The Music Show

Kate Miller-Heidke's new album, the first since 2020's Child In Reverse a a very theatrical and sometimes funny slice of gothic-folk called The Kiss and the Abyss. In between live performances of two new songs, Kate talks about referencing Handel and planning for the end of the world.
Pianist Maki Namekawa has an enduring relationship with Philip Glass - performing the world premiere of several of his pieces, including the Piano Etudes. Namekawa is in Australia to perform the first 10 of those Etudes, and shares her experience of working with the renown composer.
And selected highlights from a conversation with Philip Glass on-stage at the Perth Festival in 2013, when the Etudes were premiered in their entirety.
Kate Miller-Heidke is on tour from Aug 27 - full dates available here
Maki Namekawa is performing as part of the Now Or Never festival on August 22nd.
Music heard in this program:
Title: Etude 9Artist: Maki NamekawaComposer: Philip GlassAlbum: Philip Glass: The Complete Piano EtudesLabel: Orange Mountain Music
Title: ButterfliesArtist: Kate Miller-HeidkeComposer: Kate Miller-Heidke & Kier NuttallAlbum: The Kiss & The AbyssLabel: EMI
Title: HolidayArtist: Kate Miller-HeidkeComposer: Kate Miller-Heidke & Kier NuttallAlbum: The Kiss & The AbyssLabel: EMI
Title: Love Sweet LoveArtist: Kate Miller-HeidkeComposer: Kate Miller-Heidke & Kier NuttallAlbum: The Kiss & The AbyssLabel: EMI
Title: Lascia Ch’io PiangaArtist: Emma Matthews & NZ Chamber OrchestraComposer: George Frideric HandelAlbum: Handel AriasLabel: Artworks
Title: Little AntsArtist: Kate Miller-HeidkeComposer: Kate Miller-Heidke & Kier NuttallAlbum: The Kiss & The AbyssLabel: EMI
Title: Etude 1Artist: Maki NamekawaComposer: Philip GlassAlbum: Philip Glass: The Complete Piano EtudesLabel: Orange Mountain Music
Title: Dance VIIIArtist: Philip Glass & Michael RiesmanComposer: Philip GlassAlbum: In The Upper RoomLabel: Orange Mountain Music
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra, and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country Country
Technical production by Antonia Gauci and Brendan O’Neill

Grace Cummings’ latest album is called Bloodhorse! and it's fantastic and fantastically strange. Her ragged, bluesy voice floats through a lush, ornate sound world on tracks like 'The Hills Are Alive with the Sound of Morphine', and 'WITCH! WITCH! WITCH!', the latter of which was recorded whilst Grace wielded a grim reaper style scythe in the studio. She joins Andy to take us into the highly-strung world of the record.
Anna Maria della Pieta was a Venetian orphan who was taught, celebrated and written for by Antonio Vivaldi. Her musical life is the subject of a new production by the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra, with American historical violinist Augusta McKay Lodge leading. Augusta joins Andy to tell the story of Anna Maria.
Plus new music from Mara, who is playing Phoenix Central Park in Sydney on 18 August.
Vivaldi’s Legacy is on in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane 12 - 25 August.  
Music heard in the show:
Title: Violin Concerto in E Major, RV 267a 'per Anna Maria'; I. AllegroArtist: Théotime Langlois de Swarte, Orchestre Le ConsortComposer: Vivaldi, AntonioAlbum: Vivaldi: Concerti Per Una VitaLabel: Harmonia Mundi
Title: The Hills Are Alive With The Sound of Morphine, WITCH! WITCH! WITCH!, My God, John LennonArtist: Grace CummingsComposer: Cummings, GraceAlbum: Bloodhorse!Label: ATO Records
Title: Loosening My GripArtist: Mara, feat. Abby SundbornComposer: Schwerdtfeger, MaraAlbum: Air Leak/Loosening My GripLabel: Pure Space
Title: Violin Concerto in E Major, RV 267a 'per Anna Maria'; II. AndanteArtist: Théotime Langlois de Swarte, Orchestre Le ConsortComposer: Vivaldi, AntonioAlbum: Vivaldi: Concerti Per Una VitaLabel: Harmonia Mundi
Title: Violin Sonata in A Minor: I. –Artist: Augusta McKay LodgeComposer: Pisendel, Johann GeorgAlbum: Beyond Bach and Vivaldi: Rare Unaccompanied Works for the Baroque ViolinLabel: Naxos
Title: A Certain PanicArtist: Kate Miller-HeidkeComposer: Miller-Heidke, Kate; Nuttall, KierAlbum: The Kiss and the AbyssLabel: EMI
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country
Technical production by Antonia Gauci and Brendan O’Neill

