Talking Classical Podcast: Recent Episodes
Annabelle Lee
Talking about the lives, experiences and stories of people in classical music. If you've wondered what it’s like being a professional musician or you're simply intrigued to find out more about the art form, then Talking Classical is the show to listen to!
Each podcast features a special guest (or two) who shares their perspectives of classical music. We also welcome guests in other "classical" art forms (e.g., ballet) or who've used their classical music background in different ways. This provides new viewpoints as part of a wider picture within the arts, culture and society.
Ed Lyon is an internationally recognised tenor who enjoys a career in a wide range of repertoire from the Baroque to contemporary music, and performs in many of the major opera houses and concert platforms around the world. He is also a therapist, who specialises in helping people in the classical music industry deal with its unique challenges.
Last month, I played in a concert of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion where Ed was singing the role of the Evangelist. The concert also featured the St. Albans Bach Choir and Sinfonia Verdi Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Lucas. A few weeks after the concert, I met Ed in London to talk more about the day, as well as his work and approaches as a singer and therapist.
Among the topics we discuss include: what can be the impact of therapeutic techniques for classical musicians; identity as a classical musician; performance anxiety; the importance of creating a safe environment in rehearsals and performance; cultivating your mindset as a performer; and Ed’s approach to the role of the Evangelist.
I was moved by how openly Ed spoke about his own experiences. It was also really insightful to understand classical music performance within psychological and therapeutic frameworks.
Thank you so much Ed for taking the time to speak, and also to Ed Maitland Smith at the Barbican Centre for kindly hosting and providing us with a room. Check out their season for the rest of this year and next!
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https://edlyon.info
https://www.edlyon-therapy.co.uk
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Interview with Ed recorded at the Barbican Centre, 12 April 2024. Podcast episode published 26 April 2024.
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Emily Pailthorpe is an internationally renowned oboist who also practises as a psychotherapist, seeing clients for the NHS and at The Door clinic in Chiswick, as well as online in private practice. I spoke to Emily in June when we talked about her versatile work in oboe playing and psychotherapy, and how both areas relate to each other. This led us to talk about a range of topics such as the healing power of music, mental health and wellbeing, breathwork, and two pieces that Emily has recorded for her YouTube channel: Britten's Six Metamorphoses after Ovid and an instrumental reinterpretation of Vaughan Williams's great art song, Silent Noon. These two works speak to the psyche and the great emotive sway music has on both player and listener.
www.emilypailthorpe.com
www.emilypailthorpetherapy.com
www.conchord.co.uk
Trailer for Six Metamorphoses after Ovid film. The full film will be premiered on Emily's YouTube channel on 10 January 2024, followed by a Q&A. Subscribe to Emily's YouTube channel for the release: https://www.youtube.com/@EmilyPailthorpe.
Emily performs Silent Noon (for oboe and piano) by Vaughan Williams, accompanied by Julian Milford. Enjoy a sample of this performance towards the beginning and end of the podcast!
Emily talks about Silent Noon.
Interview with Emily recorded 26 June 2023 at Richmond Library Annexe, London. Updated and published 24 November 2023.
Thank you to Alitu for the amazing audio editing software to help with the podcast; it's so simple and easy to use for anyone looking to make a podcast and wanting to make editing stress free! https://alitu.com.
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Emily Pailthorpe is an oboist who has recently trained as a psychotherapist and completed a Master's in counselling. I spoke to Emily in June when we talked about these two aspects of oboe playing and psychotherapy, and how both areas relate to each other. This led us to talk about a range of topics such as the healing power of music, the power of breathwork, and two pieces that Emily has recorded: Britten's Six Metamorphoses after Ovid and an instrumental reinterpretation of Vaughan Williams's great art song, Silent Noon, works which speak to the psyche and the great emotive power of music.
Emily's bio: https://www.emilypailthorpe.com/about.
Emily performs Silent Noon (for oboe and piano) by Vaughan Williams https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrqCHCF6_bs.
Emily talks about Silent Noon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emwPz6wH-7Y.
Subscribe to Emily's YouTube channel for the release of her film of Six Metamorphoses after Ovid by Britten: https://www.youtube.com/@EmilyPailthorpe.
Interview with Emily recorded 26 June 2023 at Richmond Library Annexe, London. Podcast published Friday 19 August 2023.
Thank you to Alitu for the amazing audio editing software; it's so simple and easy to use for anyone looking to make a podcast and wanting to make podcast editing less stress free! https://alitu.com
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Hattie Butterworth and Rebecca Toal are professionally trained classical musicians, Initially training as a cellist, Hattie is currently the editor of the Opera Now magazine and Rebecca is a freelance trumpeter who is training to be a counsellor. They also host a successful podcast called Things Musicians Don't Talk About, which is aimed at destigmatizing difficult conversations about aspects of being a classical musician and working in the music industry. I met Hattie and Rebecca to talk about their podcast, as well as their experiences of training at music college, developing transferable skills and other work assets alongside one's work as a classical musician and the future of the classical music industry.
Interview with Hattie and Rebecca recorded 20 April at the Royal Opera House and remotely 26 May 2023. Published 4 June 2023.
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Brandon Lawrence is a Principal Dancer of the Birmingham Royal Ballet company but will be leaving at the end of the 22/23 season to join Ballett Zürich, the ballet company of Opernhaus Zürich. In this wide-ranging discussion, Brandon and I discuss his love of classical music, specific aspects surrounding the relationship between music and dance, working with orchestras and conductors, favourite ballet scores, and dancing narrative and non-narrative ballets, among other things.
Brandon's real passion and extensive knowledge not only of the ballet canon but the classical music repertoire comes through immensely, and I'm sure you'll learn a lot from this discussion.
I had a wonderful time visiting the Birmingham Royal Ballet headquarters and thank you to Brandon and the staff for making me feel so welcome!
Interview with Brandon recorded 13 April 2023; podcast published 21 April 2023.
Brandon's bio - https://www.brandonlawrence.co.uk/brandonlawrence.
Interview with conductor Jonathan Lo on Brandon's Open Barre podcast - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5gvujQG4LkE8JkWyyawKzF?si=NLcdJCJNQCy7X_b251Q5IQ.
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Anthony Roth Costanzo is one of the world's most in demand countertenors who has recently completed a run of Philip Glass' opera Akhnaten at English National Opera, performing the title role of the legendary Egyptian king. In this short interview (Anthony was very kindly taking some time out from his off day to speak to me), we talked about some of the challenges of performing the very demanding role of Akhnaten, working directly with Philip Glass, the development of the countertenor voice, presenting classical music to new audiences, and bringing joy to audiences on stage.
Anthony's bio: https://anthonyrothcostanzo.com/About.
The i's review of Akhnaten: https://inews.co.uk/culture/akhnaten-london-coliseum-review-astonishing-staging-philip-glass-proves-why-we-need-the-eno-2216322.
Anthony's Humans of Classical Music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXab0t6dnSE.
Anthony's performance of Gershwin's classic "I Got Rhythm": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAnyv4LV8ko.
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I'm delighted to be welcoming on this podcast Guy Johnston. Guy is one of Britain's leading cellists who was the winner of the BBC's Young Musician of the Year back in 2000 which set him on a glittering international career as a soloist, chamber musician, orchestral player and teacher.
This podcast was recorded after Guy had given two performances of Elgar's Cello Concerto at very short notice with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, having come for a short trip from the States to England. And we managed to cover a number of different topics over the short time we had including: performing last-minute concerts, being a musical parent, growing up in a musical household, training in the States, Guy's new YouTube series Creative Cello Chats, playing on a Stradivarius and interpreting Bach, which Guy has been a real exponent of.
Interview recorded 27 January 2023; podcast published 18 February 2023. Edited Joe Eftihiou at Clarion; additional edits Annabelle Lee.
Guy's bio: https://guy-johnston.com/biography
Creative Cello Chats: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ziGbwPHIR4 / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8KqYRfsnIA
Live stream of Guy's performance of the Elgar Cello Concerto with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mark Wigglesworth (available till 24 February): https://bsolive.com/book-online/106202
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I'm pleased to present this discussion with Emily Beynon, one of the Principal Flautists with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. I had the pleasure of seeing the orchestra at one of their concerts during their London residency at the Barbican Centre. Thank you to the Barbican Centre's Press Team for arranging that amazing experience!
In this podcast, Emily and I discuss her musical journey, training in both London and Paris, playing with the Concertgebouw Orchestra (including in the hall itself), some of the flutes she plays and advice for practising.
Interview recorded 7 December 2022; published 16 January 2023.
Emily's bio: https://emilybeynon.com/biography
Emily's Lockdown Insanity Project (all videos available to watch on her YouTube channel): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y2Rd7O8Xzs
Emily's masterclass at London's Royal Academy of Music takes place on 14 March 2023 - booking essential: https://tickets.ram.ac.uk/sales/categories/masterclasses/masterclass-emily-beynon
Edited Joe Eftihiou; additional edits Annabelle Lee.
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I'm pleased to share this conversation with Claire Wickes, Principal Flautist of the Orchestra of English National Opera. Alongside her work as a flute player, she has recently developed a career as a media composer. I met Claire in October at the Royal Opera House a few hours before she had a performance at the London Coliseum that same evening. We talked about her musical journey, studying music at university and college, learning from different teachers, experiences of playing in the orchestra with ENO (including on the stage of the Coliseum!) and her composing activities.
This podcast was recorded before the formal announcement at the start of November regarding ENO's funding cuts from the Arts Council and their possible relocation to Manchester.
Listen to the podcast here!
Interview recorded 19 October 2022; podcast published 14 January 2023. Edited Joe Eftihiou; additional edits Annabelle Lee.
Claire's bio: https://www.clairewickes.com/bio.
Claire on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clairewritesmusic.
Batman: Broken Promise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c_ORJHJXgI.
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Davina Clarke is a violinist based in London who specialises in historically informed performance and Baroque music. She also hosts her own podcast called The Classical Corner where she has had the opportunity to speak to a number of distinguished artists about what makes them the top of their field.
I was pleased to speak to Davina during a Saturday morning in October over Zoom where we talked about the world of historical performance practice today and some of her exciting musical projects including her latest album of Handel and a video series with the Connaught Hotel entitled Musical Mixology which aims to explain different aspects of classical music to a cocktail drinking audience. She also has an album out now including Handel's Nine German Arias and two violin sonatas by the composer.
Thanks to Davina for taking the time to speak to me. Davina's album Sweet Stillness is available to stream, download or purchase wherever you like to get your music!
Davina's album Sweet Stillness: https://orcd.co/kv0avry
Musical Mixology: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15MiR-5Ud6w (all episodes available to watch on Davina's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@davinaclarke6578)
The Classical Corner podcast: https://lnkfi.re/classicalcorner
Davina's bio: http://www.davinaclarke.com/about-davina
End music: George Frideric Handel. Meine Seele hört im Sehen, HWV207 from Nine German Arias [performed by Mary Bevan, Davina Clarke and the Davina Clarke Ensemble]. On Sweet Stillness. Voces8 Records. (Original work composed 1724-1726).
Interview recorded 22 October 20222; podcast published 14 December 2022.
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Last week, I was so pleased to meet Ralph Allwood for a podcast interview. Having played under him in a concert with the Old Royal Naval College Trinity Laban Chapel Choir a few years ago, and having interviewed for this podcast several distinguished alumni he has taught, it was wonderful to talk to him about his extensive and pioneering work in choral directing, singing and teaching music. We also talked about his involvement setting up the Rodolfus Choral Courses (formerly the Uppingham and Eton Choral Courses) and more recently the Pimlico Musical Foundation. You're going to find this such an inspiring and motivating listen!
Podcast interview recorded 25 November 2022 at Ralph's flat in London (thank you Ralph and Alastair Davey for making me feel welcome!); podcast published 28 November 2022.
Pimlico Musical Foundation concert "Earth, Sun and the Stars" - 30 November 2022: https://pimlicomusicalfoundation.org.uk/whats-on-list/earth-sun-and-the-stars.
Old Royal Naval College Trinity Laban Chapel Choir Carol Services - 11 and 12 December 2022: https://ornc.org/whats-on/chapel-carol-services.
Applications for the 2023 Rodolfus Choral Courses are now open! https://talkingclassicalpodcast.files.wordpress.com/2022/11/rf_choral_courses_2023_poster_a4.pdf.
2023 Adult Choral Course: https://talkingclassicalpodcast.files.wordpress.com/2022/11/rf_adult_choral_course_2023_poster_a4.pdf.
Ralph's bio: https://ralphallwood.com.
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I'm pleased to share this podcast with Daniel Pailthorpe, Co-Principal Flautist with the BBC Symphony Orchestra. We had a fascinating discussion about his musical journey growing up, parallels between flute playing and singing, solo performances, what it's like playing for one of the top symphony orchestras in the country, performing at the BBC Proms and Royal Albert Hall (including a memorable concert involving the then five members of Monty Python!), tone production and vibrato.
Podcast interview recorded 26 September 2022 at Daniel's home in Richmond, London.
Daniel's additional commentary about tone production and throat tuning recorded 12 November 2022.
Podcast released 16 November 2022.
Due to some digital noise when I started recording, here's also what he said when I asked him to tell me about his musical journey growing up: "I actually don't come from a particularly musical family. My father loved music but was not a trained musician at all. Bach was his passion and he transferred that to me. It was just a very pure love of music without having an instrument but they very much encouraged me in my music, took me to concerts. It so happened that both of my godparents who they chose when I was born were both very keen musicians and so they helped to introduce me to the world of music."
Crumb - Voice of the Whale: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd76Q-yA5M4.
Daniel's arrangement of Prokofiev's Scenes from Romeo and Juliet - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wmca0PTyy-c.
End music: Margaret Hubicki (2005). From the Isles of the Sea [performed by Daniel Pailthorpe and James Kirby]. On Dedication in Time: Chamber Music by Margaret Hubicki. Chandos. (Premiere recording).
Podcast intro and outro music by Helena and Annabelle Lee.
Podcast edited by Joe Eftihiou, additional edits from Daniel Pailthorpe and Annabelle Lee.
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I am delighted to be back after a break from the podcast, and to share this discussion with coloratura soprano and Broadway soprano actor Meghan Picerno. Meghan is a wonderful and unique artist who has not only great success in and understanding of the operatic world and repertoire but more recently in musical theatre. In this podcast, we talk about Meghan's career in opera and the turning point for her journey into musical theatre, which started at Plácido Domingo's Operalia competition at Covent Garden. We also discussed the crossover and differences between opera and musical theatre in terms of performance, style, interpretation and techniques. It's great to hear Meghan is keen to bring back her singing and acting experience of musical theatre back into the opera she initially trained in.
This is a fascinating listen for anyone who's interested in classical music and opera and wanting to learn more about musical theatre and vice versa if there are any listeners who are more bent towards musicals.
Meghan's bio: https://www.meghanpicerno.com/about
Notes: A Zwischenfach voice refers to a singer who can sing different roles within the range of a soprano and a mezzo-soprano.
The "Don Quixote"musical I am referring to at the end of the podcast is The Man of La Mancha, which is inspired by the same novel by Miguel de Cervantes.
Podcast recorded 5 July 2022; published 18 July 2022.
Editing by Saw and Sine.
Additional editing from Annabelle Lee.
Music by Helena and Annabelle Lee.
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In this episode, I am pleased to share a discussion recorded earlier this year with Andy Higgs. Andy is a composer and piano accompanist specialising in writing and playing music for dance. Kasper Cornish (a previous guest on the podcast) recommended I talked to Andy as they both work together regularly in dance classes.
