Chris Shoemaker

Cellist · Pianist · Programmer

Notes on music, listening, and the odd bit of code.

I’m Chris. I’ve played cello since I was seven (now in the Oakland Civic Orchestra) and piano since nine, studied computer science at Carleton, and still believe the best playlist is the one you’re about to hand to a friend.

On Music

All writing →
  1. No. 02The Rest is Noise by Alex Ross: First (sort of) impressionThirty-odd pages into Alex Ross on the twentieth century: Strauss, Mahler, and the art of the frenemy.
  2. No. 01IntroductionWhy this page exists: a cello at age three, a flat refusal to be taught, and a bootleg Planxty CD on the road to Louisville.

Listening

A rotating playlist of whatever has been on repeat lately. Currently spinning: October ’26.

Last heard“Jacobsons”Gilla Band

Ratings and reviews of everything else live on RateYourMusic, and every play gets logged on Last.fm.

October so far

232 plays across 113 artists

  1. PugnelloGilla Band25 plays
  2. Mussorgsky: Pictures at an ExhibitionModest Mussorgsky21 plays
  3. In Search Of...N*E*R*D17 plays
  4. Audit In ProgressHot Snakes12 plays
  1. 01Gilla Band27
  2. 02Modest Mussorgsky21
  3. 03N*E*R*D17
  4. 04Hot Snakes12
  5. 05Torche8

This week, years ago

  1. 2025Aspect — Seventeen Years Old and Berlin WallAlso Kyuss, Japandroids · 87 plays that week
  2. 2024abasement tapes — semiwesternAlso HighSchool, Closebye · 86 plays that week
  3. 2023Puberty 2 — MitskiAlso Gilla Band, Benjamin James · 198 plays that week
  4. 2022Charcoal — BramblesAlso Arkells, Silversun Pickups · 95 plays that week
  5. 2021The Chairman Dances — John AdamsAlso Blood Cultures, Swans · 70 plays that week
  6. 2020Conatus — Zola JesusAlso Daughters, M83 · 39 plays that week
Show all 12 yearsShow fewer
  1. 2019Ghosteen — Nick Cave & the Bad SeedsAlso Now, Now, Jet Black Alley Cat · 86 plays that week
  2. 2018Loveless — my bloody valentineAlso The 1975, Aminé · 83 plays that week
  3. 2017SATURATION — BROCKHAMPTONAlso Kygo, Bon Iver · 20 plays that week
  4. 2016Oh My My — OneRepublicAlso Arvo Pärt, Grouplove · 60 plays that week
  5. 2015Sprained Ankle — Julien BakerAlso Helios, Battles · 156 plays that week
  6. 2014Cerulean — BathsAlso The Magician, M83 · 211 plays that week

Counted from Last.fm · 66,515 plays since 2013 · synced Oct 25, 2026