Students Spill the Tea on Music Theory in "From the Margins" Podcast

By Kristen Hudgins

From the Margins Podcast Cover

Hold onto your headphones! Two talented students from the UO School of Music and Dance (SOMD) launch a new podcast called “From the Margins: What Music Theory Doesn’t Want You to Know.”

Hosts Kaitlyn Clawson-Cannestra and Kasey Lynch created the podcast through the Cykler Song Scholars program, which awards financial support and mentorship to graduate students interested in pursuing original research related to song.

A Fresh Take on Music Theory

As the title suggests, it’s not a typical music theory podcast. Listeners will experience a lively, interdisciplinary dive into the music industry, confronting its long-standing issues with racism, sexism, and capitalism.

Lynch and Clawson-Cannestra examine songs through multiple lenses, including feminist theory and music analysis, challenging the norms and inviting new voices to the conversation.

But it’s not all serious — Expect plenty of laughs and juicy gossip along the way, with an unapologetically fresh perspective on music theory.

Episodes

12/15/24 
TRAILER
INTRODUCING FROM THE MARGINS

1/1/25
EPISODE 0
WHO ARE WE?

1/15/25
EPISODE 1
A TALE OF TWO ACADEMIES

The remaining podcast episodes in this 12-episode series will be released twice a month.

This Cykler Scholars project also includes a companion blog and a submission to the Society of Music Theory’s peer-reviewed podcast journal, SMT-Pod.

For instructors and listeners who want to know more, the companion blog provides lesson plans for various levels, reading materials, a companion playlist, and a question box.