicTalk SUBSCRIBE TO TMT ON GOOGLE PLAY: http://bit.ly/TMTgoogleplay Please take a moment to leave a rating and/or review in the store. It helps increase the ranking of the podcast and exposes TMT to a new audience. Thanks! Liz (The Talk Music Talk Theme)-FULL VERSION Written and Composed on an iPad by boice. https://soundcloud.com/thisisboice/liz-talk-music-talk-theme

CARM is the work of CJ Camerieri, trumpeter and French horn player of the band yMusic, and the result of a nickname earned in the midwest. On CARM’s self-titled debut, his original songs toe and test the boundary lines between jazz, classical, pop, and the timeless sounds of Ennio Morricone. There are both wordless songs focused on the trumpet, and collaborations with vocalists/songwriters Sufjan Stevens, Shara Nova, and Justin Vernon, to name a few. CARM featuring Trever Hagen on electronics and second trumpet, performs remotely with a lot of looping and processing and textures from the Pablo Center in Eau Claire, WI. Set list: “Soft Night,” “Nowhere,” “Slantwise” "Soft Night": "Nowhere": "Slantwise":

We celebrate a year of discovery with some Alt.Latino favorites as well as a ton of discoveries from throughout the year.Songs featured in this episode:• Ana Tijoux, "ANTIFA DANCE"• Alea, "Échale Sal"• Xenia Rubinos, "Who Shot Ya?"• Gaby Moreno, Shara Nova and Cantus Domus, "Try/Tratar de Transformar"• Gina Chavez, "Ella"• Angelica Garcia, "Agua de Rosa"• La Bruja de Texcoco, "Chéni (Miedo)"• Nancy Sanchez (feat. Olmeca), "La Gran Civilización"• Helado Negro (feat. Xenia Rubinos), "I Fell In Love"

Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Shara Nova releases exquisitely produced unclassifiable music as My Brightest Diamond. Depending on the track, her music sounds at home on the dance floor or the concert hall. In this episode she talks to Katy about embracing dance despite growing up Pentecostal, divorce, and navigating her own terrain as a musician that embraces her training as a classical musician and her fascination for electronic sounds. https://www.mybrightestdiamond.com/ https://www.npr.org/2014/09/16/348766101/shara-worden-on-q2s-spaces Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Shara and I talk about making music, religion, being a solo artist, and surviving during a pandemic. She’s a brilliant human being. Check it out.

To kick-off the Orchestra’s 125th anniversary season, we present CSO Look Around, an immersive experience incorporating what’s akin to multiple flash mobs performing a diverse array of music — at times overlapping and interacting — and all inspired by the cultural tapestry that is Cincinnati. This two and a half hour celebration of the Queen City showcases more than 600 artists from 20 local ensembles, and culminates in a massive performance with the CSO conducted by Music Director Louis Langrée. Our guests on the podcast today are co-creators Shara Nova, Mark DeChiazza and Siri Imani.

Join me as I talk with composer & lead singer/songwriter of My Brightest Diamond, Shara Nova. We talk mind-body connection, creativity, relationships, career, music and the importance of the technical realm - especially for women. Follow Shara @mybrightestdiamond! Follow Artists Rising @artistsrisingco and join the new Artists Rising community group on Facebook for a chance to win a free voice lesson or coaching!