Can you tell the history of the world in fifty pieces of music? No, but BBC Radio 3 presenter and writer Tom Service has given it a red hot go in A History of the World in 50 Pieces: The Classical Music That Shapes Us. He joins Andy to talk through the surprising stories behind some of those pieces, from Handel to Happy Birthday. 
Music heard in the show:
Title: Overture from The Marriage of FigaroArtist: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Riccardo MutiComposer: Mozart, Wolfgang AmadeusAlbum: Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro K492Label: Warner Classics
Title: Psalm 130: ‘Du fond de l'abîme’Artist: Ann Murray, BBC Philharmonic, City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus, Yan Pascal TortelierComposer: Boulanger, LiliAlbum: Faust et HélèneLabel: Chandos
Title: “Gente, Gente!”, and “Questo giorno di tormenti” from The Marriage of FigaroArtist: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Riccardo MutiComposer: Mozart, Wolfgang AmadeusAlbum: Mozart: Le nozze di Figaro K492Label: Warner Classics
Title: Scena II. Ruggier de danni asprissimi, from La liberazione di Ruggiero dall'isola d'AlcinaArtist: Huelgas-Ensemble, Paul Van NevelComposer: Caccini, FrancescaAlbum: Caccini, F: La liberazione di Ruggerio dall'isola di AlcinaLabel: Deutsche Harmonia Mundi
Title: Fuera, Fuera! Haganles lugar!Artist: Florilegium, Arakaendar Bolivia Choir, Ashley SolomonComposer: Chavarria, Roque Jacinto deAlbum: Bolivian Baroque Volume 3Label: Channel Classics
Title: Gruppen, for 3 Orchestras (extracts)Artist: WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Bruno Maderna, Michael GielenComposer: Stockhausen, KarlheinzAlbum: Gruppen, PunkteLabel: BMC
Title: The Rumble, America from West Side StoryArtist: Leonard Bernstein; Kiri Te Kanawa; José Carreras; Tatiana Troyanos; Kurt Ollmann; Marilyn HorneComposer: Bernstein, LeonardAlbum: Leonard Bernstein Conducts West Side StoryLabel: Deutsche Grammophon
Title: MbubeArtist: Solomon Linda’s Original Evening BirdsComposer: Linda, Solomon Album: Single, 1939Label: Gallo
Title: WimowehArtist: The WeaversComposer: Linda, SolomonAlbum: The Weavers at Carnegie HallLabel: Vanguard
Title: The Lion Sleeps TonightArtist: The TokensComposer: Linda, Solomon; Peretti, Hugo; Creatore, Luigi; Weiss, George David; Stanton, AlbertAlbum: The Lion Sleeps TonightLabel: RCA Victor
Title: The Lion Sleeps TonightArtist: Billy Eichner and Seth RogenComposer: Linda, Solomon; Peretti, Hugo; Creatore, Luigi; Weiss, George David; Stanton, AlbertAlbum: The Lion King (2019)Label: Walt Disney Records
Title: The Lark AscendingArtist: Tasmin Little, BBC Philharmonic, Andrew DavisComposer: Vaughan Williams, RalphAlbum: The Lark AscendingLabel: Chandos
Title: America: A Prophecy, Op. 19 Artist: Susan Bickley, City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra & Chorus, Thomas AdèsComposer: Adès, ThomasAlbum: Adès: America A ProphecyLabel: Warner Classics
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra, and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country
Technical production by Tegan Nicholls

