Lifetimes of Listening

Lifetimes of Listening

by Dan Kruse and Brian Moon

Music Commentary Documentary

Season 1

Finding Harmony: Music, Love, and Relationships

Have you ever wondered why couples have a “song”? In this episode, Dan and Brian speak with Jake Harwood, a Professor of Communication at the University of Arizona, who has examined how music helps strengthen bonds between people. The beginning stories of many relationships feature music, and unsurprisingly, those stories are surfacing regularly in the archive. In this episode, we seek to better understand why music works so well to bring people together. Bo Ongley, Aletheia Ida and John Malmborg, and Hannah Galligan each offer a story about how music deepened the ties they have with another person. Sometimes, you meet a person who knows a song so well that they can begin singing in harmony. Learn more about Lifetimes of Listening at:https://musicalmemories.music.arizona.edu John Malmborg’s music was mentioned in this episode: https://www.johnmalmborg.com/. Learn more about Aletheia Ida’s work here: https://www.aletheiaida.design/

On Finding Your Instrument

Brian and Dan speak with Karin Nolan, a Music Education Associate Professor of Practice from the University of Arizona, about what it means for a young person when they choose an instrument. Many of the stories in the Arizona Musical Memory Archive describe the moment a person first encounters their instrument. Dr. Nolan has researched some of the meanings and best practices for placing students with an instrument, and now helps future music teachers employ those procedures in the classroom. There’s an almost magical feeling apparent in the account of a person describing the moment they became entranced with a specific instrument and decide to learn to play it. Stories from Jose Luis Puerta, Samantha Rea, and Norman Weinstein provide an example, but also demonstrate that when a young person falls in love with an instrument, they are often supported by an adult who nurtures that moment of discovery.Learn more about Lifetimes of Listening at:https://musicalmemories.music.arizona.edu

“I Just Felt Happier Being in a Band”

Dan and Brian speak with Chad Shoopman, the Director of Athletic Bands for the University of Arizona, about why so many of the stories in the Arizona Musical Memory archive celebrate being in a band. His experiences in marching bands and working for many different Disney ensembles, both as a leader, and as a session player, give him an interesting perspective on the stories we share from the interviews we have collected. Many musical memories speak of the significance of marching bands, but Chad’s insights teach Dan and Brian a thing or two about the transformative power of marching band, and the way it shapes people lives. Stories from Alexlis Rivera-Jinel, Khris Dodge, and Ashley Rodriguez answer why people might give hours in the heat, wearing uncomfortable uniforms, in an attempt to do something excellent together that they couldn’t do on their own. Marching bands are more than just an elective in school; they may hold a secret on how to make the world a better place.

When the Music Won’t Let Go, Stories of Musical Fandom.

Dan and Brian speak with Warren Hartman, a songwriter, recording artist, and longtime music director for Kenny Rogers. His perspective as a sideman during Kenny Roger’s many tours gives him some insight into what converts some admirers of artists into devoted followers and extreme fans. In this episode Shai Korman (Friday Night Movie Night host) tells of meeting Weird Al Yankovich when he was a kid. Diana Daly (Social Media and Ourselves host/producer) shares a powerful story about what MeatLoaf and his album Bat Out of Hell meant to her. Finally, Buddy Buttram (drummer) shares a story that makes us wonder if every musician has an origin story, rooted in listening.

When the Sound Moves You

Dan and Brian talk to music theorist Don Traut about how sounds become anchors, or reference points for musical experiences. Tim Lohman describes how certain harmonies penetrate his being. Bruce Blackstone speaks of his realization that many of his favorite rock songs were based on the blues. David Harrington tells of the time that he realized when he had to be in a string quartet because of hearing a particular chord. The musical memories inspire a wide-ranging discussion about why people savor resolutions and lush orchestrations, how predictable musical patterns can be soothing, and whether or not an Eflat chord is the center of the musical universe.

Losing Your Place in the World: Music, Grief, and Loss

Dan and Brian spoke with Kory Floyd, a scholar of the communication of affection, and Mary Francis O’Connor, an expert on bereavement, and the effects of loss on the body, during SXSW in 2022. The conversation engages three powerful stories about how music became intertwined with loss. Brent Davis, a hospice chaplain, tells of the death of an old navy veteran; Whitney Morgan shares a story of her father and dementia, and David Harrington of the Kronos Quartet, describes the loss of music after his son’s death. These stories demonstrate how music build connections between people, and how it can help move a person through grief, if one can listen at all.

When Music Turns a Gathering into a Community

Dan and Brian speak with Susan Crane, a historian and scholar of communal and collective memories in this month’s episode of Lifetimes of Listening. Ntari Ali Gault’s story of the single “When Doves Cry”, Praise Zenenga’s reflections about performing African music in the United States with a multi-ethnic ensemble, and Sara Gulgas’s remembrance of attending an impromptu memorial gathering on the anniversary of John Lennon’s murder each demonstrate the power of an individual’s memory, and how music shaped a community in a particular moment. Music brings awe into ordinary moments, and makes a communal experience memorable.

Introducing Lifetimes of Listening

Dan Kruse and Brian Moon have spent years asking people to share their memories about music. Now, they’ve begun to collect those stories in hopes of helping us all to better understand how music has gained meaning in our lives. The stories of musical memories and families, the theme of this month’s episode of Lifetimes of Listening, will likely resonate with some of your earliest memories of music in your life. Listen for entertainment, to learn about the Lifetimes of Listening project, or perhaps to help gain some insights into why music matters.

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