Writing & Composition

At the onset of the pandemic, the Wilco frontman began filming The Tweedy Show, an at-home Instagram series with his wife and sons. His also has a new memoir, How to Write One Song, and a new album.

Rachael & Vilray first met in 2003 when they were students at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, but didn't begin performing together until 2015. Now they are the duo Rachael & Vilray and they play original songs inspired by the music of the 1930s and 40s. They'll talk and sing in the studio.

Composer Nicholas Britell says he wants his scores to help people lose themselves in films. He's scored the films 'If Beale Street Could Talk,' 'Moonlight,' and 'Vice.' Before becoming a composer Britell wanted to be a classical concert pianist, and he studied the neuropsychology of music at Harvard.

The jazz pianist, singer and producer, who died Saturday, won Oscar Awards for his compositions in Yentl, Summer of '42 and The Thomas Crown Affair. Originally broadcast in 1996.

Wilson, who was also a trumpet player, wrote the arrangements for such greats as Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald and Ray Charles. He died Monday at 96 years old. He spoke with Terry Gross in 2006.

At 60, New York City composer John Zorn is wiser, sure, but no less prolific, thoughtful and antagonistic than before. He tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross that, at his age, "there are no more doubts."

The musician, songwriter, composer and producer has made a name for himself by playing with the like of Amanda Palmer. For his latest album, however, he found himself departing from a rock sound as he began writing his own orchestral arrangements.

Authors Philip Furia and Laurie Patterson share the stories behind Hollwood's most beloved songs -- from Casablanca's "As Time Goes By" to the melodies from Mary poopins -- in their book The Songs of Hollywood.

The legendary composer and lyricist -- who collaborated on tunes like "Raindrops Keep Falin' on My Headd," "I Say a Little Prayer" and "What's New Pussycat?" -- discuss their 50-year relationship and some favorite tunes from the Broadway revival of their musical, Promises, Promises.

Michael Hearst, a founder of the band One Ring Zero, put out his Songs for Ice Cream Trucks CD mostly for fun. But he's been getting calls from ice-cream truck drivers who want to use them. Some of the instruments you'll hear on the collection include glockenspiel, electronic chord organ, melodica and theremin.

Bernstein died Wednesday at the age of 82. He was nominated for 14 Academy Awards, but won only one — for his music for the film Thoroughly Modern Millie. His best known film score was for The Magnificent Seven (which was later used for a Marlboro cigarette commercial). His other film scores include The Man With the Golden Arm, To Kill a Mockingbird, Great Escape, Sweet Smell of Success and The Ten Commandments. (Originally broadcast on Jan. 10, 1991.)

He just won a Golden Globe for his score for the film, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King and the score has also been nominated for an Academy Award. Shore has over 60 film scores to his credit, including The Fly, Dead Ringers, Naked Lunch, The Silence of the Lambs, Ed Wood and Philadelphia. Shore was also one of the original creators of Saturday Night Live, serving as musical director from 1975 to 1980. His chamber music is featured on the CD Reel Life — The Private Music of Film Composers Vol. 1.

Composer and conductor John Adams. There's a new 10-CD box retrospective of his work, that spans the last two decades. It includes his orchestral pieces like Harmonium, and his operas "Nixon in China," and "The Death of Klinghoffer." The boxset is titled "The John Adams Earbox" (Nonesuch).

An interview with composer Philip Glass by his cousin Ira Glass, the host of "This American Life." The conversation was recorded on-stage in Chicago earlier this month.

In-studio interview and concert with composer Joel Forrester, the co-founder of the Microscopic Septet (now defunct), composer of the Fresh Air theme, and solo pianist with a new cd, "Stop the Music" (Koch Records).

Michael Hashim talks about and and shares a recent recording of a rare and newly discovered composition of Billy Strayhorn "Up There." The composition had previously been recorded as the tune "Skippy." Strayhorn was best known for his collaborations with Duke Ellington.

Johnston is best known for his work with the Microscopic Septet from 1980 to 1992. His latest band, Big Trouble, has just released the album, "Flood At The Ant Farm." He has a reputation as one of contemporary music's most versatile composers. In addition to playing the saxophone, Johnston has a growing interest in scoring music for film, T.V., and radio programs. He has written the theme music for "Fresh Air." He has also written music for other NPR programs, MTV, and Comedy Central.

Biographer David Hajdu has just written "Lush Life: A Biography of Billy Strayhorn" (Farrar, Straus and Girous). The book explores the life of Strayhorn, a Duke Ellington collaborator who composed "Take the 'A' Train," "Lush Life" and "Something to Live For." Strayhorn was black and gay, but maintained a low profile while working with Ellington's band.

Lou Barlow, whose group The Deluxx Folk Implosion perform the contemporary version of "I'm Just a Bill" on the new release of School House Rock.