Each week, Tyler Kline journeys into new territory and demystifies the music of living composers on Modern Notebook. Listen for a wide variety of exciting music that engages and inspires, along with the stories behind each piece and the latest releases from today’s contemporary classical artists. Discover what’s in store on Modern Notebook, every Sunday night from 8 to 10 on Classical WSMR.
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Colin Conces PhotographyOn the next Modern Notebook with Tyler Kline: listen for a pair of artsongs by Jeremiah Evans, as well as works by David Sanford, Ayanna Woods, and others. Plus, a dance suite by Anthony R. Green called “The Green Double” that draws on Black history, Massachusetts history, and western classical music history.Then: David Baker is perhaps best known for his impacts within the jazz world, having written over 70 pedagogical books on jazz improvisation, arranging, and composition… just to name a few topics. He was also no stranger to contemporary classical music, and on the next Modern Notebook, we’ll hear his Sonata for Violin and Piano. -
Photo credit: Benjamin Ealovega.Coming up on the next Modern Notebook with Tyler Kline: hear a Piano Quintet by Adolphus Hailstork that pays homage to the city where he established his career as a composer: Detroit. And throughout the first three movements of the work, the composer describes the city with movement titles like “Detroit Grit,” “Detroit Nocturne,” and “Detroit Rise.”Then: Greek mythology has proven to be a constant source of fascination and inspiration for composer Eleanor Alberga. And her interest in the subject matter may be most evident in her work for orchestra, “Mythologies,” in which each movement serves as a portrait of a figure from Greek and Roman mythology.
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On the next Modern Notebook with Tyler Kline: tune in for music for violin and piano by Platon Buravicky titled “Angel’s Gaze,” and pieces by Margaret Brouwer and Gabriela Ortiz. And a work for brass by Lillian Yee titled “Miracles of the Human Condition.”Then: Composer Alexandre David says that he has always had a funny relationship with music as a listener, sometimes coldly analyziing it, and other times, allowing himself to be completely inhabited by it. We’ll hear a work of David’s titled “Photogrammes,” which explores this idea through musical transformation. -
On the next Modern Notebook with Tyler Kline: Much like a crystal, composer Linda Leimane says that there is a dual nature to sound: that it can be simultaneously “beautiful and ornamental,” as well as “hard and durable.” Tune in for Leimane’s “Crystal” for solo piano, a work which builds itself up from repeating gestures to a thrilling dramatic structure.Then: In the Buddhist tradition that composer India Gailey grew up in, the late founder spoke of “joining heaven, earth, and humanity.” Gailey saw this phrase as containing multitudes: that one could balance tender sadness with the light of compassion, unitiing vision and practicality, and letting go of dualism to integrate with the elements. These ideas would go on to inspire their work, “Butterfly Lightning Shakes the Earth.” -
On the next Modern Notebook with Tyler Kline: composer Juri Seo says that her solo violin work “One” embraces the “duality of time,” as both a flowing and static phenomenon. It’s music cast in 12 movements, each one representing the months in a calendar year.Then: The Earth is 4.5 billion years old – a length of time that, if compressed to 46 minutes, the existence of humans would only last 25 milliseconds. This is the basis of “An Atlas of Deep Time” by John Luther Adams, a work which the composer says is grounded in his desire to “hear the older, deeper resonances of the earth.” -
On this week’s Modern Notebook with Tyler Kline: we conclude our series of special wintertime programming, with music that evokes holiday season, including Dai Fujikura’s “Ghost of Christmas;” pieces that draws upon peace by Kimberly R. Osberg, Errollyn Wallen, and Jessie Montgomery; and songs of the advent by Owain Park and Kerensa Briggs. -
We celebrate the winter solstice. Listen for works inspired by the season from composers like Kitty Xiao, Lou Harrison and Melissa Hui, as well as pieces by Akemi Naito and Gifrants. Plus, “Winter Moons” by Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate. -
On this week’s Modern Notebook with Tyler Kline: we continue our series of programs inspired by the Winter Season with music draws on stars and the night sky. Hear “A Very Star-Like Start” by John Liberatore, and more music about stars by Jessie Montgomery, Chris Opperman, David Fulmer, and others. And, it’s music of the night by Golfam Khayam, with the “Night Triptych” for two guitars, and new music from Caterina Schembri titled “I wake up in the night when I dream in black and white.” -
On this week’s Modern Notebook with Tyler Kline, we kick off a series of programs highlighting music inspired by the Winter Season. Tune in for an episode of music inspired by winter weather, silence, and stillness, including icy works by Outi Tarkiainen, Alfreo Santa Ana, and Anuj Bhutani; a work titled “Blue Glacier Decoy” by Jennifer Jolley; and “Hush” by Angelica Negron. -
On the next Modern Notebook with Tyler Kline: It’s music that is all about echoes with a work by Valentin Jost titled “Echo Chamber.” And throughout the piece, the composer explores the sensation of walking through a series of different echo chambers.Then: we conclude our series of interviews with composers from Sarasota’s Suncoast Composer Fellowship Program. This week, it’s conversations with Treya Nash and Sean Quinn. -
On the next Modern Notebook with Tyler Kline: hear an undulating, groovy work for four trombones, with Laura Jurd’s “Swamped.” It’s music that encourages the performers to change their sound to something more compact, like performing into a 1940s microphone.Then: we continue our interview series with composers from the Suncoast Composer Fellowship Program in Sarasota. This week, it’s conversations with Max Gibson and Joshua Muetzel. -
On the next Modern Notebook with Tyler Kline: In 2024, North America experienced four eclipses, including the total eclipse in April. Tune in for music inspired by and composed just for these occasions, with “Eclipse” by Marc Mellits. It’s music that sonically reflects the process of eclipse with hidden melodies, dancing rhythms, and funky lines.Then: we kick off a series of interviews featuring composers from Sarasota’s Suncoast Composer Fellowship Program. Tune in for an introduction by artistic director Max Tan and composer mentor Sean Friar, then we’ll hear from fellows David Acevedo and Daniel Gostelow. -
On this week’s Modern Notebook with Tyler Kline: with fall time here, it seems like a good time to make a bit of chili. So, tune in for a work titled Cello Chili by composer Brent Michael Davids: complete with a recipe for a stew made of green chiles and pieces of cello.Then: We welcome in the month of November with the music of Toru Takemitsu… we’ll hear his double concerto for biwa and shakuhachi titled November Steps. -
On this week’s Modern Notebook with Tyler Kline, tune in for a special lineup of pieces chosen just in time for Halloween! We’ll be getting spooky, with music about ghosts and ghost stories, pieces that will cast a spell on you, and selections that draw inspiration from horror genres.
