Living the Classical Life

“Are you feeling emotion, or are you just showing it?”

A renowned composer whose music is performed throughout the world, Bruce Adolphe isn't just the author of several books on music, an innovative educator, and a versatile performer. He's also resident lecturer and director of family concerts for The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center; composer-in-residence at the Brain and Creativity Institute; founding creative director of The Learning Maestros; artistic director of Off the Hook Arts; and host of The Piano Puzzler on NPR's Performance Today. (Episode 48)

“A musician who plays a work for twenty years has actually had a longer relationship with the piece than the composer had.”

Mark Ainley is a specialist in historical piano recordings and the great pianists of the past. He has written about Dinu Lipatti, Marcelle Meyer, Alfred Cortot, Egon Petri, and other legendary pianists for various magazines and CD booklet notes. His research about Lipatti resulted in the discovery of lost recordings and their 1994 publication won a German Music Critic's Award. (Episode 23)

“Every time I practice, I decide to quit. When I don't practice, everything is fine.”

Rising star David Aladashvili discusses the his early musical education, his background as an actor and how to translate method acting to music, the challenges of daily practice, his dislike of competitions, and Juilliard as a source of musical opportunities. The episode features excerpts of Chopin and Liszt in recital. (Episode 7)

Dedicated to Friedemann Weigle

The award-winning Berlin-based quartet joins Living the Classical Life in New York City and performs excerpts of Beethoven and Hugo Wolf for our cameras in an emotionally intense episode. They also share their insights into unity as an ensemble-- musically and humanly-- as well as searching for meaning in work and in life. They make a special tribute to their fallen colleague in an episode to remember. (Episode 54)

“If you go for fame, you have a problem.”

In our 62nd release, we feature Vladimir Ashkenazy, a living legend in the musical world as a pianist, conductor, and prolific recording artist. He shares stories from his life, including playing for Sviatoslav Richter, and he recounts why not winning first prize in the 1955 Chopin Competition was actually helpful to him. He then discusses how he was forced by Soviet authorities to enter the Tchaikovsky Competition, and shares how he deals with pressures and expectations of career. In sharing his attitude towards his life, he reveals his love of European football, and delivers a concluding humanitarian message on the subject of soul. (Episode 62)

“I started with classical music and then got disillusioned nice and early, which is good because you get it out of the way and go back to having illusions afterwards.”

Hailed by the New York Times as “Opera’s Great 25-Year-Old Hope,” Matthew Aucoin shares his passion for opera with a heartfelt traversal of Mozart’s “Figaro,” and discusses unusual pathways to classical music via an early rock band ensemble.

Recent and upcoming performances of Aucoin’s orchestral and chamber works include performances by the Zürich Tonhalle Orchestra, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the SOLI Chamber Ensemble, and the Gramercy Trio. (Episode 21)

“Entering a competition is like going to a 7-11 and buying a lottery ticket.”

Distinguished pianist Emanuel Ax won the first Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Competition, the Avery Fisher Prize, and several Grammy awards, and has been a Sony Classical exclusive recording artist since 1987. He has had works written for him by John Adams, Christopher Rouse, Krzysztof Penderecki, Bright Sheng, and Melinda Wagner, and as teacher, performer, and recording artist receives uniform praise throughout the world. During a visit to Zsolt's Cleveland home, the irresistibly charming maestro chats about competitions, practicing, and finding a zone for balanced living. (Episode 56)

“I attracted what I was looking for. I exuded what I wanted to happen.”

Zuill Bailey is a soloist, chamber musician, recording artist, professor, artistic director, and sometime actor (as seen on the HBO series Oz and NBC's Homicide). He talks with us about taking up the cello as a child; a transcendent and life-changing moment on stage; making a living as a musician; finding an instrument and artistic voice; and what he's learned from the recording process. (Episode 22)

"Historically, violinists have been gamblers... My mother, my sisters, and I, we all have the gambling bug."

Joshua Bell is one of the most celebrated violinists of his era. His restless curiosity, passion, and multi-faceted musical interests have earned him the rare title of "classical music superstar." Recently named the Music Director of the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, Bell is the first person to hold this post since Sir Neville Marriner formed the orchestra in 1958. (Episode 16)

“For me, life is beginning at ninety.”

Coaxed into public life again by actor Ethan Hawke after a 37-year hiatus, maestro Bernstein plays, in his own words, "better than I ever did." At age 90, Seymour is full of humor, charm, enthusiasm, and fascinating observations about music, psychology, and creativity. (Episode 52)

A living legend, immortalized in Philip Roth's novel "The Human Stain": "He crushes it. He doesn't let that piano conceal a thing. Whatever's in there is going to come out, and come out with its hands in the air. And when it does, everything there out in the open, the last of the last pulsation, he himself gets up and goes, leaving behind him our redemption. With a jaunty wave, he is suddenly gone, and though he takes all his fire off with him like no less a force than Prometheus, our own lives now seem inextinguishable. Nobody is dying, nobody – not if Bronfman has anything to say about it." (Episode 40)

“Perfection is never the goal. It's about being special.”

One of the most in-demand singers around the world, Brownlee was recently nominated for “Male Singer of the Year” by the International Opera Awards. He has performed with nearly every leading international opera house and festival, as well as major orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, New York Philharmonic, Academia di Santa Cecila, Boston Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, San Francisco Symphony, and the Bayerische Rundfunk Orchestra. (Episode 34)

“I was very bad at being told how to play — I wanted to find out for myself.”

