In a special two-part podcast, we meet some of the people who knew and worked with the late composer. In this episode we talk to filmmaker James Marsh about the score to The Theory of Everything, musician Adam Wiltzie about putting together Jóhann’s first tours, and his manager Tim Husom about future plans for Jóhann’s estate. For information regar…

In a special two-part podcast, we meet some of the people who worked with the late composer, from his first bands to his final solo releases, his favourite record store to international concert halls. Including Kitchen Motor co-founder Kira Kira, Barbican programmer and former Managing Director of 4AD Records Chris Sharp and Fat Cat Records’s David…

We speak to Andy Irvine and Paul Brady about their classic Irish Folk album ahead of their rare performance of it here on the 15th October. The pair chat with good humour about how they came to make the now cult 1976 album, what they have been up to since and which songs they are most looking forward to playing live. For information regarding your …

Keren Ann discusses the inspiration behind her newest album, arranging her music for string quartet and how it feels to hear one of your heroes such as David Byrne or Anna Calvi covering your songs. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

We talk to electronic musician and performance artist Pan Daijing about ‘Fist Piece’ which she’ll be performing here in a double-bill with Aïsha Devi on 7 October. She discusses spirituality, collaboration and the experience of acting alongside her mum and childhood best friend. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy…

Ahead of her career retrospective concert here in October with s t a r g a z e we spoke to Lisa Hannigan. She talked to us about her relationship with the Dessner brothers, how working with the classical ensemble has helped breathe new life into old work and why she writes when walking around. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acas…

We talk to Dana Gingras about choreographing a multi-media piece bringing together film and lighting with live dance and music from Godspeed You! Black Emperor. From the piece’s initial conception inspired by the drudgery and fast-pace of life in LA, to performing it live alongside the pioneering post-rock ensemble For information regarding your da…

In a three part mini-series we take a look into the record collections of three Japanese music enthusiasts, taking a journey of sonic discovery from 1970-2000, exploring the diverse tapestry sounds that have emerged from the country. In the final episode we talk to Ian F Martin, author of Quit Your Band! Musical Notes from the Japanese Underground …

In a three part mini-series we take a look into the record collections of three Japanese music enthusiasts, taking a journey of sonic discovery from 1970-2000, exploring the diverse tapestry sounds that have emerged from the country. In the second episode we talk to Light in the Attic Records’s Yosuke Kitazawa about some of his favourite Japanese r…

In a three part mini-series we take a look into the record collections of three Japanese music enthusiasts, taking a journey of sonic discovery from 1970-2000, exploring the diverse tapestry sounds that have emerged from the country. In episode one Japan Blues aka Howard Williams guides us through some of his favourite tunes from the 1970s includin…

In this episode exploring the festival from composer Max Richter and filmmaker Yulia Mahr 11 – 14 May, we take a look at Waltz with Bashir – the award winning animated film about an Israeli soldier’s journey to recover his memories and question his experiences. We spoke to director Ari Folman about putting his own story onto the screen, and Chineke…

Ahead of their weekend festival of music and film, taking place next weekend across the centre, we caught up with Richter and Mahr over coffee and biscuits in their Oxfordshire home. We found out about how they met, how they work together and what to expect from the weekend. Plus there are interviews with two of the artists playing in the Hall befo…

Silent classic Salomé (1923), adapted from Oscar Wilde’s play of the Biblical tale, has become a cult favourite in recent years. We spoke to experimental Folk musician Haley Fohr about its relevance today as a story of a woman rebelling against the male gaze, and its now iconic status as a Queer film. Fohr performs an original soundtrack live to a …

First coming to fame with art-Punks Sonic Youth, Thurston Moore’s prolific output and collaborations has served to change the face of guitar music. He explores his love of the instrument via Patti Smith, Sun Ra and Fender Jazzmasters ahead of his piece for twelve twelve string guitars here on Saturday 14 April. For information regarding your data p…

It was a hit TV series about a group of children fighting a unknown force, its atmosphere brought alive by its synth-heavy retro soundtrack. We talk to Karl Dixon and Michael Stein about composer the music ahead of performing it live here on 7 April. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy…

In a special three part series we take it up a level as we explore the video game music and it’s adventure from our consoles into our concert halls and beyond. As we reach the final level we look at exactly how the music has moved from the our screens to our stages, the point where the gaming and record industries meet as well as finding out how a …

