The Music Show

Listening to the new album by The Avalanches is like being on the dancefloor and then getting hit in the head with a whole desktop computer. Electronic, nostalgic, sample-laden and manic, their latest record is called No Bad Memories. The band - Robbie Chater, Toni Di Blasi, and Andy Szekeres - join Andy to unpack the record.
Patti Smith was Andy's guest on stage at the Melbourne International Festival's Spiegeltent back in 2008, where she performed live and talked about her relationship with poetry and opera. It's one of Andy's favourite interviews in his 32 years on the show. 
Plus a new version of a very old song from Lotte Betts-Dean and Joseph Havlat, and solo jazz piano inspired by the Blue Mountains from Matt McMahon.
Music heard in the show:
Title: GloriaArtist: Patti SmithComposer: Smith, PattiAlbum: HorsesLabel: Arista
Title: Superfun TV SpotArtist: The AvalanchesComposer: Chater, Robert; Di Blasi, Anthony; Szekeres, Andrew; Patton, Mike Album: No Bad MemoriesLabel: Polydor
Title: No Bad MemoriesArtist: The AvalanchesComposer: Chater, Robert; Di Blasi, Anthony; Szekeres, Andrew; Spencer, Jim; Tossing, Ed Album: No Bad MemoriesLabel: Polydor
Title: HighfieldArtist: The AvalanchesComposer: Chater, Robert; Di Blasi, Anthony; Szekeres, Andrew; Lennox, Noah; Reilly, Vini Album: No Bad MemoriesLabel: Polydor
Title: My Lagan LoveArtist: Lotte Betts-Dean, Joseph HavlatComposer: trad., arr. Havlat, JosephAlbum: KinLabel: Delphian
Title: Wing, GratefulArtist: Patti SmithComposer: Smith, PattiRecorded live at Melbourne International Festival, 2008
Title: CascadeArtist: Matt McMahonComposer: McMahon, MattAlbum: Burra KorainLabel: ABC Jazz
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country
Technical production by Ann-Marie Debettencor

The musical voice behind Australian classics like Two Hands and Red Dog, Cezary Skubiszewski is being honoured at the 2026 Screen Music Awards for Distinguished Services to the Australian Screen. 
In an extended conversation with Andy, Cezary explores building tension in bank robberies, writing music based on the time signature of a pigeon’s coo, and bringing children to tears.
Music heard in this program:
Music from Two Hands, composed by Cezary Skubiszewski & Jan Skubiszewski - Love Theme, The Station, The Robbery, Fletcher's House
Title: Love ThemeArtist: Steven Hadley, Peter Jones, Barry Palmer, Shane O'Mara, Tony HicksComposer: Cezary Skubiszewski & Jan SkubiszewskiAlbum: Two Hands SoundtrackLabel: Festival Records
Title: The StationArtist: Steven Hadley, Peter Jones, Barry Palmer, Shane O'Mara, Tony HicksComposer: Cezary SkubiszewskiAlbum: Two Hands Original ScoreLabel: C-ZEE
Title: The RobberyArtist: Steven Hadley, Peter Jones, Barry Palmer, Shane O'Mara, Tony HicksComposer: Cezary SkubiszewskiAlbum: Two Hands Original ScoreLabel: C-ZEE
Title: On The BeachComposer: Cezary SkubiszewskiAlbum: Lilian's Story - Music From The Motion PictureLabel: Columbia
Title: Betty Et ZorgComposer: Gabriel YaredAlbum: Betty Blue SoundtrackLabel: Virgin Movie Music
Title: The Godfather WaltzComposer: Nino RotaAlbum: The Godfather SoundtrackLabel: Paramount Records
Title: The SearchComposer: Cezary SkubiszewskiAlbum: Red DogLabel: Roadshow Music
Title: High Country creditsComposer: Cezary Skubiszewski & Jan Skubiszewski
Title: PolymorphiaArtist: Aukso OrchestraComposer: Krzysztof PendereckiAlbum: Threnody for the Victims of HiroshimaLabel: Nonesuch
Title: What's Happening Out There?Artist: Eric SerraComposer: Eric SerraAlbum: Leon The Professional soundtrackLabel: Waxwork Records
Title: Fletcher's HouseArtist: Steven Hadley, Peter Jones, Barry Palmer, Shane O'Mara, Tony HicksComposer: Cezary SkubiszewskiAlbum: Two Hands SoundtrackLabel: Festival Records
Title: Bande Originale Du Film "Pickpocket"Composer: Jean-Baptiste LullyAlbum: Bande Originale Du Film La Verte Moisson / Bande Originale Du Film PickpocketLabel: Polydor
Title: Machine Gun LullabyComposer: Ennio MorriconeAlbum: The Untouchables SoundtrackLabel: A&M Records
Title: The Music BoxArtist: Cezary Skubiszewski Composer: Cezary Skubiszewski Album: The Sound of One Hand Clapping SoundtrackLabel: EMI
Title: Let There Be LightArtist: Polish National Symphony OrchestraComposer: Cezary Skubiszewski Album: Night SountrackLabel: Origin
Title: Mosquito State TitlesComposer: Cezary Skubiszewski 
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra, Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Kaurna Country
Technical production by Ann-Marie de Bettencor

