Farm to Table Improvisation with Eyvind Kang

Underscore

Described by Pitchfork as a "musical polymath," composer/violist Eyvind Kang has created and collaborated on hundreds of recordings and countless tours, from his own solo masterpieces to his work with Laurie Anderson, Bill Frisell, Animal Collective, Sun O))), The Decemberists, and Blonde Redhead. On this episode, he tells us about his early inspirations, his favorite project, and the music his teacher thought was garbage.

Playlist

Here is a Spotify playlist to pair with Underscore Episode 5 with Eyvind Kang. It features hand--picked selections from Chrysanthe and Thomas to encapsulate the conversations and recommendations from the episode.

Music Featured in Interview:

• "Marriage of Days" by Eyvind Kang (iTunes / Spotify)
• "The Island" by The Decemberists (iTunes / Spotify)
• "Partita No. 3 in E Major: Preludio" by J.S. Bach (iTunes / Spotify)
• "Straight Outta Compton" by N.W.A. (iTunes / Spotify)
• "Giant Steps" by John Coltrane (iTunes / Spotify)
• "Dhun" by Ravi Shankar (iTunes / Spotify)
• "Gimme Shelter" by The Rolling Stones (iTunes / Spotify)
• "It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World" by James Brown (iTunes / Spotify)
• "Automatism" by Group Ongaku (YouTube)
• "Seva" by Jessika Kenney and Eyvind Kang (unreleased)
• "Cyclades" by Anne Carson, Robert Currie, and Eyvind Kang (unreleased)
• "Side 1" from Plainlight by Eyvind Kang (LP)

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Lightning Round Questions

• What genre is your music? Non--music
• Performance ritual? Quigong and tai chi
• A modern/technological tool that’s extremely helpful to your practice? Recording and playback
• A failure that turned out for the best? He tried to adapt a kacapi (Sudanese zither) technique for the viola but ended up creating a new pizzicato technique for himself instead.
• Something besides music that you’re obsessed with right now? Agriculture, philosophy, questions of justice and human rights
• A piece of art that changed your life? The Large Glass by Marcel Duchamp
• Something Old: Einstein on the Beach -- "Scene 3: Spaceship" by Phillip Glass. (iTunes / Spotify)
• Something New: Music by Black Composers made a Living Composers Directory. Recommended track: "Starburst" by Jessie Montgomery (iTunes / Spotify)
• Something Borrowed: "Iron" by Woodkid (iTunes / Spotify)
• Something Blue: "Prometheus, The Poem of Fire" by Alexander Scriabin (iTunes / Spotify)

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Credits:

• Hosts: Thomas Kotcheff and Chrysanthe Tan
• Script: Chrysanthe Tan
• Guest: Eyvind Kang
• Recording engineer: Mark Hatwan
• Produced by: Chrysanthe Tan
• Editing: Mark Hatwan
• Underscore is an extension of the Classical KUSC family
• Podcast theme: "Playground Day" by Chrysanthe Tan (iTunes / Spotify)

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