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“Prélude a l'après-midi d'un faune, L. 86”Claude Debussy

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

October so far

251 plays across 118 artists

  1. PugnelloGilla Band26 plays
  2. Mussorgsky: Pictures at an ExhibitionModest Mussorgsky22 plays
  3. In Search Of...N*E*R*D17 plays
  4. Audit In ProgressHot Snakes12 plays
  1. 01Gilla Band28
  2. 02Modest Mussorgsky22
  3. 03N*E*R*D17
  4. 04Hot Snakes12
  5. 05Torche8

This week, years ago

  1. 2025Aspect — Seventeen Years Old and Berlin WallAlso Kyuss, Swans · 69 plays that week
  2. 2024In Rainbows — RadioheadAlso semiwestern, Viagra Boys · 99 plays that week
  3. 2023Most Normal — Gilla BandAlso Soft Blue Shimmer, Ethel Cain · 137 plays that week
  4. 2022Dimensional Bleed — Holy FawnAlso Arkells, Madeon · 106 plays that week
  5. 2021Red Earth & Pouring Rain — Bear's DenAlso Sleep Token, John Adams · 60 plays that week
  6. 2020Conatus — Zola JesusAlso Fink, Daughters · 53 plays that week
Show all 12 yearsShow fewer
  1. 2019Immunity — ClairoAlso JPEGMAFIA, Kanye West · 119 plays that week
  2. 2018BALLADS 1 — JojiAlso my bloody valentine, Pinegrove · 128 plays that week
  3. 2017SATURATION — BROCKHAMPTONAlso Vince Staples, Kygo · 30 plays that week
  4. 2016Arvo Pärt: Portrait — Arvo PärtAlso Grouplove, OneRepublic · 111 plays that week
  5. 2015Sprained Ankle — Julien BakerAlso Fink, PVRIS · 163 plays that week
  6. 2014Cerulean — BathsAlso Starfucker, Frightened Rabbit · 270 plays that week

Counted from Last.fm · 66,534 plays since 2013 · synced Oct 28, 2026