Today's guest in this third episode of the Fischoff Effect series is Matt Landry from the Akropolis Reed Quintet.  In this series, I bring you five former winners of the Fischoff competition to talk about their experience preparing for and competing at Fischoff, and about the wonderful adventures and opportunities that have followed their win! My guests this week are Blaise Magniere from the Avalon String Quartet, Dorival Puccini from Axiom Brass, Matt Landry from the Akropolis Reed Quintet , Christopher Whitley from the Thalea String Quartet, and Lydia Reah from the former Kairos String Quartet!  Whether you are a musician about to compete at the competition, or a music lover looking for a fresh approach to practicing and preparing for a concert, make sure to subscribe and tune in everyday, because those conversations are bursting with inspiration and EXTREMELY useful information!  Each group has a unique and motivating story and my guests are so generous with their insightful tips and advice!    About Fischoff Founded in 1973 in South Bend, Indiana, the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition has grown to become the largest chamber music competition in the world, attracting the finest and most talented young musicians from around the globe. and is one of the most prestigious classical music prizes attainable today. Since its founding, more than 6,000 musicians have participated, many of whom have gone on to distinguished careers in music performance and education.  Fischoff is also deeply committed to music education and partners with competition alumni to bring free, innovative Arts-in-Education programs directly to children in their own schools and community centers. Since 1995, nearly 50,000 children, youth and adults have received free educational programming of the highest order. Website: http://www.fischoff.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheFischoff Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fischoffchambermusic/     Meet the Akropolis Reed Quintet – 2012 Senior Wind Division Silver Medal, 2014 Senior Wind Division Gold Medal, & 2015 Fischoff Educator Award Kari Landry, clarinet | Andrew Koeppe, bass clarinet | Ryan Reynolds, bassoon | Matt Landry, saxophone | Tim Gocklin, oboe   https://akropolisquintet.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/akropolisquintet/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/akropolis5tet/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGAiaA8x7b3W_OpBKgg7eXg   Hailed for their “imagination, infallible musicality, and huge vitality” (Fanfare Magazine), Akropolis was founded in 2009 at the University of Michigan and has won seven national chamber music prizes since 2011, including the 2014 Fischoff Gold Medal and the 2015 Fischoff Educator Award. Akropolis is an alumnus of APAP's prestigious Young Performer's Career Advancement Program and is generously supported by grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs, CultureSource, Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Aaron Copland Fund for Music, Chamber Music America, Alice M. Ditson Fund, Amphion Foundation, High Wire Lab, and Quicken Loans. Celebrating their 10th anniversary, Akropolis' 19/20 season features 10 commissions for the ensemble including the first concerto for reed quintet and wind band by Roshanne Etezady, a chamber concerto by Jenni Brandon with guest bassoonist Monica Ellis of Imani Winds, a work for reed quintet and rideable percussion bicycle by Steven Snowden, and more. The season also features a 10-show, choreographed and staged production with BodyVox Dance in Portland, OR and Akropolis' 3rd annual Together We Sound festival in Detroit featuring a multimedia collaboration with Detroit projection artist, L05 (Carlos Garcia). Akropolis' recent and upcoming appearances includes stops at Caramoor, Chamber Music Northwest, the Oneppo Series at Yale University, the Chautauqua Institution, Artist Series of Sarasota, Chamber Music Abu Dhabi, Chamber Music Columbus, and more. Akropolis has been awarded a juried showcase at APAP (YPCA), Chamber Music America twice, Performing Arts Exchange, Western Arts Alliance, and the Mid-Atlantic Performing Arts Market. With three studio albums, including its March 2017 release of The Space Between Us, called “pure gold” by the San Francisco Chronicle, Akropolis has recorded 17 original reed quintet works. Akropolis' 2018 Together We Sound festival featured an improvisatory new work with YAK and a concert with acclaimed soprano Shara Nova. Akropolis premiered the first work for reed quintet and string quartet by David Schiff with the Dover Quartet in 2015 and has performed with artists like the Miró Quartet and renowned clarinetist David Shifrin. Akropolis has even performed with HarperCollins published author and scientist, Vic Strecher. In April 2017, Akropolis' residency in Abu Dhabi featured a performance of Marc Mellits' Splinter with original Arabic poetry performed by Khalifa University students, written around Mellits' music. Establishing Akropolis WORKS in 2016, Akropolis' members teach an annual 7-week music business mini-course at the University of Michigan as well as two semester-long courses at Michigan State University. They have delivered WORKS lectures to university musicians around the United States on marketing, financial planning, brand identity, and more. Equally committed to students K-12, Akropolis reached over 10,000 K-12 students in 2018. They conduct an annual school year long residency with students at three Detroit high schools including chamber music and music composition. Winner of a coveted Chamber Music America Classical Commissioning Grant, Akropolis has premiered more than 50 works from composers in 7 countries and was selected to adjudicate and premiere the 2018 Barlow Prize funded by the Barlow Endowment, the first time the prize was given for a reed quintet work. Akropolis' members are the first of any reed quintet to judge major chamber music competitions including the Fischoff (2018) and Chamber Music Yellow Springs (2019) competitions. Akropolis produces a YouTube Web Premiere Series with more than 50,000 views, showcasing new works, arrangements, and composer interviews for a live Internet audience. In 2012 Akropolis created Akropolis Collection and has now sold over 400 original and arranged sheet music works to more than 100 new and established reed quintets. Akropolis regularly appears in unconventional settings, including performances in office spaces in Detroit as part of its Corporate-to-Corner Tour in January 2017. In May 2016 Akropolis conducted a live recording session featuring audience participation for John Steinmetz's Sorrow and Celebration for reed quintet and audience, which Akropolis commissioned in 2014. Akropolis presents its annual Together We Sound festival in Detroit each June, bringing together multidisciplinary collaborators, new works, and educational outreach to increase arts access throughout the city. Akropolis is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization generously supported by individuals around the world. All Akropolis events include informative musical introductions and a chance to greet the artists. Originating at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Akropolis remains its founding members: Tim Gocklin (oboe), Kari Landry (clarinet), Matt Landry (saxophone), Andrew Koeppe (bass clarinet), and Ryan Reynolds (bassoon). Akropolis is represented exclusively by Ariel Artists. Contact Matthew Kulas at matthew@arielartists.com for booking.   If you enjoyed the show, please leave a review on iTunes!  I truly appreciate your support! Visit www.mindoverfinger.com for information about past and future podcasts, and for more resources on mindful practice. THANK YOU: Most sincere thank you to composer Jim Stephenson who graciously provided the show's musical theme!  Concerto #1 for Trumpet and Chamber Orchestra – Movement 2: Allegro con Brio, performed by Jeffrey Work, trumpet, and the Lake Forest Symphony, conducted by Jim Stephenson. Also a huge thank you to my producer, Bella Kelly!   MIND OVER FINGER: www.mindoverfinger.com https://www.facebook.com/mindoverfinger/ https://www.instagram.com/mindoverfinger/   Join the Mind Over Finger Tribe here!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/mindoverfingertribe/

