Best Alexandrian Media Podcasts (2024)

1
S1E80: ICEBERG New Music 1:23:30

2y ago1:23:30

1:23:30

What do you get when you gather ten composers, all with different musical styles, talents, backgrounds, and areas of expertise? You get ICEBERG. Featured pieces (in alphabetical order by composer last name): Unfolding for strings and live electronics by Drake Andersen Coatlicue barría la escalera del templo (Coatlicue was Sweeping the Temple Steps)…

1
Game Play (Disk 4): Celeste (w/ Brian Edwards) 1:01:23

2+ y ago1:01:23

1:01:23

When Stephen invited Brian for another episode of Game Play, he didn't expect to be faced with one of the most difficult, heart-wrenching, and beautiful games he has ever played. Lena Raine's music in Celeste is not only some of the best to listen to on its own, but it expertly aids in the game play. Watch Stephen's Twitch streams on YouTube! Theme…

1
S1E79: Dakota Sauvé/Koda Suave 1:12:29

2+ y ago1:12:29

1:12:29

There are two sides of a coin. Dakota Sauvé has spent so much of his musical career helping develop video games, but there's a different side to his career that prefers to explore the world of experimental pop. Featured pieces: "Mecha Mt. Fuji" from Celestial Blossoms (releasing soon) "Dream Boom" from untitled 3D platformer game "Phasmius" from Ve…

1
S1E78: Adam Kennaugh 1:11:06

2+ y ago1:11:06

1:11:06

Adam Kennaugh believes that genuine communication between the composer and performer(s) is what creates honest and powerful music. Featured pieces: Crepuscular Light | Watch this piece: https://youtu.be/0R0IfOUhi70 Confronting Distance | Departure Duo Approaching Cyyrhus | Natalie Magane - In All but Name... (YouTube flute performance) Where to fin…

1
S1E77: Derek Cooper 1:06:13

2+ y ago1:06:13

1:06:13

Derek Cooper is a composer with a deep passion for engaging with his audience. To Derek, the relationship between the composer, the ensemble, and the audience is one of the most important aspects of music making. Featured pieces: Puzzles: https://youtu.be/PWAG8XZ4fno | How he created this piece: https://youtu.be/c_8FhFXFn3c Starry Night: https://yo…

1
Movie Night (Reel 6): Spitfire and Rogue (w/ Brooks Leibee) 1:21:16

2+ y ago1:21:16

1:21:16

On this episode of Movie Night, Brooks Leibee joins me once again to chat about Chris Roe's score for the 2018 documentary Spitfire and François Tetaz's score for the 2007 horror/thriller film Rogue. Grab some popcorn, dim the lights, and get comfy! Watch Spitfire and Rogue (click on the titles to watch the films). Where to find Brooks and his proj…

1
S1E76: Eric Lagergren 1:16:56

2+ y ago1:16:56

1:16:56

In this interview with Eric Lagergren, he leaves us with an important message: never take your art too seriously. Perfection is unachievable, especially when you’re desperate to obtain it. Featured pieces: Quarantime | Flor de Muerto | Rhopalocera Where to find Eric Lagergren and his music: Website | Instagram | Twitter SoundCloud | Bandcamp Theme …

1
S1E75: Stephen Ryan Jackson 1:04:01

2+ y ago1:04:01

1:04:01

In a world where music has time and time again been given narrative, Stephen Ryan Jackson uses his music to explore the mundane. Featured pieces: i can feel the universe expanding | solo voice + electronics Tooth Necklace | flute + bass clarinet + violin + cello + piano + percussion rinse & repeat | soprano saxophone + double bass + two percussion …

1
S1E74: Melissa Dunphy 1:27:12

2+ y ago1:27:12

1:27:12

Melissa Dunphy is an award-winning and acclaimed composer specializing in vocal, political, and theatrical music. Melissa is a composer who would be amongst the first to tell you that, if you want to be a composer, you need to write what you're passionate about. After the premiere of her large-scale choral work the Gozales Cantata, her career took …

