Beyond the Notes with Vonn Vanier

Vonn Vanier
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Beyond the Notes uncovers the craft, stories, and “aha” moments behind today’s most influential music makers. Host Vonn Vanier sits down—remotely—for in‑depth chats with composers, producers, engineers, and performers (from Grammy winners to game‑score innovators), exploring how they broke in, solved impossible challenges, mentored the next generation, and even pursued unexpected passions. Each episode delivers a 30–60 min deep‑dive plus bite‑sized clips to inspire your own creative journey.

Episodes

  1. 12/16/2025

    Law & Order Composer Mike Post Goes Off-Script With His First Full Album

    Mike Post has spent decades writing music to serve story. Scenes. Characters. Picture lock. Timing. Emotion under constraint.  In this episode of Beyond the Notes with Vonn Vanier, the legendary Law & Order composer talks about what happened when, during COVID, that structure suddenly fell away — and an entirely different idea took shape.  While driving late at night and listening to bluegrass, Mike had a question: What if an orchestra and a bluegrass rhythm section could truly coexist? What followed was not a side project, and not a break from television, but a serious compositional challenge. Writing music that didn’t need to follow a script. Music that could grow organically, piece by piece, through collaboration, time, and conversation between classical orchestra players and world-class bluegrass musicians.  Mike walks through how the album evolved from small fragments into two large-scale works — Message from the Mountains and Echoes of the Delta — blending bluegrass, blues, orchestral writing, and American musical tradition. He reflects on influences ranging from Copland and Randy Newman to bluegrass legends, the role of improvisation and orchestration, and what changes when music is no longer solving a narrative problem.  This conversation is about craft, collaboration, discipline, and what it means to keep growing — even while continuing to write every note of Law & Order decades into its run.  If you haven’t watched Part 1, where Mike breaks down his television career, his process, and how writing for story shaped his musical language, start there first:  ▶ Watch Part 1 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pkOdg5fxPE  Then come back to this episode.  About Beyond the Notes  Beyond the Notes is a long-form conversation series hosted by composer Vonn Vanier, exploring how music, identity, craft, and lived experience intersect beyond surface-level credits.

    32 min

  2. 12/02/2025

    Mike Post Talks About Your Favorite TV Themes (He wrote all of them.)

    Oh, you definitely know the tunes. You can hum them right now:  Law & OrderThe Rockford FilesMagnum P.I.Hill Street BluesThe A-Team. And that's not even all of them!  But you probably don't know the name of the man who wrote all of them.  Meet Mike Post. He's defined the sound of television for 50 years. In this interview, we talk about the "obsession" required to write 7,000+ hours of music, why he wrote a hit song in a jacuzzi, and the two specific notes that—to this day—get him out of speeding tickets.  This is Part 1 of our conversation.

    32 min

  3. 10/28/2025

    How SF Opera Is Hooking Gen Z on a 400-Year-Old Art Form

    How do you get Gen Z to care about a 400-year-old art form?  Matthew Shilvock, General Director of San Francisco Opera, has spent his career finding out. The stories he shares reveal exactly why opera still matters.  In this episode, he talks about the moments that still give him chills, why staging Wagner’s Parsifal next to a brand-new Monkey King excites him, and what it feels like when 20,000 people cheer for opera at a baseball stadium.  From childhood awe to leading San Francisco Opera—one of America’s great cultural institutions—Shilvock shows why opera is still funny, intense, surprising, and maybe just exactly what Gen Z is looking for.

