The Music Show

Loudon Wainwright III is a songwriter who falls somewhere between Woody Guthrie and Tom Lehrer. As well as being a storyteller and comedian, he's the father of a brood of musical children including Rufus and Martha Wainwright. He's 80 now and planning his first Australian tour in over twenty years. 
And from The Music Show's archives, another chance to hear Andy's favourite of a few interviews with Canadian singer k.d. lang, who spoke to him about creating a great Canadian songbook with her album Hymns of the 49th Parallel. 
Join us at Fillmore’s in Kiama on Thursday 29th October for a conversation with Sandy Evans and Andrea Keller before their Resonance performance with Michelle Nicolle and Jenny Barnes.
Music heard in the show:
Title: Bird on a WireArtist: k.d. langComposer: Cohen, LeonardAlbum: Hymns of the 49th ParallelLabel: Nonesuch
Title: Lifetime Achievement, White Winos, I Remember Sex Artist: Loudon Wainwright IIIComposer: Wainwright, LoudonAlbum: Loudon Live in LondonLabel: The Last Music Company
Title: A Case of YouArtist: k.d. langComposer: Mitchell, JoniAlbum: Hymns of the 49th ParallelLabel: Nonesuch
Title: HelplessArtist: k.d. langComposer: Young, NeilAlbum: Hymns of the 49th ParallelLabel: Nonesuch
Title: By the RiverArtist: Fanny Lumsden feat. Paul KellyComposer: Lumsden, Edwina MargaretAlbum: TraditionsLabel: Red Dirt Road Records
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra, Gumbaynggirr and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country
Technical production by Isabella Tropiano and Timothy Jenkins

Composer and pianist Elena Kats-Chernin and pianist and ABC Classic presenter Tamara-Anna Cislowska share stories from a friendship and collaboration that's lasted decades, including how Tamara-Anna convinced Elena to perform with her, by sharing a single piano. Elena's concerto, Ancient Letters, was recorded by Tamara with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and that album is nominated for an ARIA Award. 
The collaboration between experimental saxophonist Colin Stetson and piper Brìghde Chaimbeul is comparatively recent, but looks set to continue for a long time. Colin talks to Andy about hearing Brighde's music for the first time and why he’s so interested in capturing the sort of sounds from his instrument that most sax players work very hard to remove from a recording.
Join us at Fillmore’s in Kiama on Thursday 29th October for a conversation with Sandy Evans and Andrea Keller before their Resonance performance with Michelle Nicolle and Jenny Barnes.
Elena and Tamara-Anna are performing in Maitland on Sunday Oct 25.
Music heard in this program:
Title: Dirt DanceArtist: Colin Stetson & Brìghde ChaimbeulComposer: Colin Stetson & Brìghde ChaimbeulAlbum: All the light in the world Label: Envision Records
Title: Ancient Letters, i. Tiger CubArtist: Tamara-Anna Cislowska & Tasmanian Symphony OrchestraComposer: Elena Kats-CherninAlbum: Elena Kats-Chernin: Ancient LettersLabel: ABC Classics
Title: All the light in the world Artist: Colin Stetson & Brìghde ChaimbeulComposer: Colin Stetson & Brìghde ChaimbeulAlbum: All the light in the world Label: Envision Records
Title: Sorrow: II - Lento E Largo — TranquillissimoArtist: Colin StetsonComposer: Henryk Górecki & Colin StetsonAlbum: Sorrow (A Reimagining Of Gorecki's 3rd Symphony)Label: 52Hz
Title: Even though the frost is harsh Artist: Colin Stetson & Brìghde ChaimbeulComposer: Colin Stetson & Brìghde ChaimbeulAlbum: All the light in the world Label: Envision Records
Title: Andrea’s Special DaysArtist: Andrea Keller & Sandy EvansComposer: Sandy EvansAlbum: ResonanceLabel: Independent release
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra, Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Gumbaynggirr Country
Technical production by Timothy Jenkins

Listening to the new album by The Avalanches is like being on the dancefloor and then getting hit in the head with a whole desktop computer. Electronic, nostalgic, sample-laden and manic, their latest record is called No Bad Memories. The band - Robbie Chater, Toni Di Blasi, and Andy Szekeres - join Andy to unpack the record.
Patti Smith was Andy's guest on stage at the Melbourne International Festival's Spiegeltent back in 2008, where she performed live and talked about her relationship with poetry and opera. It's one of Andy's favourite interviews in his 32 years on the show. 
Plus a new version of a very old song from Lotte Betts-Dean and Joseph Havlat, and solo jazz piano inspired by the Blue Mountains from Matt McMahon.
Music heard in the show:
Title: GloriaArtist: Patti SmithComposer: Smith, PattiAlbum: HorsesLabel: Arista
Title: Superfun TV SpotArtist: The AvalanchesComposer: Chater, Robert; Di Blasi, Anthony; Szekeres, Andrew; Patton, Mike Album: No Bad MemoriesLabel: Polydor
Title: No Bad MemoriesArtist: The AvalanchesComposer: Chater, Robert; Di Blasi, Anthony; Szekeres, Andrew; Spencer, Jim; Tossing, Ed Album: No Bad MemoriesLabel: Polydor
Title: HighfieldArtist: The AvalanchesComposer: Chater, Robert; Di Blasi, Anthony; Szekeres, Andrew; Lennox, Noah; Reilly, Vini Album: No Bad MemoriesLabel: Polydor
Title: My Lagan LoveArtist: Lotte Betts-Dean, Joseph HavlatComposer: trad., arr. Havlat, JosephAlbum: KinLabel: Delphian
Title: Wing, GratefulArtist: Patti SmithComposer: Smith, PattiRecorded live at Melbourne International Festival, 2008
Title: CascadeArtist: Matt McMahonComposer: McMahon, MattAlbum: Burra KorainLabel: ABC Jazz
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country
Technical production by Ann-Marie Debettencor