“I’ve always been a proponent of not making the same record twice,” Holly Miranda says. “Some people find a niche and go with that, but I need to try something different every time.” That’s more than apparent on Mutual Horse, Miranda’s third release for Dangerbird Records, out February 23rd. The album, Miranda’s fourth full-length solo release, is more than just an artistic step forward, it’s a whole new way for her to make music. “This really is the most collaborative record I’ve ever done,” she says. “It’s first time I’ve shared so much of the writing and the production, the meat and bones of making an album.” With support from a stellar circle of players – including My Brightest Diamond’s Shara Nova, TV On The Radio’s Kyp Malone, Grandaddy/Modest Mouse’s Jim Fairchild and Built To Spill’s Matthew Morgan amongst others – it’s Miranda’s astonishing singing vocal that is set free, elevating this collection of songs as no one else could. An instrument which can shift from a barely-there whisper to a soaring wail that cracks open the sky, Holly’s voice is startling from the moment it emerges on Mutual Horse. This record finds Holly bridging the gap between 2010’s experimental synth laden release The Magician’s Private Library and 2015’s stripped-back, soulful self-titled record. Miranda takes an honest and intimate approach, while maintaining her sense of humor amidst sonic explorations. The tracks run the gamut from the sultry, driving “On the Radio,” to a cover of Crazy Horse’s “When Your Lonely Heart Breaks,” and the delicate “Sing Like,” inspired by Miranda’s mother; an intimate clip of her singing while pregnant with Holly follows the song. www.hollymiranda.com getthefunkoutshow.kuci.org

