One Symphony with Devin Patrick Hughes
A podcast that explores classical music’s relevance in our modern lives. Conductor Devin Patrick Hughes will share with you stories and conversations with musicians, composers, and artistic entrepreneurs that aim to unite us into one symphonic world. New episodes every other Monday.
Episodes
Episodes
Wednesday May 05, 2021
Michelle DeYoung, Mezzo & Musical Enchantress
Wednesday May 05, 2021
Wednesday May 05, 2021
I am so excited today to be speaking with the globetrotting mezzo-soprano Michelle DeYoung. One of the most exciting artists of her generation, Michelle appears frequently with the world’s top orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sao Paulo Symphony, and the Concertgebouw orchestra. She has also appeared in the top music festivals around the world including Ravinia, Tanglewood, Aspen, Salzburg, and Lucerne. She’s worked with the most legendary conductors in classical music including Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, Sir Colin Davis, Gustavo Dudamel, Bernard Haitink, Seiji Ozawa, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Mariss Jansons, and many more.Michelle has performed in the worlds great houses in works across the operatic spectrum from Wagner and Strauss to Bartok and Berlioz, and also regularly presents recitals across the world. Her recordings of Mahler’s 3rd symphony and Kindertotenlieder with the San Francisco Symphony and Berlioz’s Trojans with the London Symphony both received the Grammy for Best Classical Album and Best Opera Recordings. While not touring the globe and during the pandemic, Michelle can be found in Broomfield, CO, and I’m very honored to have her on the show today!Thank you for joining us on One Symphony and thanks to Michelle DeYoung for sharing her amazing musical gifts and insights. Thank you to all the incredible performers and labels that made this episode possible. All vocal performances you heard feature Michelle DeYoung. Gustav Mahler’s Symphony no. 2, the Resurrection, was performed by the Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Pierre Boulez on Deutsche Grammophon. Esa-Pekka Salonen led the Philharmonia Orchestra in Bela Bartok’s Duke Bluebeard’s Castle on Signum Records. Der Abschied from Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde was played by the Minnesota Orchestra conducted by Eiji Oue on Reference Recordings.You can experience Michelle’s work and upcoming concerts online at MichelleDeYoung.com. You can always find more info at OneSymphony.org including a virtual tip jar if you’d like to support the show. Please feel free to rate, review, or share the show! Until next time, thank you for being part of the music!
Monday May 03, 2021
Edgar Girtain, Composer in Isolation
Monday May 03, 2021
Monday May 03, 2021
I’m excited to share with you my interview with the fantastic composer and educator Edgar Girtain. I had a blast recording this interview, and I’m sure you’ll get a kick out Edgar’s passions and insights. I wanted to give all my listeners a heads up on this episode that there is some more colorful language and a depiction of a historical murder during the show. So if you have kids in the room or may find this content at all offensive, you may want make necessary adjustments. That being said, I hope you enjoy the interview!
Edgar Girtain is a traditional american composer with dozens of orchestral, chamber, and vocal works to his name. His music is regularly performed by a quantity of name-droppables in more places than even the composer can be sure of, and he holds beyond a reasonable number of degrees in music from several august institutions of higher education. His teachers include some composers you've probably heard of, but he learned the most from the teachers whose names you haven't, such as Charles Fussell, america's greatest forgotten composer. (He also owes deep gratitude to that elder statesman of eccentric american composers, David Felder). Edgar is regularly featured in his local newspaper, occasionally mentioned in bigger ones, and carves out his living as the head administrator of a minuscule university music department in cold, rainy Puerto Montt, Chile. Born in 1988, he's a married father of more than one daughter.
Thank you for joining us on One Symphony and thanks to Edgar Girtain for sharing his music and insights. Thank you to all the incredible performers that made this episode possible. Music was excerpted from Edgar’s Isolation Day 253, his Trios and Barbara Allen for voice and violin. You can check out Edgar’s music online at edgarfgirtainiv.com You can always find more info at OneSymphony.org including a virtual tip jar if you’d like to support the show. Please feel free to rate, review, or share the show! Until next time, thank you for being part of the music!