    29 min

  4. 10/15/2025

    The Heart of the Matter

    Imagine you're a professional musician. You've flown halfway across the world for a big concert in Istanbul. You walk out on stage... and there are three people in the audience. The band literally outnumbers the crowd. So what do you do? That one story from violinist Jeremy Cohen got host Vonn Vanier thinking: In a creative life full of uncertainty, in a business known for being brutal, what is the engine that actually keeps you going? This special episode pieces together the answer. Drawing from the archives of Beyond the Notes, Vonn traces a journey through the four essential stages of a creative life. It's a path that begins with a private spark of magic in the studio with Grammy-winning sound engineer Leslie Ann Jones; builds into an unbreakable bond on a stage with Jeremy Cohen and his quartet; grows into a hard-won connection with the wider world through the perseverance of acclaimed composer Peter Boyer; and ends with the profound weight of a mentor's final words, in a story from legendary producer John Snyder about the man who discovered Bob Dylan. This isn't a story about fame or fortune. This is the story of what keeps you going. Guests in this episode: Leslie Ann Jones: Multi-Grammy Award-Winning Skywalker Sound EngineerJeremy Cohen: Multi-Grammy Nominated Violinist, Founder of Quartet San FranciscoPeter Boyer: Grammy-Nominated ComposerJohn Snyder: Grammy-Award Winning Record ProducerListen to the full episodes here: Jeremy Cohen: Jeremy Cohen Owns One of the Most Heard Violins in HistoryJohn Snyder: Producer John Hammond (Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen) Told Him on His Death Bed "It's up to you now."Leslie Ann Jones: From Apocalypse Now to Halo and Beyond - the INCREDIBLE Career of Leslie Ann JonesPeter Boyer:  How Grammy-Nominated Composer Peter Boyer Is Scoring America’s History

    24 min
  5. How Grammy-Nominated Composer Peter Boyer Is Scoring America’s History

    10/02/2025

    How Grammy-Nominated Composer Peter Boyer Is Scoring America’s History

    Grammy-nominated composer Peter Boyer joins Vonn Vanier on Beyond the Notes to share the story of his two most ambitious new works:  "American Mosaic", commissioned by the Kennedy Center for America’s 250th anniversary, blending Boyer’s music with the imagery of Americana photographer Joe Sohm. "A Hundred Years On" is an equal collaboration between Peter Boyer and librettist Mark Campbell for the Mann Center and the Philadelphia Orchestra. It's an oratorio that explores the legacy of the 1876 Centennial Exhibition. Boyer opens up about the responsibility of writing “American-themed” music, the influence of Copland, Bernstein, and John Williams on his voice, and the challenge of balancing two monumental commissions at once.

    30 min

  6. 09/09/2025

    From Apocalypse Now to Halo and Beyond - the INCREDIBLE Career of Leslie Ann Jones

    Leslie Ann Jones: GRAMMY-winning engineer behind Apocalypse Now, Herbie Hancock, & Halo | Beyond the Notes  What’s the secret sauce behind the music that stays with us? Legendary engineer Leslie Ann Jones turns session chaos into clarity—whether for Apocalypse Now, video games, or jazz albums.  In this interview with composer Vonn Vanier, she shares:  The studio trick that made bands rethink what's possible Taming chaos during Apocalypse Now scoring sessions The real difference between recording for records, film, and games Why conductors still matter more than high-end gear Building the next generation through mentorship and inclusion What walking offstage with a GRAMMY actually feels like - Subscribe for more conversations with the people who craft the music you feel. Follow Beyond the Notes  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondwithvonn TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@UCJYN5xVp-auCl2csNY3-DCA Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beyondwithvonn Hear More from Vonn Vanier  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vonnvanier TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@vonnvanier Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vonnvanier

    32 min

  7. 08/22/2025

    5x Grammy Winner John Snyder Tells the Truth "I hope I don't get sued by UNIVERSAL... but I know..."

