Best Mark Cecil Podcasts (2025)

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Reimagine the Sound: Or, How to Improvise a Cecil Taylor Improvisation - Mark Micchelli 27:06

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28d ago27:06

27:06

In this episode, Mark Micchelli examines the relationship between music theory and creative practice via a firsthand exploration of the formal structure of Cecil Taylor’s solo piano improvisations. This episode was produced by Jason Jedlicka along with Team Lead Matthew Ferrandino. Special thanks to peer reviewers Chris Stover and John Heilig. SMT-…

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Hanno Sauer on The World History of Morality 24:33

5d ago24:33

24:33

How did morality evolve? Why do different cultures have such a similar set of moral norms and values? Hanno Sauer gives an evolutionary story that explains the genealogy of morality through human co-operation.

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Episode 3 - Idiomatic Improvisation: Where Theory Meets Aural Skills - Alexandrea Jonker and Peter Schubert 15:08

7d ago15:08

15:08

This is the third episode in Alex Jonker and Peter Schubert’s five-episode mini-series on “idiomatic improvisation” as a pedagogical technique in the music theory and aural skills classroom. This episode is the only one in the series where the improvisation uses notation, asking students to harmonize a chant melody with a very limited set of rules …

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Episode 2 - Idiomatic Improvisation: Where Theory Meets Aural Skills - Alexandrea Jonker and Peter Schubert 24:18

7d ago24:18

24:18

This is the second episode in Alex Jonker and Peter Schubert’s five-episode mini-series on “idiomatic improvisation” as a pedagogical technique in the music theory and aural skills classroom. In this episode, students improvise a melody over a longer ground bass progression, now in a standard common practice harmonic context including some chromati…

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Episode 5 - Idiomatic Improvisation: Where Theory Meets Aural Skills - Alexandrea Jonker and Peter Schubert 20:34

7d ago20:34

20:34

This is the final episode in a five-episode mini-series on “idiomatic improvisation” as a pedagogical technique in the music theory and aural skills classroom. In this episode, Alex Jonker and Peter Schubert ask students to improvise classical phrase continuations that modulation to the dominant, drawing on basic musical instincts about phrase leng…

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Episode 1 - Idiomatic Improvisation: Where Theory Meets Aural Skills - Alexandrea Jonker and Peter Schubert 37:27

7d ago37:27

37:27

This is the first episode in a five-episode mini-series on “idiomatic improvisation” as a pedagogical technique in the music theory and aural skills classroom. In this episode, Alex Jonker and Peter Schubert invite students to improvise doo-wop songs which take place in a simple harmonic context while offering a lot of freedom, and a lot of fun! Th…

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Episode 4 - Idiomatic Improvisation: Where Theory Meets Aural Skills - Alexandrea Jonker and Peter Schubert 18:30

7d ago18:30

18:30

This is the fourth episode in Alex Jonker and Peter Schubert’s five-episode mini-series on “idiomatic improvisation” as a pedagogical technique in the music theory and aural skills classroom. In this episode, students improvise a Renaissance first-species canon with Peter, teaching them to listen, think, and sing all at the same time in a simple di…

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Takeshi Morisato on Japanese Philosophy 18:05

13d ago18:05

18:05

Most Western philosophers are deeply ignorant of Japanese philosophy. Takeshi Morisato who was brought up in Japan, and who has studied both continental and analytic Western traditions provides and introduction to some of the key strands in Japanese philosophy.

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The Science of Revenge with James Kimmel Jr. 1:10:14

13d ago1:10:14

1:10:14

My guest this week is James Kimmel Jr., a Yale Psychiatry lecturer, lawyer, and founder of the Yale Collaborative for Motive Control Studies. He has a new book out, The Science of Revenge, that overlaps heavily with my own work on luckpilling, so I was excited to have him on to discuss the problem of revenge addiction. The Science of Revenge: https…

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Episode 68: Brendan Slocumb 1:09:59

14d ago1:09:59

1:09:59

My convo with Brendan Slocumb re his latest thriller set in the world of classical music, The Dark Maestro. We covered (1) how people can't really hide the art that needs to come out of them; (2) musical prodigies from underprivileged backgrounds (there's more of them out there than you think); and (3) how a personal health scare can make the creat…