1
S1E73: La vie de bohème - Puccini and La bohème 29:07

2+ y ago29:07

29:07

You never fully understand what someone is going through unless you've lived it yourself. What makes Puccini's opera La bohème so powerful is that so many of its creators went through the same hardships that the characters of the opera went through. Theme music is by Daryl Banner Sign up for Amazon Music Unlimited! | Alexandrian Media Store Music u…

1
S1E72: Written in the Stars - Holst and The Planets 25:32

3y ago25:32

25:32

Humans have been looking up towards the sky for answers for thousands of years. To this day, humans have held on to the belief that celestial bodies can impact our daily lives, and Gustav Holst saw this as an opportunity for music. Theme music is by Daryl Banner Listen to this episode ad-free by supporting The Composer Chronicles on Patreon. Sign u…

1
S1E71: Something wicked this way comes...: Verdi and Macbeth 26:00

3y ago26:00

26:00

The plays of William Shakespeare have been an inspiration to countless other pieces of art, and that includes composers and music makers. Giuseppe Verdi, one of Italy's leading composers in the 19th Century, was thrilled at the idea of getting to set an opera to one of Shakespeare's plays, something he would return to for the rest of his career; it…

1
S1E70: Movie Night (Reel 5): Trick 'r Treat (w/ Cameron Chaney) 47:57

3y ago47:57

47:57

Let's kick off this spooky season with a Movie Night! Today, I am happily joined by author and booktuber Cameron Chaney. The film Trick 'r Treat is one of his favorite movies, enough for him to start a tradition of watching it every year with other activities; however, the music of this film is even more special. Besides setting the mood brilliantl…

1
S1E69: Toska Bear 1:13:30

3y ago1:13:30

1:13:30

Making his debut after the release of his first album Year of the Beard, Toska Bear has been on the rise as a singer and songwriter. His unique style marries elements of indie pop, synthwave, vaporwave, EDM, indie rock, and hip-hop, and Year of the Beard is inspired by gay culture, video games, and underground music. Featured music: From Year of th…

1
S1E68: Richard Fay 1:13:21

3y ago1:13:21

1:13:21

Richard Fay is a composer who has absorbed the culture of his ancestors and his hometown and embedded them into his own music. With a love for klezmer, Balkan, and Irish music, he had established many various ensembles to perform these musics as well as his own. Featured music: From Hamosity: Music for Hard Times: New Horizons, Hamosity Horo, The S…

1
S1E67: Kevin Graham 1:08:00

3y ago1:08:00

1:08:00

Life can take you down interesting paths; you never know if that path will lead you directly where you want it to take you or somewhere you are pleasantly surprised to be. Kevin Graham started his career in filmmaking. With a passion for music stirred in, he turned his career into being a full-time composer. Featured music: From Dying of the Light:…

1
S1E66: The Trumpet (w/ Stuart Stephenson) 1:07:31

3y ago1:07:31

1:07:31

The trumpet is an instrument that has been around for a long time, but why only within the past one hundred years has it finally started to see an uptick in virtuosic technique? Stuart Stephenson, principal trumpet of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, and I discuss trumpet music and the composers that wrote for the instrument. Where to find Stuart: W…

1
S1E65: Silas Hite 1:09:28

3y ago1:09:28

1:09:28

Silas Hite is a composer with many projects. From television to the concert stage, ambient to folk, Silas has created repertoire for himself that gives everyone a chance to hear his music! Where to find Silas and his music: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter SoundCloud | Spotify | YouTube Theme music is by Daryl Banner. Art used for cover by …

1
S1E64: David Dies 1:00:05

3y ago1:00:05

1:00:05

Often when music and language are paired together, we simply get lyrics to a song, but every once and a while, a composer will use language in a much more unique way.⁣ This week, I’m joined by David Dies to tell his story, discuss the use of language in his music, and the beauty of music. Where to find David and his music: Facebook | Instagram | Tw…

1
S1E63: It's Possible - Rodgers and Cinderella 19:01

3y ago19:01

19:01

Originally designed for television, Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II wrote a musical that just couldn't be contained to the television. Disclaimer: This episode discusses the events of a surgery and the emotional trauma inflicted by it. Theme music is by Daryl Banner Listen to this episode ad-free by supporting The Composer Chronicles on Pat…

