The Composer’s Cut

Composer Chaya Czernowin on Embracing Risk, Musical Creatures, and Warping Musical Space

In episode no. 6 of The Composer’s Cut, I sat down with the legendary composer Chaya Czernowin to discuss her music. She spoke of how she conceives of her music almost like creatures that she materializes through the medium of sound, the risk and danger of pursuing certain paths or ideas, warping time and space in music, creating equal forces between orchestra and voice—and much more! 
 
Learn more about your host:
https://www.mathew-arrellin.com/
 
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Pieces discussed in this episode:
Atara (2020/21) for orchestra and 2 amplified voices
https://youtu.be/MoVxSO16dYU?si=nlx2OMKE5wEcogUH
 
EZOV (Moss) (2024) for string quartet
https://youtu.be/ecx01uP2EdE?si=hMRw8Eew6XVEGJtf
 
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More recommended listens:
Seltene Erde: alchimia communicationis (2022)
https://youtu.be/pvfH3CggaTg?si=Hw-Wj_BIi7zRelEX
 
Poetica (2024)
https://youtu.be/Rgb1Mhx9pWA?si=KB_Jq3oMSmSqDLSg
 
Moths of Hunger and Awe (2023/24)
https://youtu.be/PpYD3EiChPo?si=9MslHlPn9VkuhoPl
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Chaya’s Website:
https://www.chayaczernowin.com/
 
Subscribe to Chaya’s YouTube channel! 👇🏻
https://www.youtube.com/@chayaczernowin777
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Upcoming performances of NO! A Lament for the Innocent
April 29, 2025
LA Phil World Premiere, Daníel Bjarnason conducting
Los Angeles, USA
https://www.laphil.com/events/performances/3120/2025-04-29/vocal-dimensions
 
June 21, 2025
WDR Sinfonieorchester, conducted by Maxime Pascal
Cologne, Germany
https://www1.wdr.de/orchester-und-chor/sinfonieorchester/konzerte/termine/children-of-europe-100.html
 
October 28, 2025
Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Marin Alsop conducting
Katowice, Poland
https://nospr.org.pl/en
 
February 20, 2026
Orchestra Philharmonie de Paris, Alan Gilbert conducting
Paris, France
https://philharmoniedeparis.fr/fr
 
 
March 26, 2026
ORF orchestra, conducted by Maxime Pascal
Vienna, Austria
https://rso.orf.at/en/rsowien
 
The piece was commissioned by these five orchestras.
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Many more performances of Chaya’s music to keep an eye out for:
https://www.chayaczernowin.com/2025

Entangling Sound, Self, and Movement: Niki Harlafti on Her Interdisciplinary Practice

In episode no. 5 of The Composer's Cut, I sat down with interdisciplinary composer Niki Harlafti (Charlafti) to talk about her music, her compositional process, and her recent projects. We spoke about her approach to form, compositional process, how she weaves musical elements together, her use of text, and the innate interdisciplinarity of her work.
 
Don't forget to follow the podcast and subscribe to my newsletter so you don't miss any episodes!   
Learn more about your host:
https://www.mathew-arrellin.com/
Subscribe to my newsletter so you don't miss any updates!
https://www.mathew-arrellin.com/subscribe
_____
Listen on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-composers-cut/id1801060567
Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/70xyWmB1AJr526TVZWO2IT
Listen on Amazon Music:
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/1cd45d7e-6457-4ab3-a39a-d18518463e24
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Pieces mentioned in the episode:
Kintsugi for 11 Saxophones
https://youtu.be/32b7GPn95iw?si=25yOi1pTAs2KDC-I
Tee Khe Theemen
https://www.nikiharlafti.com/music/tee-khe-theemen-neuevocalsolisten-adonis-lament
The Blood of Others
https://www.instagram.com/p/DHUgVSOAH4wdP11AWzNf79YWVKt__gJNoe-MwE0/
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More recommended listens:
https://www.nikiharlafti.com/music/demilitarized-zone
https://www.nikiharlafti.com/videos/v/enduring-freedom-harlafti-mullen
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https://www.nikiharlafti.com/
 