We discuss Andy's journey to composing and accompanying dance, as well as the challenges and processes surrounding the disciplines. We also discuss career highlights, including Andy's work for the Stopgap Dance Company, a pioneering UK dance company which includes disabled and non-disabled dancers.
Podcast interview recorded 22 February 2022 at London Contemporary Dance School; published 9 April 2022.
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Last month, I talked to Nina Brazier, an opera director who is currently on the staff at Oper Frankfurt. We discussed Nina's journey to becoming an opera director, the differences between the opera world (and approaches to opera directing) in Germany compared to the UK, her approach to directing, what happens on an opening night and her role in that, and diversity and inclusion in the opera business.
Nina's bio: http://www.ninabrazier.co.uk
Nina's podcast The Opera Pod: https://www.theoperapod.com
Podcast recorded remotely on 2 February 2022; published 8 March 2022.
Music by Helena and Annabelle Lee
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Last month, I recorded a podcast interview with Chief Executive of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Stephen Maddock. In this discussion, we talked about how Stephen got into the world of arts management and what led him to the esteemed post he's in today. We also discuss what makes the CBSO distinctive, the role of the orchestra within the city of Birmingham, artistic programming and challenges of Stephen's position.
Stephen's bio: https://cbso.co.uk/profile/stephen-maddock.
Podcast recorded 15 February 2022 at the CBSO Centre, Birmingham; posted 8 March 2022.
Music by Helena and Annabelle Lee.
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Happy New Year!
I'm so excited to start 2022 with a great discussion with Gerald Finley, one of the world's leading opera and concert singers. I was pleased to talk to him amidst his very busy schedule. We talked last year, a few months ahead of a US recital tour he's embarking on next week with renowned British pianist Julius Drake.
Gerry had been very busy over the past two years despite the Coronavirus pandemic and UK national lockdowns so we started off by talking about what he'd been up to. We also talked about a wide range of topics from young singers, conservatoire life and the challenges and high points within a long and illustrious career. Additionally, we discussed some of the interesting issues raised crossing different genres such as opera, musical theatre and acting.
Interview with Gerry recorded 26 August 2021. Podcast published 21 January 2022.
Gerry's bio: http://www.geraldfinley.com/about.
US tour dates: http://www.geraldfinley.com/event-directory.
*The discussion about King Lear towards the end of the podcast refers to a project last year at the UK's Grange Festival, where a group of established opera singers acted Shakespeare's play.
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In this podcast, we'll be hearing from Andrew Nethsingha, Director of Music for the world-renowned Choir of St. John's College at the University of Cambridge. We talk about the Choir's latest album The Tree, a selection of recordings representing the idea of growth and showcasing the Choir under three of its music directors: Nethsingha, as well as David Hill and Christopher Robinson.
We also discuss the idea of tradition, the St. John's sound and the introduction of women in the choir next year. Andrew also talks about the unique experience at St. John's College School (the Choir's school for young choristers) and how potential choristers can apply.
Email choir@joh.cam.ac.uk for more information.
Interview recorded 14 December 2021; podcast published 22 December 2021.
Thank you to Premier for sponsoring this episode!
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In this episode, we'll be hearing from Zvonimir Hačko, conductor and Artistic Director of the newly initiated International Centre for Contemporary Music (ICCM). We'll learn more about the ICCM and what the future and development of contemporary music might look like over the next few years.
One of the ICCM's inaugural projects is recording the complete symphonies of Penderecki, and we'll hear more about this recording process. We also discuss audience responses and perceptions towards contemporary music, particularly in light of the recording of Penderecki's symphonies Zvonimir is directing and conducting with the Philharmonia Orchestra.
Zvonimir's bio: http://www.zhacko.com/biography.
ICCM: https://www.iccmlondon.org.
Zvonimir's article "Beyond Artistic Homogeneity," which he refers to in the podcast: https://www.iccmlondon.org/beyond-artistic-homogeneity.
Thank you to Premier Communications for sponsoring this episode!
Interview with Zvonimir recorded 23 November 2021; podcast published 7 December 2021.
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In this podcast, we're hearing from Kirill Gerstein and learning about his fascinating webinar series "Kirill Gerstein invites." Over the past two years, Kirill has been hosting these webinars, alongside his rich and diverse career as an international concert pianist. Kirill Gerstein invites is presented in association with the Kronberg Academy, where he teaches.
Podcast recorded 29 November 2021; published 1 December 2021 (intro added 4 December 2021).
Kirill's bio: https://kirillgerstein.com/biography.
Kirill Gerstein invites: https://kirillgerstein.com/ventures/kirill-gerstein-invites.
Watch previous seminars here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbBJqVJEs-coNaXvQepQWrg/videos.
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In this podcast, I talked to Julia Bishop, leading violinist specialising in Baroque and historical performance practice. You may also best know her as the co-founder of the pioneering Baroque quartet Red Priest.
In this wide-ranging discussion, we talked about Julia's journey into Baroque music, what it was like to be involved in the early music movement in the 1980s and 1990s and the philosophy behind Red Priest. We also discussed life as a touring musician, acting on stage and feeling confident in what you're wearing on stage, which can aid how you feel when playing in a performance. Red Priest's members wear worn bold, eye-catching costumes when they give concerts.
Julia talked about her approaches to teaching Baroque music as well. Finally, she gave some advice to newcomers, aspiring to get into the music industry.
Julia's bio: https://www.juliabishopviolin.com/gallery-2.
Podcast recorded 18 October 2021; published 16 November 2021.
Music used in the podcast: Antonio Vivaldi, Concerto in E Major - 'La Primavera' (Spring) - Allegro from The Four Seasons, Red Priest (Red Priest Recordings, RP003, 2009).
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Last week, I got to go to the iconic Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club during a brief visit to London. I met the club's Artistic Director James Pearson who is both equally at home in jazz and classical music.
We talked about the similarities and the differences between both genres, playing styles, improvisation, orchestration and how this feeds into the acoustics of music. We also discussed James' programme which he presented last year with his trio at Ronnie Scott's. This concert was live streamed and celebrated the legacy of legendary comedian, entertainer and musician Dudley Moore. He was someone who could effortlessly cross the boundaries between jazz and classical music. Younger listeners should take a look at his inimitable pastiches of Beethoven, Britten, Fauré, Schubert and Kurt Weill, which are available to watch on YouTube.
James reflected on the legacy and history of Ronnie Scott's, including the eclectic range of artists who have performed on the stage. This led us to discuss working across different genres and great pianists such as Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock and Keith Jarrett who learnt jazz music through playing classical piano. Finally, James gave me a walk around the venue, sharing stories about the club and some of the musicians who played there as we went along. This is an experience I will never forget!
Thank you to James and the staff at Ronnie Scott's for making me feel so welcome!
James' bio: https://www.jamespearsonmusic.com/about.
Watch James Pearson presents 'A Portrait of Dudley Moore'; concert with his trio live streamed from Ronnie Scott's on 30 November 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0LKPt7qFuY.
Interview recorded 20 October 2021; podcast published on 30 October 2021.
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In this podcast, we're hearing from musician and creator of PlayScore 2 Anthony Wilkes. PlayScore 2 is a music scanning app from Organum Ltd.
Anthony talks about how he came to develop the app and its exciting features that make it essential for any musician. We also learn about the technology behind PlayScore 2 called Optical Music Recognition (also known as OMR). In short, it is the musical version of Optical Character Recognition (OCR). Anthony talks about the development of OMR, some of its challenges and whether technology has improved or impeded the way we learn music today.
Optical Music Recognition on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Optical_music_recognition.
playscore.co
Organum Ltd is a UK company based in Oxford specialising in printed and handwritten optical music recognition. Anthony also created the handwritten music recognition engine in the popular NotateMe app, and the PhotoScore application from Neuratron Ltd. As a musician Anthony studied cello with Caroline Bosanquet and Rohan de Saram, and plays in several ensembles. You can also see Anthony's composer's page on the IMSLP free music site.
Podcast recorded on 14 October 2021; published 18 October 2021.
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Last week, I went to the University of Birmingham (UK) to learn about its MA Music: Choral Conducting pathway, celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. In the first part of this podcast, we'll hear from the course's director Simon Halsey. He talks about how the course was developed from his desire to pass on what he'd learnt from an extensive career as a choral conductor and director, specifically, training a choir to sing with an orchestra. This is the course's main focus - it's the only choral conducting course to be run with a major international orchestra: the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. However, students are immersed in many genres of choral conducting throughout the degree. It's an intensive course but the students should leave with plenty of ideas about how to conduct choirs in their home countries or other capacities.
Then we'll hear from four students on this year's course (2021/22), why they chose to specifically come to Birmingham, their ambitions and what attracts them to choral conducting.
Simon Halsey occupies a unique position in classical music. He is the trusted advisor on choral singing to the world’s greatest conductors, orchestras and choruses; as an ambassador for choral singing to amateurs of every age, ability and background he has led ground-breaking massed choral events, notably for New York’s Lincoln Center.
Making singing a central part of the world-class institutions with which he is associated, he has been instrumental in changing the level of symphonic singing across Europe. He holds positions across the UK and Europe as Choral Director of London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Chorus Director of City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Artistic Director of Orfeó Català Choirs and Artistic Adviser of Palau de la Música, BarcelonaCreative Director for Choral Music and Projects at WDR Rundfunkchor, Conductor Laureate of Rundfunkchor Berlin and Professor and Director of Choral Activities at University of Birmingham.
He is also a highly respected teacher and academic, nurturing the next generation of choral conductors on his post-graduate course in Birmingham and through masterclasses at Princeton, Yale and elsewhere. He holds four honorary doctorates from universities in the UK, and in 2011 Schott Music published his book and DVD on choral conducting, Chorleitung: Vom Konzept zum Konzert.
Halsey's numerous awards include three Grammys for his recordings with the Rundfunkchor Berlin. He was made Commander of the British Empire in 2015, was awarded The Queen's Medal for Music in 2014, and received the Officer's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2011 in recognition of his outstanding contribution to choral music in Germany.
Born in London, Simon Halsey sang in the choirs of New College, Oxford, and of King's College, Cambridge and studied conducting at the Royal College of Music in London. In 1987, he founded with Graham Vick the City of Birmingham Touring Opera. He was Chief Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Choir from 1997 to 2008 and Principal Conductor of the Northern Sinfonia's Choral Programme from 2004 to 2012. From 2001-2015 he led the Rundfunkchor Berlin (of which he is now Conductor Laureate); under his leadership the chorus gained a reputation internationally as one of the finest professional choral ensembles. Halsey also initiated innovative projects in unconventional venues and interdisciplinary formats.
MA Music (Choral Conducting) students: Jonathan Hatley, Jonathan Lucas Wood, James Bate and Daniel Tíjaro. *Interview with the MA students recorded in the foyer of Birmingham University's Music Hub - edited transcript here: https://bit.ly/3mHZzLf.
Interviews recorded on 4 October 2021; published 12 October 2021.
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In this podcast, we hear from Tim Rhys-Evans who is Director of Music at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. I talked to him about how the past two years have been in the role (in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic), what his post entails as well as many of the College's exciting and varied opportunities. They include an international concert series at the Dora Stoutzker concert hall and a new BMus programme focusing on areas such as collaboration, artistry and the role of a musician in society.
We also talk about the importance of mental health. Tim featured in a BBC documentary called All in the Mind which won a Welsh BAFTA and aired in May 2016. In this programme, he talked candidly and openly to camera about his experiences of mental health, while maintaining a successful music career, most notably, with his choirs Only Men Aloud (winners of the BBC One reality choir competition Last Choir Standing) and Only Boys Aloud (which made the final of ITV's Britain's Got Talent). This led us to discuss why he made the documentary, advice for music students and young musicians to improve their mental health and what the Royal Welsh College has been doing to promote mental health and wellbeing.
This podcast raises many pertinent issues and questions regarding what a conservatoire should look like in the twenty-first century, and the Royal Welsh College is certainly a prime example.
Please note that the latter half of this podcast contains discussion of suicidal ideation and mental illness.
Recorded 15 September 2021 over Zoom; published 25 September 2021.
Tim's bio: https://www.rwcmd.ac.uk/staff/tim-rhys-evans.
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Today, we’re talking to arts entrepreneur and marketing consultant David Taylor. He works with a range of orchestras, arts organisations and individuals on developing their business and marketing strategy, with particular reference to digital media. In this podcast interview, we consider the changes the classical music industry has seen over the last year and if it has changed with regards to today's current trends and stylistics. We also discuss what the classical sector can learn from other industries such as pop, media and sports with regards to their marketing and branding. Additionally, David talks about how he develops a strategy with the clients he works with, using the example of the Philharmonia Orchestra. We talk about how musicians and organisations can best use social media and interact with their audiences, for example, the concert enhancement strategy of artists talking to their audience during a performance.
Podcast interview recorded 16 July 2021; published 20 July 2021.
One of the leading entrepreneurs in the world of classical music, David Taylor has built his career on a dynamic and energetic approach to bringing innovation to the arts, leading him to be named on Forbes 30 under 30 Europe 2018 list, alongside Paul Pogba, Rita Ora, Dua Lipa, Anthony Joshua, Maisie Williams and Little Mix.
Described as an “arts innovator” by the BBC, David’s accomplishments and pioneering approach to digital marketing in the arts has led him to become a highly sought after consultant with arts organisations and individuals in both Europe and the USA.
David created Yorkshire Young Sinfonia (YYS) in 2015, growing it to reach an audience of over 7.5 million people in just 4 years. He also led YYS to win the Arts and Culture Award at the White Rose Awards 2016, the largest tourism awards in the UK.
In 2015, the BBC Radio 4 programme “Birth of an Orchestra” documented the creation of YYS and allowed David to showcase his passion for classical music on the national stage. In addition, both David and YYS have featured on Sky News, BBC News, The Times, The Telegraph, BBC Look North, Classic FM, BBC Radio 3, Il Giornale and Classical Music Magazine.
In 2017, David led YYS to become the first youth orchestra in the world to be 100% digital in partnership with the app Newzik, using iPads instead of sheet music.
As a presenter, David has created projects with BBC Arts and interviewed Louis Theroux, Romesh Ranganathan, George Shelley and Katie Derham.
David is passionate about enabling the next generation of entrepreneurs, innovators, and 'doers' in the arts. He regularly speaks and writes about entrepreneurship, arts education and classical music.
Prior to his career as an entrepreneur, David taught the cello at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music in Jerusalem.
Website: www.david-taylor.org Twitter: @davidtaylor_uk Instagram: davidtaylor_uk Facebook: davidtaylormusicuk
#ad PlayScore 2 - The App That Sight Reads Your Sheet Music
PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. playscore.co
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In this podcast, I'm showcasing Alternative Classical's new concert video jukebox Concert Roulette and Chris Warner's new album Wonders of the Cosmos.
Concert Roulette
Concert Roulette is a new video jukebox created by Alternative Classical specifically for this current crisis. All live concerts have been cancelled so streaming has become the way audiences are accessing music at this time. Viewers are presented with a randomly selected YouTube video from renaissance choral music to an experimental solo piece but you can either watch that particular performance or click onto the next one just like your streaming playlist. As people around the world are staying at home and looking for content to keep them entertained, Concert Roulette is a brilliant way to introduce new audiences to classical music without prior knowledge. To start your Concert Roulette, please go to alternativeclassical.co.uk/concert-roulette.