In a special three part series we take it up a level as we explore the video game music and its adventure from our consoles into our concert halls and beyond. In episode two we explore how video game music has pervaded culture in 2018 and how some of the top games composers challenge themselves with each project to create something new, plus we dis…

In a special three part series we take it up a level as we explore the video game music and it’s adventure from our consoles into our concert halls and beyond. In Episode 1 we give you a rough history of computer game composition with a professor, a doctor and one of the people behind the music on the Commodore 64. Press start and begin your 8-bit …

Ahead of his ‘Futurespective’ here in March we chatted to John Cale about his remarkable career thus far, from his early days working alongside La Monte Young to his continued quest to write a truly great love song. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

We speak to the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra player about the King of Swing – Benny Goodman – and his 1938 Carnegie Hall gig which put Jazz on the main stage for the first time, and arguably changed the course of musical history. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy…

We speak to the Mercury-nominated former singer from the Young Disciples about her Cage Street Memorial project, which tells her family history through song; a story of multi-culturalism and triumph against the odds. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

Taking over our podcast for this episode is Leanne from Worldwide FM, looking at the role music played in Jean-Michel Basquiat’s life and art. Basquiat immersed himself in the avant-garde scene in downtown New York in the late 70’s/early 80’s. This was the post punk, post Studio 54 New York - where the clubs were more than just places to drink and …

We speak to Mat Schulz - the Artistic Director of one of the world's most forward-thinking music festivals, Unsound - about how and why he programmes the shows he does, ahead of Unsound coming to the Barbican this December. Photo by Daniel Nettheim For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy…

We catch up with Surya Botofasina, a pianist who grew up in Alice Coltrane’s LA-based Ashram, about his life growing up with Alice and bringing her special brand of spiritual music to the world. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

‘It’s very hard to try to describe and put into a small soundbite what Joe Zawinul was. For me, he’s the entire musical world.’ We speak to the conductor about the Jazz keyboardist and composer Joe Zawinul – who he worked with before the latter’s untimely passing – ahead of conducting his Stories of the Danube with the BBC Concert Orchestra. For in…

We speak to Moondog’s old friend Stefan Lakatos and contemporary Javanese composer Iwan Gunawan about their upcoming project, which sees them transform the Viking of Sixth Avenue’s unique music into Gamelan compositions. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

We take a trip to Richmond, Virginia in search of Spacebomb Records – Matthew E White’s record label who take an innovative approach to creating records. It’s all ahead of their one-night-only revue here this month...More info: http://bit.ly/2g7jSQN For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy…

The producer, composer and all-round sonic adventurer talks about his latest project exploring the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union, ahead of bringing the show here in October. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

Ahead of their audio collaboration (alongside the producer Actress) which takes inspiration from Steve Reich’s work to mark Indian Independence, Jack Barnett - one-half of These New Puritans – and the Indian producer Sandunes talk us through the project. Find out more : http://bit.ly/2vSNI5l For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.…

This week’s podcast – spanning both the Cinema and Contemporary Music programme – delves into the musical world of the cult director’s compelling cinematic oeuvre, from whiskey-soaked Tom Waits to John Lurie’s No Wave Sax. Ahead of the Jim Jarmusch Revisited show here in September 2017 (http://bit.ly/2g7X2v9), we talk to musical fans including Fran…

Ahead of our Julius Eastman Memorial Dinner gig with Jace Clayton (AKA DJ/Rupture) we look into the saga of this most interesting of composers – a minimalist master and contemporary of Feldman and Cage – who died destitute and with many of his scores lost. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy…

Following the release of his autobiographical 50 Song Memoir (with a song dedicated to each year of his life so far) and the live performance coming up in September, the idiosyncratic singer-songwriter talks to us about his music and his process. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy…

‘I’m always a creative soul, looking for the next thing…’ In one of his favourite ever interviews, Ben speaks to the double Mercury-nominated singer and songwriter Laura Mvula about her life, music and the upcoming show here with the London Symphony Orchestra. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy…

We spoke to the ex-Cocteau Twin about Bella Union, the record label he co-founded 20 years ago and still runs today and who’s nurtured the likes of Fleet Foxes, Dirty Three, Beach House and many more. We’re throwing the label a 20th birthday party this July, with gigs featuring Ezra Furman and Mercury Rev with Royal Northern Sinfonia. Find out more…