1
S1E62: Movie Night (Reel 4): Dark (w/ Adal Rifai) 54:46

3y ago54:46

54:46

Sometimes the score for a film or a television series is just so perfectly crafted for the show that the music is what you remember the most. In this episode of "Movie Night," I chat with Adal Rifai about the perfection that is the score to the Netflix Original series Dark. Theme music is by Daryl Banner Where to find Adal: Twitter | Instagram Hell…

1
S1E61: Spicer Carr 1:19:31

3y ago1:19:31

1:19:31

Stephen Sondheim. Andrew Lloyd Webber. Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II. These are just a few names you may see shining bright on the marquees down Broadway. Spicer Carr certainly caught the musical theater bug early on, so much that he dedicated his career to writing musicals. Featured pieces: From Chance the Snapper: "This Town Ain't For M…

1
S1E60: The Worth of a Name - Satie, Gymnopédies, and Gnossiennes 25:13

3y ago25:13

25:13

Sometimes there are simply no words to describe exactly what you want to express. Erik Satie dug deep into the history of language to find words that would best describe his latest works, altering them just a little bit for his own purposes. Theme music is by Daryl Banner Listen to this episode ad-free by supporting The Composer Chronicles on Patre…

1
S1E59: Game Play (Disk 3): 8-Bit Music (w/ Daryl Banner) 55:36

3y ago55:36

55:36

Why do we find the sounds of 8-bit music so nostalgic, even those who grew up in a time when video games no longer had 8-bit soundtracks? Then, it was used out of necessity, and today it is used to add a level of creativity and to evoke a sense of nostalgia. Composer and author Daryl Banner returns to the podcast to talk about his experience with 8…

1
S1E58: Jamal Green 1:01:28

3y ago1:01:28

1:01:28

Video game and media composer Jamal Green set out on a journey that he thought would lead him in a very specific direction, but where he ended up, he would have it no other way. Jamal has seen considerable success writing for video games and film, writing the scores to games such as Equilinox, Sizable, Konami’s Skelattack, and most recently TOEM by…

1
S1E57: Psalms and Sirens - The Life and Works of Lili Boulanger 22:39

3y ago22:39

22:39

Life is about making the most of everything you've got, no matter how long your time is here on this big, blue marble. Lili Boulanger, the younger sister of the renowned pedagogue Nadia Boulanger, only lived to the age of 24, but during her short life, she was able to accomplish more than what most composers of her time could only dream of. Theme m…

1
S1E56: Juan Pablo Contreras 1:17:56

3y ago1:17:56

1:17:56

In order for you to be successful, all you have to do is be proud of what you put into your craft. This is one of the great pieces of advice that composer Juan Pablo Contreras lives by every day writing music. Juan Pablo is a Latin Grammy-nominated composer and Universal Music recording artist who has combined his love of Western classical music an…

1
S1E55: Alan Theisen 1:17:01

3y ago1:17:01

1:17:01

The world of music doesn't always have to be black and white. Genres of music don't always have to remain individualized and separate, and composers are not required to stick to writing a specific genre of music. Alan Theisen, a composer, saxophonist, author, and educator, is a man who appreciates all types of music and uses his background to meld …

1
S1E54: The Magical, Musical Career of Pierre Boulez (w/ Kevin Fitzgerald) 1:02:24

3y ago1:02:24

1:02:24

It’s no secret that Pierre Boulez led a double life as a composer and conductor. Kevin Fitzgerald, a conductor in his own right, has looked up to Boulez as his hero, and he shares his knowledge about the man and his career from the eyes of a conductor.⁣ Music discussed in the episode: Improvisation I sur Mallarmé | Improvisation II sur Mallarmé Not…

1
S1E53: Opera on Broadway - Gershwin and Porgy and Bess 26:18

3+ y ago26:18

26:18

When we hear the name George Gershwin, we often associate it with jazz or musical theater, but he didn't see himself that way. He saw himself as a standard composer of his time and influenced by the sounds around him. So what does that mean for his opera Porgy and Bess? Or is it a Broadway musical? DISCLAIMER: This episode contains acts of extreme …