    "The most rapacious exponent of artist abuse are the major record companies. By far. They steal. It's terrible."  In this episode, we sit down with legendary producer and founder of the iconic Artists House label, John Snyder. With a career spanning five decades, over 300 albums, and 35 Grammy nominations, John has worked with a staggering list of legends, from Stevie Wonder and Eric Clapton to Paul Simon, Etta James, Ornette Coleman, and Chet Baker.  John pulls back the curtain on the music industry, sharing the sacred trust passed to him on the deathbed of John Hammond—the man who discovered Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. He reveals the single most important asset an artist has (your copyright) and provides a lifetime of wisdom on how to navigate a business designed to create victims. This is a must-listen for any musician, songwriter, or music lover who wants to understand the battle between art and commerce.  In This Episode, You Will Learn:  The deathbed advice John received from the legendary John Hammond Why John believes major record labels are corrupt and how they exploit artists - The story of founding Artists House, a label built on creative freedom How to protect your work and why your copyright is your "sword and shield" - The crucial difference between the art of music and the business of music Stories from a career working with Stevie Wonder, Eric Clapton, Ornette Coleman, Paul Simon, and more. TIMESTAMPS:  1:36 - The Genesis of a Legendary Record Producer 3:06 - "Be An Entrepreneur": The Advice That Changed Everything 4:30 - How He Met Music's Biggest Legends 6:06 - The Incredible Record That Never Got Its Due 9:11 - The Time He Had to Save an Artist from Losing Everything 13:06 - A Producer's Warning: How the Industry Rips Off Artists 14:13 - The Hidden Danger of Licensing Beats and Clicking "I Agree" 15:30 - Why Recorded Music is a "Dead Issue" for Revenue 17:16 - The Craziest Scams He's Witnessed in the Music Business 25:34 - What Makes a Performance Truly Great? 33:02 - The Mentors Who Shaped His Career 35:48 - The Full Story of John Hammond's Final Words Like this conversation? Don't forget to subscribe!  JOIN VONN AND THE BEYOND THE NOTES COMMUNITY:  Website: https://www.vonnvanier.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondwithvonnTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@beyondwithvonn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beyondwithvonn STREAM VONN'S ALBUM, "DAWN"  Listen now everywhere you stream music! Your support helps make this show possible.  https://lnk.to/vonn-vanier-dawn

    39 min

  8. 08/08/2025

    Jeremy Cohen Owns One of the Most Heard Violins in History

    What if one of the most-heard violins in history wasn't locked away in a museum, but was still making music today? On this episode of "Beyond the Notes," host Vonn Vanier sits down with the instrument's current steward: 8-time Grammy-nominated violinist, composer, and educator Jeremy Cohen.  This isn't just any violin. Forged in 1868 and later serving as the principal violin for the MGM Studio Orchestra from 1939 to 1969, its sound is woven into the fabric of cinematic history. From the magical refrains of The Wizard of Oz to the playful antics of Tom and Jerry, this instrument has been heard by billions. Now, Jeremy Cohen, founder of the acclaimed Quartet San Francisco, unravels the incredible story of how he came to own this piece of history and the profound responsibility of carrying its legacy forward.  Join us for a deep and inspiring conversation that explores:  • The Soul of an Instrument: The journey of this legendary violin from the golden age of Hollywood to the contemporary concert stage.  • The Art of Reinterpretation: How Jeremy’s Quartet San Francisco breathes new life into everything from jazz and tango to funk and bluegrass, transforming audience expectations of what a string quartet can be.  • Connecting with the Listener: The secret to making classical instruments and timeless compositions feel relevant and exciting, including the story of how a performance of "The Pink Panther" lit up a room of young students.  • The Legacy of a Musician: The delicate balance between honoring a composer's original intent and infusing music with a modern, personal voice.  • A Masterclass for the Aspiring: Invaluable, hard-won advice for young musicians and composers on finding their artistic path, understanding the business of music, and building a meaningful career.  This episode is more than just an interview; it's a look into the heart of what it means to be a musician, a mentor, and a guardian of a priceless legacy. Whether you're a musician, a film score aficionado, or simply a lover of great stories, this is a conversation you won't want to miss.

    46 min
  • 8 Episodes

About

Beyond the Notes uncovers the craft, stories, and “aha” moments behind today’s most influential music makers. Host Vonn Vanier sits down—remotely—for in‑depth chats with composers, producers, engineers, and performers (from Grammy winners to game‑score innovators), exploring how they broke in, solved impossible challenges, mentored the next generation, and even pursued unexpected passions. Each episode delivers a 30–60 min deep‑dive plus bite‑sized clips to inspire your own creative journey.

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