One Block to Rule Them All: The Single-Block Form in African Music - Alice (Bai) Xue

In this week’s episode, Tan Nazare explores the musical and visual mechanics of anime opening credits, analyzing how specific harmonic progressions, textures, and structures are used to engage viewers and support the narrative.This episode was produced by Jose Garza along with Team Lead Leah Frederick. Special thanks to peer reviewers Stephen Ai and Clair Nguyen.SMT-Pod’s theme music was written by Maria Tartaglia, with closing music by Yike Zhang. For supplementary materials on this episode and more information on our authors and composers, check out our website: https://smt-pod.org/episodes/

In this week's episode, Sasha Drozzina considers the larger political symbolism of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s four-act ballet Swan Lake and the recent sampling of the ballet’s “Dance of the Little Swans” and its subversive use by a Russian rapper and singer-songwriter, Noize MC in his 2023 song “Kooperativ “Lebedinnoe Ozero”” (Cooperative “Swan Lake” in English)This episode was produced by Mark Micchelli along with Team Lead Jennifer Weaver. Special thanks to peer reviewers Ellen Bakulina and Orit Hilewicz.SMT-Pod’s theme music was written by Maria Tartaglia, with closing music by Yike Zhang. For supplementary materials on this episode and more information on our authors and composers, check out our website: https://smt-pod.org/episodes/

In this week's episode, Alice Xue introduces the “single-block form” in African music, and shows through 8 examples how repetition generates complexity, meaning, expressive power and participation.This episode was produced by Mark Micchelli along with Team Lead Caitlin Martinkus. Special thanks to peer reviewers Martin Scherzinger and John Heilig.SMT-Pod’s theme music was written by Maria Tartaglia, with closing music by Yike Zhang. For supplementary materials on this episode and more information on our authors and composers, check out our website: https://smt-pod.org/episodes/

In this week’s episode, Hang Ki Choi explores how the silences in Arvo Pärt’s "Ludus" play with our sense of musical beginnings and endings.This episode was produced by Jason Jedlicka along with Team Lead Orit Hilewicz. Special thanks to peer reviewers Robert Sholl and John Heilig.SMT-Pod’s theme music was written by Maria Tartaglia, with closing music by Yike Zhang. For supplementary materials on this episode and more information on our authors and composers, check out our website: https://smt-pod.org/episodes/

In this week’s episode, Luis Matos-Tovar gives us a look into Judith Weir’s The Black Spider, a children's opera that challenges gendered expectations of women dying and men surviving that is common in many traditional operas. Weir does this in a manner that is musically accessible to younger performers with a story that is playful, somber, and triumphant.This episode was produced by Zach Lloyd along with Team Lead Matthew Ferrandino. Special thanks to peer reviewers Colleen Renihan and Evan Ware.SMT-Pod’s theme music was written by Maria Tartaglia, with closing music by Yike Zhang. For supplementary materials on this episode and more information on our authors and composers, check out our website: https://smt-pod.org/episodes/

In this week’s episode, Brandon Scribner analyzes Laura Kaminsky’s opera, As One, which uses music (specifically texture and timbre) to trace the experience of Hannah’s gender transition.This episode was produced by Zach Lloyd along with Team Lead Anna Rose Nelson. Special thanks to peer reviewers Vivian Luong and Joseph Straus.SMT-Pod’s theme music was written by Maria Tartaglia, with closing music by Yike Zhang. For supplementary materials on this episode and more information on our authors and composers, check out our website: https://smt-pod.org/episodes/

In this week's episode, Zachary Simonds uses tools developed by Robert Hatten to analyze Mary, Queen of Scots by Thea Musgrave, focusing on the melodically ascending octave and its use as a complex narrative device throughout the opera.This episode was produced by Jose Garza along with Team Lead Matthew Ferrandino. Special thanks to peer reviewers Colleen Renihan and Evan Ware.SMT-Pod’s theme music was written by Maria Tartaglia, with closing music by Yike Zhang. For supplementary materials on this episode and more information on our authors and composers, check out our website: https://smt-pod.org/episodes/

In this week’s episode, Isabel Milbourn examines Thea Musgrave’s opera Harriet, The Woman Called Moses: a story of Harriet Tubman that delves into both her heroic actions and her personal life, differentiated through musical motives and interactions between Harriet and the opera chorus.This episode was produced by Zach Lloyd along with Team Lead Anna Rose Nelson. Special thanks to peer reviewers Vivian Luong and Joseph Straus.SMT-Pod’s theme music was written by Maria Tartaglia, with closing music by Yike Zhang. For supplementary materials on this episode and more information on our authors and composers, check out our website: https://smt-pod.org/episodes/

In this week's episode, Aaron D'Zurilla explores how the vocal utterances and non-verbal vocalisms in Ellen Reid’s opera p r i s m (2018) convey the complexities of the trauma experienced by survivors of sexual assault.This episode was produced by Zach Lloyd along with Team Lead Matthew Ferrandino. Special thanks to peer reviewers Colleen Renihan and Evan Ware.SMT-Pod’s theme music was written by Maria Tartaglia, with closing music by Yike Zhang. For supplementary materials on this episode and more information on our authors and composers, check out our website: https://smt-pod.org/episodes/

In this week’s episode, you'll hear from Rachel Lumsden about this SMT-Pod's season's Student Seminar Series, and you'll also get to hear from each of the seminar scholars about what to expect in their upcoming episodes. This episode was produced by Zach Lloyd.SMT-Pod’s theme music was written by Maria Tartaglia, with closing music by Yike Zhang. For supplementary materials on this episode and more information on our authors and composers, check out our website: https://smt-pod.org/episodes/