As It Comes Podcast: Life from a Musician's Point of View – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome back to the podcast! (Welcome back Davina, that is)

Producer/arranger/multi-instrumentalist/composer/cat lover Fred Thomas is my guest this episode. We spoke about his musical journey, which includes growing up in a household of a former CBSO concertmaster, making music playlists to fall asleep to, as well as how the key to learning lots of musical instruments is learning how to "cheat". Fred also spoke about his pandemic experience, as well as what he'd like to be if he weren't a musician.

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Featured track:

Overture no.3 BWV1068 ‘Air’

Fred Thomas

Find out more about Fred's work, including his new album 'Three or One'

We're back! Episode 54 features flute player, pianist, teacher, musician Bethany Norman. We chatted about her anti-climactic graduation from music college mid-pandemic, the challenges of being a recent music grad in the current climate, being versatile (including teaching your secondary instrument) and what Bethany would be if she weren't a musician.

If you fancy supporting the podcast, you can do so here: ko-fi.com/asitcomespod. Leave me a nice review or rating on Apple Podcasts!

Follow and like the podcast on Facebook and Instagram @asitcomespod

Mentioned in this episode:

Bethany's Instagram: @bethanynmusic

Bethany's website: www.bethanynmusic.com

Just Playing It By Ear Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/just-playing-it-by-ear/id1554768830

Episode 45 features three cellists in the room! Two of which, Urška Horvat and Helena Švigelj perform collectively as Duo Furioso. We chatted about having to embody a whole string quartet within the instrumentation of two cellos, POPPER (yep), the challenge of capturing live spontaneity when performing in front of a camera, as well as Urška and Helena’s advice to ensembles for staying motivated during the pandemic. Topics also include sushi, humidifiers (OMG) and having cellos by the same maker.

Mentioned in this episode:

Facebook.com/celloduofurioso

Instagram: @duo_furioso

YouTube: Duo Furioso https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCO4-EIyqvxydg-XKKAy9sOg

Episode 44 features international piano superstar Anna Tsybuleva. We chatted about her attachment to nature and the cosmos, recent motherhood, as well as her preparation for Leeds International Piano competition which she won in 2015 with her performance of Brahms’ Piano Concerto number 2. This is a piece very close to Anna’s heart, as she managed to record it shortly before the pandemic in 2020. She also shares a very valuable message of saving your power when performing a big work.

Like what you hear? Buy the podcast a coffee: ko-fi.com/asitcomespod

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Photo credit: Emil Matveev

Mentioned in this episode:

Facebook.com/annatsybuleva

Instagram: @anna_tsybuleva

First single from Anna’s upcoming album 28th May: smarturl.it/AnnaTsybulevaBrahms

Composer Oliver Davis joins me for Episode 43 to chat about finding his own compositional voice (via 1980s synthesisers), writing for ballet choreography, and the absolute mission of writing, recording and producing his new album Solace during a global pandemic; drawing inspiration from Greek mythology, traveling to the Isle of Bute, and curiously, a game of Scrabble. You’ll also hear about Ollie’s favourite live performance he ever went to!

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Mentioned in this episode:

Oliverdavismusic.com

@oliverdavismusic

Solace: https://open.spotify.com/album/74VziC5rrMeen3wplY5f5q?si=OFdwRzwaSMG3eAvOJwRenQ

Photo credit: Frances Marshall

As a commentary on the times we currently live in, in preparation for some work this week, my nostrils have well and truly been penetrated.

Horn player, conductor, researcher and fellow podcaster Dwight Pile-Gray is my guest for Episode 42. He’s the creator of “The Black Maestro” podcast, and recently we chatted about the way the pandemic is changing up approaches to classical music, creating space in the industry and promoting excellence. This episode is also accompanied by a Spotify playlist of Dwight’s musical picks by composers Nathaniel Dett and Florence Price.

Like what you hear? Buy the podcast a coffee! ko-fi.com/asitcomespod.

Remember to rate, review and subscribe, and give the pod a like and a follow on Instagram and Facebook @asitcomespod.

Mentioned in this episode:

Dwight’s website: http://blackclassicalmusic.uk/

The Black Maestro Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0KfWJQ0EUv4RISeh3xUpXV?si=Y4-9ikcNRGK-XWep1vDs_g

Episode 42 playlist – music by Nathaniel Dett and Florence Price: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/642aIKaq9EomT41WX7NlKJ?si=vN1cMg3-QMaWXj54ABXcAg

Colorado Symphony’s short excerpt of Florence Price’s Symphony no.1, 3rd movement, with dance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FhXC3d46Po0

I had a chat with music researcher Leah Broad recently, about her journey into academia, the thrill of finding new music, and her upcoming book shining a light on four composers: Ethel Smyth, Rebecca Clarke, Dorothy Howell and Doreen Carwithen. Listen and learn a little more about these composers, including which social media platform we reckon they’d be suited to best if they were around today.

