The Partially Examined Life Philosophy Podcast · Mark Linsenmayer, Wes Alwan, Seth Paskin, Dylan Casey

PEL Presents PvI#112: Musical Zoom w/ Jerome Kurtenbach

·1 hr 4 min·5 clips

Jerome Kurtenbach explains how he invented a new way to make musical improv work on Zoom by creating music videos.

This episode of Philosophy vs. Improv explores musical improvisation with special guest Jerome Kurtenbach, a composer and musical director. Hosts Mary Hines and Mark Linsenmayer engage Kurtenbach on the mechanics and philosophy of creating music spontaneously. Kurtenbach explains his role as a musical director involves deciding when and how to support an improv scene with music, similar to scoring a film. He describes the technical challenges of syncing musical improv over Zoom, which often leads performers to use pre-recorded tracks. Mary Hines shares her experience performing with musical accompaniment in groups like Space Heater Improv and her work with Kurtenbach on virtual Second City productions during the pandemic. Kurtenbach details his innovative method of creating ensemble music videos by directing actors to record their parts individually on Zoom and then editing them together. A surprising insight is Kurtenbach's view that all music is fundamentally derivative, originating from humans mimicking sounds like birdsong. He argues that even "new" creations are amalgamations of an artist's absorbed influences and training. The conversation examines the philosophical tension between artistic originality and communication, referencing composer Philip Glass's controversial blending of minimalist and popular styles. Kurtenbach posits that music, even in improv, "never lies" and always communicates some truth about a scene or character. An improvised scene set in a dog daycare humorously explores wordplay, such as the double meaning of "bitch." The hosts and guest debate whether one can lie while singing if music always tells a truth, comparing it to the deeper truths conveyed through fiction. Mark Linsenmayer briefly connects these themes to Hegel's philosophy of individual creativity being shaped by the cultural zeitgeist. The tone is conversational, exploratory, and lightly humorous, blending personal anecdote with artistic and philosophical inquiry. Listeners interested in the creative process, comedy, and the intersection of art and philosophy will enjoy this episode. Those seeking a formal, structured debate or a purely technical discussion of music theory might find it too discursive.

As heard by us

A thoughtful take on musical improv, mimicry, and the way online performance reshapes the form.

Jerome Kertenbach and the hosts frame musical improv as more than a performance trick, treating it as a running conversation about syncing, mimicry, and the shift from live practice to Zoom.

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Why you'd press play

You want a playful, brainy take on musical improv under Zoom pressure.

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