March 2, 2022
EPISODE DESCRIPTION:
Composer Kincaid Rabb joins us to discuss the consortium model for commissioning new works, how their composition approach does and doesn’t change when composing for a consortium, and the basics on how to put consortia together. They chat with us about their research into the music of theme parks, and how they’ve integrated this research into their composition. We talk about how one approaches the challenges of balancing one’s privileges with one’s identity, and how this manifests in the small ensemble industry. We speak about their new ensemble, Basket of Owls, and finish the conversation by exploring what magic actually is.
ABOUT:
Kincaid Rabb (b. 1993, they/them pronouns) is an award-winning composer, working at the intersection of storytelling and new music. Kincaid is an artist-scholar whose research includes musical narratology, emotional catharsis, and the phenomenon of the theme park as inspiration. Using narration, worldbuilding, and a strong sense of fun and play, Kincaid creates musical experiences that immerse audiences into intimate spaces and that reward waders, swimmers, and divers alike. Kincaid produces works that trapeze artistic disciplines, curating performances that seamlessly integrate different sensory experiences and create lasting memories through music.
Kincaid’s collaborations have included Paradise Winds, The _____ Experiment, the Driftwood Quintet, Kontra Duo, Keyed Kontraptions, Duo R2, the Brelby Theatre Company, and the faculty and students at the University of Arizona and the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Kincaid is a founding member of Basket of Owls, an ensemble of musician-narrators dedicated to curating spaces for unheard stories. Their principal teachers have included Douglas Harbin, Daniel Asia, Pamela Decker, Diego Vega, and Jennifer Bellor.
Currently residing in San Diego, California, Kincaid graduated with a Master of Music in Composition in 2021 from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, where they held a graduate assistantships in theory, composition, and musicology. They graduated from the University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Music in Composition in 2017. Kincaid is affiliated with ASCAP and is a NextGen Member of the Themed Entertainment Association. When not working on making more music about dinosaurs, superheroes, or wizards, Kincaid can be found riding roller coasters at local Southern California theme parks.
LISTEN & LEARN:
Full Episode on Anchor
Resources
Pine & Gilmore, Welcome to the Experience Economy
Transcript