The Resonanz Podcast

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The Resonanz Podcast takes you inside the creative practice of American composer Frank Pesci. From sacred choral works to opera, song, chamber and concert music, jazz arrangements, and works for young audiences, each episode explores the craft, collaboration, and connection at the heart of his work. Hear behind-the-scenes stories, creative process insights, and conversations that bridge tradition and innovation—offering inspiration for musicians, creatives, and curious listeners alike.

Episodes

  1. 12/30/2025

    EPISODE 11 - Ramón Gardella

    A special episode featuring percussionist Ramón Gardella, recording between takes during the recording session of SPEAKING of SANTERÍA, a new work for Drum Set and Pre-recorded Voice.

    12 min

  2. 11/14/2025

    Episode 10: Connection

    The third in a series of podcasts following up on the blog post, Three Principles, or, "What do you mean, 'I'm a Perfectionist?'"

    10 min

  3. 10/22/2025

    Episode 9: Collaboration

    A follow-up to the blog post, Three Principles, or, “What do you mean, ‘I’m a perfectionist’?”

    10 min

  4. 10/14/2025

    Episode 8: Craft

    Craft! Technique! Perfectionism! Sondheim? A podcast following up on the blog post, Three Principles, or, What do you mean I'm a Perfectionist? Referenced in this Podcast: Ned Rorem Interviews Stephen Sondheim at the 92nd Street Y in 2000: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzTuIbqgzJU&t=3134s Sohndeim's final interviews for the New Yorker: https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-new-yorker-interview/stephen-sondheim-final-interviews Bernstein analyzing Beethoven's decisions and discarded material from his 5th Symphony sketches: https://youtu.be/2_iRyNsOtMQ?si=H914AQbO9V3UH-rf

    12 min

  5. 10/08/2025

    Episode 7: Aria vs. Art Song

    Different singers, different settings, different purposes. A follow up to the blog post, Writing for Singers.

    12 min

  6. 10/01/2025

    Episode 6: Church Choir vs. Opera Chorus

    A follow-up Podcast to the blog post, Writing for Singers. The capabilities of instruments are generally known and standardized: range limits, how dynamics affect sound, which mutes to use, how to use them, and how long one must budget for a player to insert or remove them before they can be ready to continue playing. Not so with singers. Singers do not have a set array of performance options that are uniform across voice types, styles, or any other parameter. They are individual. /// Church choir is where I learned to sing, and - through collaboration with those around me - learned what singers could do. Later, my experience singing in opera chorus opened up the available possibilities of writing for singers on the stage. But, Church Choir and Opera Chorus are not the same animal, and my writing had to adapt to handle both.

    12 min

  7. 09/18/2025

    Episode 5: Self-Mentorship, or, Hindsight is 20/20

    What did I think I knew? And how could that have benefitted from a mentor's assistance? Is it possible to mentor oneself? After the fact? A podcast follow up to the blog post, "After the Mountaintop: Notes from the Rubble Pile."

    15 min

  8. 09/08/2025

    EPISODE 4: I did not learn this in school

    During the production of my last opera, I would frequently quip that I was going to write a book about the experience titled, "I didn't learn this in school." There has been so much in my career that was never discussed in my university program or my composition seminars, that one book would not be enough. The education arm of Resonanz - the blog, the podcasts, the coming school - is based on this principle (or, the lack therof, I suppose). This podcast is the second of a series of three, whcih serve as an extension to the blog post, After the Mountaintop: Notes from the Rubble Pile. The post can be found here: https://www.frankpesci.com/post/after-the-mountaintop-notes-from-the-rubble-pile

    11 min

  9. 08/27/2025

    Episode 3: Post-Show Blues

    Always have a model, my first teacher told me. While he was primarily talking about a model for every piece, I had been looking for a model for this phase of my career. How should I dress and present myself? How should I behave in rehearsal? Should I even go to rehearsal? How do I lay the foundation for what's next?  I spoke to old teachers, old-timer composers, active European composers who were kind enough to offer a little time, but didn’t find a lot of answers; no roadmap, no master plan, no definitive advice.  Where I am now is the composer mentor I needed then.   An expansion on the blog post, "After the Mountaintop: Notes from the Rubble Pile"

    11 min

  10. 08/16/2025

    Episode 2: Is every text "sing-able"?

    "Set-able” is not the same as “singable.” Some texts look great on the page but are a nightmare for singers. Intended for composers, songwriters, and anyone who wants to write for singers, wether it be in the choral, operatic, musical theater or pop/Rock/Jazz idioms. A podcast follow-up to the post, Mutual Illumination, on the Resonanz Blog.

    10 min

  11. 08/16/2025

    Episode 1: Finding Text in a world of Copyright

    Where Do I Find Texts That Are Set-able? Not every good text can be set to music, and even if it is, you may not be legally free to use it. Intended for composers, songwriters, and anyone who wants to write for singers, wether it be in the choral, operatic, musical theater or pop/Rock/Jazz idioms. A podcast follow-up to the post, Mutual Illumination, found on the Resonanz Blog.

    10 min
  • 11 Episodes

About

The Resonanz Podcast takes you inside the creative practice of American composer Frank Pesci. From sacred choral works to opera, song, chamber and concert music, jazz arrangements, and works for young audiences, each episode explores the craft, collaboration, and connection at the heart of his work. Hear behind-the-scenes stories, creative process insights, and conversations that bridge tradition and innovation—offering inspiration for musicians, creatives, and curious listeners alike.

Information

  • Creator
    pescif
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © pescif
  • Show Website
    The Resonanz Podcast