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From the Sidelines: an in game look at Johanna Beyer’s Music of the Spheres - Craig Peaslee 28:54

14d ago28:54

28:54

In this week's episode, Craig Peaslee reimagines formal music theory analysis and takes the listener to the arena of competitive music performance through the lens of a radio sportscast. This episode was produced by Zach Lloyd along with Team Lead Evan Ware. Special thanks to peer reviewers Nate Mitchell and John Heilig. Additional thanks to Indigo…

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Nicole Mitchell’s Mandorla Awakening II and the Sounds of Afrofuturist Theory - Audrey Slote 39:39

21d ago39:39

39:39

In this week's episode, Audrey Slote guides listeners through an analysis of “Mandorla Island” from Nicole Mitchell’s experimental jazz album Mandorla Awakening II from 2017. This episode centers Mitchell’s own Afrofuturist, feminist writings as its primary music-theoretical framework and illuminates how such theorizing productively challenges cano…

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Episode 67: Dana Spiotta 1:06:40

29d ago1:06:40

1:06:40

My 1:1 with novelist + novel-structure-master Dana Spiotta. We discussed her latest novel, Wayward, as well as (1) midlife crises...the female version; (2) the risks of "challenging" the reader with innovative novel forms, and (3) her techniques for giving humane feedback. Order Mark's novel Bunyan and Henry. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aire…

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Race, Time, and Utopia with William Paris 1:10:55

1M ago1:10:55

1:10:55

My returning guest this week is William Paris, an Assistant Professor in the department of philosophy at University of Toronto, as well as one of the cohosts on the wonderful What’s Left of Philosophy Podcast. He’s got a wonderful new book out called Race, Time and Utopia: Critical Theory and the Process of Emancipation and he is very much my guy f…

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Melissa Lane on Plato, Rule, and Office 15:04

1M ago15:04

15:04

Melissa Lane, a classics scholar as well as a philosopher, discusses some key features of Plato's political philosophy and shows its continuing relevance.

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Fuguing Essential Voices: An Informance of J. S. Bach's Prelude and Fugue, BWV 1011 - Daniel Ketter 17:50

1M ago17:50

17:50

In this week's episode, Daniel Ketter presents an essential voice analysis arrangement of J. S. Bach’s fugue for solo cello. It traces the composer’s solution to weaving a four-part fugal texture with nearly no chords or double stops through inventive combinations of a subject and countersubject. This episode was produced by Jason Jedlicka along wi…

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Episode 66: David Baldacci 1:01:45

1M ago1:01:45

1:01:45

My interview with David Baldacci discussing his career selling over 150 million books, his MasterClass on writing, and his latest novel, Stranger in Time. We covered (1) the one skill he wishes he had, that some other writers do with ease, (2) how he is, in my estimation, the Tom Cruise of literature (you'll have to listen to the ep to find out how…

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“In the Days of Auld Lang Syne”: Stability and Bagpipe Music in Hong Kong (1997-2024) - Samantha Sasaki 40:17

1M ago40:17

40:17

In this episode, Samantha Sasaki analyzes three bagpipe performances of “Auld Lang Syne” in Hong Kong in order to uncover why this instrument has retained cultural and political significance in the 27 years post-Handover. This episode was produced by Jose Garza along with Team Lead John Heilig. Special thanks to peer reviewers Larry Witzleben and J…

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Dual Leading Tone Loops in Post-Millennial Pop/Rock - Brad Osborn 44:30

2M ago44:30

44:30

Brad Osborn talks about the emergence of the major III chord in post-millennial pop music, and how this chromatic chord forms loops that contain elements of both major and minor keys. This episode was produced by Amy Hatch along with Team Lead Caitlin Martinkus. Special thanks to peer reviewers Bryn Hughes and Evan Ware. Additional acknowledgements…

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Disbelief with Will Gervais 1:06:41

2M ago1:06:41

1:06:41

My returning guest this week is Will Gervais (@willgervais.com), a professor who studies evolutionary and cultural psychology at the Centre for Culture and Evolution at Brunel University London. He recently published a book called Disbelief: The Origins of Atheism in a Religious Species and it’s genuinely a must read for anyone who either believes …