1
S1E52: Pearl Yim 1:06:55

3+ y ago1:06:55

1:06:55

From the United Kingdom, then to the United States, and and now Singapore, media composer Pearl Yim has seen great success with her music all across the world. Pearl talks about her experience in the fields of film and video game composing and the struggles she faced in order to get where she is today. Featured pieces: Ellipsis (GTA V Machinima Sho…

1
S1E51: The Ancients 25:33

3+ y ago25:33

25:33

Music, much like any art form, has been a staple in nearly every culture for thousands of years. We often forget where these arts have their roots, and to better understand the music of the last few hundred years, we must go back even further... no matter how grim. Theme music is by Daryl Banner: https://darylbanner.bandcamp.com/ Become a member of…

1
S1E50: The Cello (w/ Steven Chen) 56:48

3+ y ago56:48

56:48

The warm, rich tones produced by the cello have been a siren to many composers, calling them to compose for the instrument whether or not it was in their best interest to do so. Cellist Steven Chen gives his professional knowledge and opinion on the cello and the pieces written for it!⁣ Theme music is by Daryl Banner: https://darylbanner.bandcamp.c…

1
S1E49: Fallen Heroes - Beethoven and His Symphony No. 3 26:37

3+ y ago26:37

26:37

In the first drafts of Beethoven's Symphony No. 3, there is a name that appeared as the subtitle before it was scribbled out and changed to 'Eroica'. Originally Beethoven dedicated this symphony to his personal hero, a man who would soon instigate his own demise when he crowned himself Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte. Theme music is by Daryl Banner: ht…

1
S1E48: Brooks Leibee 1:27:59

3+ y ago1:27:59

1:27:59

Brooks Leibee has dedicated much of his career to the art of film making. However, it is his scores for those films that he is most proud of. In this episode, Brooks shares his journey and gives deeper insight into his world. Featured pieces: "Two Wrongs" from Mire "The Fallen Jedi" from Trial of the Fallen Jedi Credits Suite from Aliyah Entrance S…

1
S1E47: The City of Dreams - Korngold and Die tote Stadt 28:03

3+ y ago28:03

28:03

Coming off of the success of his first two operas, young Erich Wolfgang Korngold set out to write his third. His success was so massive, that opera houses all over duked it out for the rights to stage the premier, leaving Korngold with the tough decision of who to give those rights to. Theme music is by Daryl Banner: https://darylbanner.bandcamp.co…

1
S1E46: Movie Night (Reel 3): Melody in the Film Scores of Ben Morales Frost 1:01:54

3+ y ago1:01:54

1:01:54

Have you ever tried recalling a tune from a film you love and have a hard time remembering what it is? Or, have you been so mesmerized by a tune that you'll never forget it in all your days? Ben Morales Frost, a composer of film scores, is a strong advocate for the use of melody in film music. In this episode, Ben talks about some of his own film s…

1
S1E45: Evan Kassof 1:20:16

3+ y ago1:20:16

1:20:16

The world of opera isn't all glitz and glam. Opera maker Evan Kassof has dedicated his life to telling stories in a way that gives audiences a chance to step out of the opera house and potentially stumble upon something new in an unsuspecting place. Evan voices his opinions about the opera world of the past and how he is actively pushing the art in…

1
S1E44: Stories of a Songbook - Ravel and Ma mère l'Oye 25:23

3+ y ago25:23

25:23

Mother Goose has been a staple in many a child's life. Her tales of magic and adventure inspire wonder, and even in adulthood, her stories touch us. They certainly were of great importance to Maurice Ravel, who wrote a piano suite using several fairytales, and was so touched by them that he orchestrated them and then turned it into a ballet. Theme …

1
S1E43: Trevor Kowalski 1:00:45

3+ y ago1:00:45

1:00:45

Trevor Kowalski, an American composer based in Los Angeles, uses his years of training in various styles of music to compose for a wide variety of projects, collaborating with award-winning filmmakers, international game developers, theater directors, and various arrangements of ensembles. Trevor has been a part of The Composer Chronicles since day…

