The Choral Contrarians

Eric Barnum and Richard Robbins
  • 4.9 (35)
  • MUSIC

A couple of friendly conductors bantering about complex issues affecting the choral world.

  1. 10/24/2025

    Artistic Debt

    Richard and Eric discuss a question posed in The New York Times: "What do consumers owe to producers of art?"  They wonder if the concept of 'debt' within the artistic framework is plausible, and muse on its potential ramifications.  Is it ethical for organizations to purchase used manuscripts, or loan for rehearsals and performances?

    1h 15m

  2. 03/06/2025

    Lost Episode: The Gift Economy

    "The Gift Economy" is a Choral Contrarian Lost Episode, recorded in Summer, 2024. Richard and Eric use the recent article "Toward a Gift Economy," composed by Simon Oliver (published July 2024) in the Plough Quarterly, as a springboard to both generally and specifically discuss 'gift' as it relates to a culture, economy, and potentially an artistic organization.  Can the concept of a gift economy be leveraged for a more healthy ethic, both personally or culturally?  Is it a flaccid, weak ideal, or perhaps a powerful tool that can be utilized in a variety of ways to create sustained health and wellness? "Toward a Gift Economy": https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.plough.com/en/topics/justice/social-justice/economic-justice/toward-a-gift-economy&ved=2ahUKEwiRjvG1pfSLAxXNj4kEHYrKLcsQFnoECBMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw31tizlUbp2z82nH--SM7Ge

    1h 17m

  3. 05/22/2024

    The Intersection of Emotion and Performance

    Richard and Eric try to locate the intersection point of emotion and performance.  They not only attempt to differentiate the difference between how emotion works for the audience versus performer, but also debate the value and perception of emotion's usefulness as a performer of music.  Do we overvalue, or misjudge, emotion in the act of performance?

    1h 17m

  4. 05/14/2024

    I had a dream, past the wit of man to say what dream it was…

    Richard and Eric wonder about the goings-on of music and performance in dreams.  What piece is heard there?  Who wrote that piece?  What ensemble performed the piece you heard in the dream?  Is there anything to be learned from those questions?  Maybe there is something similar going on when a conductor references their mental/aural imagery when adjudicating and rehearsing their ensembles.

    1h 1m

  5. 12/29/2023

    Ye Olde Fireside Chat

    Richard and Eric gather round the old fireplace to chat about a variety of things, including reading a wonderful note from Swedish composer Mattias Sjöberg.  High-back chairs and a roaring fire is a wonderful time to reminisce and celebrate hygge during the dark, winter season.

    1h 3m

  6. 12/15/2023

    Wandering the Choral Backrooms

    Eric and Richard ask the question no one is asking (and maybe for good reason): Is there an intersection between the concept of liminal space and choral music?  They discuss this fairly defined aesthetic phenomena and posit if any aspect of it can be seen in the light of music performance.  Oh, and they rank their favorite solfege syllables.  Just riveting in every way.

    56 min

  7. 12/05/2023

    The Future of Music?

    Richard and Eric dive deep into an article in The Critic, entitled "Have I Seen the Future of Music; On a performance in three dimensions for all five senses," by Norman Lebrecht.  The article largely reviews pianist Yuja Wang's recent collaboration with renowned English artist David Hockney.  The author posits that, through the use of technology and three-dimensional space, this performance hints to not just a navigable way forward for music and music performance, but an exciting possible future filled with multi-sensory elements.  Are there issues to ponder with this type of thinking?  What do we mean when we say the 'future of music'?  What might we think the future of music will really be like? https://thecritic.co.uk/issues/november-2023/have-i-seen-the-future-of-music/

    1h 9m

  8. 11/14/2023

    Destined to Drown in the Digital Sea

    Richard and Eric, after struggling to come up with topics for the pocast, resort to asking ChatGPT for help.  They review and analyze what offerings AI provides, which leads to a much larger discussion of how AI might intersect the fine arts, most specifically choral music.  It is an interesting deep dive into the digital sea.

    1h 25m
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4.9
out of 5
35 Ratings

About

A couple of friendly conductors bantering about complex issues affecting the choral world.

Information

  • Creator
    Eric Barnum and Richard Robbins
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2025
  • Episodes
    57
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Choral Contrarians
  • Show Website
    The Choral Contrarians