Chris Warner
The album was recorded in Ely Cathedral and at Abbey Road Studios, combining the amazing tonalities of the cathedral organ with gorgeous strings. It also features British soprano Grace Davidson, set amongst the 6-second reverberation of the cathedral. I talked to Chris on Zoom about combining his passion for astronomy with storytelling, framing his album around Ely Cathedral's organ, and advice for composers in today's digital age. To learn more about the album and Chris, please go to chriswarnermusic.com. Many thanks to Robert Shone at WildKat PR and Chris for their time! Interview recorded 29th April 2020; podcast published 13th May 2020.
Chris Warner is a composer, sound designer, arranger, orchestrator and an avid astronomer. Having worked as a composer for the some of the finest UK theatres, including The RSC, the Lyric Theatre Belfast and The Royal Exchange Theatre, Chris dedicates his craft to telling stories through music and sound. Recent credits include original songs and music for Much Ado About Nothing at the prestigious Shakespeare At The Tobacco Factory and the original score and sound design for Olivier Award-Winning playwright Marie Jones’ new play 'Archie in Manhatten'.
PlayScore 2 - The App That Sight Reads Your Sheet Music #ad
PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/talking-classical-podcast/message
In this series of 4 episodes delving into the world of music education and outreach in the UK, we'll be talking to inspirational musicians and facilitators working in some of the UK's leading organisations, ensembles and charities. How well supported is the music education sector? What is the National Plan for Music Education? What work are organisations and charities doing to tackle problems of access to early musical experiences and education? These are just some of the questions we'll be asking in a fascinating series that also hopes to illuminate some of the exciting and innovative work being done, even during the lockdowns of 2020/21.
Written, presented and produced by Chris Warner. Chris is a composer and sound designer working across a range of theatre, television and film projects. Find out more about his work at www.chriswarnermusic.com.
Episode 4 - Everybody Benefits
In this final episode we look at the benefits that getting involved in education and outreach projects can bring to the players and musicians themselves, and we’ll be finding out about the positive things to emerge out of lockdown for the Hallé and Ulster Orchestra education and outreach departments.
Contributions and more information:
Ulster Orchestra
https://www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk
https://www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk/learning-community-engagement
https://www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk/learning-community-engagement/learning/crescendo
Rozzie Curlett, Ulster Orchestra Education Facilitator, Lucy McCullagh, Director of Learning & Community Engagement, Colin Stark, Education Liaison.
Halle Orchestra https://www.halle.co.uk
https://www.halle.co.uk/education
https://www.halle.co.uk/education/halle-inspire
Steve Pickett - Education Director, Jo Brockbank, Schools Programme Manager
Awards For Young Musicians https://www.a-y-m.org
Hester Cockcroft - Chief Executive
Music featured in this episode:
Tchaikovsky's Fantasy Overture 'Romeo & Juliet', Ulster Youth Orchestra, conducted by Daniele Rustioni, recorded at home during the 2020 Online Course and produced by Tom Wall from TW Post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtCX5QCCBR8
'Hope', composed by Ollie Lambert, performed by the Halle Workplace Choir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbY2t7AJO_o
Lauren McCann and Brendan Kerr, Queen's University Belfast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS3cKjroSLU.
'Goddess Gaia', Words by Tony Mitton, Music by Steve Pickett, Animation by Peter Naish. https://www.halle.co.uk/gaia (animated cantata for Flute, Harp, Cello and Narrator, complete with comprehensive teaching resources for Primary Schools).
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/talking-classical-podcast/message
In this series of 4 episodes delving into the world of music education and outreach in the UK, we’ll be talking to inspirational musicians and facilitators working in some of the UK’s leading organisations, ensembles and charities. How well supported is the music education sector? What is the National Plan for Music Education? What work are organisations and charities doing to tackle problems of access to early musical experiences and education? These are just some of the questions we'll be asking in a fascinating series that also hopes to illuminate some of the exciting and innovative work being done, even during the lockdowns of 2020/21.
Written, presented and produced by Chris Warner. Chris is a composer and sound designer working across a range of theatre, television and film projects. Find out more about his work at www.chriswarnermusic.com.
Episode 3 – Accessibility
In this episode we explore some of the ground-breaking schemes and initiatives that are designed to break down barriers to musical experiences and music education in general.
Contributors and more information:
Awards For Young Musicians https://www.a-y-m.org
Hester Cockcroft - Chief Executive
Jess Gillam - https://www.jessgillamsax.co.uk
Hallé Orchestra https://www.Halle.co.uk
https://www.Halle.co.uk/education
https://www.Halle.co.uk/education/Hallé-inspire
Steve Pickett - Education Director
Jo Brockbank - Schools Programme Manager
Ulster Orchestra https://www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk
https://www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk/learning-community-engagement
https://www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk/learning-community-engagement/learning/crescendo
Lucy McCullagh - Director of Learning & Community Engagement
Colin Stark - Education Liaison
Richard Wigley - Managing Director
National Plan for Music Education https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-importance-of-music-a-national-plan-for-music-education
Cambridgeshire Music https://www.cambridgeshiremusic.org.uk
Julia Ient - Business Development Manager, Cambridgeshire Music
Able Orchestra https://www.orchestraslive.org.uk/projects/able-orchestra
Music featured in this episode: 'More Up', composer Oliver Vibrans, performed by The Able Orchestra, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iuuG8vquvTo.
Tchaikovsky's Fantasy Overture 'Romeo & Juliet', Ulster Youth Orchestra, conducted by Daniele Rustioni, recorded at home during the 2020 Online Course and produced by Tom Wall from TW Post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtCX5QCCBR8.
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/talking-classical-podcast/message
In this series of 4 episodes delving into the world of music education and outreach in the UK, we'll be talking to inspirational musicians and facilitators working in some of the UK's leading organisations, ensembles and charities. How well supported is the music education sector? What is the National Plan for Music Education? What work are organisations and charities doing to tackle problems of access to early musical experiences and education? These are just some of the questions we'll be asking in a fascinating series that also hopes to illuminate some of the exciting and innovative work being done, even during the lockdowns of 2020/21.
Written, presented and produced by Chris Warner. Chris is a composer and sound designer working across a range of theatre, television and film projects. Find out more about his work atwww.chriswarnermusic.com.
Episode 2 - Partnerships
In this episode we take a closer look at the work of two great UK orchestras, The Hallé in Manchester and the Ulster Orchestra in Belfast, and more specifically the education and outreach departments that they run. We’ll also discover the key to running successful education and outreach projects is building partnerships with other organisations.
Contributors and more information:
Ulster Orchestra https://www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk
https://www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk/learning-community-engagement
https://www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk/learning-community-engagement/learning/crescendo
Lucy McCullagh - Director of Learning & Community Engagement, Colin Stark - Education Liaison, Managing Director - Richard Wigley.
More info about the Crescendo Project: https://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/cesi/zones/News/CRESCENDOPROGRAMMEFINALEVENTJUNE2019.html
https://www.qub.ac.uk/research-centres/cesi/zones/News/CrescendoWidensitsAppeal.html
Hallé Orchestra https://www.Halle.co.uk/education
https://www.Halle.co.uk/education/Hallé-inspire
Steve Pickett - Education Director, Jo Brockbank - Schools Programme Manager.
Sistema England http://www.sistemaengland.org.uk
Arts Council England https://www.artscouncil.org.uk
Lyric Belfast https://lyrictheatre.co.uk/creative-learning
Music featured in this episode: Tchaikovsky's Fantasy Overture 'Romeo & Juliet', Ulster Youth Orchestra, conducted by Daniele Rustioni, recorded at home during the 2020 Online Course and produced by Tom Wall from TW Post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtCX5QCCBR8
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/talking-classical-podcast/message
In this series of 4 episodes delving into the world of music education and outreach in the UK, we'll be talking to inspirational musicians and facilitators working in some of the UK's leading organisations, ensembles and charities. How well supported is the music education sector? What is the National Plan for Music Education? What work are organisations and charities doing to tackle problems of access to early musical experiences and education? These are just some of the questions we'll be asking in a fascinating series that also hopes to illuminate some of the exciting and innovative work being done, even during the lockdowns of 2020/21.
Written, presented and produced by Chris Warner. Chris is a composer and sound designer working across a range of theatre, television and film projects. Find out more about his work at www.chriswarnermusic.com.
Episode 1 - Music Hubs
Music Education Hubs are groups of organisations – such as local authorities, schools, other hubs, art organisations, community or voluntary organisations – working together to create joined-up music education provision. The total amount of Hub funding from the Department for Education in the 2019-20 financial year was £75.84 million. They are a crucial part of the infrastructure for ensuring that every child aged 5-18 has the opportunity to sing, learn a musical instrument and benefit from rewarding musical experiences. In this Episode we’ll be looking into the crucial role that Music Hubs play.
Contributors and more information:
Cambridgeshire Music https://www.cambridgeshiremusic.org.uk
Matthew Gunn - Head of Service, Cambridgeshire Music
Julia Ient - Business Development Manager, Cambridgeshire Music
Arts Council England https://www.artscouncil.org.uk
Ulster Orchestra https://www.ulsterorchestra.org.uk
Lucy McCullagh - Director of Learning & Community Engagement, Colin Stark - Education Liaison, Richard Wigley - Managing Director
Hallé Orchestra https://www.Halle.co.uk. Steve Pickett - Education Director, Jo Brockbank, Schools Programme Manager
Voces 8 https://voces8.com. Katie Jeffries-Harris, Alto
The Brook Street Band https://www.brookstreetband.co.uk
Awards For Young Musicians https://www.a-y-m.org. Hester Cockcroft - Chief Executive
Youth Music UK https://youthmusic.org.uk
National Plan for Music Education https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-importance-of-music-a-national-plan-for-music-education.
Music featured in this episode: Tchaikovsky's Fantasy Overture 'Romeo & Juliet’, Ulster Youth Orchestra, conducted by Daniele Rustioni, recorded at home during the 2020 Online Course and produced by Tom Wall from TW Post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtCX5QCCBR8
'La Bamba', performed by Cambridgeshire Music Lockdown Orchestra, and arranged by Mark Aldous: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VghpiD-O9gE
The Brook Street Band, Handel’s Oxford Water Music Suite: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cq17WKDFHas
Voces 8 - A Cappella Lego: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1Txq6Wgo70
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All Talking Classical podcasts formerly on SoundCloud have been redirected to Anchor.
In this podcast, I’m talking to Hannah Fiddy, who is the co-founder of Alternative Classical, an initiative that aims to present classical music in a variety of different ways, from pop-up performances to new presentations on digital media. We talk about the premise behind Alternative Classical, attitudes towards different presentations of classical music and her latest project Humans of Classical Music, a video series featuring a variety of people talking about pieces of classical music in an informal, jargon-free way. We also talk about how the classical music industry has been adapting during the last year or so and what the industry might look like post-pandemic.
Podcast recorded on 19 February 2021; released 12 May 2021.
Music by audionautix.com. "Alla What (parody)," Creative Commons Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com. Used in full and edited forms for the podcast.
Hannah's website: hannahfiddy.com
Alternative Classical: alternativeclassical.co.uk
Don't forget to listen to Chris Warner's guest podcast series! An amazing 4-part series, reflecting on music education in the UK and featuring contributions from a variety of practitioners in this field. Many thanks to Chris and all of the people who very kindly took the time to be part of the series.
PlayScore 2 - The App That Sight Reads Your Sheet Music #ad
PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
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Welcome to the first Talking Classical Podcast of 2021! Kate Royal is one of the world's leading sopranos. In this podcast, we talk about her journey into music and classical singing, and what it was like training at the world-renowned conservatoire, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Kate was a very conscientious student at music college, so she also discusses having a fulfilling balance between singing and life post-conservatoire and later on in her career. Additionally, she highlights the skill and ability opera singers need in order to negotiate many different facets both in the profession and act of live performance. Kate now wants to inspire the younger generation of singers, so she is in the early stages of setting up a support network for singers of all ages in conjunction with her alma mater, the National Opera Studio. She talks about this network and, in that light, offers her advice to young singers and musicians during this current coronavirus pandemic. Many thanks to Kate for talking to me! Kate's bio: kateroyal.net/about. UPDATE - Kate is a mentor for the Singers Resound initiative, which launched this year. Singers Resound is an online mentoring scheme for professional opera singers to discuss various issues related to their lives and careers in a safe, supportive way. https://www.singersresound.co.uk.
The PlayScore 2 giveaway is now closed but you can download the app for free. Music in this podcast: Music by audionautix.com. "Alla What (parody)," Creative Commons Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com. Used in full and edited forms for the podcast.
PlayScore 2 - The App That Sight Reads Your Sheet Music #ad
PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. playscore.co
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/talking-classical-podcast/message
All Talking Classical podcasts formerly on SoundCloud redirected to Anchor.
In this podcast, we'll be hearing from Canadian pianist Sandra Mogensen. To commemorate the bicentenary of Clara Schumann's birth, Sandra released an album in December 2019 entitled En Pleine Lumière (In Full Light), a collection of piano music by women composers from c.1840-1870. It is part of a multi-album and concert project, shedding light on women composers, of which En Pleine Lumière is the first album. In this podcast, Sandra discusses the research process of finding these often neglected gems, common perceptions and stereotypes surrounding the music of women composers, and what the classical music industry and people ― like Sandra ― can do to help alleviate these. This is a wonderfully enlightening discussion to end 2020 so I hope that you enjoy it and the album as much as I did! Links: Sandra's bio: https://www.sandramogensen.com/about. Sandra's album En Pleine Lumière: https://sandramogensen.bandcamp.com/album/en-pleine-lumi-re Sandra's Patreon: patreon.com/sandramogensen. "Piano Music, She Wrote" YouTube channel: https://bit.ly/34URsmv. Statistics quoted in the podcast are cited from this article. "Female composers largely ignored by concert line-ups' by Mark Brown, The Guardian (13 June 2018): https://www.theguardian.com/music/2018/jun/13/female-composers-largely-ignored-by-concert-line-ups. Music in this podcast: Music by audionautix.com. "Alla What (parody)," Creative Commons Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com. Used in full and edited forms for the podcast. Gavotte by Helen Hopekirk Feuilles d'automne (Autumn Leaves). Both extracts performed by Sandra Mogensen and taken from her album En Pleine Lumière. Album released December 4, 2019, recorded in Wuppertal, Germany, June 2019, and produced and mastered by Kaling Hanke.
Questions re-recorded for the podcast due to sound quality.
PlayScore 2 - The App That Sight Reads Your Sheet Music #ad
PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
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In this podcast, I'm delighted to be talking to Dr Nico de Villiers. Nico is a pianist, vocal coach and researcher, and launched an invaluable musicians' career development podcast during the lockdown earlier this year, called "What Would Mozart Do?". We talk about his podcast and Nico shares some very interested insights into careers with regards to music colleges and the recent governmental debates surrounding occupations in the arts and music industries. We also talk about his journey into music and his fascinating research into Richard Hageman. Nico has co-authored a critical biography on this lesser known composer, pianist, conductor and vocal coach that will be released soon. Many thanks to Nico for talking to me! Nico's bio: https://www.nicodevilliers.com/biography. Podcast released 18 December 2020; interview recorded 7 December 2020. Due to a technical issue during recording, the sound quality does change slightly about seven minutes into the podcast but hopefully that should not affect your listening experience too much! Music used in this podcast: Music by audionautix.com. "Alla What (parody)," Creative Commons Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com. Used in full and edited forms for the podcast.
