Fridays at 10:00 pm
A weekly exploration of the most fascinating time in classical music history: right now.
With composers from nearly every country in the world creating music in diverse styles, there has simply never been a more exciting time for classical music. Relevant Tones creator and host Seth Boustead dives into this treasure trove of music accompanied by first-person interviews, in the field segments that take him to festivals and concert halls around the world, with stellar performances by talented ensembles and soloists.
Foster the Music Festival — Darmstadt
One of the world’s most famous new music festival, Foster the Music, has been held in Darmstadt since 1946.
Composer Alive — Poland
Access Contemporary Music has commissioned the Warsaw based composer Agnieszka Stulgińska for their annual Composer Alive project, which tasks international composers to write a piece inspired by their homeland.
Jennifer Koh
Jennifer Koh tells us about some of the 60 works that have been written especially for her including a new work by Kaija Saariaho.
Synesthesia in Music and Visual Art
We're finding out how color and visual art affect composers and their music.
Thirsty Ears Festival LIVE in the Levin Performance Studio
We're opening our doors to Nick Photinos, David Schrader, and other Thirsty Ears Street Festival performers for a preview concert.
Haitian Composers
Cellist, music educator, and concert organizer Tom Clowes stops by to talk with Seth about the music of Haitian composers.
Composer Spotlight: Joan Tower
Joan Tower is an accomplished composer, conductor, pianist and educator who has reached the pinnacle of success and inspired numerous composers to follow in her footsteps.
Just Intonation
In Just Intonation, we're leaving the world of equal-temperament behind and exploring various contemporary pieces written for instruments.
Musical Miniatures
The shorter the better! An hour dedicated to mini masterworks.
Henryk Górecki
The New Yorker critic, Alex Ross, has said no recent classical composer has had as much commercial success as Henryk Górecki. We're featuring music from Górecki's career.
Playing it Wrong
It gives technicians fits, but composers and performers are always experimenting with new “wrong” ways to play their instrument.
Contemporary Vinyl
Old is new again as composers and performers return to the LP format for their latest releases.
Boston Modern Orchestra Project
In Boston, we're listening to the newest recordings off BMOP/sound label and talking to Creative Director and Conductor, Gil Rose.
New Music Gathering
New Music Gathering is an annual three-day conference dedicated to the performance, production, promotion, support and creation of new concert music held at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee.
Composers Among Us: Robert Kritz
Composer Robert Kritz passed away in April 2018. To honor his spirit we’re re-broadcasting this program featuring Robert’s work. Robert spent many years working in the corporate world by day and busily composing music into the wee hours of the night. A decision several years ago to show some of his pieces to professional composers was the occasion of great ...
Music of Burying and Marrying
Since earliest times, music has always had a ritual purpose in human society, but these ritualistic functions are often forgotten in the hustle and bustle of the modern world. We’ll play music by composers Ionel Petroi, Ross Edwards and Tan Dun who still think of the ceremonial importance music can play in our lives.
Musical Mythology
Seth Boustead talks with composer Stacy Garrop about the new recording of her Mythology Symphony inspired by Greek myths. Starting with the exhilarating opening movement Becoming Medusa, which tells the story of Medusa, a beautiful woman turned into a hideous monster, to the quiet sounds of Penelope Waits, the second movement with the touching tale of a wife waiting for ...
Live at LPR: Modern Mexico
(le) poisson rouge (LPR) is a multimedia art cabaret founded by musicians on the site of the historic Village Gate in New York City. We’re broadcasting from LPR’s stage in front of a live studio audience to celebrate Cinco De Mayo by presenting a musical program dedicated to Mexican composers.
In the Field: Big Ears Festival
Seth Boustead and producer, Sarah Zwinklis are traveling to Knoxville, Tennessee. Regarded as one of the most unique, boundary-defying and eagerly anticipated cultural gatherings in the world – “a music festival with a rare vision” (The New York Times) – Big Ears Festival returns in 2018 with perhaps its most multi-faceted and diverse line up to date. Spanning four days ...
Composer Spotlight: Alvin Singleton
Critic Kyle Gann says “Singleton’s music is soulful, with an understated simplicity that I particularly prize. Despite the studied economy of his means and the set character of his images, the music is never cold … nor abstract. It glows with warmth.” We’ll feature Singleton’s music on our next Composer Spotlight.