Now in podcast format: Matthew Aucoin joins us for an interview about his vocal symphony Music for New Bodies (created with Peter Sellars), his breakthrough opera Eurydice, and the prognosis for American opera in the age of Trump. We also dive into Wayne Horvitz’s Music for 10 Musicians, reacquaint ourselves with Kris Davis and her trio, hear Dai Fujikura writing for solo timpani and explore new albums by Zeena Parkins, Cecilia Lopez, Marika Hughes, Rashaan Carter and the Borderlands Trio. Creative and improvised music from the Northwest and around the world with host Michael Schell from 91.3 KBCS.
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Tracklist
Playing tracks by Kris Davis Trio, Matthew Aucoin, Wayne Horvitz, Dai Fujikura, Marika Hughes, Rashaan Carter and more.
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Flotation Device 2025-10-26: Annotated playlist by host Michael Schell
Intro and SET 1: Coming soon [0:00]
1. [2:15] Kris Davis Trio: Softly, as You Wake. From Run the Gauntlet (Pyroclastic, 2024) with Kris Davis (prepared piano), Robert Hurst (bass), Johnathan Blake (drums), Andy Taub (recording engineer, Brooklyn Recording)
2. [5:38] Kris Davis Trio: Little Footsteps. From Run the Gauntlet (Pyroclastic, 2024) with Kris Davis (piano), Robert Hurst (bass), Johnathan Blake (drums), Andy Taub (recording engineer, Brooklyn Recording)
3. [10:50] Matthew Aucoin: Eurydice Suite - 4. The Walk. From Beyond (Orchid Classics, 2025) with BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, Timothy Redmond (conductor), Dave Rowell (recording engineer)
4. [16:56] Matthew Aucoin: Music for New Bodies (excerpts). Performed live April 20, 2024 by Kathryn Lewek, Meryl Dominguez (sopranos), Rachael Wilson (mezzo-soprano), Brenton Ryan (tenor), Cory McGee (bass-baritone), Musicians from the Shepherd School of Music at Rice University and DACAMERA Young Artists, Matthew Aucoin (conductor, sound design), Jonathan Burke (live sound design), Kyle Joseph (sound design, recording engineer) at Morrison Theater, Brockman Hall for Opera, Rice University
SET 2: Music for new composers [23:28]
1. [25:28] Matthew Aucoin in conversation with Michael Schell. NOTE: Video of the interview is at https://tinyurl.com/MatthewAucoin
2. [49:12] Matthew Aucoin: Music for New Bodies - 4. Prying/Dis- (credits as above)
3. [55:15] Outro with Matthew Aucoin: Piano Concerto
4. [59:56] Wayne Horvitz: Interpretation #1. From Solos (Songlines, 2004) with Wayne Horvitz (piano), David Simpson (recording engineer)
SET 3: Horvitz at 70 [1:02:24]
1. [1:04:11] Dai Fujikura: Luminous. From Luminous (Minabel/New Focus, 2025) with Joseph Pereira (timpani, recording engineer)
2. [1:12:48] Marika Hughes, Rashaan Carter: Panther Creek Suite. From Baker's Dozen: Apéritif (Cantaloupe, 2025) with Marika Hughes (cello), Rashaan Carter (bass, recording engineer)
3. [1:17:29] Wayne Horvitz: Music for 10 Musicians - Opening, Movements 9, 2, 5, 8. From Music for 10 Musicians (Other Room, 2025) with James Falzone (clarinet), Greg Sinibaldi (bass clarinet), Neil Welch (baritone saxophone), Sara Schoenbeck (bassoon), Ray Larsen (trumpet), Maria Scherer Wilson (cello), Abbey Blackwell (contrabass), Wayne Horvitz (piano, electronics), Rose Martin (vibraphone), Mike Gebhart (percussion), Eric Eagle (recording engineer)
SET 4: New and improvised [1:30:47]
1. [1:34:46] Zeena Parkins, Cecilia Lopez: Blue Shift. From Red Shifts (Relative Pitch, 2025) with Zeena Parkins (electric harp, acoustic harp, ebow piano), Cecilia Lopez (RED, electronic, synthesizers), Andrea Schiavelli (recording engineer, Roulette Intermedium)
2. [1:42:59.228 Borderlands Trio: Tree Shrimp. From Rewilder (Intakt, 2024) with Kris Davis (piano), Stephan Crump (acoustic bass), Eric McPherson (drums), Chris Benham (recording engineer, Big Orange Sheep)
3. [1:54:08] Outro
Photo credits: Matthew Aucoin via the artist, Megan Moore in Music for New Bodies via Meany Center, Wayne Horvitz by Tom Chargin, Cecilia Lopez by Ian Kornfeld, Kris Davis Trio (Kris Davis, Robert Hurst, Johnathan Blake) by B Natural, Zeena Parkins by Andy Newcombe, Dai Fujikura by Seiji Okumiya