PlayScore 2 - The App That Sight Reads Your Sheet Music #ad
PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. playscore.co
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/talking-classical-podcast/message
All Talking Classical podcasts formerly on SoundCloud redirected to Anchor.
Welcome back to another episode of the Talking Classical Podcast! We're slightly moving away from the classical music world and exploring the wonderful world of dance and ballet, as in today's podcast, we'll be "zooming in" with former Principal Dancer of The Royal Ballet, Zenaida Yanowsky. Zenaida enjoyed a distinguished career for over twenty years as a dancer with London's Royal Ballet Company. She performed iconic roles such as Odette/Odile (Swan Lake), Manon and her infamous, "viral" creation as the Queen of Hearts in Christopher Wheeldon's modern classic 'Alice in Wonderland' (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland), premiered at London's Royal Opera House in 2011. Retiring in 2017, Zenaida now teaches and coaches dancers around the world. During this summer, I had the pleasure of talking to her partner on the podcast, renowned British baritone Sir Simon Keenlyside (https://soundcloud.com/talkingclassicalpodcast/ep-35-sir-simon-keenlyside) so I thought that it would be interesting to hear from his other half, as two performers at the highest level in the classical arts. In this podcast, we talk about Zenaida’s journey into dance and ballet, her career highlights in The Royal Ballet, including the creation of new characters/works, the relationship between dancers, conductors and live musicians, and the situation of the arts in the current coronavirus pandemic. Many thanks to Zenaida for taking the time out of her busy schedule to talk to me! Interview recorded 8 September 2020; podcast published 7 December 2020. Zenaida's bio: http://www.roh.org.uk/people/zenaida-yanowsky. Music used in this podcast: Music by audionautix.com. "Alla What (parody)," Creative Commons Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com. Used in full and edited forms for the podcast. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Swan Lake (Op. 20), Introduction to Act 1. Jules Massenet, Don Quichotte, Introduction to Act One. Both extracts sourced from the European Archive via Musopen (tracks licensed under the Creative Common License Public Domain Mark 1.0). Link to the discussion with Sir David Bintley I referred to in this podcast: Off Pointe (Birmingham Royal Ballet's podcast), Episode 1 - David Bintley and the Will Mossops of Hobson's Choice. https://pod.co/brb-off-pointe/episode-1-david-bintley-and-the-will-mossops-of-hobsons-choice.
PlayScore 2 - The App That Sight Reads Your Sheet Music #ad
PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/talking-classical-podcast/message
All Talking Classical podcasts formerly on SoundCloud redirected to Anchor.
Hershey has been renowned all over the world for his unique one-man shows, in which he portrays a range of iconic composers including Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Gershwin, Irving Berlin and Rachmaninoff. He both acts and performs extracts from works by the different composers. During this lockdown period, he has adapted these plays for film and are available to stream as part of his "Live From Florence" series. A Paris Love Story is the latest play available for streaming and has a semi-biographical narrative, in which he plays Debussy looking at Hershey's life. Earlier this week, I talked to Hershey about the play, what the music of Debussy means to him, the creative process behind his plays and adapting them for the camera. To purchase A Paris Love Story and the other films in Hershey's "Live From Florence" series, go to https://www.hersheyfelder.net. Interview with Hershey recorded 24th November 2020; podcast released 26th November 2020. Music used in the podcast: Music by audionautix.com. "Alla What (parody)," Creative Commons Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com. Used in full and edited forms for the podcast. Claude Debussy, Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune (L. 86). Performed by the Columbia University Orchestra. Sourced from Musopen (track licensed under the Creative Common License Public Domain Mark 1.0).
PlayScore 2 - The App That Sight Reads Your Sheet Music #ad
PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
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This week is Anti-Bullying Week. It’s a week that aims to raise awareness of bullying among children and young people and to emphasise ways we can tackle it and respond to it positively. Over the last few years on Talking Classical, we’ve explored a range of issues that are affected by bullying such as mental health and racism. I felt that it was important to address these issues with regards to the classical music industry so last month, I spoke to distinguished British conductor, broadcaster and TV presenter Charles Hazlewood. In May 2020, Charles appeared as a castaway on the iconic Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs, where he took the opportunity to talk openly about his childhood experiences. Following an unprecedented response, he'll be hosting a special commission entitled Beethoven and Me, which will be shown on Sky Arts in December. This programme not only celebrates the 250th anniversary of the birth of Beethoven but is a deeply personal look at the life of this composer through the lens of one of his signature works, the 5th symphony, exploring how this famous work reveals Beethoven’s experiences such as child abuse, deafness and potential autism. Charles will be talking to us about this documentary, his appearance on Desert Island Discs and recovering from childhood trauma. He talks about his experiences of the lockdown period and recent governmental debates and perceptions surrounding the creative industries and the viability of freelance musicians' work. He discusses the act of being vulnerable and open, and shares some encouraging and motivating advice for anyone who’s been through similar experiences. This podcast discusses themes that may be of a sensitive nature so if you are affected by any of the issues, please seek help or talk to someone - there are some links below for advice and support. Thanks so much to Charles for taking the time to talk to me amidst his busy schedule.
anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk. Charles' bio: charleshazlewood.com/about Interview with Charles recorded 22 Oct 2020; released 18 Nov 2020. Resources: Anti-Bullying Alliance anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/tools-information/if-youre-being-bullied/find-help-and-support National Bullying Helpline nationalbullyinghelpline.co.uk 03003230169 (children's helpline) or 08452255787 Open 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday YoungMinds youngminds.org.uk/find-help/feelings-and-symptoms/bullying YoungMinds Crisis Messenger 24/7 text support; free from EE, O2, Vodafone, 3, Virgin Mobile, BT Mobile, GiffGaff, Tesco Mobile and Telecom Plus. Text: YM to 85258 Bullying UK (Family Lives) askus@familylives.org.uk Online chat open 1:30pm to 5:30pm public.mc.hostedcc.com/familylives/forms/Chat/Family%20Lives%20Chat 08088002222 NAPAC napac.org.uk 08088010331 10am until 9pm Mondays to Thursdays, 10am until 6pm on Fridays support@napac.org.uk Article mentioned in the podcast: Ashley Fetters, Clara Chan and Nicholas Wu, "Classical Music Has A 'God Status' Problem," theatlantic.com/education/archive/2020/01/conservatories-sexual-harassment-abuse/604351 Music in this podcast: Ludwig van Beethoven, 1st movement "Allegro con brio" from Symphony no. 5 in C minor, op. 67. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, "Ach, ich fuhls" from The Magic Flute, K. 620, Act 2. Both extracts sourced from the European Archive via Musopen (tracks licensed under the Creative Common License Public Domain Mark 1.0).
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I'm pleased to introduce British pianist and composer Daniel Johnson, whose debut album "Faith" is released on Friday 6th November. Daniel enjoys a career as a concert pianist, performing on cruise ships and as the Classical Artistic Associate of the Harwich Festival. Daniel's new album "Faith" is an album of compositions, inspired by biographical experiences and the passing of time. Daniel's website: https://www.danieljohnsonmusic.co.uk Podcast published 3rd November 2020; interview with Daniel recorded on 14th September 2020. Music used in this podcast: Music by audionautix.com. "Alla What (parody)," Creative Commons Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com. Used in full and edited forms for the podcast. "Faith della vita" and "Waterfall" by Daniel Johnson. Composed, performed, mixed and mastered by Daniel Johnson. Taken from his debut album "Faith." Available to purchase via online music stores and streaming services.
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In this podcast, I'll be talking to Dr Maiko Kawabata, Lecturer at the world-famous Royal College of Music. This podcast discussion was recorded earlier this month, in the wake of the tragic events surrounding the murdering of George Floyd. It was also recorded just a year after the pioneering symposium "Cultural Imperialism and the New 'Yellow Peril' in Western Classical Music," which took place in June 2019 at Senate House, London. The aim of this study way to encourage open discussions about "yellowness" and race within the classical music industry and to pave the way for further discussions such as those. You can read the fascinating report from this event here, which I helped to minute: https://bit.ly/2JmeCKx. We also talk about Dr Kawabata's background as a professional violinist and how she combines this with her work in academia to explore in her research notions of virtuosity, particularly, in the violin tradition of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. We discuss what virtuosity means today and some preconceptions around this construct. She has published a book that dispels common ideas around virtuosity, with specific reference to Paganini, who was, of course, one of the great violin virtuosi of his day. Many thanks to Dr Kawabata for talking to me! Interview recorded 4 July 2020; podcast published 30 October 2020. Maiko's bio: https://www.rcm.ac.uk/research/people/details/?id=04456. Music used in this podcast: Music by audionautix.com. "Alla What (parody)," Creative Commons Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com. Used in full and edited forms for the podcast.
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An interview with Thomas Kemp, Artistic Director of the At Home with Music@Malling Festival 2020. Book your tickets for this festival here! https://musicatmalling.com Music used in this podcast: Music by audionautix.com. "Alla What (parody)," Creative Commons Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com. Used in full and edited forms for the podcast.
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This episode of Talking Classical is presented in collaboration with Wigmore Hall. Nestled in the heart of London, just off Oxford Street, Wigmore Hall has established itself as the world’s leading chamber music venue. Its new concert series commences on Sunday 13th September and will be presented in line with government guidelines surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier this week, I was delighted to talked to John Gilhooly, the Director of Wigmore Hall, to learn more about how he and his team have been responding to the current crisis in terms of its artistic programming and financially. Of course, many concert halls all over the world have been capitalising on new media and social networks in this current time. Wigmore Hall has been a pioneer in digital media so we talked about the importance of the venue's "digital infrastructure" on its musical activities, promotions and outreach such as live streaming and bringing in a younger audience that may be experiencing chamber music for the first time. In addition, we discussed the Hall’s learning and participation strand and the pledge the venue has made to ensuring good mental health among its staff, artists and the wider Wigmore Hall community. What's more, John mentioned that within the programme, he's been able to respond to some issues that cause mental health problems such as racism and isolation. This, too, has been a response to the tragic events that took place over the summer. We also talked about what it takes to perform on stage at this iconic venue and some of the memorable performances that have taken place there over the years. This is an especially difficult time for the classical music business and the arts so if you're able to, please consider making a donation to Wigmore Hall, by going to wigmore-hall.org.uk/donate. You can also donate while watching Wigmore Hall’s Autumn Series concerts, which will all be live streamed on the Hall's website. All donations will be going directly to the Hall, its staff and artists. Many thanks to: John for taking the time out of his very busy schedule to talk to me. We actually recorded this interview on the day after the government reinstated some new guidelines in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Jon Carvell and Tara Savile for kindly arranging and offering this wonderful opportunity. Podcast issued 12th September 2020; interview with John recorded 9th September 2020 via Zoom. John Gilhooly - Final Note Magazine article: finalnotemagazine.com/articles/john-gilhooly. Music used in this podcast: Music by audionautix.com. "Alla What (parody)," Creative Commons Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com. Used in full and edited forms for the podcast.
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Subscription-based, boutique Italian recording series 19'40" release their latest album, "At The Gates Of The Twilight Zone," on 12 August 2020. This release is a live recording from the ContempoRarities Festival in Milan. It pays homage to the iconic music of Bernard Hermann, written for Rod Serling's science-fiction anthology TV series The Twilight Zone. The music on this recording is arranged by Enrico Gabrieli, while staying true to Hermann's unique writing. I talked to Francesco Fusaro and Sebastiano De Gennaro from 19'40" a few weeks ago to talk about the album. This led to some interesting discussions about orchestration and instrumentation; for example, the vibraphone and theramin are two important instruments that contribute to Hermann's other-worldly scores and science fiction music. Indeed, Francesco suggests that listening to his atmospheric and mysterious soundscapes takes on a new dimension during this lockdown period, where people are inhabiting their own "twilight zones." We also discussed notions around the classical canon as 19'40" describe themselves as "anti-classical" - that their premise is to break down some of the traditional conventions surrounding the canon. They aim to endorse music (e.g., contemporary music, film music) that could form a new way we view the historical (or historicised) canon of works. We discuss the future of music distribution. The model 19'40" presents to their audience/customer base is innovative within the constantly changing music industry as it combines traditional and digital modes of dissemination and promotion. Although their subscriptions have increased during the pandemic, the crisis has been a reminder that the concert experience needs the physical presence and interaction of an audience. We'll also hear about the current lockdown situation in Italy and some other fascinating projects the members of 19'40" have been involved in, more recently, in light of the easing of restrictions. Many thanks to: Robert Shone at WildKat PR for bringing this thought-provoking and emotive project to my attention. Francesco and Sebastiano for talking to me. https://www.19m40s.com Purchase "At The Gates Of The Twilight Zone" here: https://19m40s.bandcamp.com/album/at-the-gates-of-the-twilight-zone Music used in this podcast: Music by audionautix.com. "Alla What (parody)," Creative Commons Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com. Used in full and edited forms for the podcast. "Where Are You?" by Bernard Hermann, arr. Enrico Gabrieli Music from "Little Girl Lost" (1962) Esecutori di Metallo su Carta Carlotta Raponi, flute, piccolo Enrico Gabrielli, B clarinet, bass clarinet, G flute, synth Yoko Morimyo, violin, viola Paolo Raineri, trumpet Francesco Bucci, trombone, euphonium Stefano Bertoni, french horn Damiano Afrifa, piano Ethel Colella, harp Sebastiano De Gennaro, percussion Giuseppe Gagliardi, percussion Marcello Corti, conductor Live recording at ContempoRarities Festival, Santeria Social Club, Milano on 3 December 2017. Recording and mixing by Carlo Zollo at "Terribile Studio" (Milan - IT) Mastering by Roberto Rettura at "Lo Studio Spaziale" (Bologna - IT) Podcast published 12 August 2020; interview recorded 22 July 2020.
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In this podcast, we'll be talking to jazz saxophonist and composer Quinsin Nachoff. His new album Pivotal Arc is released today on Whirlwind Recordings. Quinsin's music has been well-known for its unpredictability and innovation, for crossing boundaries between different musical genres and pushing the performers' barriers. The album is based around three main works. Firstly, a violin concerto features virtuoso soloist Nathalie Bonin, and a jazz-tinged unit comprising two giants of the New York scene (bassist Mark Helias and drummer Satoshi Takeishi), vibraphone player Michael Davidson, and a wind and string ensemble conducted by JC Sanford. The first movement is written as "an imaginary deconstructed and reconstructed Tango." The second movement is a ballad that combines both written and improvised sections and the third is inspired by Balkan folk music. The String Quartet (performed by the Molinari String Quartet) "represents some of Nachoff’s most intricate writing to date, allowing him to explore his deep attachment to the tradition and his engagement with contemporary iterations." As he recalls, "I like to keep up with what's happening now in quartet writing and this gave me the opportunity to explore some of those ideas – pitch axis, using quarter tones, etc., but still keeping a jazz influence because that’s a large part of my background.." The final work, Pivotal Arc, has been described as "Nachoff's extended reflection on the critical position we currently find ourselves in regarding climate change." It's perhaps the most traditional jazz-sounding work on the album with ample opportunity for interplay between the jazz unit and solos from bassist Helias, drummer Satoshi Takeishi, and Nachoff's tenor saxophone. With broad influences ranging from Strayhorn to Mancini, Bartók to Berg, this is a unique album that's refreshing and innovative to listen to from both the classical and jazz perspectives. Many thanks to: Quinsin for talking to me and his permission to use some extracts from the album in this podcast. Ann Braithwaite for bringing this really interesting project to my attention. CREDITS Music used in this podcast: 1 &2. Violin Concerto - Movement 1 3. Violin Concerto - Movement 2 4. String Quartet - Movement 1 5 & 6. Pivotal Arc Nathalie Bonin - violin soloist Molinari String Quartet: Olga Ranzenhofer - violin I, Antoine Bareil - violin II Frédéric Lambert - viola, Pierre-Alain Bouvrette - cello Quinsin Nachoff - tenor saxophone JC Sanford - conductor Michael Davidson - vibraphone Mark Helias - bass Satoshi Takeishi - drums, percussion Jean-Pierre Zanella - piccolo, flute, clarinet, soprano sax Yvan Belleau - clarinet, tenor saxophone Brent Besner - bass clarinet Jocelyn Couture - trumpet I Bill Mahar - trumpet II David Grott - trombone Bob Ellis - bass trombone Recorded at Studios Piccolo, Montreal, Canada Recording Engineer - David Travers Smith Assistant Engineer - Patrice Pruneau Edited, mixed and mastered by David Travers Smith Produced by Quinsin Nachoff, David Travers-Smith Executive Producer - Michael Janisch Pivotal Arc released 7 August, 2020 Podcast published 7 August 2020; interview with Quinsin recorded 31 July 2020. Quinsin's bio: http://quinsin.com/bio. Purchase Pivotal Arc here: https://quinsinnachoff.bandcamp.com. Citations taken from "About the Album," Pivotal Arc, https://quinsinnachoff.bandcamp.com (accessed 7 August 2020).