Tuesday Mar 30, 2021
Barbara Harbach, an American Melodist
Tuesday Mar 30, 2021
Tuesday Mar 30, 2021
The distinguished American composer Barbara Harbach spent her career as a performer, professor, creator of symphonies, operas, string orchestra works, musicals, chamber music, silent film scores, ballets and much more. For decades she has been a trailblazing advocate for women in the arts. Her music can be found on many major labels such as MSR Classics, Naxos & Albany Records, and many more, with two upcoming album releases of chamber and orchestral music! Barbara holds degrees from Yale and Eastman. Along with her Curators Distinguished Professorship at the University of Missouri in St. Louis, she’s received the Hellenic Spirit Foundation Award, YWCA Leader of Distinction award and many more. Thank you for joining us on One Symphony and thanks to Barbara Harbach for sharing her music and performances. Thank you to all the incredible performers and record labels that made this episode possible.
• Twilight Dream from Frontier Fancies was performed by the Slovak Radio Symphony, violinist Frantisek Novotny, and conducted by Kirk Trevor on MSR Classics.
• In Peace and Joy I Now Depart from Barbara’s Suite Luther, Eliza and Lizzie from the Freedom Suite for String Orchestra, Together in Harmony from Symphony for Ferguson, and Midnight Tango from Night Soundings for Orchestra were performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by David Angus
• Ireland Remembered from Incantata was played by the St. Louis Chamber Players, conducted by James Richards.
• O Most Noble Greenness from Visions of Hildegard and Danza Flamenco from Cuatro Danzas para Flauta y Piano were played by flautist Jennifer Mazzoni, violinist Jane Price, and pianist Alla Voskoboynikova
You can check out Barbara’s music online at BarbaraHarbach.com. You can always find more info at OneSymphony.org including a virtual tip jar if you’d like to support the show. Please feel free to rate, review, or share the show! Until next time, thank you for being part of the music!
Tuesday Mar 02, 2021
The Emergence of Electronics in Symphonic Music - with John Clay Allen
Tuesday Mar 02, 2021
Tuesday Mar 02, 2021
Devin speaks with John Clay Allen about musicians and composers who were pioneers in bridging electronic and acoustic sounds, especially around the symphony orchestra. John Clay Allen is a composer, pianist, educator & explorer on the fringes where classical music meets electronic music. Originally from Ruidoso, New Mexico, his music is a synthesis of post-minimalist and spectralist styles, with an underlying predilection for the romantic. His music values the timbral and textural over the traditional note unit, and uses electronics to extend the realm of acoustic possibility. His body of work ranges from pieces for soloist and chamber ensembles to full orchestra, wind symphony, and opera, and his debut album Asnières (silent “s”) was released in 2020. Clay’s compositions have been performed across the United States and internationally at festivals including SEAMUS, CICTeM in Buenos Aires, the Cortona Sessions in Italy, and the New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival. Recent commissions include works for the Boulder Symphony, Pendulum New Music’s Spark Award, sAge Brass, the Boulder Altitude Directive, and Ajax string quartet. Clay has been a fellow at New Music on the Point and the Charlotte New Music. As a performer, Clay frequently appears as a conductor and collaborative pianist, and has performed across the United States. Passionate about education and outreach, Clay has taught lessons and classes in composition, piano, and music technology for nearly a decade and is a founding member of the Equinox New Music Collective, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing new music to new audiences. Clay holds degrees from West Texas A&M University, University of North Texas, and the University of Colorado Boulder where he received his doctorate in composition. Clay currently divides his time teaching at Metropolitan State University of Denver and the University of Colorado Boulder. Thank you for joining us on One Symphony and thanks to John Clay Allen for sharing his music, knowledge, & expertise. Thank you to all the incredible performers and record labels that made this episode possible. Tchaikovsky’s 4th symphony was performed by the Oslo Philharmonic and Mariss Jansons. Respighi’s Pines of Rome was played by the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Herbert Van Karajan. John Adams Transmigration of Souls was performed by the NY Philharmonic and Lorin Maazel on Nonesuch Records. Au Deuxième Etage by Elainie Lillios is from the album Miniatures Concrètes from the Empreintes Digitales label. Pamela Z’s Ethel Dreams of Temporal Distubances is performed by Ethel, Vijay Iyer & Pamela Z from the album Light Cantaloupe Music. Gérard Grisey’s Partiels from Les espaces acoustiques is played by the WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln, conducted by Stefan Asbury on Kairos Records. Warehouse Medicine from the B-Sides by Mason Bates is performed by San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas.The reminder of the tracks come from John Clay Allen’s Asnières, which you can find on all platforms, wherever you listen. You can check out John Clay Allen online at JohnClayAllen.com. You can always find more info at OneSymphony.org including a virtual tip jar if you’d like to support the show. Please feel free to rate, review, or share the show! Until next time, thank you for being part of the music!