Accompanying this episode is a special playlist including some pieces from these composers, plus some examples of the British Phantasy – something that I’ve been curious about for a while.

Support the podcast at ko-fi.com/asitcomespod, and remember to rate, review and subscribe!

Mentioned in this episode:

@LeahBroad

Leahbroad.wordpress.com

Episode 41 playlist: pieces by Smyth, Clarke, Howell, Carwithen, plus some Phantasies: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7etuKGvvpwbVK0FCowBMpO?si=RV2_3WbRT9qxSuZwZs4Viw

Laura Sneddon: “British Women Composers and Instrumental Chamber Music in the Early 20th Century”

BBC Radio 3’s Time Travellers podcast: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p069vjyc/episodes/player

This episode is all about Southbank Sinfonia, the one-year orchestral fellowship where 33 musicians from around the world come together to embark on a journey of professional development and creative fulfilment. I’m joined by two members of the 2020/21 cohort, Canadian percussionist Alec Joly Pavelich and British viola player George White. We spoke about their unusual situation of being part of the fellowship during the pandemic, what they can’t wait for in 2021, as well as their recommendations for keeping on top of your mental, physical and social wellbeing during this time.

As a Southbank alumna, I share with you my (rather lengthy) tumultuous journey from Sydney to London that led me to taking up a place in the 2013 recruit.

Special thanks to Marcus Norman and Kate Walker for their assistance in this episode.

Support the podcast! Ko-fi.com/asitcomespod

All episodes and transcripts here: asitcomes.com

Remember to rate, review and subscribe on Apple Podcasts and Spotify

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Mentioned in this episode:

Southbanksinfonia.co.uk

Instagram: @southbanksinfonia

Twitter: @southbanksinf

Facebook: @SouthbankSinfonia

@alecjoly

@georgehenrywhite

Yoga with Adriene: https://www.youtube.com/user/yogawithadriene

“Wood Works” by the Danish String Quartet: https://open.spotify.com/album/2Wf5EwRWblXDs1aiAAvxal?si=Flc-mOpCSia5MnYGzCbOcg

Stop! Tax time! Doing your tax return for 2019-20 is a retrospective into another world...

Episode 39 features composer, arranger and orchestrator Peter Riley. We met up in person in early-December (back when you could) for an al fresco park podcast, where we spoke about so many topics, including Peter's work arranging and orchestrating for Squarepusher, Pete Tong, Jules Buckley and the Heritage Orchestra, sticking to crazy deadlines, being a musician with a mortgage, and how making music is sometimes like gardening. We also spoke about the lovely distractions that help you get through when life is spent mostly in front of a computer screen.

Like what you hear? Support the podcast! Buy me a coffee/some treats for Assistant Purr-ducer Romeo: ko-fi.com/asitcomespod

Follow and like the podcast on Instagram and Facebook: @asitcomespod.

Mentioned in this episode:

http://www.peterrileymusic.co.uk/

Peter’s Instagram and Facebook: @peterrileymusic

Twitter: @musicpete

YouTube: @musicpete86

Squarepusher Ufabulum: https://open.spotify.com/album/7ajrfqR7FCY4KuzZsVAFSH?si=0C_RDo2eTUqjlx2zdabE5w

Excerpt with Southbank Sinfonia 2013: https://youtu.be/GMF-UOPMDFA

Episode 31 with Daniel Rainey: https://www.podbean.com/eu/pb-xksnd-f0c20d

Welcome to the January slump, 2021 edition!

My guest for Episode 38 is Lucy Drever. She’s a workshop leader and presenter who heads up musicianship at the Benedetti Foundation. We chatted in December 2020 about how she got into community-based music making, creating a music making environment with a level playing field, challenging prior perceptions of music education as well as how to stay motivated musically during times of fluctuating restrictions. Find out also about a delightful cheesy snack that you can find if you’re ever in Glasgow.

Like what you hear? Remember to rate, review and subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

Follow the podcast on Instagram and Facebook @asitcomespod.

Special thanks to Rebecca Driver Media Relations for their help in this episode.

Mentioned in this episode:

Lucydrever.com

@lucy_drever

Benedettifoundation.org

https://wigmore-hall.org.uk/learning/trainee-music-leader