An eclectic and versatile performer, NYC-based clarinetist Chris Grymes has made a name for himself in the new music scene, as a performer, show producer, and the founder of Open G Records, which he started in 2012. Today he talks about his decades-long friendship with Joan Tower, the surprisingly inherent music of Jiu-Jitsu, and the guiding principle that drives his choice of projects: making nice stuff with his friends. He considers himself the funny uncle of the new music world and hopes, first and foremost, to leave behind “something that’s not dumb”.

National Sawdust: https://www.nationalsawdust.org/

Boulez,Dialogue de l'ombre double: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJKhUZEhtX8

Open G Records: https://www.youtube.com/@OpenGRecords

Radiohead, OK Computer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDRauh2lETo&list=PLD3LS5Z2bqoFChIzb5H0CY-XwmUB02buA

Brahms, op. 118: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b76pK6FRGJc&list=PLabI4D17uS1IEfjbHmdKQk_aP-RcpsByO

Stravinsky, Firebird (full): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFEUfvMnCmM&list=PLt_iN-ytBvZxkr4sS-It8d8rvDDhuu1VI

Season 3 of Music Crush is coming soon!

In this season finale episode, Nicole is puzzling over how to keep a healthy balance between ambition and personal boundaries. Elizabeth is starting to see her past experiences through a more nuanced lens. No one is everyone’s cup of tea, and this conversation is all about being kind to yourself and acknowledging the things you can’t control…this is middle age, folks!

Up-and-coming composer, Dianna Link, won FNMC’s Composition Competition in 2023 with her flute-piano piece, “Old As Time”. It’s a feminist reimagining of the tale of Beauty and the Beast, and she spoke with us about her interest in exploring themes of resilience and self-determination in her reworking of this classic fairy tale. She also discusses the existential crisis of having to fit neatly into one box in school, her inspiring time spent studying through OAcademy and Boulanger Initiative, her history of taking liberties with the score, and music-crushes on her main mentors, Annika Socolofsky and Alex Gardner.

https://www.diannalink.com/

Boulanger Initiative: https://www.boulangerinitiative.org/

OAcademy: https://oacademy.live/

Tophouse, “The Mountain Song”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaDC_e4SjBQ

Twisted Pine, “Come Along Jody”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6-OLP2FTI8

How to Train Your Dragon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQxr-HeSp68

Composer Reena Esmail sat down with us today to fill in some background for the beautiful new solo flute piece that FNMC recently commissioned, Pathways of Desire. She also shared some surprising insights on the differences (musical and pedagogical) between Western and Hindustani classical musics, discussed the value of carving your own path, and revealed the secret to pleasing her with your performance! A teacher at heart, she’s curious about ways the old conservatory model of teaching could be updated, and recognizes a big truth she learned years ago as a student: it’s easier to learn when the teacher believes in you. If you're looking for some positive inspiration in the middle of a hard week, this episode is for you.

https://www.reenaesmail.com/

The Observable Universe: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/723150/the-observable-universe-by-heather-mccalden/

Reena’s Sonata for Trombone: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ze0de_DFbFQ

Thomas Adès, Inferno: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6r2vc_oulPg

Schumann piano Quartet, mvt. 3: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MKZAG8Oqu8

Mendelssohn B minor piano trio, mvt. 1: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_LDPTbFtprE

Flutist Christine Erlander Beard enjoys an active international career as a soloist, chamber artist and teacher. You may know her from her current commissioning project, #theflutistactivist initiative. Today she joins Elizabeth and Nicole to discuss her social advocacy work, both on and off stage, her lifelong love affair with the piccolo, and the importance of teaching the whole person, with your whole self.

https://www.christiebeard.net/

Linthicum-Blackhorse, C10H15n: https://youtu.be/PWq8kY1htHA?si=psJO3DwNK75Zc2ci

Jan Novak, Marsyas: https://youtu.be/xsx4vMZXfds?si=3uOAkM2wzOQNTJlr

EJ Louwerse, 50 Fish: https://youtu.be/qyCgAvrjAVQ?si=WRYYBxCmjjt3TyT3

Erwin Schulhoff, Sonata: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9A9F5YlbVo

Expat flutist Chelsea Czuchra is puzzling over the divide between “classical” and popular music in Western culture and how to build an authentic bridge to art music in our communities that doesn’t involve academia. We don’t exactly figure out the answer in this delightful chat, but we’re confident you will be as charmed and fascinated by her Switzerland-based work as we were!

Making Music in Looking Glass Land: https://archive.org/details/makingmusicinloo0000high

Be Spoken: https://www.letsbespoken.org/

Angela Beeching: https://angelabeeching.com/

Kaija Saariaho: Flute Concerto : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7sjyGRUoRI

Meshell Ndegéocello - No More Water: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDhajrZgo0TK7cAyIl8dE7fikx_pvdt4M&si=ur0hnpHyHnCRnUEC

Jessica Myers, My Heart is the Churning Sea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vFJKjahuwM

Polish flutist Alicia Molitorys speaks with us today about how she got interested in new music despite the lack of early support, the amazing and unique perspective of growing up in Poland and then studying in the West as a young adult, and fills us in a little bit on one of her latest projects, “Dark Sky” with composer Allison Ogden. We got interested in Alicja’s work after she applied to perform at FNMC’s New Music Festival, a long, long trip for her which will be generously supported by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute through their "Polish culture worldwide" fund (thank you Mr. Mickiewicz!).

Alicja: https://contemporaryartmusicproject.org/alicja-molitorys/

Wissam Boustany: https://www.wissamboustany.com/

Brian Ferneyhough, Cassandra’s Dream Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IKVMdH60-A

Agata Zubel "Not I":

https://open.spotify.com/track/1mPQCAuI9ZnOuLrikm6UD9?si=607f4fac6a674eb5

Sławomir Kupczak "Halny" for electronics and improvising flutist (2017): https://soundcloud.com/user-395603716/s-awomir-kupczak-halny-for?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Nikolet Burzyńska "Green Mazurka" for flute, cello and piano:

https://youtu.be/XBKLEh0_XnA?si=bkVlYgg78pUFn07I

KIOLOIK with the score and recording:

Kioloik (hendrich.pl)