Podcasts · Episode

Curtis Stewart

Program: NoteWorthy
Aired: Monday, September 9, 2024
Hosted by Loki Karuna

Taking a bit of sound from one recording and using it in another, or sampling, as it's known, is something that I'm sure you've heard before, right? Especially within genres like hip hop and R&B. You don't hear sampling done on the classical side of things all that often, but believe it or not, it definitely exists! Hey there – I'm Loki Karuna, and on this edition of Noteworthy I'm going to share a sample of a solo violin work that incorporates lots of sampling – it's a work by violinist and composer Curtis Stewart.

Curtis Stewart hails from New York, and is the son of two musicians: a father who plays the tuba, and his late mother, who was a violinist. In 2023, Curtis decided to honor his mother with an album titled "of Love" – music that not only features Curtis' own playing, but also lots of musical samples that showcase the depths of his creativity. This track from the album titled, "EMBRACE", samples audio from an interview of his mother, before she passed. 

"of Love" wasn't just embraced by Curtis' fans – the album was also nominated for a Grammy award in 2024. Curtis Stewart's musical output stretches the boundaries of classical music, honors those who have passed, and has easily earned him a spot among today's most Noteworthy musicians.

Noteworthy is a production of WDAV classical public radio. 

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