U.S. Road Trip: Saturday, July 4 | 10pm

Posted on July 1, 2020 by maestrobeats

America is a melting pot—and so is our music. From folk to jazz, pop, classical, and the avant-garde, American music has always been a merging of different cultures, influences, and ideas. And as you travel to different parts of the country, you find each region has its own unique music to share and story to tell.

On this week’s episode of Second Inversion, we’re taking a road trip around the U.S. We’re exploring music from the people and places that make up our country. We’ll hear music inspired by coal miners in Pennsylvania, stories of slavery in the American South, sounds from the Pacific Crest Trail, and songs of the Alaska Natives.

To listen, tune in to KING FM on Saturday, July 4 at 10pm PT.

Expanding the Piano: Saturday, June 27 | 10pm

Posted on June 25, 2020 by maestrobeats

by Maggie Molloy

John Cage’s prepared piano is among the featured music in this week’s episode.

It’s an instrument that’s been around for over 300 years—and composers are still discovering new ways to play it.

Throughout history, the piano has captured the imaginations of composers ranging from Beethoven to Chopin, Brahms, and Rachmaninoff. On this week’s episode of Second Inversion, we’ll take a look at how composers today are expanding the piano keyboard.

Tune in to hear modern and creative approaches to this familiar instrument, including music from composers who play inside the piano, a performer who can play three pianos at once, and a man who threw a wrench in the classical piano tradition.

To listen, tune in to KING FM on Saturday, June 27 at 10pm PT.

This is an encore episode which first aired in April.

Music of the People: Saturday, June 20 | 10pm

Posted on June 19, 2020 by maestrobeats

by Maggie Molloy

Connor Chee, the Danish String Quartet, and Nathalie Joachim are among the musicians featured in this week’s episode.

We often think of classical music as kind of the opposite of folk music. Classical music values complexity, precision, and perfection—it runs counter to some of the warmth, immediacy, and community-oriented aspects that are so central to folk music.

And yet, classical composers across history have found inspiration in folk traditions the world over. On this week’s episode, we’ll explore modern takes on classic folk tunes from around the globe. Tune in for a Navajo corn-grinding chant, folk songs from the women of Haiti, traditional wedding tunes from the Danish island of Fanø, and an instrument used to communicate with the ancestral spirits of the Shona people.

To listen, tune in to KING FM on Saturday, June 20 at 10pm PT.

The Westerlies’ rendition of the old English ballad “Pretty Saro” is included in this week’s episode.

Music of Change: Saturday, June 13 | 10pm

Posted on June 11, 2020 by maestrobeats

Clarinetist and composer Don Byron is among the featured artists in this week’s episode.

by Maggie Molloy

Music is rooted in change: chord change, tempo change, dynamic change. But music can also ignite change. It can bring people together, create a dialogue, and make you listen just a little bit differently.

On this week’s episode of Second Inversion, we’re exploring music that celebrates and embodies change. We’ll hear moments of innovation in the classical tradition, discover works that challenge the established order, and listen to a piece of music that changes every time you play it.

To listen, tune in to KING FM on Saturday, June 13 at 10pm PT.

Out Of This World: Saturday, June 6 | 10pm

Posted on June 5, 2020 by maestrobeats

by Maggie Molloy

Music has a way of transporting us to new and unexpected places. Sometimes, it can even take us out of this world.

If we hop into a spaceship and blast off into the infinite unknown, we might just find there’s even more new music to discover. On this week’s episode of Second Inversion, we’re exploring the music of outer space. Tune in for celestial songs, astronaut anthems, space transmissions, and even some music from the Starman in the sky.

To listen, tune in to KING FM on Saturday, June 6 at 10pm PT.