1
S1E42: When Worlds Collide - Vaughan Williams and Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis 22:58

3+ y ago22:58

22:58

When Ralph Vaughan Williams was rummaging through old hymnals, he discovered a tune by a composer of England's past Thomas Tallis. This simple tune would inspire Vaughan Williams to write a work for string quartet and double string orchestra, Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis. In creating this piece he melded two worlds together, the modern with…

1
S1E41: Game Play (Disk 2): Music in The Elder Scrolls (w/ Andrew Shaw) 1:00:08

3+ y ago1:00:08

1:00:08

The music of The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, IV: Oblivion, and V: Skyrim turned the tides of video game music composing. Their music sets the tone for the magical worlds that the heroes of Tamriel explore in these vast fantasy games, and musicologist Andrew Shaw has been able to draw narrative connections between the three games with just the mus…

1
S1E40: To the Beloved God - Bruckner and His Symphony No. 9 22:37

3+ y ago22:37

22:37

So much of the music of Anton Bruckner was privately dedicated to the God he served, but his final work was publicly dedicated to "the Beloved God." Without a doubt, Bruckner's works are a representation of his devotion and unwavering faith, but there's a dark side to his story that is often hidden behind the blinding brilliance of his symphonies, …

1
S1E39: Barnaby Martin 1:01:25

3+ y ago1:01:25

1:01:25

Sometimes one road leads us down another that we never expected to find ourselves wandering on. British composer Barnaby Martin has been active in the music world since a young age, but it wasn't until later in life that his career as a composer led him to becoming a prominent video essayist on his YouTube channel Listening In. Featured Piece: Chri…

1
S1E38: Star-Crossed - The Musical Reincarnations of Romeo and Juliet 26:47

3+ y ago26:47

26:47

William Shakespeare's beloved tragedy of two star-crossed lovers has been one of the most frequently adapted stories for musical purposes. Composers, such Tchaikovsky, Prokofiev, Gounod, Berlioz, and even Duke Ellington, have been touched by its heart-wrenching tale since its creation, and this episode gives you a look into the many musical reincar…

1
S1E37: A Sad Shrovetide - Stravinsky and Petrushka 26:44

3+ y ago26:44

26:44

Petrushka, Igor Stavinksy's second ballet, is a tragic tale of a living puppet who is treated like a mere toy and brought to the point of madness. Ironically, such a sad tale brought Stravinsky a great deal of success, especially after the triumph that was his previous ballet The Firebird. However, there's more you do not know, hidden behind the cu…

1
S1E36: The Figure & The Frame - Mussorgsky and Pictures at an Exhibition with Notes & Strokes 1:25:47

3+ y ago1:25:47

1:25:47

The day architect and artist Viktor Hartmann died was a sad one. It was especially hard for composer Modest Mussorgsky, who's opera Boris Godunov was one of Hartmann's favorite works. After an exhibition of Hartmann's art, Mussorgsky was moved to write a piano suite based on his experience there, Pictures at an Exhibition. This episode features Iza…

1
S1E35: Spirit Playing - Scriabin and Le Poème de l'extase (Symphony No. 4) 27:06

3+ y ago27:06

27:06

During his most active years as a member of the Theosophical Society, Alexander Scriabin aimed to follow a spirit on it journey to the Time of Ecstasy via a three-hundred line poem that would eventually be set to music, Le Poème de l'extase (Symphony No. 4). Excerpt from Le Poème de l'extase was read by Brian Edwards. Become a member of The Compose…

1
S1E34: J. M. Gerraughty 1:12:13

3+ y ago1:12:13

1:12:13

American composer J. M. Gerraughty informs listeners that the path to becoming a composer is sometimes the road less traveled. He shares the struggles of trying to maintain balance between working a full time job, raising a family, and keeping up with promoting his work on social media, but composition is always there as a creative outlet for him. …

1
S1E33: Treasure in the Wreckage - Smyth and The Wreckers 26:55

3+ y ago26:55

26:55

How far are you willing to go to get you want? Dame Ethel Smyth was determined to get her opera The Wreckers produced the way that she wanted. Although the opera was written in French, she had no luck with being able to premiere the opera on French stages, relying on her contacts in Leipzig to get the opera produce in a German translation, but futu…

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