The musical voice behind Australian classics like Two Hands and Red Dog, Cezary Skubiszewski is being honoured at the 2026 Screen Music Awards for Distinguished Services to the Australian Screen. 
In an extended conversation with Andy, Cezary explores building tension in bank robberies, writing music based on the time signature of a pigeon’s coo, and bringing children to tears.
Music heard in this program:
Music from Two Hands, composed by Cezary Skubiszewski & Jan Skubiszewski - Love Theme, The Station, The Robbery, Fletcher's House
Title: Love ThemeArtist: Steven Hadley, Peter Jones, Barry Palmer, Shane O'Mara, Tony HicksComposer: Cezary Skubiszewski & Jan SkubiszewskiAlbum: Two Hands SoundtrackLabel: Festival Records
Title: The StationArtist: Steven Hadley, Peter Jones, Barry Palmer, Shane O'Mara, Tony HicksComposer: Cezary SkubiszewskiAlbum: Two Hands Original ScoreLabel: C-ZEE
Title: The RobberyArtist: Steven Hadley, Peter Jones, Barry Palmer, Shane O'Mara, Tony HicksComposer: Cezary SkubiszewskiAlbum: Two Hands Original ScoreLabel: C-ZEE
Title: On The BeachComposer: Cezary SkubiszewskiAlbum: Lilian's Story - Music From The Motion PictureLabel: Columbia
Title: Betty Et ZorgComposer: Gabriel YaredAlbum: Betty Blue SoundtrackLabel: Virgin Movie Music
Title: The Godfather WaltzComposer: Nino RotaAlbum: The Godfather SoundtrackLabel: Paramount Records
Title: The SearchComposer: Cezary SkubiszewskiAlbum: Red DogLabel: Roadshow Music
Title: High Country creditsComposer: Cezary Skubiszewski & Jan Skubiszewski
Title: PolymorphiaArtist: Aukso OrchestraComposer: Krzysztof PendereckiAlbum: Threnody for the Victims of HiroshimaLabel: Nonesuch
Title: What's Happening Out There?Artist: Eric SerraComposer: Eric SerraAlbum: Leon The Professional soundtrackLabel: Waxwork Records
Title: Fletcher's HouseArtist: Steven Hadley, Peter Jones, Barry Palmer, Shane O'Mara, Tony HicksComposer: Cezary SkubiszewskiAlbum: Two Hands SoundtrackLabel: Festival Records
Title: Bande Originale Du Film "Pickpocket"Composer: Jean-Baptiste LullyAlbum: Bande Originale Du Film La Verte Moisson / Bande Originale Du Film PickpocketLabel: Polydor
Title: Machine Gun LullabyComposer: Ennio MorriconeAlbum: The Untouchables SoundtrackLabel: A&M Records
Title: The Music BoxArtist: Cezary Skubiszewski Composer: Cezary Skubiszewski Album: The Sound of One Hand Clapping SoundtrackLabel: EMI
Title: Let There Be LightArtist: Polish National Symphony OrchestraComposer: Cezary Skubiszewski Album: Night SountrackLabel: Origin
Title: Mosquito State TitlesComposer: Cezary Skubiszewski 
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra, Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Kaurna Country
Technical production by Ann-Marie de Bettencor

Cellist and composer Freya Schack-Arnott divides her time between classical and experimental music, exploring all of the possibilities of her instrument. Her latest project, Nornir - which premieres at the Melbourne Fringe Festival - is something different again: a mixture of movement and composition that breaks down the very idea of the cello.
The line between foley (cinematic sound effects) and percussion can be a blurry one, and The Music Show loves a blurry line. Andy talks to foley artist John Simpson, who has recently performed as the foley soloist in Thomas Meadowcroft's Hollywood Parsifals, a concerto for Percussion, Foley, and Orchestra; and Gabriel Fischer, a foley artist and percussionist who has taken his foley skills into his work with a piece for alfoil, snare drums and speakers called Makronomaly II. 
Nornir is at Melbourne Fringe 15-17 October.
Listen to Hollywood Parsifals on ABC Classic’s Evening Concert program, Wednesday 14 October at 8pm. 
Music heard in the show:
Title: Hollywood ParsifalsArtist: Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Eugene Ughetti, John Simpson, Benjamin NortheyComposer: Meadowcroft, ThomasRecorded for broadcast by ABC Classic
Title: CirklerArtist: Freya Schack-Arnott and Benjamin WardComposer: Schack-Arnott, Freya; Ward, BenjaminAlbum: MalleeLabel: Independent
Title: Finnish MarchArtist: Runa CaraComposer: trad.Album: Runa CaraLabel: Independent
Title: Makronomaly IIArtist: Gabriel FischerComposer: Fischer, GabrielCourtesy of Phoenix Central Park 
Title: Hollywood ParsifalsArtist: Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Eugene Ughetti, John Simpson, Benjamin NortheyComposer: Meadowcroft, ThomasRecorded for broadcast by ABC Classic
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra, Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Kaurna Country
Technical production by Tom Henry and Simon Branthwaite