Theorizing African American Music: Beginnings (1) - Philip Ewell (with appearances by Christopher Jenkins, Lydia Bangura, and Susan McClary)

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/