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In this podcast, we'll be "zooming in" with Sir Simon Keenlyside, one of the most distinguished baritones, maintaining a top-level career in the major opera houses and concert halls around the world. We start off by talking about what Simon and his family have been doing during this lockdown period. We then share some thoughts about the importance of supporting and financing the arts during this current pandemic (in this podcast, we're talking about the present situation in Great Britain). Alongside his intense passion for music and opera, Simon talks about his deep love of nature and some of his other interests including art and poetry. We also find about his journey into music (and experience as an ex-runner), which leads to an interesting discussion on some of the challenges of being a top-level performer. For him, this includes the difference between being a singer and an artist. He reflects on the highs and lows of an elite performing musician, and offers some invaluable advice on navigating these. Additionally, Simon shares some of his thoughts on attention and personality among performers; that some artists enjoy the limelight but someone like him wants to be focused on the work. However, he recognises that he can be extremely different on stage and this is not the person he is in real life. The facets of a person that can be moulded over time contribute to who performers are. He feels that being left-handed has influenced his artistry and creativity (a distinct characteristic of left-handed people)but he tries not to read too much into this! Finally, I ask that question...what it was like getting the knighthood? Many thanks to Simon for taking the time to talk especially for this podcast and his team at Askonas Holt (Joel Thomas, Sophie Dand and Imogen Taylor) for helping to arrange this recording! Podcast published 31 July 2020; interview recorded 27 July 2020. Simon's bio: https://www.askonasholt.com/artists/simon-keenlyside Music by audionautix.com. "Alla What (parody)," Creative Commons Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com. Used in full and edited forms for the podcast. Amended - The marmots can be found in the Whipsnade Downs at Whipsnade Zoo, which is near Dunstable.
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Ep. 35 preview w/ Sir Simon Keenlyside: What was it like getting the knighthood? by Talking Classical Podcast
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In this episode, we'll be talking to Clare Southworth. Clare enjoyed a distinguished career as a professional flautist and educator, teaching as a Professor at the UK conservatoires, specialist music schools and junior music colleges. She has now turned her attention to writing books on learning the flute, aimed at a variety of ages and abilities. She also co-hosts the Talking Flutes podcast, created in association with Trevor James Flutes. We discuss Clare's journey into music, her time studying at the Royal Northern College of Music and how this compared to today. This is especially the case in light of the current pandemic, where practising in isolation is somewhat different in comparison to previous years. Clare also shares some valuable advice on practising and teaching music, especially the notion that one should be teaching the person and not the instrument. Having been diagnosed with Ménière's disease, we talk about how to navigate a performer's identity especially when things do not always go to plan. Clare has successfully been able to channel this in new ways through a range of exciting projects. As we'll hear, they include her books, the Talking Flutes podcast and her continued teaching, not necessarily of flute performance but other topics such as career development, the art of practice and having a positive mental attitude. Many thanks to Clare for talking to me! Podcast published 24 July 2020; interview recorded 18 June 2020. Clare's website: claresouthworthflute.com Kickstart Flute: kickstartflute.com Talking Flutes: flute.podbean.com Music by audionautix.com. "Alla What (parody)," Creative Commons Music by Jason Shaw on Audionautix.com. Used in full and edited forms for the podcast.
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In this podcast, we'll be talking to pianist, singer, musical arranger, director and producer Dominic Ferris. Dominic's credits include producing for well-known singers such as Michael Ball, Alfie Boe and, currently, the final studio album of Dame Shirley Bassey. His collaborations with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra have sold over 3 million albums worldwide. He joined the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra as assistant musical director and pianist for the Elvis Presley: If I Can Dream UK arena tour, and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra for the USA anniversary tour, ending at Graceland with Priscilla Presley for the Elvis 40th Anniversary Celebrations. Dominic also tours around the world with his piano duo The Piano Brothers. He is one half of musical theatre double act Ferris & Milnes, who have become known for their medleys of Stephen Sondheim, George Gershwin and Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber. Dominic is a classically-trained musician, having studied piano performance, singing and conducting at the Royal College of Music in London. In this podcast, we'll be hearing about his varied background in the classical, pop and musical theatre genres. We also discuss the crossover market and the process that goes into producing and creating a crossover album. In particular, he talks about working with Michael Ball and Alfie Boe. Interestingly, Dominic says that crossover albums are among the last that people listen to in full. This leads to a really fascinating discussion about the creation of music releases in an age of streaming and the current pop music market. Having exposure to many different genres of music, it seems, can contribute to one's musicianship and musicality and this is certainly the case in Dominic's work. Finally, we talk about a poignant video project he helped to produce: a performance of "We'll Meet Again," the iconic wartime song made famous by Dame Vera Lynn. It was given by some of the top names in the West End and entertainment to boost morale for the UK theatre industry. Many thanks to Dominic for taking the time to talk especially for this podcast! Podcast released 16 July 2020; interview recorded 29 June 2020. https://dominicferris.com Dame Vera Lynn with West End Stars perform We'll Meet Again 2020: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTWy9jim7Mw Updated 14 August 2020 - Since this podcast was recorded, it has been announced that the current West End production of The Phantom of the Opera has closed until further notice due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.
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In this episode, we'll be hearing from Michael Seal, Associate Conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, and now, podcaster. Michael has been creating a new podcast over the lockdown period called A Mic on the Podium. This is a series of fascinating conversations with his conductor colleagues, in which they openly discuss their journey into music, the art of conducting and their experiences of the profession. Check it out! We discuss the inspiration behind Michael's podcast and what he's been doing during this free time. We also learn about his background as a violinist and conductor, and hear some of his thoughts on the craft of conducting. Michael offers some really useful advice to young conductors towards the end of this discussion. Many thanks to Michael for talking especially for this podcast! Published 7th July 2020; interview recorded 12th June 2020. michaelseal.com amiconthepodium.podbean.com
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In this episode, we'll be hearing from violinist Anna Ovsyanikova. She partners with Julia Sinani for their new disc "Les Saisons Françaises," released on Stone Records on Friday 3rd July 2020. Soaring through the seasons, this album is a beautifully chosen programme of late 19th and early 20th-century French repertoire for solo violin and piano. The disc includes sonatas by Debussy and Ravel, and works by the first female composer to be awarded the Prix de Rome in 1913, Lili Boulanger. Additionally, the album features Poulenc's Violin Sonata, composed from 1942-43. Two versions of the last movement have been included - the original and a rewritten version as a tribute to soloist Ginette Neveu. In this podcast, we discuss how Anna and Julia programmed the album, the importance of collaboration and recording at the Petersburg Recording Studio. We also talk about their mutual love of French chamber music and the relevance of this music for today. In particular, Anna encourages the album's listeners to find an emotional connections to the works, what they get out of the music and why they should be feeling the music in that way. Anna was born in St. Petersburg and is a PhD student at the Royal College of Music. She is exploring the artistic legacies of Mathieu Crickboom so we started by finding out more about her research work. Russian-born pianist Julia Sinani is a recent graduate of the Royal Academy of Music. Both musicians enjoy busy performing careers. Many thanks to: Anna for taking the time to talk. Robert Shone at WildKat PR for bringing this wonderful album to my attention, and helping to facilitate the discussion. Podcast published on 2nd July 2020; interview recorded on 23rd June 2020. Find out more about Anna and Julia here: https://annalondonviolinist.com. https://juliasinani.com/about. Purchase their new album here: https://stonerecords.co.uk/album/les-saisons-francaises.
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In this podcast, we'll be hearing from internationally acclaimed double bassist Leon Bosch. For many people around the world, the last few weeks have not been easy to process not only with the current COVID-19 pandemic but also the tragic murdering of George Floyd, which has reawakened support of the #BlackLivesMatter movement. In this discussion, we'll be hearing Leon's views on this recent news. We'll also learn about his harrowing experiences of living, studying and working in apartheid South Africa, and his encounters of racism within the classical music business. Many thanks to Leon for generously taking the time to talk to us especially for the podcast about his experiences. Podcast released 28 June 2020; interview recorded 26 June 2020. http://leonbosch.co.uk For twenty years principal double bass with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, Leon Bosch left the orchestra in 2014, devoting himself to his musical interests elsewhere: performing and recording as a soloist, setting up his chamber ensemble I Musicanti and teaching in the UK and internationally. Encouraged by his former colleague at the ASMF, Sir Neville Marriner, and having directed orchestras from the solo double bass many times, he also took up conducting and now appears regularly on the podium and as soloist/director. Born in Cape Town, although now a British citizen, he graduated from the University of Cape Town before completing his double bass studies at the Royal Northern College of Music. As soloist, Leon Bosch has so far recorded ten CDs, including the world premiere recording of music by the Catalan virtuoso Josep Cervera whose work he rediscovered and has been instrumental in reviving. He has commissioned dozens of works for the instrument. If you are affected by any of the issues in this podcast, please consult the following organisations and helplines: Runaway Helpline (a free 24/7, confidential helpline) Call or text for free on: 116000 https://www.runawayhelpline.org.uk/advice/racism-and-discrimination The Monitoring Group 24 hour helpline: 0800 374 618 http://www.tmg-uk.org CALM Nationwide helpline: 0800 58 58 58 (5pm-midnight, 365 days a year) https://www.thecalmzone.net/help/webchat https://www.thecalmzone.net/help/get-help/racism Citizens Advice https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/law-and-courts/discrimination/protected-characteristics/race-discrimination Musicians' Union - Reflecting on #TheShowMustBePaused https://www.musiciansunion.org.uk/Home/News/2020/Jun/Reflecting-on-TheShowMustBePaused
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PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
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On this podcast, we'll be showcasing the mouthwatering Tasting Menus from leading cultural and music PR agency WildKat, as well as acclaimed composer, sound artist and performer Drum & Lace whose latest EP "Further" was released last week. WildKat Tasting Menus WildKat's Press Assistant Robert Shone writes: "It is well known that a careful combination of sound and taste can elevate the sensory experience of both parties. Back in 1997, Heston Blumenthal enhanced his fish dish 'Sounds of the Sea' through utilising an iPod of sea soundscapes to create 'sonic seasoning'. We here at WildKat are doing the reverse. Throughout the ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic, WildKat will be enhancing many virtual classical music experiences with a carefully paired item of food or drink. Every week, our team will create a brand new Menu of 14 livestreams, specially paired with 14 recipes. Each week, a member of the WildKat team will also provide a recommendation of a TV show, book, or a piece of art to help stimulate and inspire during this trying time." To sample these Tasting Menus, please visit wildkatpr.com/news or WildKat PR on socials. Drum & Lace Drum & Lace (also known as Sofia Hultquist) is an Italian-born composer, sound artist and performer that writes and creates music for film and media. Among her impressive credits include fashion documentary "The First Monday in May" (dir Andrew Rossi), the AppleTV+ Original Series "Dickinson" (created by Alena Smith) and season 3 of NBC “Good Girls” (created by Jenna Bans & Bill Krebs). Other notable collaborations include leading brands such as NARS, Always, Tanya Taylor, Girls Who Code, Squarespace, as well as theatre production company Saudade Theatre and contemporary dance company Heidi Duckler Dance. Drum & Lace's performance work often includes sound installation and spatial audio elements, at events such as Moogfest and National Sawdust. Her latest EP "Further" was originally commissioned as a new work for Heidi Duckler Dance that features field recordings, samples from Yellowstone National Park's online archive, electronics and strings performed by the London Contemporary Orchestra. Inspired by Emily Dickinson's poem "Further in Summer than the Birds," an ode to nature, the EP depicts the journey of a bird. I talked to Drum & Lace last week from her home studio in Los Angeles about the creative inspiration, research and compositional processes behind the release, as well as the broader ideas and issues arising from the EP. Most notably, this includes the importance of protecting, listening to and caring for nature, actions that many people having been reflecting on over these last few months. Many thanks to Hannah Goldshlack-Wolf for bringing this fascinating and thought-provoking listen to my attention and arranging this discussion, and to Drum & Lace for taking the time to talk especially for this podcast. Listen to "Further" here: https://soundcloud.com/drumandlace/sets/further. Learn more about Drum & Lace here: drumandlace.com. Podcast released 21st June 2020; interview recorded on 11th June 2020.
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PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
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This week is Mental Health Awareness Week. It's a week hosted every year by the Mental Health Foundation that aims to get people across the country talking and thinking about mental health. At a time when people around the world are staying at home, and when many freelance musicians' and creatives' work has been cancelled for the next few months, looking after our mental health and wellbeing has been more important than ever. A recent study from the charity YoungMinds also indicated that more than 80% of young people felt that their mental health conditions had worsened during the coronavirus pandemic - a finding that has made it even more important for young musicians (especially who are studying at or about to leave their universities or music colleges) to protect their wellbeing during these times. On the Talking Classical Podcast, I have been doing some things to raise awareness of mental health. Last year, I recorded an interview with Lucy Thraves, Editor of Classical Music Magazine, in which we discussed the magazine's year-long campaign Harmony In Mind, raising awareness of mental health within the classical music sector. On future episodes, I would also like to be able to talk about other people’s experiences of mental health within the classical business so if you’re interested to be involved, please do not hesitate to get in contact. Learn more about this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week. Further resources: https://talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com/2020/05/23/talking-classical-supports-mental-health-awareness-week-2020. https://harmonyinmind.co.uk. https://helpmusicians.org.uk/health-welfare/mental-health. If you are affected by any of the issues in this podcast, please consult the following services: Mind Infoline open 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday (except for bank holidays). 0300 123 3393 info@mind.org.uk Text: 86463 Samaritans Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 116 123 anytime for free. Papyrus UK (Suicide Prevention Charity) Opening hours: 9am–10pm weekdays, 2pm–10pm weekends, 2pm–10pm bank holidays. Hopeline UK: 0800 068 4141 pat@papyrus-uk.org Text: 07860039967 CALM Open 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year Nationwide helpline: 0800 58 58 58 Webchat: www.thecalmzone.net/help/webchat Help Musicians and Music Minds Matter, a 24/7 support service https://www.helpmusicians.org.uk https://www.musicmindsmatter.org.uk 0808 802 8008 MMM@helpmusicians.org.uk
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It was wonderful to talk to actor, singer and star of stage and screen Julian Ovenden. Julian has an extensive musical background so we talked about how his training informed him as an actor and singer. We also discussed approaches to music, singing, acting and performance – hearing Julian’s perspectives on being truthful and individual as an artist across different genres and repertoires was particularly interesting. This is because one of the things that I endeavoured to do with this podcast was to talk to people whose profession is not solely classical music but who work in other areas and art forms. In turn, this can only inform our practices, styles and tastes. Indeed, talking about some of the great singers of our time (not only classical music) was a reminder that artistry and integrity is something to be truly valued. Many thanks to Julian for taking the time to talk to me especially for this podcast! Podcast published 20th May 2020; interview recorded 13th May 2020.
