Conversations: Recent Episodes
Rob Kennedy
Distinguished classical musicians talk with us about their new releases and their art. A production of The Classical Station, Wake Forest, North Carolina
From his website: “British pianist George Harliono was invited to make his first one hour long, solo recital at the age of nine and since then has performed in numerous locations both in the UK, USA, Europe and Asia, appearing at venues such as Wigmore Hall, The Berlin Philharmonie Kammermusiksaal, The Royal Albert Hall and […]
In early 2019 Ukrainian-American pianist Anna Shelest released Donna Voce which features the music of six women composers: Lili Boulanger, Clara Schumann, Fanny Mendelsohn-Hensel, Amy Beach, Cécile Chaminade, and Chiayu Hsu. Rob Kennedy speaks with Anna about this recording, the composers, and their music. Photo: Cathy Lyons
The Bach Cello Suites are some of the most sublime music the German composer wrote. South Korean cellist Sung-Won Yang recorded the Cello Suites in the spacious acoustics of the Église Notre Dame de Bon Secours, Paris. Sung-Won Yang speaks with Rob Kennedy about the music and his interpretation. Photo: Hoon Park
Musicologist and historical keyboardist Dr. Rebecca Cypess, an Associate Professor of Music at the Mason Gross School of the Arts, Rutgers University, New Jersey, received the 2018 Noah Greenberg Award from the American Musicological Society for her recording with fortepianist Yi-heng Yang, Sisters, Face-to-Face: The Bach Legacy in Women’s Hands. Dan McHugh speaks with Dr. […]
On April 15, 2019, Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris suffered a devastating fire. Fortunately the great organ was spared. The Titular Organist of Notre Dame, Olivier Latry, speaks with Rob Kennedy about the last recording he made of the organ before the fire. Photo: Jean-Francois Badias.jpg
From their website: “A glorious journey through the musical landscape of Britain. The album features a broad range of music from John Tavener and Thomas Adès to Radiohead and Enya, interspersed with folk tunes, world premiere recordings and music from hit TV shows Game of Thrones and Harry’s Game.” Rob Kennedy and Barnaby Smith, Artistic […]
From the liner notes: “Dmitri Shostakovich’s long-lost Impromptu for Viola and Piano, Op. 33, recently unearthed in the Moscow State Archives, receives its world-premiere recording on Matthew Lipman’s Ascent, the acclaimed young American violist’s solo debut album, featuring, in the artist’s words, “music enraptured by flights of fantasy.” Recipient of a 2015 Avery Fisher Career […]
From their website: “On this recording, the Neave Trio captures Piazzolla’s rich legacy through arrangements by one of Piazzolla’s long time colleagues, José Bragato (Las Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas) and by a younger protégé, Leonardo Suárez Paz (select songs). Mezzo-soprano Carla Jablonski joins the trio for the Piazzolla songs as well as an original work by […]
From Joyce’s website: “On Songplay, along with her hand-picked band led by pianist and arranger Craig Terry, Joyce draws inspiration from Cavalli and Chet Baker in equal measure. The languishing heart in Giordani’s Car mio ben is as emotionally charged as Jerry Bock’s hopeful Will he like me? Perhaps the most compelling reminder of how […]
Mezzo-soprano Stephanie Blythe was our guest on the June 2019 edition of My Life In Music. Winner of the 1994 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, Ms. Blythe enjoys an active career on the opera stage as well as teaching. Stephanie speaks with Bob Chapman about her career and what got her started as a professional […]
From Yevgeny’s website: “I asked composers I admire to choose their own family photo, a photo that conjures up memories of joy, sadness, unity, and longing, and to translate that photo into a short work for violin. What follows are eight musical meditations, written by eight different voices, each inspired by their own family story […]
From Lucas’s website: “Grammy Award-winning baritone Lucas Meachem is one of the most accomplished, in-demand singers of the moment, captivating audiences around the world with his “earnest appealing baritone” (The New York Times) and “commanding presence” San Francisco Chronicle. “A rock star of opera” (Opera Pulse). Rob Kennedy speaks with lyric baritone Lucas Meacham about […]