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Media Releases
American Public Media to Launch Decomposed- A New Podcast Exploring the Daring Acts and Surprising Inspirations of Famous Composers
Concert pianist and host Jade Simmons’ new APM podcast shares the tales of heartbreak, scandal and sheer genius that have shaped classical music.
ST. PAUL, Minn., April 4, 2019 – Concert pianist and world-class storyteller Jade Simmons will explore some of the most captivating aspects of the lives of classical composers as host of American Public Media’s new weekly podcast, Decomposed, launching April 16.While the work of these composers is well known even centuries later, their personal stories have often turned into footnotes. Simmons will bring fascinating elements of classical music history to life for longtime fans as well as new listeners. The composer’s stories are woven together with the symphonies, operas and other masterpieces that they inspired.Listen to a trailer of Decomposed and subscribe here.By emphasizing the personal struggles of revered composers, Simmons hopes to connect audiences to the humanity of classical music. Episodes will take listeners all the way from concert halls with composers donning powdered wigs to Cold War propaganda, showcasing the wide reach of this musical genre.“As I do with my own concert experiences, I would hope Decomposed attracts new ears while reintroducing connoisseurs to composers they thought they knew,” Simmons said. “Nothing to me is more fascinating than the people behind the music, and the circumstances in their lives that caused the incredible music we know and love to come into existence. Decomposed will shed light on those most powerful moments.”Simmons has been nicknamed “Classical Music’s #1 Maverick” for her habit of blending music, real time innovation and motivation. She has quickly become the face that represents the relevance of classical music while pushing the boundaries of its presentation. As a world-renowned concert artist, keynote speaker, best-selling author and multimedia personality, Simmons is a fascinating and passionate storyteller with a strong understanding of classical music’s roots.Decomposed is made possible by Inspired by You, MPR's capital campaign and the generosity of Ruth and John Huss. It is produced in partnership with Classical Minnesota Public Radio.Listeners can find Decomposed on Apple Podcasts and other podcast platforms. Connect with the show on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.###About American Public MediaAmerican Public Media® is the national programming division of Minnesota Public Radio® and reaches 20 million listeners via approximately 1,000 radio stations nationwide each week. APM is one of the largest producers and distributors of public radio programming in the world, with a portfolio that includes BBC World Service, Marketplace®, and the leading classical music programs in the nation. APM offers a diverse array of podcasts featuring the best in food, culture, entertainment, business and investigative journalism. For more information on APM, visit americanpublicmedia.org.Source: Data are copyright Nielsen Audio, Nationwide DMA data, Persons 12+, Fall ‘18. Data are estimates only.
Intern Highlight: Will Craft
submitted by Sarah Eldred
What's it like to have worked on In The Dark, APM Reports' new podcast that hit the #1 spot on iTunes before the first full episode was even launched? Will Craft knows.As a data reporting intern, Will is on his second internship with APMG. He was working in California at KPCC as a data intern when,
“On the last day of my internship in September 2015, an email was sent out looking for a data reporting intern to start work with APM Reports (though we didn’t have the name at the time). I wanted to be an investigative reporter, and especially love using tech and computers, so I applied and moved out to Minnesota when I was offered the job.”
What's it take to be an investigative reporter? Will explains: “...it means learning how to ask the right questions, how to do research, and how to strategize and think through an investigation.” Also moving deeper into the context of the data behind the stories, “I’ve loved learning how sound can give a human voice to the data, and the data can give a breadth of context and support to the stories we’ve been working on.”
APM Reports is one of the younger members of the American Family Media Group family. Born in 2015, Editor-In-Chief Chris Worthington describes the purpose of its formation:
"The leaders at American Public Media decided to invest in investigative journalism and combine it with our documentary reporting for a number of reasons. Most important, immersive, fact-driven journalism is a critical public service. When Americans are more fully informed and insist on meaningful change, our democracy can work more reliably…But no matter the focus, at the heart of every important story we pursue will be a critical larger question – about systems or accountability within institutions – that Americans deserve to have answered with depth and commitment."
Dave Peters, Senior Editor of APM Reports and Craft’s supervisor, says “he’s gone toe-to-toe with the FBI and Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension over rural crime rates and delved into the surprisingly little known set of data about child kidnappings.” Peters adds, “Will has become our reporters’ go-to guy anytime we need to make sense of piles of information.”Along with contributing to In the Dark, Craft worked hard on the investigation of Mesabi Academy. His findings were released to the public and can be viewed here.
Peters explains:“For the reporting on Mesabi Academy in northern Minnesota, he built an interactive look-up table for maltreatment allegations at Minnesota’s juvenile justice institutions, making that data easily accessible to the public for the first time.”Will has certainly found his calling here at APMG. He is a valuable addition to the APM Reports team.“There have been so many great experiences in the past year, but the best experience is getting to sit back and absorb the knowledge of everyone I work with. Every so often, when I am in a meeting or listening to people work around me, I just think, ‘Wow, this is my job. I get paid to do this,’ which is pretty amazing.” We would say he is well on his way to becoming a phenomenal investigative reporter!more from the Inside APMG Blog
