I've started a new podcast called The Tabletop Takeaway with my game design friends Ananda Guneratne and Trevor Muller-Hegel. We have 20-minute conversations about a game we just played (like chess, Kingdomino, Carcassonne, etc.) and talk about our takeaways as game designers. It's pretty nerdy, but check it out if you're into board games and are curious about what makes them tick.
I've been working with the Crimes of the Centuries podcast to recreate some sweet old songs that don't exist in recorded form. The first song is 1875's "Bring Back Our Darling," about 4-year-old Charley Ross, the first child kidnapped for ransom. My vocal and piano renditions of the song appear in the first few minutes of Episode 9.
It's finally here. Four years and 166 episodes later, we've arrived at the finale of the Composer Quest podcast. Before I get too sappy about it, I want to let you know what you'll be in for in this monster episode. It rounds out the end of my world tour, after my journey home to Minnesota. This episode is definitely one for the fans; most of my interviewees in this episode have been prior Composer Quest guests, and I ask them what they've been up to. I don't want to give away too much about how the episode unfolds, but I am really excited for you to listen, when you have 4 hours and 42 minutes to spare.
Ever since I heard music psychologist Dr. Diana Deutsch on Radiolab, I've been fascinated by musical illusions. In this penultimate episode of Composer Quest, I got to visit Diana in person! Join me on a trip that starts at a Halloween organ concert in San Diego and ends in Phoenix with an unprecedented songwriting/podcasting experiment.
This episode marks my return to the US after my trip to Australia and Asia. Despite the jet lag, I was able to get 5 interviews in for this episode. Also, Jeff Goldblum?! And you'll just have to listen for yourself to find out why this episode is called "Squirrels in California."
The second act of my Taiwan adventure features more interviews with music makers in Taipei, plus an interview with me about interviewing. We also discuss the jingles heard everywhere in Taipei, from the train stations to the 7-Elevens to the garbage trucks.
Join me on a musical tour through Taiwan in today's episode of Composer Quest. I stumbled into a music festival celebrating Hakka culture, and I got to record a bunch of interesting ensembles, including the Taiwanese jazz group Sizhukong. Plenty of other surprises come up in this episode, including an impromptu flight to another country...
Australia has been my dream vacation spot since I was about six years old. In today's episode of the Composer Quest World Tour, you'll get an audio peek into my adventures staying with musical families in Melbourne and Poatina Village, Tasmania.
If you've ever thought about moving to Los Angeles to pursue a creative career, today's episode will give you a glimpse into that world. I talk with six creators about what it takes to turn art into your job, while staying motivated and creatively fulfilled.
From pig racing to public-access TV, this three-hour episode chronicles my adventure around New England. I talk with four different songwriters about their process, and I co-create two songs from scratch along the way.