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PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
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In this podcast, I'm showcasing the beautiful restorative work of Brana Records and the atmospheric debut album of Mike Ladouceur, Between Worlds. Brana Records is a label that is focused on restoring the wonderful rare recordings by the Polish/Brazilian pianist, Felicja Blumental. As well as recording the great masterpieces such as the piano concertos of Grieg and Rachmaninoff, Ms Blumental championed neglected early 19th century piano composers such as Clementi, Kuhlau, Czerny, and solo piano music by Spanish and Portuguese Baroque composers. She enjoyed a relationship with leading composers such as Penderecki and Villa-Lobos - he dedicated his Fifth Piano Concerto to Ms. Blumental, which she performed under the composer with leading orchestras of Europe and recorded for EMI in Paris with the Orchestre National. Her appearances in South and North America brought her further stardom. Many of these recordings are now released on Brana Records and all CD covers feature the fine art prints of Felicja Blumental's husband, Markus Mizne. It was a delight to receive a copy of one of these CDs; Ms Blumental's beautiful artistry and shimmering pianism shines through her recordings. branarecords.com.
Last week, I spoke to Mike Ladouceur, known for working on blockbusters like Ad Astra and Mission Impossible – Fallout, as well as the BBC hit TV series His Dark Materials. Mike's debut album, Between Worlds, is out now. It features 42 of London's top musicians - the music was recorded at Angel Studios and is published by Warp Publishing. Between Worlds was designed as a multi-artform, immersive experience. The album is accompanied by bespoke videos, presenting space scenes from NASA's satellite photography with stunning landscapes taken on earth from drone footage filmed by Phillip Whiteman. Nick Denman's album artwork uses the Automatic Drawing process, and is a series of paintings with acrylic and charcoal on canvas. In this interview, we talked about some of the ways online teaching can benefit music students during this current crisis. We also discussed the importance of narrative and individuality within a composer’s voice, and this is something that is very much at the heart of Between Worlds. We talked about the creative process behind the album and the collaboration between other narrative media. Many thanks to Jonathon Tester for putting me in touch with Mike about his wonderful projects, and to Mike for taking the time to talk to me! Interview recorded 1st May 2020; published 9th May 2020. mikeladouceur.com
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PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
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In this episode, we'll be "zooming in" with Thomas Hampson, one of the finest baritones of our time. We talked about a variety of topics including the impact of Zoom and other digital platforms on the classical music industry in these current times. Thomas is a real advocate of digital technology within his many varied projects from live-streaming masterclasses around the world to the Hampsong Foundation, an online treasure trove focused on the art of song. With his wealth of knowledge and experience on song, Thomas is currently presenting a series with a unique classical music streaming platform IDAGIO. We briefly discussed some of the topics he'll be exploring in this series over the next few weeks such as comparing classical song to pop songs, the relationship between music and poetry, and performance practice. Thomas also sheds new light on the construct of memorising songs in recital, that this shouldn't be necessary in order to stay true to the composer and keep searching new ideas for the work. Additionally, we discussed issues of and performers' reception to music criticism. Thomas also shared some wonderful insights into his long and illustrious career, working with some of the greatest musicians of our time, from Nikolaus Harnoncourt to Daniel Barenboim to Leonard Bernstein. Many thanks to Jenna at Lenny's Studio for helping to organise this interview over the last few months, and Thomas for taking the time out of his very busy schedule to talk to me! Interview recorded 14th April 2020; published 19th April 2020. Thomas Hampson, America's foremost baritone, has received international honors and awards for his captivating artistry and cultural leadership. Lauded as a Metropolitan Opera Guild "Met Mastersinger" and inducted into both the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and Gramophone's "Hall of Fame," Hampson is one of the most respected and innovative musicians of our time. With an operatic repertoire of over 80 roles sung in all the major theaters of the world, his discography comprises more than 170 albums, which include multiple nominations and winners of the Grammy Award, Edison Award, and the Grand Prix du Disque. He was appointed the New York Philharmonic’s first-ever Artist-in-Residence, and was honored with a Living Legend Award by the Library of Congress, where he has served as Special Advisor to the Study and Performance of Music in America.
PlayScore 2 - The App That Sight Reads Your Sheet Music #ad
PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
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In this episode, I'll be talking to concert pianist and host of the award-winning series Living the Classical Life Zsolt Bognár. I'll also be showcasing Creative Skills, a fantastic new platform made for freelance creatives in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Creative Skills As I'm sure you're all aware, this is a difficult time for freelance musicians and creatives so the London-based start-up Tutti has developed a new online platform Creative Skills. Freelancers can use this website to offer lessons, collaborations, and their services. It’s free to sign up and there is zero commission fee for each booking. If you’re a creative looking to advertise your skills, why not sign up to Creative Skills today? https://creative-skills.sharetribe.com/ Zsolt Bognár Zsolt is an acclaimed concert pianist and host of the award-winning series Living the Classical Life, in which he talks to some of the world’s leading artists and practitioners within the classical music industry. In this discussion, we talk about Zsolt’s experiences of filming this series, the research and organisation that goes into making the videos, and ways in which he talks to his esteemed guests in order to make them feel comfortable to open up about their experiences. Find out more about Zsolt's work at zsolt-bognar.com. Watch Living the Classical Life on livingtheclassicallife.com and YouTube. Podcast published 12th April 2020; interview with Zsolt recorded on 3rd April 2020. Listen to the end of the podcast for a very special announcement about next week's episode! :) Follow the Talking Classical Podcast on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and the Talking Classical blog - talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com. Get in touch at talkingclassicalpodcast@gmail.com.
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PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
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An interview with rising young countertenor Patrick Terry, who will be performing in Handel’s oratorio Susanna at the Royal Opera House in early March. Many thanks to Patrick for taking time out of a full day of rehearsals to talk, and the Press & Communications Team at the Royal Opera House for initiating and organising this interview! Published 3rd March 2020; interview recorded 8th February 2020. Winner of the Loveday Song Prize at the 2017 Kathleen Ferrier Awards, Second Prize at the 2019 Handel Singing Competition and a Samling Artist, Patrick Terry was born and raised in Janesville, Wisconsin. He earned his Bachelor’s of Music from the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, where he studied with Adriana Zabala, and graduated from London’s Royal Academy of Music, where he studied with Caitlin Hulcup and Michael Chance on the Opera Course with generous support from the Josephine Baker Trust and the John J Adams Scholarship, in Summer 2018. Selected for the 2018 Leeds Lieder Young Artists Festival, further competition success has included Second Prize at the 2019 Handel Singing Competition, Second Prize at the 2015 Joan Chissell Schumann Lieder Competition, winning the 2014 Maureen Lehane Vocal Award and winning the 2017 Richard Lewis / Jean Shanks Award. For Royal Academy Opera, he sang The Refugee Flight and Ruggiero Alcina. Operatic engagements have included The Boy / Angel 1 Written On Skin with the Melos Sinfonia, Oberon A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Chicago Summer Opera, Rosencrantz in Brett Dean’s Hamlet for Glyndebourne On Tour and the title role in Teseo with La Nuova Musica at the 2018 London Handel Festival. Concert highlights have included a Wigmore Hall appearance with Imogen Cooper, whilst his broadcasts include In Tune for BBC Radio 3. Patrick Terry is a member of the Jette Parker Young Artists Programme at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. During 2018 / 2019, he travelled to Japan to appear in Le Promesse (Gala Concert by Young Opera Singers Tomorrow of the World) at the New National Theatre, Tokyo, and sang Arsace Berenice and Artemis in Hans Werner Henze’s Phaedra at the Linbury Theatre. He also returned to the Wigmore Hall for Heroes and Villains, appeared in Beyond Jerusalem: The Life and Times of Sir Charles Hubert Parry at the London Song Festival, sang J. S. Bach Magnificat and Handel The Choice of Hercules with the London Handel Orchestra and Ruggiero Alcina with La Nuova Music and made his debut with Glyndebourne Festival Opera as Eustazio Rinaldo. His engagements this season include debuts with Music Theatre Wales as Serafino The Intelligence Park, at The Grange Festival as Oberon A Midsummer Night’s Dream, with Cologne Opera as Rosencrantz Hamlet, with the Early Opera Company as Arsamenes Serse and a return to the Royal Opera as Joacim Susanna Engagements during 2020 / 2021 include debuts with Opera North as Ruggiero Alcina, with Classical Opera as Farnace Mitridate, Rè di Ponto and with Irish National Opera as Andronicus in Vivaldi’s Bajazet. He will also take part in the world première of an Evolution Cantata by Brett Dean with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, which he will also sing with the Orchestre national de Lyon. Facebook – @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter – @tc_podcasts YouTube - bit.ly/2WF4duy Blog – talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com
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This podcast features an interview with tenor James Gilchrist, in which we discuss a variety of topics relating to being a singer: - psychology of performance, particularly, in somewhere like the Wigmore Hall where he was singing that evening. - the way audiences might perceive song recitals, and what performers can do to engage them regarding such perceptions. - the balance between what artists do on stage to communicate with their audience, e.g., how much is moving around or maintaining eye contact? - interpretation of narrative in lieder repertoire. - the challenges and privileges of being a medical doctor (which James initially started as), and making the transition to becoming a full-time professional performer. - comparing the experience of music college versus university. Many thanks to James for coming especially to London in the morning to record, as well as Tamsin Raitt and the staff at Wigmore Hall for arrangements for the interview! Podcast published on 13th February 2020; recorded on 8th February 2020 in the Gerald Moore Room, Wigmore Hall, London. James Gilchrist began his working life as a doctor, turning to a full-time career in music in 1996. His musical interest was fired at a young age, singing first as a chorister in the choir of New College, Oxford, and later as a choral scholar at King’s College, Cambridge. James’ extensive concert repertoire has seen him perform in major concert halls throughout the world. Bach’s Christmas Oratorio and the St John and Matthew Passions feature prominently in his schedule, and he is celebrated as perhaps the finest Evangelist of his generation. Recent engagements include Elijah in Goteborgs Symfoniker and Masaaki Suzuki, Handel’s Messiah with the Handel & Haydn Society in Boston, with Bernard Labadie, and Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with Singapore Symphony Orchestra. In the 2019-20 season appearances include the role of Rev. Horace Adams Peter Grimes with Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Edward Gardner in London and Norway, St Matthew Passion with City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra conducted by Richard Egarr, and a tour of Europe with Bach Collegium Japan and Masaaki Suzuki. SoundCloud – @talkingclassicalpodcast Facebook – @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter – @tc_podcasts YouTube - https://bit.ly/2WF4duy Blog – talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com
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PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
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In this podcast, we'll be hearing from ex-ballet dancer, choreographer and composer Kasper Cornish, who enjoyed success as a professional dancer for many years. We'll hear about some of his career highlights and his passion for ballet and music (he considered being a professional musician before making the decision to become a dancer). But we'll be mainly focusing on Kasper's work in music composition, which he has concentrated more on since retiring from professional performing. Kasper talks lucidly about his creative and research methods when writing for dance as opposed to abstract music. And he explains some of the challenges when working with musicians in a class setting, as well as the invaluable opportunity a dance class presents for a composer to trial new material. Many thanks to Kasper for kindly taking the time out of his day to talk to me before teaching at The Place! Published on 7th February 2020; recorded at Sadler's Wells on 15th January 2020.
Kasper Cornish began his dance training at the age of 10 with Sara Phillips in 1984 and graduated from Central School of Ballet in 1993 after which he joined Ballet Wales, touring the UK in productions of The Swan and Cinderella. Performing work ranged from Ballet Dancer to Wrestler for the BAFTA award-winning Channel 4 series Faking It to creating the title role in The Snowman (Birmingham Repertory Theatre, West End and BBC film of the stage show). Other credits include The Phantom of The Opera feature film and dancing the role of "Slavemaster" for the national tour of the stage show. He played the Prince of Transylvania in the National Theatre production of My Fair Lady at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, was a founding member of Just Desert Dance Co. and as a freelance principal artist danced popular ballet pas de deux as far afield as Japan. He was principal ballet dancer at Glyndebourne in 1996 as well as understudy to Zoltan Solymosi and toured France and Switzerland in Maurice Bejart's Bolero with Sylvie Guillem. He has taught Classical Ballet and Pas de Deux since 1997 for performing arts colleges, international summer schools, dance companies and open classes. Choreographic work includes The Classical Brits, Comedy Shuffle (BBC3), "Canvas Bag" for Tim Minchin, The Terence Higgins Trust, Nickleodeon TV, movement for actors in feature films and "Degas – A Passion for Perfection" (Exhibition on Screen). Kasper's music compositions include six ballet class albums, music for dance, a brass quintet, clarinet sonata, Oratorio for Baritone - choir & string orchestra, Christmas carols, string quartet, song cycles and works for solo piano. www.kaspercornish.bandcamp.com
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PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
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I am pleased to present this interview with Baroque cellist and social media influencer Emily Davidson (also known as @emilyplayscello). We talked about Emily's musical journey from starting the cello as a teenager to becoming a successful freelance musician. We also discussed her passion for historical performance, which she specialises in but her career is now taking a slightly different direction with a move into pop music songwriting and production. Additionally, Emily maintains a thriving YouTube channel, in which she shares her knowledge of historically-informed performance for both performers but anyone who simply wants to listen to this beautiful music. Her channel also offers advice and her experiences of having a musical career, including tips on social media, which she gives consulting sessions in. Emily is a wonderful example of someone who shows that it's never too late to pursue your musical ambitions and it's possible to have a rewarding, fulfilling and creative career as a musician. Many thanks to Emily for taking the time out of her busy schedule to talk to me! Interview recorded on 30th July 2019 via Google Hangouts; published on 9th November 2019. Emily Davidson, baroque cellist, is a fresh voice in the new generation of historical performance. Originally from New York, Emily spent the first 7 years of her career freelancing in Boston, MA. She currently lives in Los Angeles, CA. She has released two solo albums, Bass Sounds and Bass Sounds: Evolved, and a duet album, Old Friends: Baroque Music for Violin and Cello. She founded and directed Emergence Quartet, period instrument string quartet. She brings her historical approach to new platforms, drawing a passionate following on YouTube and Instagram for classical music. She has been interviewed in The Huffington Post, The Boston Globe, Strings Magazine, on NPR, and has been featured on Classic FM. She helps classical musicians form a 21st century approach through her social media coaching. Learn more at emilyplayscello.com. Facebook - @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter - @tc_podcasts YouTube - bit.ly/2WF4duy Blog - talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com
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PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
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I met Claudia at her beautiful renovated Victorian house where we talked about her early years in Devon and training, particularly in America, winning the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. We discussed the opportunities being a contralto presents such as repertoire, and her role as the Omniscient Mussel in Strauss's Die Ägyptische Helena at La Scala next month. We also talked about performing on big and small stages, leading Claudia to recall her experiences of contemporary opera. Interview published on 25th October 2019; recorded on 5th October 2019. claudiahuckle.com.
