Anna Meredith (ANNA MEREDITH!!) is guest #17 on excuse the mess. If you’re a new listener thanks so much for checking out the podcast. This episode is a 4-part epic, the director's cut! It’s testament to Anna’s dynamic, hilarious, inspiring podcast chat that I can release 3.5 hours worth of podcast recordings and be confident you’ll be entertained throughout. Whilst we’re all locked up in our Covid-Bunkers you might welcome this extended deep dive into the mind and music of this phenomenal composer. Let the music escapism commence... 

If you don’t know Anna’s music by the end of this you will but here’s a little context...

She is one of the most celebrated composers in the UK (the nation even confirmed this by awarding her an MBE). She studied classical composition and has a vast amount of commissions under her belt. Her piece Five Telegrams opened the BBC Proms in 2018, it is one of the largest scale classical pieces I’ve ever seen, with visuals projected onto the Royal Albert Hall alongside her music performed by hundreds of musicians. Over the last 10 years (ish) she has been exploring a more electronic sound world and creating quite the storm. Her music is muscular yet warm, complex and direct. She was brought on as composer to the award winning film ‘Eighth Grade’ (dir. Bo Burnham) and the Netflix series ‘Living With Yourself’ (with Paul Rudd). 

There are 4 parts for you to digest:

A • This one (CHAT 1)

B • MUSIC MAKING - we make a track using a pesto jar and nothing else!

C • AUDIENCE Q’s - questions from you

D • CHAT 2 - More focus on Anna’s album FIBS, Five Telegrams and Eighth Grade

In this part we have a good old fashioned podcast rambly chat. We talk vegan cakes, exercise, the importance of composer community (referencing the Camberwell Composer’s Collective she was part of), we discuss her technique for mapping out compositions and classical culture amongst many other things.

*just a swearing warning, this episode contains occasional effs and jeffs*

I hope you enjoy this extended podcast - please dip in and out at your own pace and share with those who might like to hear.

Much love & take care of yourselves and others,

Ben xxx

Follow Anna here:

Website | Instagram |Twitter |Spotify |Facebook |BandCamp

Follow etm:

Website | Twitter | Instagram |