Episode 30! Wow. We at The Relache Chronicles cannot believe that we’ve crafted thirty episodes of the podcast over a five-year period featuring recorded performances and commentary of a time in American music history that, to our minds will likely not be repeated any time soon. Sure enough, we’ve selected composers and music that celebrates our admiration for them – socially and artistically - while telling stories that reflect our times together. Episode One features two artists whose artistic visions gave rise to The Relache Ensemble. To tie together this totemic period (mid-to-late twentieth century), Episode Thirty is wrapped around the music of composer Aaron Jay Kernis.

As you will learn from our conversation with Aaron, we’ve known him since the early years of The Relache Ensemble. Our conversation with him is full of good memories and stories. The music that we’ve featured is an early work of Aaron’s titled “Music for Trio IV” composed for flute, cello and piano composed in 1982, and performed by Laurel Wyckoff, flute; Charles Forbes, cello; and guest artist Marc-Andre Hamelin The performance is from New Music America 1987 in Philadelphia. So, settle back and enjoy this trip down the proverbial memory lane.

Episode Twenty-Nine: Michael Nyman

Michael Nyman is a composer of concert music, film scores and the author of a book that influenced countless composers and educators in the late twentieth century that embraced musical styles counter to the modernist music of European and American composers whose works dominated university faculties worldwide. Experimental Music: Cage and Beyond certainly influenced the producing team here at The Relache Chronicles. Michael’s music for films is likely best known for those directed by Peter Greenaway. His score for Jane Campion’s film, “The Piano” is possibly his best-known work. Michael’s music has been referenced as “…taking no prisoners…” It is hard-driving, episodic, repetitive, at times very loud, and always unique. So, of course, it attracted the Relache Ensemble who then commissioned him to write a piece that is titled “HRT.” Composed in 1995-96, “HRT” was a dominant work in The Relache Ensemble’s repertoire during those years, and it was recorded on the Monroe Street Music label in 1997, now out of print. It is that recording and a conversation about Michael we’ll feature on this episode.

The members of The Relache ensemble were Laurel Wyckoff, flutes and piccolo; Ken Ulansey, saxophone and clarinet; Lloyd Shorter, oboe and English horn; Jon Gaarder, bassoon; Kathleen Carroll, viola; Douglas Mapp, bass and electric bass.

On February 25, 2026 “Comin’ On Home – A Concert for Guy” was held at Roulette in Brooklyn, NY. On the day before what would have been his 79th birthday, the concert celebrated the life and music of accordionist, composer and performer, Guy Klucevsek who passed away on May 22, 2025. Guy was well known to international audiences for his exquisite playing. His compositions for solo accordion number in the hundreds. He performed and recorded numerous works by other composers that were commissioned specially for him. He was a sideman or leader of numerous ensembles in the United States and Europe. He created pieces for ensembles such as Relache and Little Big Top (both of them are featured in this episode). His quartet Accordion Tribe toured Europe and became the subject of a documentary film. You can see a complete listing of his compositions, solo performances and collaborations with artists worldwide on his website .

Three earlier episodes of The Relache Chronicles are dedicated to Guy’s music. Episodes 4 and 10 feature conversations with him and the team as well as recordings of his music. Episode twenty-three is a personal tribute to Guy by the Relache Chronicles producing team, all close personal friends. To those episodes, we add Episode Twenty-Eight.

“Comin’ On Home – A Concert for Guy” featured thirty-one works played by eight soloists and twenty-four ensemble players who were friends and collaborators of Guy’s. From those thirty-one works, we have selected eight to play on this episode. They are performed by The Relache Ensemble, Little Big Top Ensemble, accordionists Nathan Koci, Alex Meixner and Will Holshauser, violinists, Andie Tanning and Todd Reynolds, pianist Joe Kubera, and singer Kamala Sankaram.

We have included links to the complete audio and video recording of Comin' On Home - A Concert for Guy and the 28-page program booklet (with program notes on each piece in the concert order.)

The complete audio and video recordings of the concert can be found on the Roulette website HERE. You can download the program booklet HERE.