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PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
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Interview with Sarah Champion: https://talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com/2019/09/30/ep-18-interview-with-canadian-mezzo-soprano-sarah-champion/ Canadian high mezzo-soprano Sarah Champion has been acclaimed for her ‘clarity and assurance’ (Opera Magazine) and heard both on the opera stage and the concert platform in Europe and North America in repertoire spanning four-centuries. Ms. Champion’s recent engagements have included The Lover in Tansy Davies’ BETWEEN WORLDS directed by Deborah Warner for English National Opera, Dorabella COSÌ FAN TUTTE on tour with Scottish Opera, Dorotea STIFFELIO for Chelsea Opera Group, the role of Naomi in the world premiere of Phillip Hagemann’s RUTH with Pegasus Opera, Zenobia RADAMISTO at the Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico and Daisy in the world premiere of Stuart McCrae’s ANTHROPOCENE for Scottish Opera. Upcoming engagements include Offred Before in Poul Ruders’ THE HANDMAID’S TALE with the Danish Royal Opera. Ms. Champion has performed as a soloist and recitalist throughout North America, the UK and Europe giving performances with Florilegium, the Britten-Pears Orchestra /Antonello Manacorda, Britten-Pears Baroque Orchestra/Richard Egarr, the San Francisco Early Music Society, at the London Handel Festival, the Tage Alte Musik Regensburg, the Boston Early Music Festival, Festival Montreal Baroque, the Banff Centre and the Aldeburgh Festival. Notable engagements include recitals with the National Arts Centre Orchestra of Canada under Trevor Pinnock, the Little Baroque Company under Laurence Cummings and a staging of Messiaen’s song cycle Harawi directed by Tim Nelson. Other recent engagements include Female Artist LULU for English National Opera; covering Isabella L’ITALIANA IN ALGERI for Garsington Opera, the title-role XERXES, Donna Elvira DON GIOVANNI and Rosina BARBER OF SEVILLE for ENO and Brahms Liebeslieder Walzer and Schumann Spanisches Liederspiel in Istanbul. Ms. Champion studied trumpet and voice at McGill University and trained in voice at the Royal College of Music. She now studies with Nelly Miricioiu in London and is a former Britten-Pears Young Artist and a Malcolm Martineau Crear Scholar.
Listen to Ep. 17 with British concert pianist James Lisney. World Mental Health Day takes place every year on the 10th October. To mark World Mental Health Day, listen to Ep. 11 with Lucy Thraves, Editor of Classical Music Magazine, in which we discuss the importance of mental health and well-being in the classical music sector, and Harmony in Mind, the magazine's year-long mental health awareness campaign. https://who.int/mental_health/world-mental-health-day/en/ https://mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/world-mental-health-day. talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com/contact. Facebook - @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter - @tc_podcasts YouTube - bit.ly/2WF4duy Blog - talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com
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Series 2 of the Talking Classical Podcast starts with this interview with British concert pianist James Lisney. We discussed his upcoming concert series Endgame, which explores the idea of ‘Late Style’ through the piano works of Haydn, Beethoven, Schubert and Chopin. He also shared some very interesting and thought-provoking insights into pianism, the performance aesthetics of the Late repertoire (challenging pre-conceived notions of how it should be interpreted), the music profession and the music educational system. Many thanks to James and Frances Wilson (The Cross-Eyed Pianist) for facilitating this interview! Interview recorded on 23rd September 2019 at James' house. Podcast released on 26th September 2019. Find out more about James and his Endgame concerts at www.jameslisney.com. James Lisney enjoys a rich musical life, moving seamlessly from concerto and recital soloist to chamber musician, song accompanist and pianist director. Initiatives, such as his Schubertreise series at London`s Southbank Centre, his extensive Beethoven Project or the recording company Woodhouse Editions, provide a platform for his wide-ranging musical sympathies. James Lisney made his Wigmore Hall debut in 1986 and early representation by the Young Concert Artists Trust in London led to a career that has taken him to many prestigious venues and gained invitations to appear with major orchestras. Highlights include residencies at the Amsterdam Concertgebouw and Carnegie Recital Hall in New York. His recordings (on Naxos, Bis, Somm, Olympia and Carlton) have gained the highest recommendations. Recent months have seen him performing Schubert cycles in the Oxford International Piano Series, the Leipzig Gewandhaus, the first Schubert piano sonata cycles on the Indian subcontinent and his recital debut at the Prague Rudolfinum. Endgame launches in autumn 2019 at: 1 October - Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham 13 October - St George’s, Bristol 16 October - West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge (in support of The Amber Trust) And continues throughout 2020. SoundCloud & Facebook - @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter - @tc_podcasts YouTube - bit.ly/2WF4duy Blog - talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com
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In this episode, we're exploring the wonderful world of video game music with Dr Tim Summers, Lecturer in Music at Royal Holloway, University of London. Tim specialises in the academic study of video game music and ludomusicology, the study of music via games and play. In this interview, we discussed many different facets of video game music including: - the role of music in game design and production. - the mechanics of gaming for the player but also the idea of the player as a listener. - the challenges of categorising game music as high art versus low art, terms that are problematic in themselves. - the influence of classical music and opera on video games. - how one analyses video game music from, for instance, the perspective of a gamer, a music analyst, and a ludomusicologist. - the influence of video games on musical interfaces. Listen to BBC Radio 3's Afternoon Concert of video game music (available for a limited time on iPlayer) - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m0006fkj. A link to the "Seaboard" and musical software from ROLI I referred to towards the end of the interview - https://roli.com/. Podcast published on 30 July 2019. Interview recorded on 3 July 2019 at the Royal Opera House, London. Facebook - @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter - @tc_podcasts YouTube - bit.ly/2WF4duy Blog - talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com
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The Birmingham Contemporary Music Group is one of the world's foremost new music ensembles. Earlier this year, I was very pleased to have the opportunity to visit its offices to interview Nancy Evans, the Director of Learning and Participation, and Stephan Meier, the Artistic Director. It was refreshing to talk to them about a wide range of topics within the sphere of new music such as: - what it looks like to teach young people about contemporary classical music, particularly, music composition, and how this translates into institutional and extra-curricular settings. - the challenges and logistics of managing a world-leading new music organisation. - the broader implications of BCMG's work for culture and society, including the idea of a "global village" and facilitating cultural meeting points. Many thanks to: Victoria Taylor and Seb Huckle, the BCMG's Executive Director, for arranging this opportunity. Nancy and Stephan for taking the time out of their busy schedules to talk to me for the podcast. Podcast published on 26 July 2019. Interviews recorded on 29 April 2019 at the CBSO Centre, Birmingham, UK. Find out more about the BCMG at https://www.bcmg.org.uk. Facebook - @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter - @tc_podcasts YouTube - bit.ly/2WF4duy Blog - talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com
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I'm delighted to share this interview with Thomas Guthrie. This was a fascinating opportunity to learn about what being a director entails, particularly, in music theatre and opera. We talked about how one manages and interacts with not only the creatives and production team but one's fellow singers - Tom is a singer himself and very much comes from directing at a performer's perspective. However, we do discuss being "on the other side of the fence", to so speak. Tom was also keen to advocate the importance of previews in opera, commonplace in other art forms such as musicals. Additionally, Tom highlighted the act of taking ownership of a role on stage; this process is aided by the support of the other singers around. We talked about humour and comic timing in productions; that it is naturally tempting for performers and directors to get laughs as it shows that the audience is engaged. But to bring about sorrow and tears is just, if not more, moving. A good example lies in Mozart's operas. We also discussed the role of instrumentalists in staged performances, for example, the revival of dramatising the Bach Passions and a recent production of Purcell's Dido and Aeneas Tom directed in Norway. Many thanks to: Kathryn Hare at Orchid Media for arranging this interview on the day and Tom for taking the time before his concert to talk to me! Podcast published 22 July 2019. Interview recorded 18 July 2019 in the gardens of the Inner Temple, London. Thomas Guthrie is an innovative and award-winning British director and musician working in theatre and music to tell stories in vivid, new and direct ways. A former Jette Parker Young Artist Stage Director at the Royal Opera House in London, his revival of David McVicar’s Die Zauberflöte there won What’s On Stage Best Revival 2018. His own critically acclaimed productions of Le Nozze di Figaro and Die Zauberflöte at Longborough Festival Opera led to an invitation to direct Wagner’s Der Fliegende Holländer there in 2018 (subsequently called ‘one of the best productions at this venue I have seen’, Rupert Christiansen, Telegraph). With a reputation for stylish, unfussy, energetic, physical, theatrical and sometimes controversial work, the clarity of the storytelling, the commitment of the performers and a pre-eminence of musical values are at the heart of his productions. In his own words, ‘great theatre depends more on engaging and inspiring the imagination of the audience than on telling them what to think’ (from a recent Q and A at Princeton University). Tom also works with non-professionals of all ages and backgrounds. Some of his most thrilling projects have been in this field, including work with Streetwise Opera, the Prison Choir Project, the National Youth Choir of Great Britain, and the Royal Opera House, through whom he has inspired hundreds to connect with their inner Caruso and raise the roof. His production of Ludd and Isis, a new opera commissioned to launch the ROH’s new Production Park in Thurrock, involving a cast of hundreds, including professionals and amateurs of all ages, was acclaimed as ‘one of the Royal Opera House’s grandest achievements’ (Opera). Thomas is the founder and artistic director of the charity Music and Theatre for All, Guest Artistic Advisor to the York Early Music Festival, was Belknap Fellow at Princeton University, New Jersey in 2017, and is proud to sing and play with Bjarte Eike’s Alehouse Boys.
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The new album from the international, award-winning British vocal ensemble Apollo5 is released today! Here's an interview with Clare Stewart from the quintet, in which we discuss the album, Apollo5's extensive educational and outreach work, Clare's insights as a singer, and into the rehearsal and performance process of a world-class a capella vocal group. Special thanks to: George Percy at WildKat PR for arranging and coming to the interview, and Clare for talking to me! Published on 31 May 2019. Interview recorded on 13 May 2019 at the Gresham Centre, St Anne and St Agnes Church, London. The British vocal ensemble Apollo5 delights audiences with versatile and engaging performances, singing repertoire ranging from renaissance, classical and contemporary choral music to folk, jazz and pop. Frequently performing at the Gresham Centre, their home in London, they have also sung in London at the Royal Albert Hall, Kings Place (for the London A Cappella Festival), the Barbican, the Houses of Parliament and Wembley Arena. Over the last two years they have given performances in Italy, Germany, France, Holland, Poland, Estonia and the USA. This season they return to the USA as well as sing frequently in the UK, Germany and France. Apollo5 is part of the VCM Foundation, and leads its innovative education programme aiming to inspire creativity through music. Working alongside vocal ensemble VOCES8 and Paul Smith the programme reaches 40,000 young people annually across the world. Apollo5 has released albums with VCM Records, including their latest release “O Radiant Dawn”, released in May 2019. The Spirit Like a Dove”, is a recital of music by Josquin des Prez performed with the Ingenium Ensemble; “With a Song in my Heart” is an album of folk, jazz and pop; “Journey” on the Edition Peters Sounds label features the group with former King’s Singer Paul Phoenix. www.apollo5.co.uk
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It was wonderful to record a podcast with Toby Spence, one of the world's most sought-after tenors, on his fiftieth birthday. In this special interview, we discuss: his early musical training and influences, his formative years at English National Opera, starring as Captain Vere in Deborah Warner's recent production of Britten's opera Billy Budd at the Royal Opera House, the challenges of being a performer, identity as a singer, and his desert island items. Special thanks to: Natasha Worsley for very kindly arranging this interview and Toby for coming especially to meet me and record on his birthday! Originally published on 28 May 2019. Interview recorded on 22 May 2019 at Askonas Holt, London. An honours graduate and choral scholar from New College, Oxford, Toby Spence studied at the Opera School of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He was the winner of the Royal Philharmonic Society 2011 Singer of the Year award. In concert Toby has sung with the Cleveland Orchestra under von Dohnanyi, Berliner Philharmoniker and the Wiener Philharmoniker under Rattle; San Francisco Symphony under Tilson Thomas; the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia under Pappano; Rotterdam Philharmonic under Gergiev; LSO under Davis; London Philharmonic Orchestra under Nézet-Séguin; Los Angeles Philharmonic under Dudamel; Bayerischer Rundfunk under Gardiner and at the Osterfestspiele Salzburg and Edinburgh International Festival under Norrington and Mackerras. Recent appearances include The Seasons with the Philharmonie de Paris, Bruckner F minor Mass with the Sinfonieorchester Basel; The Creation with the Houston Symphony Orchestra; Messiah, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy and Haydn’s Nelson Mass with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in Mumbai and Missa Solemnis with the LSO under Tilson Thomas. Recent opera engagements include Ghandi Satyagraha at English National Opera; Captain Vere Billy Budd for Teatro Real and Opera di Roma; Anatol Vanessa for Frankfurt Opera; Don Ottavio at the Liceu Barcelona; Eisenstein Die Fledermaus and Antonio The Tempest for the Metropolitan Opera; Don Ottavio and Tito for the Wiener Staatsoper; Essex Gloriana and Tamino Die Zauberflöte for the Royal Opera House, where his previous roles have also included Ferdinand The Tempest, David Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, Count Almaviva Il Barbiere di Siviglia, Ramiro and Tom Rakewell; Tamino, Candide, Paris La Belle Hélène, Lensky and Faust for English National Opera; Madwoman Curlew River for the Edinburgh Festival; Tito, Tamino and Henry Morosus Die Schweigsame Frau for the Bayerische Staatsoper; and Tom Rakewell and David Die Meistersinger at Opéra de Paris. Engagements in the 2018-19 season include Dvorak Stabat Mater with Houston Symphony Orchestra; Britten War Requiem with Toronto Symphony Orchestra; Szymanowski’s 3rd Symphony for the Gulbenkian Foundation and Orff’s Carmina Burana in Shanghai and Beijing with Long Yu and Aida Garifullina for Deutsche Grammophon’s 120’s anniversary. Opera engagements include Captain Vere Billy Budd for the Royal Opera House and a staged version of Britten Les Illuminations for Teatro Real Madrid.
