Exploring Global Soundscapes with Karen Power: Arctic Ice, Namibian Bats & Inclusive Music-Making
Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman
07/18/25
•72m
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Karen Power is an Irish composer who uses environmental sounds in her intriguing work. She is a master field recordist who has recorded sounds in some of the worlds most isolated and challenging locations including The Arctic, Amazon, and Namib Desert. You'll hear clips of her work including The Bats of Namibia, Frogs of Angor Wat, fascinating bog sounds and arctic ice sounds in collaborations with the Quiet Music Ensemble and many brilliant collaboraters on her project human nature. She’s also shared with us a raw field recording from a double cicada brood emergence. Karen and I also talked about her projects working to explore listeneing, composing and improvising with young children and inclusive music making with people living with disabiliities. You can also watch this on my YouTube channel; I’ve also linked the transcript. Episode link
It’s a joy to bring these inspiring episodes to you every week, and I do all the many jobs of research, production and publicity. Ko-fi support page
Newsletter Karen Power website human nature album
Other episodes: Lawrence English Ceara Conway
Jesse Stewart Philip Griffin Verna Gillis Ellen Waterman
(00:00) Intro (02:22) field recording (11:44) recording bats, human nature album with clip of Bats of Namibia (16:30) different kinds of scores to communicate with the musicians (21:32) we return to ground album with the Quiet Music Ensemble (23:47) clip of Instruments of Ice (25:37) Sonic Pollinators with clip (27:27) we return to ground with clip (33:51) other linked episodes you’ll like (34:42) collaboration with Loré Lixenburg Language Land Sea (41:51) Thomas Buckner, Frogs of Angkor Wat with clip (43:30)Pauline Oliveros, Sirens of New York with clip (47:55) Natural Creators Program for young children (53:45) inclusive ensembles for adults living with disabilities (58:50) Blackbirds, Jessical Cottis (01:01:31) women composers problems with equity (01:06:50) cicadas
Previous Episode
Teagan Faran is a remarkable violinist known for her versatility as a performer, composer, and improviser. In this episode, you’ll hear selections from her album Middle Child—a compelling and genre-spanning musical journey featuring works by acclaimed contemporary composers, as well as Tegan’s own reimagining of Brahms’ beloved Intermezzo.
A Fulbright grant recipient, Tegan spent nine months in Argentina delving into the rich traditions of tango and regional folk music. She shared insights about her time there, along with stories of collaboration and mentorship, including her work with the Grammy-nominated ensemble Palaver Strings and the electroacoustic duo Persephone & the Phoenix.
Tegan has also built a dynamic career as an educator and has studied under renowned teachers like Danielle Belen. In our conversation, we touched on her diverse teaching experiences, the importance of injury prevention, and her parallel path as a certified personal trainer. My website link takes you to the video and transcript.
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Other episodes you may enjoy: Julie Lyonn Lieberman
Martha Mooke, bad snacks, and Margaret Maria among so many!
photo: Naomi Vand
Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro
(01:53) album Middle Child with clip of Brahms Intermezzo
(05:42) Davis West, with clip of Outermezzo, Deedee Bridgewater
(08:44) Palaver Strings
(15:58) FARAHMS Misha Vayman with clip
(17:59) Persephone & the Phoenix Duo Nicole Brancato
(22:51) Casimiro by Julián Granciano with clip, tango, learning in Argentina
(28:31) Little Things album, sheet music with clip of El Silbador
(34:22) other linked episodes and ways to support this series
(35:11) stir crazy by Carlos Simon with clip, Leo Sussman
(37:01) mentor Matt Albert
(40:41) musical and personal identity
(44:24) mentor Danielle Belen, concert presentation, teaching, Ithica, Sphinx
(53:06) career advice, exploring instruments
(56:29) Temptress Jens Ibsen with clip
(59:37) personal trainer, avoiding injury
Next Episode
Lily Henley: Sephardic Identity, Ladino Language and Songwriting
July 26, 2025
•59m
The wonderful singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and scholar Lily Henley sings in the endangered language Ladino and during this podcast you’ll hear clips from her album Oras Dezaoradas. Blending her roots in American and Celtic music, Lily creates powerful original music that honours centuries of Sephardic women’s voices. These songs tell timeless stories of love, loss, exile, and resilience, sharing her personal connection to this important tradition.
You’ll also learn about:
- Sephardic history and contemporary communities
- Lily’s unusual childhood
- how she’s learned to trust her voice
Like all my episodes, you can also watch this on my YouTube channel and I’ve also linked the transcript to my website.
Newsletter Buy me a coffee? Podcast Merch
Other Episodes for you: Polina Shepherd Ida Gillner Jean Rohe Kavisha Mazzella Yale Strom Alicia Svigals
(00:00) intro
(01:39) Sephardic culture and history, Ladino language, album Oras Dezaoradas
(11:15) clip of Porke Yorach Blanka Ninya, Paris Ladino mentors Marie-Christine Bornes-Varol, François Azar
(13:41) about Esta Noche Te Amare with clip, Fulbright, Paris Sephardic community
(21:53) how close is Ladino to Spanish, clip of Duermite mi Alma, Susana Weich-Shahak, starting Doctorate at Harvard
(29:44) other linked episodes and ways to support this series
(30:39) balancing academic life and touring
(33:40) Lily’s childhood
(39:11) about Arvoles Yoran Por Luvya with clip, Dunca Wickel
(44:49) first album Words Like Yours
(48:23) Morena Me Yaman clip, identity as singer and multi-instrumentalist
(57:12) why there’s a track of fiddle tunes with clip
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