Dr. Amelia Brey, Professor Noriko Manabe
Hello Everyone,
If you have not already, I encourage you to use the following link to listen to the most recent episode of the TCC Podcast, featuring Dr. Amelia Brey and her piece Becoming Tangible.
https://www.tccollaboration.com/tcc-38-becoming-tangible-dr-amelia-brey/
It was a pleasure to talk with Dr. Brey on this episode, and I have been continuing to think about our discussion near the end of the episode concerning the deification of composers.
This idea, or issue, can even be extended beyond classical music and into the popular music world. Often just referred to as “celebrity culture”, much of this deification of modern popstars runs parallel to the similar praise of the classical “giants”. Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Stravinsky, etc. and so on. This is an attitude that, at least personally, feels unavoidable with any fans of art but, as discussed in the episode, this phenomenon in the classical world often leads to damaging outcomes in terms of education. Listing the reasons for why this can be damaging feels repetitive at this point, as it should be evident to most by now: homogeny, Euro-centrism, gender exclusion, racial exclusion, and conditioning compositional value with these issues present. This, of course, is brushing up against the many issues within the debate of “The Classical Canon” and its reign over music theory classrooms. Certainly, a loaded topic, but navigating such issues would becoming gradually easier if we refrained from placing such composers on pedestals for all to see and, especially in the academic sense, praise. I will always be thankful to the compositionally-focused program at University of Florida in my undergrad, because, as I said in the episode, Caroline Shaw is a bigger deal to me than Brahms. Personally, I don’t understand why that is or should be a problem. There’s nothing wrong with preferring Brahms (always need to add that caveat), but let’s continue to open our eyes for the sake of future generations.
Thank you again to Dr. Amelia Brey for coming back onto the podcast and for sharing her piece Becoming Tangible.
I am excited to preview that the next episode of the TCC Podcast is going to feature the music theorist Professor Noriko Manabe! I am incredibly honored and excited to have Professor Manabe on the podcast. I have immense respect and admiration for her work in music theory, musicological and sociology; particularly her contributions to rap scholarship on Kendrick Lamar. It was exciting to talk to her in this upcoming episode about her research, perspectives on recent political movements, progress in music theory and Kendrick Lamar’s 2025 Superbowl performance. As you might be able to tell, this is very exciting for me, and I would love to share more about the episode but it will have to wait until this coming Monday!
Again, don’t forget to listen to the most previous episode if you missed it, featuring Dr. Amelia Brey and her piece Becoming Tangible. Make sure to follow our social media links below and the podcast streaming platform of your choice to keep up-to-date on new episodes and blog posts from the TCC. Additionally, set your calendar and or streaming subscriptions to this coming Monday, July 7th, for the episode featuring Professor Noriko Manabe. You won’t want to miss it, and we’ll see you there!
- Aaron D’Zurilla
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Aaron D'Zurilla
TCC Founder/Music Theorist
Hello, my name is Aaron D'Zurilla and I am the primary host and founder of the Theorist Composer Collaboration. I created the Theorist Composer Collaboration out of a love of the connection between the artist and their art. Music theory, in my view, is a lens and avenue in which to understand people and their experiences. Often, as music theorists, and individuals attempting to find success in a historically hierarchical field, we find ourselves turning-away from modern music and artists when choosing what to study. As many academics could attest, the decision to study or analyze a work goes beyond that simple decision. It is a choice to highlight, spotlight, platform, and even promote the continuation of a commodity or idea, even if it is in a critical light. While there is plenty of space for such scholarship, and new inventive work in the field of music theory is developed everyday across the world in numerous topics, there is a stark lack of attention to the new music of today.
My personal rationale can be surmised in that we should not wait for music to be 40,50,80+ years old to begin pondering the creation of the art of today. Why wait to engage with literal generations of new composers, creating worlds of novel sounds and experiences everyday across the world? Generally, when looking at where composers and their compositions find support, it is within the composition community, across academia, festivals and through online platforms specific to the field. The hope of the TCC is to expand the support for modern, living compositions and academics outsi… Read More
TCC Roundtable, Dr. Amelia Brey