Tuesday Jan 12, 2021
Radical Love, a Conversation with Dominique Christina
Tuesday Jan 12, 2021
Tuesday Jan 12, 2021
Dominique Christina is a writer, performer, educator, activist, Mother, troublemaker, agitator, social commentator, star volleyball player, and was a high school and college teacher for ten years. She was the National Poetry Champion in 2011 and Women of the World Slam Champion in 2012 and 2014. Dominique can be found speaking online on TEDX and also on HBO’s High Maintenance. Her books, available everywhere include: -The Bones, the Breaking, the Balm, a Colored Girls Hymnal-Anarcha Speaks-This is Woman’s Work: Calling Forth Your Inner Council of Wise, Brave, Crazy, Rebellious, Loving, Luminous SelvesWe're very excited for you to hear our discussion which covers craft and performance, the etymologies of words, the importance of learning from past poets like Edgar Allen Poe and Beethoven, the relationship between artists and politicians, childhood, motherhood, and more. In additional to some amazing musical selections Dominique shares two of her more recent poems, It’s Morning and Praise Poem at the end of the episode. Thank you for joining us on One Symphony and thank you to Dominique Christina for sharing her amazing performances. Thank you to all the incredible performers and record labels who made this episode possible. Motherless Child was performed by O.V. Wright on Geffen Records. Simply Beautiful comes from Al Green’s I’m Still in Love with You by Fat Possum. Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata was performed by Daniel Barenboim. Got to Give it Up by Marvin Gaye is on Motown Records, a division of UMG Recordings, Incorporated. Shallows is from If You Leave by Daughter from Glassnote Entertainment, Daughter and A World Artists Love. The Other Side is from Little Ghost performed distributed by Moonchild, and Entertainment OneYou can find Dominique Christina’s books, including Anarcha Speaks and This Is Women’s Work on all platforms, wherever books are sold. You can always find more info at OneSymphony.org including a virtual tip jar if you’d like to support the show. Please feel free to rate, review, or share the show! Until next time, thank you for being part of the music!
Wednesday Dec 23, 2020
Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker - A Guided Tour
Wednesday Dec 23, 2020
Wednesday Dec 23, 2020
Devin breaks down Tchaikovsky’s beloved Nutcracker. It wouldn’t be the Christmas Holiday in the western world without the magical sounds of the Nutcracker, composed by the great Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, and centering around Clara, a young girl who falls in love with a Nutcracker Prince and conjures an epic battle against a Mouse King with Seven Heads.We’ll travel into the fantastical worlds of Tchaikovsky, writer and musician E.T.A. Hoffmann, and choreographer Marius Petipa as we bring this marvelous ballet to life. Don’t worry, there will be plenty of holiday sweets to keep you focused!
Thank you to all the incredible record labels and performers who made this episode possible.Ensembles:Orchestra of the Kirov Opera, Apotheosis Orchestra, Ensemble Musica Nigella, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Simón Bolívar Symphony Orchestra of Venezuela, Oslo Philharmonic, Vienna PhilharmonicConductors:Valery Gergiev, Korneel Bernolet, Takénori Némoto, Jan Koetsier, Gustavo Dudamel, Mariss JansonsSoloists: Éléonore Pancrazi, Rita Streich, Melitta Muszely, Raimund Grumbach, (singers);Philippe Bianconi, pianistLabels: Philips, Apotheosis, Klarthe, La Dolce Volta, Classical Moments, Deutsche Grammophon, Chandos, DeccaThank you for joining us. you can always find more info at OneSymphony.org. Please feel free to rate review or share the show! Until next time, thank you for being part of the music!
