Embodying the Fullness of Self in Music with Michael Frazier

And on micro/Maker: how one composer confronts the taboo through music

Author

Tyler Kline
October 03, 2025

🍃 Loose Leaf Transmissions – Weekly Dispatch

Greetings, y’all!

I’m really excited about this week’s episode because it gave me a chance to reconnect with an old colleague and peer. Michael Frazier and I overlapped at the University of South Florida, and since then, he’s gone on to do incredible work, earning two degrees from Eastman and now teaching at Oberlin.

What I love about Michael’s music is how approachable it feels without ever losing its depth. He weaves in elements of jazz, hip hop, and even birdsong in ways that elevate his work beyond “concert music” into something more expansive and alive. We dig into all of that in this week’s conversation: a fun, dynamic, and inspiring one that I think you’ll really enjoy.

🎧 New on the Feed

🎙 music/Maker with Tyler Kline

Now streaming: Embodying the Fullness of Self in Music with Michael Frazier

(c) 2025 Tanya Rosen-Jones Photography

On today’s episode of music/Maker with Tyler Kline, Tyler is joined by composer Michael Frazier.

Michael is a Black and Latino composer whose work blends jazz, birdsong, hip-hop, and improvisation into a musical language rich in harmony, gesture, and emotional depth. His music has been performed by ensembles including Strings & Hammers, OSSIA New Music, Detroit Chamber Winds & Strings, and Birds on a Wire.

In this conversation, Michael shares how embracing his cultural identity became a central part of his artistic voice. He and Tyler discuss how jazz phrasing informs his sense of musical time, how he approaches emotional connection in his work, and how his creative confidence has grown through writing music that feels fully personal and grounded in who he is.

New episodes every other Thursday. Subscribe now!

🎙 micro/Maker

micro/Maker 039: Confronting the Taboo Through Music (featuring Han Hitchen)

Han Hitchen shares how his music confronts taboo subjects like death, Roe v. Wade, and queer identity — turning discomfort into dialogue and insisting on visibility.

micro/Maker 040: Writing From a Place of Deep Connection (featuring Shelley Washington)

Shelley Washington reflects on how her deep family connections quietly shape her music, weaving joy and strength into her creative voice.

Episodes are released every Tuesday and Friday. Subscribe now!

🔜 Coming Up Soon

Next week on micro/Maker, hairstylist Anna Huffka shares how her Japanese heritage and the concept of iki shape her approach to beauty — celebrating imperfection with intention and helping people feel truly seen.

And composer Joshua Mallard reflects on what collaboration really looks like across creative industries, from game audio to concert music, and why balance and teamwork matter more than the lone-genius myth.

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