Cellist and composer Freya Schack-Arnott divides her time between classical and experimental music, exploring all of the possibilities of her instrument. Her latest project, Nornir - which premieres at the Melbourne Fringe Festival - is something different again: a mixture of movement and composition that breaks down the very idea of the cello.
The line between foley (cinematic sound effects) and percussion can be a blurry one, and The Music Show loves a blurry line. Andy talks to foley artist John Simpson, who has recently performed as the foley soloist in Thomas Meadowcroft's Hollywood Parsifals, a concerto for Percussion, Foley, and Orchestra; and Gabriel Fischer, a foley artist and percussionist who has taken his foley skills into his work with a piece for alfoil, snare drums and speakers called Makronomaly II. 
Nornir is at Melbourne Fringe 15-17 October.
Listen to Hollywood Parsifals on ABC Classic’s Evening Concert program, Wednesday 14 October at 8pm. 
Music heard in the show:
Title: Hollywood ParsifalsArtist: Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Eugene Ughetti, John Simpson, Benjamin NortheyComposer: Meadowcroft, ThomasRecorded for broadcast by ABC Classic
Title: CirklerArtist: Freya Schack-Arnott and Benjamin WardComposer: Schack-Arnott, Freya; Ward, BenjaminAlbum: MalleeLabel: Independent
Title: Finnish MarchArtist: Runa CaraComposer: trad.Album: Runa CaraLabel: Independent
Title: Makronomaly IIArtist: Gabriel FischerComposer: Fischer, GabrielCourtesy of Phoenix Central Park 
Title: Hollywood ParsifalsArtist: Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Eugene Ughetti, John Simpson, Benjamin NortheyComposer: Meadowcroft, ThomasRecorded for broadcast by ABC Classic
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra, Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Kaurna Country
Technical production by Tom Henry and Simon Branthwaite

Emma Ruth Rundle describes herself as a guitarist - an instrument she's taken from metal bands to ambient minimalism. But it's her voice that's been front and centre on recent albums, alongside her writing, which has recently extended to a book of poetry. Her latest album, These Killing Times, is a return to full-band mode after the stripped-back and confessional Engine of Hell, and it's a culmination of everything she's done thus far.
Randy Newman’s songs are surprising, poignant, sardonic and frequently very funny, whether they are poking fun at various US administrations, bigots, or self-satisfied characters living above the Mason-Dixon line. He was in Australia in 2011 touring with three of the state orchestras and also found time to sit down at a piano in the Music Show studios.
Music heard in this program:
Title: CowboyArtist: Randy NewmanComposer: Randy NewmanAlbum: Live Performance (originally on Randy Newman)
Title: PowerlessArtist: Emma Ruth RundleComposer: Emma Ruth RundleAlbum: These Killing TimesLabel: Errant Child Recordings
Title: Blooms of OblivionArtist: Emma Ruth RundleComposer: Emma Ruth RundleAlbum: Engine of HellLabel: Sargent House
Title: Kite, Known As HopeArtist: Emma Ruth RundleComposer: Emma Ruth RundleAlbum: Music From The Bella VistaLabel: Unnamed Press
Title: Catherine WheelArtist: Emma Ruth RundleComposer: Emma Ruth RundleAlbum: These Killing TimesLabel: Errant Child Recordings
Title: MarieArtist: Randy NewmanComposer: Randy NewmanAlbum: Live Performance (originally on Good Old Boys)
Title: Dixie FlyerArtist: Randy NewmanComposer: Randy NewmanAlbum: Live Performance (originally on Land of Dreams)
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra, Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung and Kaurna Country
Technical production by Simon Branthwaite

In 2020, the only way of making concerts work was suddenly to have very small audiences, so the 1:1 series allowed Sally Walker to continue to perform and connect with listeners. Sally has kept the concerts going post-lockdown, and she tells Andy about the unusual places where she’s set up a stage, and why a concert for a single person has a unique power for both performer and audience.
A coming of age story, featuring three teenagers on their last day together, the computer game Mixtape has been a critical success, and is nominated in 5 categories at the Australian Game Design Awards. Johnny Galvatron and Josh Abrahams, the game’s director and composer, join Sky Kirkham to explain why music was behind every decision they made about the game.
Sally Walker will be premiering Last Flight To Mars, composed by Richard Tognetti, at the Port Fairy Spring Music Festival on Oct 10.
Josh and Johnny are appearing at High Score, part of Melbourne International Games Week.
Music heard in this program:
Title: That's GoodArtist:  DevoComposer: Gerald V. Casale & Mark MothersbaughAlbum: Oh, No! It's DevoLabel: Warner Bros. Records
Title: Caoineadh Cú ChulainnArtist: Emily Granger & Sally WalkerComposer: Bill Whelan, arranged by Sally Walker & Emily Granger Album: Caoineadh Cú Chulainn singleLabel: Independent release
Title: The Memories of Poplar TreesArtist: Sally Walker and Helentherese Good Composer: Sally GreenawayAlbum: The Memories of Poplar TreesLabel: Independent release
Title: Galaxy in TuriyaArtist: Alice Coltrane Composer: Alice Coltrane Album: World GalaxyLabel: Impulse!
Title: FreakArtist: SilverchairComposer: Daniel JohnsAlbum: Freak ShowLabel: Murmur
Title: Yesterday's HeroArtist: John Paul YoungComposer: Vanda & YoungAlbum: HeroLabel: Albert Productions
Title: State of the HeartArtist: Mondo RockComposer: Eric McCuskerAlbum: Mondo Rock ChemistryLabel: Avenue Records
The Music Show is made on Gadigal, Gundungurra, and Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country
Technical production by Simon Branthwaite