Alex Mincek on Form, the Elasticity of Time, and Repetition

In episode no. 4 of The Composer's Cut, I sat down with composer-saxophonist and co-director of the Wet Ink Ensemble Alex Mincek to talk about his approach to form, relationships between the surface and the structure of his music, the role of repetition in his music, his relationship with the visual arts, and some recent works!
Learn more about your host:
https://www.mathew-arrellin.com/
Subscribe to my newsletter so you don't miss any updates!
https://www.mathew-arrellin.com/subscribe
_____
Listen on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-composers-cut/id1801060567
Listen on Spotify:
https://open.spotify.com/show/70xyWmB1AJr526TVZWO2IT
Listen on Amazon Music:
https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/1cd45d7e-6457-4ab3-a39a-d18518463e24
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Pieces mentioned in the episode:
point, point, point, point
https://wetinkensemble.bandcamp.com/track/point-point-point-point
Pendulum XI: Strato for string quartet and electric guitar
https://youtu.be/o8POsy9n2R0?si=5YoAvxi2RPUy0MaI
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More recommended listens:
Nomadic Science
https://youtu.be/t8hBNMqX-dc?si=JosKDuX7a2DgzF_e
Trace
https://youtu.be/UJfDTQzmvu0?si=k9VXsagzGRHtC9wl

José-Luis Hurtado: Bridging Sound and Vision in Composition

In episode no. 3 of The Composer's Cut, I sat down with composer/pianist José-Luis Hurtado to talk about his compositional process, his relationship with the visual arts, and some recent works!
Learn more about your host:
https://www.mathew-arrellin.com/
 
Subscribe to my newsletter so you don't miss any updates!
https://www.mathew-arrellin.com/subscribe
 
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José-Luis' website:
https://www.joseluishurtado.net/
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Pieces mentioned in the episode:
The Untitled 3B for 3 Bassoons:
https://youtu.be/NyXyH1BJU2s?si=2cuZGzTyuL1-mCnh
Solar Mass for Orchestra:
https://youtu.be/9tNbhGjwAgo?si=XYtUXY1VnX1ZHWBx
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Inside Eric Wubbels’ Music: Process, Improvisation, and Meaning Today

In the second episode of The Composer's Cut podcast, I sit down with composer-pianist Eric Wubbels of the Wet Ink Ensemble to talk about his compositional process! 
Learn more about your host here:
https://www.mathew-arrellin.com/
 
Subscribe to my newsletter so you don't miss any updates! https://www.mathew-arrellin.com/subscribe
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Eric's website:
http://www.wubbelsmusic.com/
 
Here are some upcoming events of Eric's music that you don't want to miss!
Altarpiece H. af K. (for three amplified bassoons), premiere + Midwest tour
3/20- Cleveland Uncommon Sound Project
3/21- Fairchild Chapel, Oberlin College
3/22- Independent Media Center, Urbana, IL
3/23- Elastic Arts, Chicago
 
Release to keep an eye out for:
Wet Ink Ensemble is releasing album "Action, Choice, Thought" on Carrier Records in May 2025.
https://carrierrecords.bandcamp.com/
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Pieces mentioned in this episode: being-time (9:48): https://ericwubbels.bandcamp.com/album/being-time
contraposition (27:15): https://vimeo.com/174134801
chimeric forms (36:14)
 

Composer Anna-Louise Walton on the Art of Working with Limited Materials

In the inaugural episode of my new podcast The Composer's Cut, I talk with Anna-Louise Walton about her compositional process and working with limited materials.
Learn more about your host here:
https://www.mathew-arrellin.com/
 
Subscribe to my newsletter so you don't miss any updates! https://www.mathew-arrellin.com/subscribe
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Check out her music on her website or here on YouTube! https://www.annalouisewalton.com/audio https://www.annalouisewalton.com/video
The pieces mentioned:
Jökulsárlón: https://youtu.be/BP9b-C1nprs?si=sekECMq26N_DXlnX
Flex: https://youtu.be/r_0JHJ2maAo?si=-h1gq98EXF5QjkNt
Bliss: https://youtu.be/_l41Zozalj0?si=GcEIvUKeL7X2HbkU
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