We speak to the legendary techno producer/composer, the founder of Underground Resistance, a recent recipient of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and probably one of the most influential electronic musicians of all time. Jeff takes up residency at the Barbican in June 2017, with From Here to There – a series of live music, film and dance ex…

The Northumbrian folk group unearth the wistful work of Molly Drake – Nick’s mother – who wrote and recorded a series of poems and songs on a tape set-up in the family home, which the group have re-worked and recorded. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

Originally taking place in Santiago de Cuba last year, Manana//Cuba festival married traditional Afro-Cuban sounds with forward-thinking electronics. We spoke to festival co-founder Harry Follett as well as Cuban/Iranian act Ariwo and UK-based electronic duo Soundspecies about how they plan to bring the atmosphere of Santiago to the Barbican Hall o…

Ahead of playing his music live for the first time ever, here at the Barbican in May 2017, we spoke to the legendary producer and DJ about his musical upbringing, performing live and the Simpsons. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

We delve into the four-hour minimalist masterpiece – one of the undoubted milestones of contemporary classical music – with three of the first musicians outside the Philip Glass Ensemble whom the composer has permitted to perform the piece: Bedroom Community pianist and organist James McVinnie, composer Timo Andres and pianist Eliza McCarthy. For i…

To celebrate the 88th Day of the year and Nils Frahm’s international celebration of the piano, we get under the lid with piano-tuner-to-the-stars Ulrich Gerhartz to look at the science of the instrument, and also members of Piano Circus, James Young and Dawn Hardwick, and composer Angus MacRae. For information regarding your data privacy, visit aca…

Laying the foundations of what came to be known as Krautrock, Can became one of the most influential avant-rock groups of all time, and echoes of their work is audible in everything from Joy Division to Kanye West. We caught up with founding member Irmin Schmidt and his collaborator on this project Gregor Schwellenbach, as well as Can biographer Ro…

You could argue that all Pop stars are created, but not to the same extent as Hatsune Miku. Starting life as a vocaloid program created by Japanese developers, and evolving into a full-blown virtual Pop star and cyber celebrity with hit singles worldwide and sellout stadium performances, she comes to the Barbican in Still Be Here.We spoke to artist…

‘The most adventurous thing they’ve ever done.’ Crack MagazineOriginally written for and staged in the eerie surroundings of an abandoned Cold War era Hospital in Copenhagen, Leaves - The Colour of Falling has been revived and reworked for the concert hall. We chat to Casper Clausen from the band, co-composer Karsten Fundal and famous soprano Lisbe…

Despite being one of the most important voices of the British Folk revival of the 60s and 70s – accompanying Alan Lomax on his renowned ‘Southern Journey’ trip recording songs through the American South, and working with everyone from Folk-rock group Pentangle to avant-garde guitarist Davey Graham, Shirley Collins was nearly lost to obscurity, when…

Visuals in electronic music sets may have become par for the course in recent years, but Berlin artist Robert Henke’s Lumière series takes this to a whole new level.Rather than simply creating a visual accompaniment to music, or a musical accompaniment to visuals, Lumière perfectly syncs glitching soundscapes with shimmering lasers to cast huge scu…

Narrated by Kate Adie, and featuring a soundtrack by Field Music and Warm Digits, Esther Johnson’s moving documentary Asunder captures one city’s experience of the First World War – not through grisly images of war, but through the real stories of people who lived there. We chat to Warm Digits’ Andrew Hodson about working with Field Music on compos…

Ahead of Alive! at the Barbican – a show that sees Steve Mason perform new arrangements of his music with an expanded ensemble, we chat to the singer and songwriter about the various twists and turns of his career. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy

We talk to Jóhann Jóhannsson about his fascination with film, and love of the voice as an instrumentThe Icelandic composer behind the brooding and beautiful scores for Arrival, Sicario and The Theory of Everything, Jóhann Jóhannsson blends elements of Classical music and electronica into something wholly his own. In this week’s edition of the Barbi…

40 years after their creation, we chat to composer Michael Nyman about his upcoming performance with his band - charting the journey from their inception, to their stunning soundtrack work for 'The Draughtman’s Contract', 'Prospero’s Books' and more, through to present day. For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy…

The graphic novel may be an important part of popular culture today, given the same weight and gravitas as literary fiction or film, but it wasn’t always that way.On Friday 11 November, Art Spiegelmen, author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece ‘Maus’ and saxophonist Philip Johnston bring Wordless! to the Barbican - their show that takes you …