Jul 6, 2026 · 51 min · 10 segments
Best known for her acclaimed work with ballet companies across the country, Cristina Spinei has developed a distinctive musical language built on melodic cells, propulsive rhythms and subtle…
Seth BousteadHost
Cristina SpineiGuest
I just, I have the terrestrial radio going [laughs] and I flip between four country stations, and it's really beautiful to drive past horses and cows listening to this.
So I was in the car, I had it all the way cranked up, and a Morgan Wallen song came on.
And there was this guitar picking figure in the intro, and I said, "Ooh, I really like that rhythm.
I, I think, you know, it can be something." [laughs] And so I went home and just wrote the opening of "Motus" based on, I don't know, inspired by Morgan Wallen, which is a little bit, you know, it's different for me for an inspiration, but whatever works.
I opened with an excerpt of "Motus," but, uh, I really like that piece, and so I'm gonna return and hear the whole thing.
Well, we'll, we'll hear the whole thing together [laughs] uh, later on in the show.
And I actually, I, I heard that piece recently in Chicago at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance.
In fact, it was the world premiere of a piece by choreographer Chanel DaSilva called Atlas.
And I, I felt so lucky to be in the audience, and the music was by Christina Spinney.
And it was, uh, well, there were a couple of pieces, but that piece, "Motus," was one of them.
So I heard it blaring through this beautiful, gorgeous big theater, uh, with this wonderful dance, and, uh, it was quite striking.
And I thought, "Oh, wow, you know, I should catch up with Christina," [laughs] because we've worked together in the past.
And she wrote a really great score for a film called Loopy for our Sound of Silent Film Festival.
Uh, so I looked her up, and lo and behold, she has a new album coming out, uh, this album called Moved by an Interior Impulse.
I just, I have the terrestrial radio going [laughs] and I flip between four country stations, and it's really beautiful to drive past horses and cows listening to this.
So I was in the car, I had it all the way cranked up, and a Morgan Wallen song came on.
And there was this guitar picking figure in the intro, and I said, "Ooh, I really like that rhythm.
I, I think, you know, it can be something." [laughs] And so I went home and just wrote the opening of "Motus" based on, I don't know, inspired by Morgan Wallen, which is a little bit, you know, it's different for me for an inspiration, but whatever works.
I opened with an excerpt of "Motus," but, uh, I really like that piece, and so I'm gonna return and hear the whole thing.
Well, we'll, we'll hear the whole thing together [laughs] uh, later on in the show.
And I actually, I, I heard that piece recently in Chicago at the Harris Theater for Music and Dance.
In fact, it was the world premiere of a piece by choreographer Chanel DaSilva called Atlas.
And I, I felt so lucky to be in the audience, and the music was by Christina Spinney.
And it was, uh, well, there were a couple of pieces, but that piece, "Motus," was one of them.
So I heard it blaring through this beautiful, gorgeous big theater, uh, with this wonderful dance, and, uh, it was quite striking.
And I thought, "Oh, wow, you know, I should catch up with Christina," [laughs] because we've worked together in the past.
And she wrote a really great score for a film called Loopy for our Sound of Silent Film Festival.
Uh, so I looked her up, and lo and behold, she has a new album coming out, uh, this album called Moved by an Interior Impulse.
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