So, What is Music for PhDs?
My name is Sunita LeGallou, and I’m a visual artist. I paint to music, often live on-stage, and often to contemporary classical. I wanted to know more about the sounds that inspired me, and thus this podcast was born.
For each episode, I interview a composer and create a painting based on one of their works. I also talk to Dr. Kate Einarson about the science of music - how it affects our brains and our bodies. It’s a mash-up of music, inspiration and science.
Every piece of music has a story, but so does every listener! I’m fascinated by how music has such a direct pipeline to our emotions, and how fully absorbed I can become when painting live to music. This art-project-disguised-as-a-podcast is my personal attempt to get closer to the music that inspires me, and I’d love for you to join me.
Episode 8: Alexina Louie
On the season finale for Music for PhDs, Alexina Louie draws inspiration from astronauts, and Dr. Kate drops some knowledge on the sounds of space.
On the season finale for Music for PhDs, Alexina Louie draws inspiration from astronauts and her Asian heritage. We talk about imposter syndrome and finding your own voice. Ever wondered what a black hole sounds like? Dr. Kate is here for all your space-music questions.
Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! Full transcript here.
Shownotes:
Comic operas featuring Canadian improv superstars here
The book Alexina is trying to get everyone to read is “The Noise of Time”, and you can read the New York Times review here.
Wish you could be transported to Venice? Check out Alexina’s escape read here.
Curious about the sound waves produced by black holes? Check it out here.
Protect your hearing! Or music might end up sounding like this.
Follow the adventures of Music for PhD’s on Instagram.
Episode 7: Kristin Flores
We are ringing in 2020 with Alberta based composer, Kristin Flores. Kristin is inspired by nature, and has even composed for specific outdoor spaces. We talk about her piece “Waves”, plus pregnancy, Mexico, and teaching your own kids music. Dr. Kate unpacks the Suzuki Method of teaching music, and how babies start to specialize pattern recognition. There’s also monkeys!
We are ringing in 2020 with Alberta based composer, Kristin Flores. Kristin is inspired by nature, and has even composed for specific outdoor spaces. We talk about her piece “Waves”, plus pregnancy, Mexico, and teaching your own kids music. Dr. Kate unpacks the Suzuki Method of teaching music, and how babies start to specialize pattern recognition. There’s also monkeys!
Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! Full transcript here.
Shownotes:
Hear more of Kristin’s music on the CMC website (Registration required, no paywall)
Follow the adventures of Music for PhD’s on Instagram.
Episode 6: Jocelyn Morlock
Happy Holidays! My gift to you is this episode with the hilarious - and very modest - Jocelyn Morlock. We talk about the creative process, i.e. plummeting into despair, knitting, and why all composers love the movie Amadeus. Dr. Kate gives us all an earworm, and explains how you can never escape your musical past.
Happy Holidays! My gift to you is this episode with the hilarious - and very modest - Jocelyn Morlock. We talk about the creative process, i.e. plummeting into despair, knitting, and why all composers love the movie Amadeus. Dr. Kate gives us all an earworm, and explains how you can never escape your musical past.
Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! Full transcript here.
Shownotes:
Hear more of Jocelyn’s music on her Soundcloud.
Interested in why you like Pink Floyd so much? Learn more about reminisce bumps.
Follow the adventures of Music for PhD’s on Instagram.
Episode 5: Jared Miller
We chat with Jared Miller and get the low-down on his piece Under Sea, Above Sky, which one reviewer called "a love letter to Planet Earth." Dr. Kate has the scoop on what the conductor is actually doing up there, and how expressive body sway leads to more emotional - and better - performances.
We chat with Jared Miller and get the low-down on his piece Under Sea, Above Sky, which one reviewer called "a love letter to Planet Earth." Dr. Kate has the scoop on what the conductor is actually doing up there, and how expressive body sway leads to more emotional - and better - performances.
Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! Full transcript here.
Shownotes:
Hear more of Jared’s music on his website.
Follow the adventures of Music for PhD’s on Instagram.
Episode Four: Bekah Simms
Bekah Simms gets real on negative self-talk, owning your fun, and returning to her goth roots in “ForeverDark” with live electronics. Dr. Kate explains synaesthesia and how everyone had it… as babies.
