21st Century Percussion: Saturday, May 30 | 10pm

Posted on May 27, 2020 by maestrobeats

Evelyn Glennie, Andy Akiho, Bonnie Whiting, and Third Coast Percussion are among the featured artists in this week’s episode.

If you want to be a percussionist in the 21st century, you’ve got to play a lot more than just drums.

The percussion toolkit is constantly expanding, and nowadays percussionists have to be prepared to play just about anything. Sure, there are some of the more familiar percussion instruments like gongs, marimbas, or the triangle—but there are also flower pots, kitchen pans, water glasses, and so much more. If you can hit, shake, or strike it, it’s a percussion instrument.

On this week’s episode of Second Inversion, we’re exploring the vast and vibrant world of 21st century percussion. We’ll hear music written for pails of water, planks of wood, an orchestra of gongs, and more—plus, we’ll talk with Seattle percussionist Bonnie Whiting about the revolutionary spirit of percussion.

To listen, tune in to KING FM on Saturday, May 30 at 10pm PT.

This is an encore episode which first aired in March. Our field trip to the percussion studio of Bonnie Whiting is featured in the episode. Listen to the full interview below!

Music of the Great Outdoors: Saturday, May 23 | 10pm

Posted on May 22, 2020 by maestrobeats

by Maggie Molloy

From ocean to desert, forest to tundra, composers have always found music in nature. The rhythm of waves, the rustling of leaves, the song of the mountain—or the colors of the wind.

On this Saturday’s episode of Second Inversion, we’ll explore music of the great outdoors. We’ll hear the pulse of the Amazon River, a duet with the Moab Desert, field recordings from the Pacific Crest Trail, and even music made from living plants.

To listen, tune in to KING FM on Saturday, May 23 at 10pm PT.

A selection from Third Coast Percussion’s Paddle to the Sea is among the music featured in this week’s episode.

Colors in Classical Music: Saturday, May 16 | 10pm

Posted on May 15, 2020 by maestrobeats

by Maggie Molloy

“Color” is a word that gets thrown around a lot in conversations about classical music—and it can be a slippery thing to describe.

Just like in painting, composers can create different colors in music by mixing together different instruments, harmonies, or even rhythms to evoke a certain mood or energy. They might blend all the colors of the orchestra together or create sharp color contrasts in their music. Sometimes, composers even write with a very specific color in mind.

On this week’s episode of Second Inversion, we’ll explore pieces that take a more literal approach to color. Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple—we’ll hear music inspired by every color in the rainbow. Plus, one piece that mixes them all together.

To listen, tune in to KING FM on Saturday, May 16 at 10pm PT.

Minimalism Past and Present: Saturday, May 9 | 10pm

Posted on May 8, 2020 by maestrobeats

by Maggie Molloy

Philip Glass, Julius Eastman, and Steve Reich are among the minimalists featured in this episode.

Truth, order, and simplicity—those are some of the major hallmarks of the minimalist art movement. It flourished in America during the 1960s and ’70s, primarily as a visual arts movement at first but eventually expanding into design, fashion, architecture, and even a lifestyle aesthetic.

Minimalism also found its counterpart in music. Instead of telling a story or taking the audience on a journey from point A to point B, minimalist music calls attention to the actual activity of listening itself—it’s about being present in the moment. Composers do this in a variety of ways: through repetition, circling melodies, pulsing rhythms, steady drones, or simple harmonies. When performed well, minimalism can feel almost trancelike or hypnotic for the listener.

On this week’s episode of Second Inversion, we’re exploring masterworks of minimalism—plus we’ll hear how some of these iconic pieces are still influencing artists today. We’ll also talk about some of the non-Western musical traditions that helped shape American minimalism.

To listen, tune in to KING FM on Saturday, May 9 at 10pm PT.

This is an encore episode which first aired in March. It features excerpts from Emerald City Music‘s performance of Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians. Watch videos from the concert on-demand in the playlist below:

String Quartets from Four Corners of the Globe: Saturday, May 2 | 10pm

Posted on April 30, 2020 by maestrobeats

Gabriela Lena Frank, Lei Liang, Franghiz Ali-Zadeh, and the Danish String Quartet are among the featured artists in this week’s episode.

by Maggie Molloy

The string quartet is basically the pinnacle of chamber music. It’s an ensemble that just about every composer writes for at some point in their career. Two violins, one viola, one cello—and an entire world of possibilities.

Robert Schumann described the string quartet as a conversation among four people. Like any good conversation, a good string quartet is one where each voice contributes—where the players listen to one another, exchange ideas, and share a bit of their own personalities.

As we’ll hear on this Saturday’s episode of Second Inversion, the string quartet can also serve as a conversation between different musical cultures. This weekend, we’ll explore string quartets from four different corners of the globe. Tune in for music inspired by the mountains of Peru, the shamanic rituals of Mongolia, the musical modes of Azerbaijan, and the folk songs of Sweden.

To listen, tune in to KING FM on Saturday, May 2 at 10pm PT.

Check out our in-studio video of the Danish String Quartet.