Why do npr programs credit bj leiderman s theme music so often. Bj leiderman, of npr theme fame, releases new album. Composer of theme music for npr programs you listen to for almost 40 years. Npr collaborated with man made music, which has scored the super bowl for nbc and helped hbo reimagine its feature presentation intro, to come up with a new theme that mixes live instrumentation and a range of sounds into a mix inspired by the work of bj leiderman, the composer of the classic morning edition theme as well as the intros of weekend edition and wait wait. Nprs morning edition rolls out new theme song after 40. Bj at his finest, most ferocious, nuanced, observant, irreverent, longing, expansive and generous. Bj leiderman is the noted composer of the theme music heard on nprs morning edition, weekend edition, and wait waitdont tell me his themes are. This is a lifetime favorite and track 6 is the anthem of our times. Bj leiderman bj leiderman is the noted composer of the theme music heard on nprs morning edition, weekend edition, car talk, and wait waitdont tell me. If you listen to npr, youve heard the work of bj leiderman, a beach resident who composed the themes to car talk, weekend edition and more. The answer to this question can be found in the excerpt below, from an article that included an interview with bj leiderman.
Npr refreshes morning edition music to update sound. If youre an npr listener, im willing to bet you know at least a little bit of the music made by this world cafe guest although you might not know his name. Bj leiderman born february 14, 1956 in norfolk, virginia is an american composer and songwriter. In an auditory move that no doubt ruined some peoples wakeup alarms this morning, npr s morning edition changed its theme music for the first time in its 40year history this morning. Animated by exceptional minds a vocational school and working animation studio featuring artists on. Im the luckiest composer on the planet hes behind the theme music for publicradio programs like morning edition and marketplace. The virginia beach native who lives in asheville, n. Leiderman told current in an email that npr s decision to produce a new arrangement of my theme is a good one. Composer bj leiderman on struggling with mental illness, lyme. His bestknown works are his theme music compositions for public radio.
Bj leiderman is the awardwinning composer of some of the bestknown public radio themes youve been listening to for decades, including morning edition, weekend edition, marketplace, science friday, wait, wait, dont tell me. Understandably wanting to trade on those achievements, the 61year old musiciancomposer planned to title his debut album natural public leiderman get. Bj leiderman, the composer behind several public radio theme songs including those for morning edition. Why the new npr morning edition theme is so lousy the atlantic.
Brightening your day with new morning edition music. Public radio fans may not recognize the name bj leiderman unless they listen closely to credits. Bj leiderman is the noted composer of the theme music heard on nprs morning edition, weekend edition, car talk, and wait waitdont tell me. Episode 228 bj leiderman npr music, meditation, and. Leiderman took piano lessons for a year or so, but because he had to walk to the teachers. He thought that by commissioning a bj leiderman theme, he could allay station fears that the show was going to be too different from npr. Fullthroated, fullhearted, and brilliantly restorative. Composer bj leiderman on struggling with mental illness.
Understandably wanting to trade on those achievements, the 61year. You know that morning edition theme on national public radio. First of all, npr in and of itself broke ground, and to. So, id like to thank some of the people who helped move my career in the right direction. A music video from the debut album of npr composer bj leiderman. Read more about the musician in our september 20 issue. Npr s jingle writer bj leiderman plays an improvised version of his newly written theme song for npr s science friday. Bj leiderman is the noted composer of the theme music heard on npr s morning edition. Bj leiderman, an asheville resident who has composed some of national public radios bestknown themes morning edition, weekend edition and marketplace among them just. If you ever listen to national public radio npr, during the week or on the weekend, morning or evening, you know leiderman s music when you hear it. The time is right, and i wish everybody involved all the best in this new venture. Npr changed its flagship news shows music last week, and gave away. Bj leiderman adds humor and star power to iprs 50th. To national public radio devotees, bj leiderman is a rock star.
Inspired by the work of bj leiderman, the new music references the historic theme and will create a consistent and recognizable sonic palette. Musician bj leiderman composed the theme music for npr s morning edition, weekend edition and public radio internationals marketplace, to name a few. After 40 years, nprs morning edition gets new music kcur. Bj leiderman is an american composer and songwriter. Bj leiderman, nprs music man, releases his first album. Npr changed its flagship news shows music last week, and gave. The public radio themes youve been enjoying for almost four decades. If you only know bj from his commercial work, you are in. Hes composed the themes for programs like wait wait. Check out bj s debut album, natural public leiderman, scheduled for release may 6, 2017. Hes behind the theme music for publicradio programs like morning edition and marketplace.
Bj leiderman is the awardwinning composer of public radio themes including morning edition, weekend edition, and wait, wait, dont tell me. Bj leiderman, an asheville resident who has composed some of national public radios bestknown themes morning edition, weekend. They signal the start of npr s morning edition and the end of wait, wait. Bj leiderman, the 1minute music master the virginian. Read episode 228 bj leiderman npr music, meditation, and moving from sound to silence by scribd podcasts for free with a 30 day free trial. Bj leiderman is the noted composer of the theme music heard on npr s morning edition, weekend edition, and wait waitdont tell me his themes are among the most instantly recognizable sounds in. His bestknown works are his theme music compositions for public radio programs, including national public radios morning edition, weekend edition, wait wait. Bj leiderman, nprs music man and a virginia beach native. Hes written the theme music for programs like morning edition, marketplace and. Leiderman was, russell said, the security blanket for marketplace. Youre listening to selections from the bj leiderman public radio sampler, including themes from morning edition, weekend edition, car talk.
You know that morning edition theme music on national public radio. Although my first album is still in the works, i figure, why wait. But leiderman has also lived a double life and spent his nights jamming in rock n roll. Why do npr programs credit bj leidermans theme music so. Bj leiderman, of npr theme fame, releases new album wamc.
After forty years morning edition is getting a music theme facelift of sorts with a composition that pays homage to bj leiderman s original creation, and at the same time instills a. And leiderman did exactly what we wanted him to do, russell said, with like a copywritten bj leiderman sound. The evidence of this was all over campus during iprs celebratory weekend in july. When using these photos, please include the accompanying photo credit. Leiderman moved to new york city in the mid80s where he built a successful jingle career, winning various awards including the clio award. If youre a regular npr listener, you know bj leiderman s music. Npr debuts a new morning edition theme, and the fact that. Partnering with art director howard hoffman, leiderman worked as creative director and copywriter for clients including nickelodeon, tyco toys and cartoon network at bozell advertising and grey advertising. Leiderman, was perhaps the single most publicradioy thing on public radio a few seconds of music that pushed every cultural association you might have. Bj leiderman, nprs music man, releases his first album raleigh. If youre a regular kcur listener, youve heard his name countless times. Bj weekend editions theme song composer bj leiderman checks out a rock n roll fantasy camp in miami, where you can jam with graying rockers.