All The Grateful Dead are one of the iconic bands of the last century, not just for their music, but for their extended tours, which saw their fans follow them across America and create a very special sort of travelling community. Mischa Richter shares stories from the road and explores his new documentary Summer Tour.
Don Walker talks basement recordings, lessons from Nashville, and his new album Love Songs, plus he shares a memory of Glenn A Baker.
And in a church in Germany, an organ is 25 years into a 639 year performance of John Cage's piece As Slow As Possible. The notes change rarely, only every couple of years, and one of those changes has just happened. Director of the John Cage Trust Jeffrey Lependorf tells Andy what it felt like to be there as an A natural was added to the sound. 
Summer Tour is screening as part of the Melbourne International Film Festival
Don Walker is on tour in October - dates here
Music heard in this program:
Title: As Slow As PossibleArtist: John CageComposer: John CageAlbum: Live Performance
Title: The Wheel (Live in Chicago - 1976)Artist: Grateful DeadComposer: Jerry Garcia; Robert HunterAlbum: So Many RoadsLabel: Grateful Dead Records
Title: Dark Star (Live At the Fillmore West)Artist: Grateful DeadComposer: Jerry Garcia; Robert HunterAlbum: Live/DeadLabel: Warner Bros. - Seven Arts Records
Title: LuckArtist: Don WalkerComposer: Don Walker, Thomas Busby, Jason IsbellAlbum: Love SongsLabel: Sony Music
Title: Breakfast in ParisArtist: Don WalkerComposer: Don WalkerAlbum: Love SongsLabel: Sony Music
Title: Could You Still Be HereArtist: Don WalkerComposer: Don WalkerAlbum: Love SongsLabel: Sony Music
Title: Fly AwayArtist: Don WalkerComposer: Don WalkerAlbum: Love SongsLabel: Sony Music
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra, and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country Country
Technical production by Tegan Nicholls

Anita O'Day was a jazz singer who lived 'the jazz life'. She's been compared to people like Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald: an incredible singer, storyteller, and a deeply troubled drug user and alcoholic.  Despite the turmoil of her personal life, she's one of the most precise singers of her generation, on the beat and right in tune for every note. 
Author James Gavin, who knew O'Day, returns to The Music Show with his fresh biography, Cool Heat: Anita O’Day and Her Dangerous Jazz Life.
Music heard in the show: 
Title: Let Me Off UptownArtist: Gene Krupa Orchestra, Roy Eldridge, Anita O’DayComposer: Bostic, Earl; Evans, ReddAlbum: Let Me Off UptownLabel: Okeh
Title: Tea For TwoArtist: Anita O’DayComposer: Youmans, VincentAlbum: Anita O’Day At Mister Kelly’sLabel: Verve
Title: What Is This Thing Called Love?Artist: Anita O’DayComposer: Porter, ColeAlbum: Anita O'Day Swings Cole Porter with Billy MayLabel: Verve
Title: Angel EyesArtist: Anita O’Day, Johnny MandelComposer: Brent, Earl; Dennis, Matt Album: Waiter, Make Mine BluesLabel: Verve
Title: Don't ExplainArtist: Anita O’Day, Johnny MandelComposer: Holiday, Billie; Herzog, Arthur Jr.Album: Travelin' LightLabel: Verve
Title: Boogie Blues Artist: Anita O’Day, Gary McFarland OrchestraComposer: Krupa, Gene; Biondi, RayAlbum: All the Sad Young MenLabel: Verve
Title: Old Devil MoonArtist: Anita O’DayComposer: Harburg, Yip; Lane, BurtonAlbum: Mello'dayLabel:  GNP Crescendo
Title: In A Mellow ToneArtist: Anita O’DayComposer: Ellington, Duke; Gabler, MiltAlbum: In A Mellow ToneLabel: DRG
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country
Technical production by Emrys Cronin and Ross Richardson