micro/Maker by Loose Leaf Transmissions

Vanessa Ague talks about growing up with an exploratory relationship to music — improvising on violin from a young age, engaging with minimalism through playing, and ultimately deciding not to pursue…

C. Jacqueline Wood describes her art as a tension between the analog and the digital—between what can be touched, saved, and archived, and what disappears into streaming platforms, algorithms, or fai…

At 19, Chris Opperman thought his future was slipping away—Frank Zappa was gone, and no label wanted a young composer making instrumental music. So he built his own label, Purple Cow Records, funded …

For Emma O’Halloran, the 1990s weren’t just about mixtapes, tribute bands, and chaotic tin whistle classes — they became part of her musical DNA. In this conversation, Emma reflects on how those form…

Joshua Mallard explores the creative overlap between composing and sound design — from the pitch and texture of metal pipes to the way middleware helps shape immersive game environments. He and Tyler…

From high school French press flops to slinging espresso for Scarlett Johansson and André 3000 in New York, Nathan Hudson’s journey with coffee is as layered as his career in music. He recounts openi…

Shelley Washington shares her candid perspective on tokenism in classical music and why real, lasting change requires more than checking a box. She discusses the importance of creating meaningful opp…

Groove isn’t just ink on a staff—it’s where you place the beat. Marc Mellits tells Tyler Kline how he coaches classical players toward “smooth, funky legato,” invisible accents, and a center-or-back-…

Phong Tran reflects on his formative experiences growing up online, and how internet culture shaped his musical taste and personal identity. He shares the emotional origin of his album The Computer R…

Mahdis Golzar Kashani reflects on how Persian traditional music shapes her compositional voice. In this excerpt, she shares her experiences blending Iranian and Western classical instruments, navigat…

Roger Zare discusses his early interest in film scoring, his decision to attend USC, and how that experience ultimately led him to pursue a career in concert music. He shares how his initial attracti…

Austin Hammonds reflects on the difference between creating as a craftsman and creating as an artist — and how his time at Bleeding Fingers and remote control reshaped his understanding of both. He s…

Vanessa Ague pushes back on the idea that drone and ambient music are easy listening. Instead, she describes them as some of the most demanding musical forms — requiring focus, presence, and deep eng…

Tyler Kline turns inward, outlining the four pillars that anchor his composing life: musical efficiency, instinctive intuition, a sense of ritual and patience, and a deliberate curiosity that guides …

What does it mean to be an artist without boxing yourself in? Emily Koh shares with Tyler Kline the three pillars that guide her creative life: starting with being human, staying curious, and releasi…

Anna Huffka talks with Tyler Kline about the artistry behind hair — not just as a surface-level service, but as a sculptural, responsive craft. She shares how curiosity, communication, and a respect …

Hannah Boissonneault shares the pillars that have helped shape her current creative practice — from letting go of perfectionism to embracing play, intuition, and deep intentionality. She talks about …

Shelley Washington and Tyler discuss how the expansiveness of the Midwest subtly weaves its way into her music — sometimes intentionally, sometimes through the deep-rooted identity of home and memory…

Phong Tran shares the origin and ethos behind Media Queer, a creative collaboration with Darian Donovan Thomas. What began as casual conversations became a trusted creative feedback loop — and a remi…

Carlynn Crosby talks through the tension between creative identity and economic survival. She shares why she’s hesitant to turn writing into a full-time career, how labels like “writer” and “journali…