Set list: "Another Chance" "Rising Star" - interview - "A Million Pearls" "Champagne" When it comes to musical trades, it seems like Shara Nova has set out to prove that she can be jack of all trades, master of… all. With an upbringing surrounded by evangelical music followed by formal education in operatic voice and classical composition, Nova, now performing as My Brightest Diamond, produces explorative sounds described as “electronic, chamber, and art pop”. Layered with her airy, soulful voice, Nova’s technical proficiency and diverse background are on full display throughout her music. Her classical training has hardly held her back from delving into a wide variety of musical genres, proving her to be quite the exception to the unspoken rule that artists should are generally either classical or modern. To give a clear idea of the full depth of Nova’s experience, she has provided vocal support to artists including Sufjan Stevens, Laurie Anderson, The Decemberists, Bryce and Aaron Dessner, composer David Lang, Sarah Kirkland Snider, David Byrne, Fat Boy Slim, Bon Iver, and The Blind Boys of Alabama, among others. Outside of performing, she has also composed music for orchestras, as well as marching bands. Most recently, Nova has performed via her band concept My Brightest Diamond. Their latest EP, Champagne, was released in April of this year, and it’s just the sort of synthy-layered goodness you’d expect from this talented frontwoman. Nova’s voice takes center stage, powerful and finely tuned, but doesn’t overpower the music behind it. The title track is upbeat and bright, while “A Million Pearls” creates an emotive, introspective vibe, perfectly supported by Nova’s ethereal crooning. The EP also contains three variations on Champagne, two of which add even more electro sound to the tune. In both the original version and the remixes, the lyrics seem to be a narrative for the trajectory of My Brightest Diamond and Shara Nova:“Like bubbles in champagne, no one can stop what’s coming up. I cannot go halfway, no I will not stop, going up, going up” - Mixed by Mitchell Graham. Hosted by Emmalee Smith.

Shara Nova graduated from the University of North Texas with a BA in vocal performance and went on to compose works for opera, youth choirs and her own baroque pop band, My Brightest Diamond. She has recorded as a guest vocalist with David Byrne, Laurie Anderson, The Decemberists, Sufjan Stevens and The Blind Boys of Alabama, and she’s collaborated with visual artists Matthew Ritchie and Matthew Barney. She’s also the mother of 7 year old Cozzie. In this episode we discuss artistic fear vs freedom, touring 60% of the year, how Shara organizes her time when not on tour, being present for her child, and the dedication required to pull it all off. I spoke to Shara over Skype from her studio in Detroit in September of 2017.

After moving to Detroit from New York and separating from her husband, My Brightest Diamond's Shara Worden decided to change her last name to Nova. The frontwoman for the indie-rock band, singer and composer talks to Helga Davis about about her upcoming album and Southern roots, about leaning into vulnerability, and why being uncomfortable is crucial in art-making. She also talks about why it was important for her to escape the art scene and rub shoulders with construction workers, and what it means that her new name translates to "new song." “Vulnerability is I think one thing that I, we, I am so afraid of. We want control or perceived control and I think art-making is like subjecting yourself to this admission that you don’t have control. So I think that many, or maybe all, of my decisions are motivated by challenge, and in a way where I find where my vulnerability is, is the exact place that I need to lean into.” –Shara Nova Subscribe to Helga on iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts, and follow Helga Davis on facebook. Watch: Inside Shara Nova's Mystical Detroit Home, from the web series Q2 Spaces.

Q2 Music is thrilled to offer an advance listen to Helga, a new podcast that features conversations with diverse, uncompromising and socially conscious artists across the creative and performing arts spectrum. Launching next week with two episodes — acclaimed opera director Peter Sellars (Monday, Nov. 14) and singer and My Brightest Diamond bandleader Shara Nova (Tuesday, Nov. 15) — Helga's first season will continue with 10 episodes released Mondays through Jan. 9. Get a sneak peek of excerpts from the first few episodes in the audio above, and please help new audiences discover Helga by giving the show a rating and review on iTunes. “Artists play an important role on the front lines of social change, often confronting issues in ways that touch people more intimately than political rhetoric. I couldn’t be more excited (and nervous!) to launch this podcast, and to speak with artists across the creative spectrum who display a radical autonomy in their work, and actively push against their place in the larger community and culture — and show us how we can too.” — Helga Davis Subscribe to Helga on iTunes. About the host: Helga Davis is a sought-after vocalist for anyone who had something experimental or difficult to communicate. She has collaborated with noted musicians including Lawrence “Butch” Morris, Nona Hendryx, Bernice Johnson Reagon, Lou Reed, Laurie Anderson, Shara Nova and Paola Prestini — who in 2012, wrote the chamber opera Oceanic Verses for her. During that year, she was also chosen from among 40 performers to star as principal in the international revival of Robert Wilson’s and Philip Glass’s landmark opera Einstein on the Beach. Read more.