Wednesday Dec 16, 2020
The Silent Musician, a conversation with conductor Mark Wigglesworth
Wednesday Dec 16, 2020
Wednesday Dec 16, 2020
Devin speaks with award winning, internationally renowned, and in-demand conductor of symphonic and operatic repertoire, and writer Mark Wigglesworth. Mark’s conducting skills and passions take him equally formidably from the music of Mozart all the way to the present day. Maestro Wigglesworth has some incredible recordings featuring all fifteen Shostakovich Symphonies, Mahler’s Sixth Symphonies, Britten’s opera Peter Grimes, and many more. Mark has recently released an incredible book titled the Silent Musician: Why Conducting Matters. This is of interest to conductors, beginning or seasoned, musicians, music lovers, and leaders in any field who want to be more connected to their ensembles and more influential.
During the show, Mark speaks about the influence and art of gesture, and the road to discovering you own. He discusses the history of how to decide on tempo, or speed at which music is played, and how it’s all about the character of the music. Mark covers why silence matters, and the effects of COVID on how rehearsals and performances are executed.
Thank you to all the incredible record labels and performers who made this episode possible. All selections were conducted by our guest, Mark Wigglesworth. The excerpts from the 5th and 10th Symphonies of Dmitri Shostakovich were performed by the BBC National Orchestra of Whales on the BIS Records label. The Piano Concertos of Johannes Brahms were performed by pianist Stephen Hough and the Mozarteumorchester Salzburg. The 13th Symphony Excerpt of Dmitri Shostakovich features bass soloist Jan-Hendrick Rootering and the Netherlands Radio Philharmonic OrchestraYou can find Mark’s book, The Silent Musician: Why Conducting Matters, published by University of Chicago Press wherever you buy books!Thank you for joining us. you can always find more info at OneSymphony.org. You can find Mark at MarkWigglesworth.com. Please feel free to rate review or share the show! Until next time, thank you for being part of the music!
Monday Dec 07, 2020
The Artist & the Composer, a conversation with Will Day and Jonathan Bingham
Monday Dec 07, 2020
Monday Dec 07, 2020
Devin speaks about contemporary and historical interactions between music and the art world, featuring two creative entrepreneurs that are paving the way in their respective fields, Contemporary visual artist Will Day, and composer Jonathan Bingham. Jonathan discusses his formative inspirations, including the music of John Williams. Will Day's wife, Aimee, barely survived the 9/11 attacks in tower two and this profoundly affected him as he became an architect and then visual artist. Their stories will inspire you to find the artist within, discard your fears, follow your passion, and find your life purpose. The podcast episode’s conception revolved around the “Quaternity” project that was created by Devin Patrick Hughes, Boulder Symphony, Jonathan Bingham, and Will Day. The artwork can be viewed on Will’s website: WillDayArt.comThank you to all the incredible performers who made this episode possible including JACK Quartet, New York University Contemporary Ensemble, conductor Jonathan Haas, violinist Charles Wetherbee, Boulder Symphony, tenor Luciano Pavarotti, conductor and composer John Williams, London Symphony Orchestra, conductor Richard Bonynge, and the English Chamber Orchestra. Also shoutout to the Decca label.Musical excerpts were taken from Jonathan Bingham’s “Music for Four Instruments”, String Quartet No. 1, Third Movement, “Untitled”, Violin Concerto; film scores including I’m Not Special & I Feel Better, and Quaternity.Additional musical passages come from John Williams’ Across the Stars from Star Wars Attack of the Clones and Gaetano Donizetti’s una furtiva Lagrima from l’Elisir D’Amore Thank you for joining us. you can always find more info at OneSymphony.org. For info on composer Jonathan Bingham you can find him online at Jonathan-bingham.com. You can contemporary fine artist Will Day at WillDayArt.com. Please feel free to rate review or share the show! Until next time, thank you for being part of the music!
Featured Episode
Join writer and performer Dominique Christina, in a discussion which covers craft and performance, the etymologies of words, the importance of learning from past poets like Edgar Allen Poe and Beethoven, and the relationship between artists and politicians.
In additional to some amazing musical selections Dominique shares two of her more recent poems, It’s Morning and Praise Poem at the end of the episode.
“Sometimes the most radical thing you can do is to be still and listen, to be soft, to be nurturing, to be caring, to be empathetic, to keep your heart open, to keep your hands open. That’s radical stuff, it’s not the smashing of things, the breaking of things, the setting of fires, it’s not. The most radical stuff is to lead with love, to be human, to remain human, when there’s so many opportunities for you to be brutish, or disconnected from your heart, to remain available is radical.”