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In this preview from a special interview, recorded with world-leading tenor Toby Spence on the day of his 50th birthday, we reminisce about the Young Royal Opera House performance of Britten's opera Billy Budd earlier this month, in which Toby played the indomitable role of Captain Vere. Plus some unexpected audience reactions to fight scenes at Covent Garden and The Met! SoundCloud & Facebook - @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter - @tc_podcasts YouTube - bit.ly/2WF4duy Blog - talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com
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13-19 May 2019 is Mental Health Awareness Week, a week organised by UK charity the Mental Health Foundation that aims to get the nation talking about mental health. Mental health has been particularly prevalent in discussions within the classical music sector and I felt that it was very important to reflect on these for Mental Health Awareness Week. I met with Lucy Thraves, Editor of Classical Music Magazine, to talk about the magazine's year-long strategy to address mental health, through its campaign Harmony in Mind. Visit www.harmonyinmind.co.uk to read about the campaign. Mental Health Awareness Week: https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week #HarmonyinMind #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek #BeBodyKind Originally published on 16 May 2019. Interview recorded at the Royal Opera House on 10 May 2019. If you are affected by any of the issues in this podcast, please contact the following helplines: Mind Infoline open 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday (except for bank holidays). 0300 123 3393 info@mind.org.uk Text: 86463 Samaritans Open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 116 123 anytime for free. jo@samaritans.org - Response time of 24 hours Papyrus UK, Suicide Prevention Charity Opening hours: 10am–10pm weekdays, 2pm–10pm weekends, 2pm–10pm bank holidays. Hopeline UK: 0800 068 4141 pat@papyrus-uk.org Text: 07786209697 CALM Open 5pm–midnight, 365 days a year Nationwide helpline: 0800 58 58 58 London helpline: 0808 802 58 58 Webchat: https://www.thecalmzone.net/help/webchat/
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For the tenth episode of Talking Classical, I thought it would be fun to do something a little different and relive one of my archive interviews I recorded when I was a student. In 2013, I was very lucky to interview the British composer, broadcaster and writer Howard Goodall. Due to Howard's incredibly busy schedule, we met during the interval of a concert his daughter was performing in at the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford - we recorded in a rather cozy and small space underneath the theatre itself! In this interview, you'll hear about Howard's experiences of Oxford and his television series The Story of Music, which was being shown on the BBC at the time. Special thanks to: Emily Rees Jones at PBJ Management for kindly arranging the interview. Howard for taking the time out of his very busy schedule to talk to me. Visit Howard's website: www.howardgoodall.co.uk. Watch The Story of Music here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0Y6NPahlDE&list=PLQNuUaKJvEpoP4OTYb2NQ8lihO--M1J99. Howard is an EMMY, BRIT and BAFTA award-winning composer of choral music, stage musicals, film and TV scores. He is a distinguished music historian and broadcaster. In recent years he has been England’s first ever National Ambassador for Singing, the Classical Brit Composer of the Year and was Classic FM’s Composer-in-Residence for 6 years. In the 2011 New Year Honours he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to music education. SoundCloud – @talkingclassicalpodcast Facebook – @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter – @tc_podcasts YouTube – bit.ly/2WF4duy Blog – talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com
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I was very lucky to meet Nathan while starring in English National Opera's production of Lehár's classic operetta The Merry Widow. In this interview, we discuss his career and collegial friendships formed in London and the UK, his delightful but fully committed Wigmore Hall recital presented while in London, and his thoughts and approaches to singing and performance - and when Mandy Patinkin sang "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" to him in Yiddish during their two-man show in front of 10,000 people. Special thanks to: Staci Levine at Groundswell Theatricals for arranging the interview, and Nathan for additional arrangements - this interview was organised with two days' notice! Originally published on 30th March 2019. Interview recorded on 28th March 2019. Baritone Nathan Gunn has sung leading lyric baritone roles and appeared in several world premieres in many of the most renowned opera houses of the world including the Metropolitan Opera, San Francisco Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Royal Opera House, Paris Opera, and Bayerische Staatsoper. Also a distinguished concert performer, Mr. Gunn has appeared with the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra, and has been presented in recitals in New York, Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, London, and Brussels. His discography includes Billy Budd (Virgin Classics), Rogers & Hammerstein’s Allegro (Sony Masterworks Broadway), Il Barbiere di Siviglia (SONY Classics), and his solo albums Just Before Sunrise (Sony/BMG Masterworks) and American Anthem (EMI). Mr. Gunn recently ventured outside the standard opera repertoire with performances of the title role in Sweeney Todd at the Houston Grand Opera, Camelot and Carousel with the New York Philharmonic, Show Boat at Carnegie Hall and the Lyric Opera of Chicago, and Wonderful Town with the London Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Gunn is a professor of voice at the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana and General Director of the Lyric Theater @ Illinois. SoundCloud – @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter – @tc_podcasts Facebook – @talkingclassicalpodcast YouTube - https://bit.ly/2WF4duy Blog – talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com
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Last month, I was very lucky to see the first preview of the National Theatre's revival of Stephen Sondheim's classic musical Follies. As well as starring rising young talents and the cream of British musical theatre, the wonderful soprano Alison Langer plays the role of Young Heidi Schiller (an opera singer), with Heidi Schiller currently being played by Dame Felicity Lott, one of the finest sopranos of our time. I met Alison between a two-show day to talk about her experiences of playing Young Heidi Schiller, as well as musical theatre, opera, and of course, singing Sondheim's amazing music in the stunning setting of the Olivier Theatre. Originally published on 13th March 2019. Interview recorded on 9th March 2019. The equally fine Dame Josephine Barstow will take over the role of Heidi Schiller later in the run. British Soprano Alison Langer is a graduate of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Her most recent and future engagements include Oscar Un ballo in maschera (Opera Holland Park)‚ Violetta La Traviata for Opera Holland Park’s Christine Collins Performance‚ a Whistlestop tour for Opera North‚ Musetta La Boheme with Iford Arts‚ Bridesmaid Le Nozze di Figaro at Glyndebourne and Young Heidi Follies at the National Theatre. Alison is grateful to be the recipient of a Richard Angas Memorial Award. Alison made her professional debut as Lisette La Rondine (Opera in the Open‚ Dublin)‚ since when she has appeared as Edith The Pirates of Penzance (Opera Holland Park)‚ Norina I Pazzi per Progetto‚ title role Erodiade‚ The Countess The Cunning Peasant and the New Queen in the world premiere of Snow in an inaugural production by The Opera Story. On the concert platform‚ she has sung most recently in Mozart’s Requiem at St Martin in the Fields‚ with other concert venues including Buxton Opera House‚ Barbican Centre‚ Birmingham Symphony Hall‚ Queen Elizabeth Hall‚ Royal Albert Hall‚ The House of Lords and The Ritz. Book your tickets to see Follies at the National Theatre: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/shows/follies. SoundCloud – @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter – @tc_podcasts Facebook – @talkingclassicalpodcast Blog – talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com
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In this episode, I am talking about the influence of classical music in China with Dr Shzr Ee Tan, Senior Lecturer and an ethnomusicologist at Royal Holloway, University of London. China is a country, which has undoubtedly had a massive impact on the classical music industry in many ways, and very much continues to impact the classical sector. I am British-born Chinese myself, and this interview was recorded a few days after Chinese New Year officially finished so I thought it would be rather pertinent to make an episode on the role of Western classical music in China. This varied interview certainly challenges many of the common stereotypes of how classical music is viewed in China. It includes topics such as the history of Western art music in China, political influences, transnationalism, cultural flows and the multiplicities of classical music activities in China today. We also discuss the identities of Chinese classical musicians such as Lang Lang, Yuja Wang and Zhu Xiao-Mei, and how classical music is impacting the younger generation of Chinese musicians, for example, in conservatoires both in China and overseas. Finally, we consider what the future of classical music in China might look like. The main point to emphasise is that the idea of “Chineseness” in classical music should not be seen as one-way or monolithic but in terms of multiple identities and exchanges. Originally published on 8th March 2019. Interview recorded on 22nd February 2019 at 11 Bedford Square (RHUL's Central London base). Shzr Ee's bio - https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/shzr-tan_ad70e394-5ecb-4805-bdd3-5f0db9655199.html SoundCloud – @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter – @tc_podcasts Facebook – @talkingclassicalpodcast Blog – talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com
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PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
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This episode is a little different to the previous ones. If anyone can talk better about the connections between music and dance, it surely has to be the dancers themselves because they have direct experience of the music, by internalising and emoting it through their amazing movements and physiques. I recorded a conversation with one of Britain’s former leading ballet dancers. In this podcast, Victoria and I talk about her formative training at the world-renowned Elmhurst School for Dance and the Royal Ballet School. We also discuss her experiences of working with live musicians, rehearsal pianists and the orchestra, and the need for ballet dancers to be musical, perhaps to have some musical training. It was so intriguing to talk to someone working in another art form and almost share something of a common language. Enjoy this conversation, occasionally interspersed with the delightful noises of Victoria’s seven-month old! Originally published on 19th February 2019. Conversation recorded on 8th February 2019 via Vidyo. Victoria trained at Elmhurst School for Dance and the Royal Ballet School before being asked by Birmingham Royal Ballet Director David Bintley to join the company in 1996. There she quickly rose through the ranks to First Soloist and during her, 17 year career danced lead roles in a wide variety of the companies repertoire the world over. Victoria has worked with some of the most renowned directors and choreographers in both classic and modern works - from Sir Peter Wright's Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty and ever-popular Nutcracker to Bintley's Carmina Burana, Van Mannen's Grosse Fuge and Twyla Tharp's In the Upper Room. After a final performance of Giselle in 2013 Victoria retired from full time performing to set up her own online ballet fitness business sleektechnique.com with fellow dancer Flik Swan. The Sleek method (an accessible, fun and effective blend of authentic ballet technique and fitness) has quickly caught on and after glowing reviews in publications such as Vogue, Women's Fitness and Elle Magazine, there are now women joining Sleek classes online from over 45 different countries. "Doing something that stuck close to my classical roots has always been the aim with Sleek. I still get to dance, be creative and spread the mind and body benefits of dance to an even wider audience"
PlayScore 2 - The App That Sight Reads Your Sheet Music #ad
PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
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It was a delight to talk to the celebrated British baritone and composer Roderick Williams earlier this week about his musical training at school, university and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, thought processes when singing and performing, technical aspects of singing, and his methods in front of a live audience. Special thanks to: Roddy for additional arrangements and taking the time out of his busy schedule to talk to me. Francesco Bastanzetti at Groves Artists for practical arrangements. Helen Beardsley at English National Opera for organising a room to record at short notice. Published on 18th January 2019. Conversation recorded at the Ellis Room, English National Opera, London on 15th January 2019. Roderick Williams is one of the most sought after baritones of his generation with a wide repertoire spanning baroque to contemporary music in the opera house and on the concert platform and is also in demand as a recitalist worldwide. He enjoys relationships with all the major UK opera houses and has sung opera world premières by David Sawer, Sally Beamish, Michel van der Aa, Robert Saxton and Alexander Knaifel. He performs regularly with leading conductors and orchestras throughout the UK, Europe, North America and Australia, and his many festival appearances include the BBC Proms, Edinburgh, Cheltenham, Aldeburgh and Melbourne. As a composer he has had works premièred at Wigmore Hall, the Barbican, the Purcell Room and on national radio. In December 2016 he won the prize for Best Choral Composition at the British Composer Awards. Roderick Williams was awarded an OBE in June 2017 and was nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Opera in the 2018 Olivier Awards for his performance in the title role of the Royal Opera House production of Monteverdi’s Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria. A photo of the Ellis Room, which Roddy describes towards the end of the podcast. https://www.venuescanner.com/london/london-coliseum/ellis-room This episode is the second in a two-part series on being a singer today. Listen to the first instalment - a conversation with singer, teacher and scholar Professor Richard Wistreich - in Episode 4 of the Talking Classical Podcast. SoundCloud – @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter – @tc_podcasts Facebook – bit.ly/2CvJ7rD Blog – talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com
PlayScore 2 - The App That Sight Reads Your Sheet Music #ad
PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
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Ep. 5 Preview w/ Roderick Williams
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Happy New Year everyone! We're starting 2019 with a two-part series on singing in the 21st century. In this episode, we're exploring vocality from pedagogical, philosophical and physiological perspectives. and what some of the implications are for singing today such as amplification in opera houses and the way one places the voice to create different sonorities. To help us understand this most mysterious of art forms, I'm talking to Professor Richard Wistreich, who is currently the Director of Research at the world-famous Royal College of Music in London. Professor Wistreich is a scholar and teacher, who enjoyed great success as a professional singer, particularly, within the early music movement and in contemporary music. He now maintains an illustrious academic career, having held teaching and directorial positions at some of the world's leading universities and conservatoires. Conversation recorded on 18 December 2018 at the Royal College of Music, London. SoundCloud - @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter - twitter.com/tc_podcasts Facebook - bit.ly/2CvJ7rD Blog - talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com
PlayScore 2 - The App That Sight Reads Your Sheet Music #ad
PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
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In this episode, we're exploring the fascinating area of classical music marketing and PR with Dr Marius Carboni. He was formerly the Press and Promotions Manager at EMI Classics and the Press Manager at Decca Classics, and now runs his own independent PR and marketing consultancy Carboni Classical Media. He has worked with a number of leading artists and organisations, including Bernard Haitink, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Radio 3 and the BBC Proms. He was awarded a PhD in 2010 from the University of Hertfordshire, examining the changes in business models and marketing techniques in the classical music industry over twenty years from 1989. He currently leads a course in Music Business at the University of Hertfordshire, and teaches at City University London. Originally published on 22 December 2018. Conversation recorded on 18 December 2018 at 11 Bedford Square (the Central London base for Royal Holloway, University of London).
SoundCloud - soundcloud.com/talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter - twitter.com/tc_podcasts Facebook - https://bit.ly/2CvJ7rD Blog - talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com
PlayScore 2 - The App That Sight Reads Your Sheet Music #ad
PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
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A fascinating conversation with professional flautist, teacher and early music specialist Elizabeth Walker. We talked about her experiences and the precautions of teaching young musicians, and what it was like being involved in the early stages of the historical performance movement at this exciting and vibrant time. She also brought up some of the realities of being a professional musician but reminds us that one needs to have a reawakening to realise how special the music they play is. Originally published on 1 December 2018. Conversation recorded on 31 November 2018.
Links
Elizabeth's bio: http://www.lizwalker.co.uk/bio/.
Ian Bostridge sings the role of the Shepherd on a recording of Wagner's Tristan und Isolde with the Royal Opera House Orchestra and Antonio Pappano: https://open.spotify.com/album/07s7zp3Ww37RKMNd1apIRU.
SoundCloud - @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter - twitter.com/tc_podcasts Facebook - bit.ly/2CvJ7rD Blog - talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com
PlayScore 2 - The App That Sight Reads Your Sheet Music #ad
PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
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Welcome to the first episode of the Talking Classical Podcast! In this podcast, we'll be hearing from Dr Mark Berry, Reader in Music at Royal Holloway, University of London. It's a fascinating conversation about his work as a music critic and writer. UPDATED 10 AUGUST 2020 Since this podcast, Mark has been appointed Head of the Department of Music at RHUL - many congratulations to him on this brilliant achievement! Podcast published on 18 November 2018; interview recorded on 13 November 2018. Mark's "Boulezian" blog: http://boulezian.blogspot.com Mark's bio: https://pure.royalholloway.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/mark-berry(7bb2b829-21d5-4e5f-b0dd-e0f41354a3b4).html
SoundCloud - @talkingclassicalpodcast Twitter - twitter.com/tc_podcasts Facebook - bit.ly/2CvJ7rD Blog - talkingclassicalpodcast.wordpress.com
PlayScore 2 - The App That Sight Reads Your Sheet Music #ad
PlayScore 2 is an amazing app that lets you play any music by taking a photo of your score. You can even scan in PDFs from a free sheet music site like IMSLP. If you don’t read music, you can hear what it sounds like, or PlayScore 2 can accompany you in any key. If you sing in a choir, you can isolate your part on its own or with others in the background. PlayScore 2 also exports to score editors such as Dorico, MuseScore or Finale. Download PlayScore 2 from your app store! playscore.co
Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/talking-classical-podcast/message