On a given weekend, you might find Gabriel Kahane performing a piano sonata in a concert hall… or stumble upon him at a bar, playing with a rock band. He composes classical music for chamber groups and orchestras — but he also writes and sings his own indie pop songs. 

These days, those two worlds are overlapping more and more, and young musicians like Kahane thrive in both environments. He tells Kurt Andersen, “I’m trying to create a dialogue between my pop songs and my concert music. It’s taking very often the same genetic material and just treating it differently.”

Kahane has just released a new record called Where are the Arms. He performs songs from it live in the studio, with a full band and a string quartet.

Bonus Track: “Icebox” live in Studio 360

Video: "Charming Disease"

Video: "Where Are the Arms"