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Voice and Agency in Henryk Górecki’s Symphony No. 3 - Jason Jedlička 46:41

2M ago46:41

46:41

In this week's episode, Jason analyzes the second and third movements of Henryk Górecki’s Symphony No. 3, performing a close reading of the music from a broadened, newer perspective of voice. This episode was produced by Katrina Roush along with Team Lead Anna Rose Nelson. Special thanks to peer reviewers Kristen Wallentinsen and Evan Ware. SMT-Pod…

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Episode 65: Adam Ross 1:11:40

2M ago1:11:40

1:11:40

My *everything* talk with Adam Ross, discussing his hit literary novel Playworld. Along with *everything* (we covered a lot of ground) we also chatted about (1) Safetyism v. Adventure in raising kids today, (2) the origin and theory behind his beautifully warm opening paragraph, and (3) his love/hate relationship with being compared to that other w…

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Trans Activism in Atheism/Secularism with Arden Hart 1:05:41

2M ago1:05:41

1:05:41

My guest this week is Arden Hart (@theardenhart.bsky.social), host, producer, and editor of The Line on YouTube, a call-in show that focuses on issues around atheism and social justice. She recently gave an excellent talk about transphobia in atheism and skepticism at the American Atheist Conference which we discuss along with her broader work. Ard…

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Playing Dress-Up: Co-Performance in Mozart’s Abendempfindung K. 523 - Lydia Bangura 27:04

2M ago27:04

27:04

In this week's episode, Lydia Bangura analyses her own performance choices in comparison to a professional recording using Jennifer Ronyak’s framework of co-performance. This episode was produced by Zach Lloyd along with Team Lead Megan Lyons. Special thanks to peer reviewers Shersten Johnson and Daniel Barolsky. Additional thanks to David Kjar, Ma…

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Episode 64: Alexander Sammartino 1:04:11

2M ago1:04:11

1:04:11

My interview with NYPL Young Lion/5-Under-35 debut author Alexander Sammartino, on his novel Last Acts. We discussed: (1) the search for transcendence and "leaving your body" via literature; (2) father & son stories; and (3) unchecked Samuel Beckett fandom. All episodes of The Thoughtful Bro aired live originally on A Mighty Blaze. The Thoughtful B…

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Teaching Rhythm and Meter through Rap and Hip Hop: An Interview with Mazbou Q - Olivia Lucas & Mazbou Q 49:19

2M ago49:19

49:19

In this episode, Olivia Lucas and Mazbou Q discuss ways to use techniques from hip hop to build skills in the music theory and aural skills classroom. This episode was produced by Jose Garza along with Team Lead Jennifer Weaver. Special thanks to peer reviewers Leah Frederick and Danny Jenkins. SMT-Pod’s theme music was written by Maria Tartaglia, …

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I will not tell you: Disconnection, Reticence, and Ambivalence in Heyman's “Tortie-Tortue” - Anna Stephan-Robinson 33:48

3M ago33:48

33:48

In this week’s episode, Anna Stephan-Robinson examines Katherine Ruth Heyman's 1920 song, "Tortie-Tortue," considering how the unjustly neglected composer's subtle changes transform a simple poem into a brief but compelling musical drama. This episode was produced by Zach Lloyd along with Team Lead Leah Frederick. Special thanks to peer reviewers H…

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Terminal Openings: Interpreting Songs that Begin by Ending - Joon Park 39:04

3M ago39:04

39:04

In this week’s episode, Joon Park presents an interpretive strategy for melodic closure that occurs at the start of a song, which he terms a "terminal opening." This episode was produced by Jose Garza along with Team Lead Anna Rose Nelson. Special thanks to peer reviewers Cara Stroud and Shersten Johnson. SMT-Pod’s theme music was written by Maria …

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Formal and Textural Processes in Contemporary Worship Music - Leah Amarosa 47:47

3M ago47:47

47:47

In this week’s episode, Leah Amarosa explores the unique structural and textural features of contemporary worship music, demonstrating how its formal processes are shaped to enhance spiritual and communal engagement. This episode was produced by Katrina Roush along with Team Lead Matthew Ferrandino. Special thanks to peer reviewers Joshua Busman an…