The Sound and Music Podcast

Composers Shabaka Hutchings, Alwynne Pritchard and Oliver Leith share their music and thoughts exploring the nature of the human relationships which shape the music they make.

We listen to compositions rooted in friendship, explore attempts to decolonialise music, and intimate performances recorded in a toilet during lockdown. Join our CEO Susanna Eastburn MBE and composer Des Oliver for a unique insight into composing.

This podcast was produced by Michael Umney (Resonance FM) and mixed by Chris Bartholomew, with the theme tune composed by Rob Bentall. Our recommendation at the end is for Alwynne Pritchard’s #RecordedDelivery project.

In this episode, you listen to the following music and sounds:

Shabaka Hutchings

- Circadian Clocks (2015), performed by Cara Stacey and Shabaka Hutchings from Things that Grow by Cara Stacey, released by Kit Records

Beasts Too Spoke of Suffering (2020), by Shabaka and the Ancestors, from We Are Sent Here by History released by impulse! Records

Alwynne Pritchard

- Stamp Club Report 1980 (2018), commissioned by Kammerkoret GNEIS and performed by vocalists Signe Bjorvatn, Lisa Braathen, Alexander Fiske Fosse, Jung-Jae Kim, Jone Kuven, Bendik Savstad, Tanja Silvestrini, Joar Simarud Stabell, Ørjan Hammar Vollvik and Emilie Wright. Recorded at The Grieg Academy (Bergen) by Cem Arapkirlioglu, mixed by Alwynne Pritchard

- Recorded Delivery (2020), a lockdown project inviting people to send fragments, to which Alwynne responded with a video postcard. We heard extracts from Recorded Delivery No.3 (Peter de Moncey-Conegliano) and No.6 (Bernd Bleffert)

- Heart of Glass (2019), performed by Zubin Kanga at the London Contemporary Music Festival (2019), recorded and edited by Reuben Penny

Oliver Leith

- Honey Siren (2020), recorded by 12 Ensemble in the album Death and the Maiden, released by PIAS / Sancho Panza Recordings

- good day good day bad day bad day (2018), written for and recorded by GBSR duo, released by another timbre

Our heartfelt thanks to the record labels, performers, composers and organisations who allowed us to include excerpts of these recordings on the podcast.

Composers Jem Finer, Elaine Mitchener, and Chaya Czernowin share their music and thoughts exploring the theme of Time.

We listen to a piece of music lasting 1,000 years, explore the politics of history and time past, and get a flavour for what non-linear music sounds like. Join our CEO Susanna Eastburn MBE and composer Des Oliver for a unique insight into composing.

This podcast was produced by Michael Umney (Resonance FM) and mixed by Chris Bartholomew, with our theme tune composed by Rob Bentall. Our recommendation at the end is for the Excuse the Mess podcast.

Jem Finer (b.1955)

• Longplayer (1999), with the support and collaboration of Artangel

Elaine Mitchener

• the then + the now = now time (2019), commissioned by MaerzMusik – Festival für Zeitfragen
• Sweet Tooth (2017), performed by Elaine Mitchener, Sylvia Hallett, Mark Sanders, Jason Yarde
• Rolling Calf – a black power trio featuring vocalist Elaine Mitchener, saxophonist Jason Yarde and bassist Neil Charles

Chaya Czernowin (b.1957)

• Hidden (2014), performed by The Jack Quartet with electronics by Carlo Laurenzi and Jérémie Henrot, released by Schott Music (CD) and Wergo Records
• Infinite Now (2017), performed by Opera Vlaanderen, courtesy of IRCAM

Our heartfelt thanks to the record labels, performers, composers and organisations who allowed us to include excerpts of these recordings on the podcast.

The new Sound and Music podcast is nearly here – a place where new music is brought to life, Susanna Eastburn MBE (CEO, Sound and Music) and composer Des Oliver explore the extraordinary creators, stories and concepts behind new sounds and music.

Composers Blythe Pepino, Rocky Dawuni and Emily Hall share their music and thoughts exploring activism in the climate crisis. What is the place of music in climate activism, and how do composers take action in their music?

From protest songs to upbeat afroroots music inspiring hope and action, we listen to the origins of Extinction Rebellion’s “Emergency” anthem, what is the vision of a future Zion, and how music can help make sense of climate anxiety. Join our CEO Susanna Eastburn MBE and composer Anthony R. Green for a unique insight into composing – and if you like this episode, check out Ep.4: Portals which features Anthony R. Green and his fantastic music.

Our recommendation at the end is an invitation to join Music Declares Emergency and Earth Percent, and inspire your colleagues, employers, and collaborators to take one further step in this journey of addressing the largest challenge our species have ever faced.

In this episode, you listened to the following music and sounds:

Blythe Pepino

• Emergency (2018), written for Extinction Rebellion
• Crisis for Women (2020), written for a protest organised by Extinction Rebellion on International Women’s Day 2020
• Now Is The Time (unreleased), by Mesadorm, inspired by Naomi Klein’s book On Fire

Rocky Dawuni

• Modern Man and Beats of Zion (2019), from the album Beats of Zion by Rocky Dawuni

Emily Hall

• Feed (unreleased), written/produced by Emily Hall, sung by Jodie Landau
• So Far (2019), performed by Lady Maisery on their album Cycle. Originally part of Rest, a secular requiem by Emily Hall

This podcast was produced by Michael Umney (Resonance FM) and mixed by Chris Bartholomew, with the theme tune composed by Rob Bentall.

Our heartfelt thanks to the record labels, performers, composers and organisations who allowed us to include excerpts of these recordings on the podcast.

Composers Hanna Tuulikki, Colin Riley and Dai Fujikura share their music and thoughts exploring the importance of place in music. How does the more-than-human manifest itself in the composers’ music, and what does it mean to be composing music in times of the climate crisis?

From imitating birds to Japanese onomatopoeia, we listen to a song written for a stream in the Cairngorms, music that imitates the freedom and order of birds flying, and how can one make sense of climate grief through sound and movement. Join our CEO Susanna Eastburn MBE and festival director Fiona Robertson (Sound Scotland) for a unique insight into composing.

Our recommendation at the end is for In Place, a collection of songs by Colin Riley which you can explore fully at InPlaceProject.co.uk

In this episode, you listened to the following music and sounds:

Hanna Tuulikki

• cloud-cuckoo-island (2016), a solo camera performance by Hanna Tuulikki
• Metsänpeiton Alla (Under Forest Cover) (2021), an installation presented at the Helsinki Biennial 2021 exploring climate grief
• Deer Dancer (2019), part of an installation presented at Edinburgh Art Festival 2019, the audio is now available on Bandcamp

Colin Riley

• Litanies for the Furness Fells (2018), featuring words by Richard Skelton and Autumn Richardson; part of In Place, released by Squeaky Kate Music
• Water over Stone (2018), featuring words by Nan Shepherd; part of In Place released by Squeaky Kate Music
• Earth Voices: I. Luften (2021), commissioned by and premiered by Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra at Helsingborg Konserthus, Sweden conducted by Alfonso Scarano

Dai Fujikura

• Secret Forest (2008), performed by Okeanos Ensemble and released on NMC recordings
• Gliding Wings (2019), performed by Ensemble Nomad with Makoto Yoshida, Hideo Kikuchi (clarinets) and conducted by Norio Sato; released on Minabel records

This podcast was produced by Michael Umney (Resonance FM) and mixed by Chris Bartholomew, with the theme tune composed by Rob Bentall.

Our heartfelt thanks to the record labels, performers, composers and organisations who allowed us to include excerpts of these recordings on the podcast.