Description
Knock Knock... It’s Fate: The Four Notes That Shook the World in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!

Fun Fact
During WWII, Allied radio broadcasts began with the da-da-da-DUM motif because its rhythm matched the Morse code for “V” (•••–), symbolizing “Victory.” Beethoven’s Fifth thus became a sonic emblem of resistance—proof that four notes written in 1808 could help rally hope more than a century later.

About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.

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Description
When a Cello Speaks: The Heartbreaking Opening of Elgar’s Concerto in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!

Fun Fact
Elgar’s Cello Concerto premiered in 1919—and flopped. Overshadowed by rehearsal mishaps, it wasn’t until Jacqueline du Pré’s 1965 recording that the piece gained fame. Today, its opening bars are considered some of the most emotionally gripping in classical music—proof that some masterpieces just need time to be heard.

About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.

You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋

Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️

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Description
That Note from Heaven: The Top C in Allegri’s Miserere in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!

Fun Fact
The Vatican once banned copying Miserere, enforcing secrecy to protect its mystique. Young Mozart heard it once in 1770 and wrote it out entirely from memory. This musical jailbreak helped make the soaring top C famous—and added to Mozart’s legend as a prodigious musical genius with a photographic ear.

About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.

You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋

Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️

Support the show

Description

Lip Gymnastics: The Wild World of Horn Embouchure in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!

Fun Fact

Horn players often practice just buzzing their lips into a mouthpiece—no horn needed—while driving, walking, or even watching TV!
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About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.
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You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋

Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️

Support the show

Description

Puff, Play, Breathe: The Oboe’s Magic Trick in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!

Fun Fact

Some oboists have used circular breathing to play continuous notes for over 45 minutes—long enough to make a sandwich between breaths!
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About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.
__________________________________________________________________

You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋

Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️

Support the show

Description

Mahler’s Motto: Go Big or Go Back to Vienna in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!

Fun Fact

Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 premiered in 1910 with over 1,000 performers on stage. Though “Symphony of a Thousand” wasn’t his title, the name stuck. It was one of the largest-scale choral works ever attempted—and still gives orchestra managers mild panic attacks every time it’s programmed.
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About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.
__________________________________________________________________

You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋

Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️

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Description

The Nutcracker? No Thanks, Said Tchaikovsky (At First) in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!

Fun Fact
Tchaikovsky didn't trust Russian composers not to steal his idea of using the celesta for The Nutcracker, so he had it secretly shipped from Paris. He needn’t have worried—now it’s hard to imagine Christmas without it. He didn’t love the ballet, but the celesta made magic.
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About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.
__________________________________________________________________

You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋

Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️

Support the show

Description
Lisztmania: The First True Fan Frenzy in 60 Seconds. Take a minute to get the scoop!

Fun Fact
Lisztmania wasn’t just poetic—it was real, and intense. Fans fought over Liszt’s handkerchiefs, collected his hair, and wore cameos bearing his face. Some even claimed his music had healing powers. Critics struggled to understand the frenzy, but audiences simply couldn't get enough of the pianist who played like a storm.
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About Steven, Host
Steven is a Canadian composer & actor living in Toronto. Through his music, he creates a range of works, with an emphasis on the short-form genre—his muse being to offer the listener both the darker and more satiric shades of human existence. If you're interested, please check out his music website for more. Member of the Canadian League Of Composers.
__________________________________________________________________

You can FOLLOW ME on Instagram. 👋

Please Buy Me A Coffee 🤓☕️

Support the show