Bekah Simms gets real on negative self-talk, owning your fun, and returning to her goth roots in “ForeverDark” with live electronics. Dr. Kate explains synaesthesia and how everyone had it… as babies.
Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! Full transcript here.
Shownotes:
Check out those upcoming performances in Vancouver (Dec 16, 2019) and Toronto (University of Toronto New Music Festival). Follow Bekah’s website for more news and updates.
Hear more of Bekah’s music on Soundcloud or check out some performances on YouTube.
Curious about synaesthesia? We got you covered! Lots of links to check out:
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/infant-kandinskys/
https://pitchfork.com/thepitch/229-what-the-hell-is-synesthesia-and-why-does-every-musician-seem-to-have-it/
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Channel_Orange
Follow the adventures of Music for PhD’s on Instagram.
Episode Three: Harry Stafylakis
Harry Stafylakis is a metal-head turned composer, and we chat about travel stories, life in New York, and cat parenthood. His piece ‘Calibrating Friction’ has literary roots and was inspired by a Salman Rushdie quote! Dr. Kate is back, to explain the biology of dissonance, and how the “Devil’s tritone” is used today.
Harry Stafylakis is a metal-head turned composer, and we chat about travel stories, life in New York, and cat parenthood. His piece ‘Calibrating Friction’ has literary roots and was inspired by a Salman Rushdie quote! Dr. Kate is back, to explain the biology of dissonance, and how the “Devil’s tritone” is used today.
Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! Full transcript here.
Shownotes:
Listen to the full 9 minutes of Calibrating Friction on Soundcloud (headphones recommended) here.
You can also check out Harry’s other projects on Soundcloud and his website.
Can’t get enough of Bruce the cat? He features regularly on Harry’s Twitter and Instagram.
Read more about those classy riots in 1913 here. Tritones were also known as the Devil’s Chord!
Follow the adventures of Music for PhD’s on Instagram.
Episode Two: Jesse Dietschi
Meet Jesse Dietschi, a composer and bass player whose music straddles that jazz-meets-classical line. We talk about his beautiful piece ‘Canmore’ and the personal family story behind it. We also talk to Dr. Kate Einarson about how music sounds happy vs sad, and why we like those catchy chorus lines so much - at least to a point (looking at you, John Mayer).
Meet Jesse Dietschi, a composer and bass player whose music straddles that jazz-meets-classical line. We talk about his beautiful piece ‘Canmore’ and the personal family story behind it. We also talk to Dr. Kate Einarson about how music sounds happy vs sad, and why we like those catchy chorus lines so much - at least to a point (looking at you, John Mayer).
Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts! Full transcript here.
Shownotes:
Watch a performance of Canmore on Jesse’s YouTube channel here
Check out Jesse’s upcoming performances with Sinfonia Toronto, Catalyst Ensemble and myriad other projects. You can also keep tabs on Jesse’s website, Twitter and Instagram.
A fun TED video on why we love repetition in music, and some further reading on how minor keys feel sad (sometimes).
Need some reading material? Jesse recommends The Inner Game of Tennis
Follow the adventures of Music for PhD’s on Instagram.
Episode One: Vince Ho
We talk to composer Vince Ho about his moody, mystical piece 'Sandman's Castle'. I'll be live-painting to this piece at a concert in October! We also talk to Dr. Einarson about the science of perceiving music with all your senses.
We talk to composer Vince Ho about his moody, mystical piece 'Sandman's Castle'. I'll be live-painting to this piece at a concert in October! We also talk to Dr. Einarson about the science of perceiving music with all your senses.
Shownotes:
Listen to the full recording of Sandman’s Castle here
Catch Dame Evelyn Glennie’s TED talk about listening with your whole body here
Want to nerd out on sensory perception of music? Some great reading and a video here
If you’re in the mood for some Korean action flicks, Vince recommends The Villainess and The Man From Nowhere.
More shows! Stay up to date on all Vince’s concerts via his website or Twitter, and his publisher.
Follow the adventures of Music for PhD’s on Instagram.