Roger Chase has been invited to perform as guest principal violist with most of the major British orchestras and many others in North America and Europe. The current owner of the 1717 Montagnana viola, he has recorded for EMI, Virgin, and Hyperion, and taught at the Royal College of Music, Guildhall, and Oberlin. This episode includes rehearsals with host Zsolt Bognár in Schubert’s “Arpeggione” Sonata, and an intense conversation about fear and elation on stage, overcoming frustration in the pursuit of perfection, making a living, and being a rebel. (Episode 18)

“I never saw music as a career.”

Since his first solo appearance with The Cleveland Orchestra in 1977, Mr. Cohen has been featured as soloist in nearly 200 performances — at Severance Hall, Carnegie Hall, Blossom Music Center, and on tour throughout the United States, Asia and Europe. He has also been a featured artist with many of the world’s leading chamber groups. His former students hold principal positions in major orchestras in North America, Europe, Mexico and Asia. (Episode 29)

“Our radio broadcasts sell a lot of orchestra tickets.”

Robert Conrad, a legend in the radio world and "the voice of the Cleveland Orchestra," is the longest-serving announcer for an orchestra in broadcast history. He recounts amusing anecdotes of musicians he witnessed firsthand, including George Szell, Glenn Gould, Aaron Copland, and Benny Goodman, as well as on-air bloopers, near disasters, and extreme audience reactions. (Episode 66)

“Perfection is deeply boring.”

Nominated for an Independent Spirit Award and praised by the New York Times for his “utterly riveting performances,” Anthony Roth Costanzo is quickly rising to international stature as he performs with the world’s great orchestras and opera houses. In a surprisingly lighthearted conversation about the world of countertenors, Anthony describes how he stumbled into singing and acting, what is unusual and powerful about falsetto singing, and what it feels like to be naked on stage, literally and figuratively. (Episode 43)

“Composing is a battle for me.”

Winner of four Grammy Awards, an Oscar, and the Pulitzer Prize, American composer John Corigliano has one of the most diverse and prolific musical outputs of his generation. In an exclusive and emotionally revealing feature, John Corigliano opens up about his influences and inspirations, his difficult relationship with his father who was concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic, the loss of over 100 friends to the AIDS epidemic and its influence on his works, and the tortured nature of his compositional process. He discusses whether composers endure a specific type of stage fright, and if student composers can be taught an individual voice. (Episode 60)

“The way that people build careers is mysterious and unique to each person.”

Jeremy Denk is one of America’s foremost pianists – an artist the New York Times hails as someone ‘you want to hear no matter what he performs’. Winner of a MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship, the Avery Fisher Prize, and Musical America’s Instrumentalist of the Year award, he has recently appeared as soloist with the Cleveland Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, and the symphony orchestras of Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and London. Mr. Denk discusses his passions, daily work, and the challenges of touring, and he demonstrates at the piano examples of Beethoven, Byrd, Bach, and Verdi. (Episode 35)

“The fire you have to walk through will be one of the greatest strengths you ever have.”

Two-time Grammy Award winner Joyce DiDonato has been proclaimed “perhaps the most potent female singer of her generation." Her many other honors include the Gramophone Artist of the Year and Recital of the Year awards. In this portrait, she recounts the trajectory of her musical and life journey, describing how she developed from an immature “caricature of an opera singer” into one of the most important musicians on the stages today. (Episode 55)

“How early do you really need to be a virtuoso pianist to succeed as a pianist in life? At one time people assumed that the world was flat—by a function of agreement.”

Filmed at his home in Philadelphia, Durso discusses misconceptions about musical promotion in the world today, the importance of balance, the role of teaching in a musician’s life, and describes his own encounters with the work and life of Dorothy Taubman as well as the controversies surrounding her work. The episode ends with a performance excerpt of Bach-Kurtág. (Episode 12)

“As a mother of three now, the stage is more relaxing than life.”

Living the Classical Life is excited to offer something completely different: our first non-classical guest. We filmed Tony Award-nominee Melissa Errico--a celebrated Broadway singer praised by The Wall Street Journal for her benchmark work in the music of Stephen Sondheim--in conversation with her father, Dr. Michael Errico, a surgeon and classically-trained pianist. Melissa performs the last song of the late French legend Michel Legrand, and Sondheim’s “Not While I’m Around” for our cameras, discusses the classical roots of her musical passions and the music she sings, her love of art, growing older within a demanding industry, being a mother and the balance of life. (Episode 80)

“The thing I hate about classical music is it’s basically a selfish pursuit.”

In one of the most talked-about episodes, Tanya Gabrielian begins with a performance of Glinka's "The Lark" and then discusses elitism in music, the highly engineered nature of some musical careers, her own way to find rewards in a lack of pretense, and her involvement in mental health awareness activism. (Episode 8)

“I was totally against competitions— I didn’t allow Lang Lang or Yuja Wang to compete.”

Filmed at home in New York, Gary Graffman shares his thoughts on the musical world and anecdotes from his long and storied life as a pianist and teacher. He discusses the fostering of first-rate talent, the dangers of doing too much too soon, and nurturing the individual voice of a student. Along with vivid accounts of Horowitz and his illustrious students, Maestro Graffman describes the effect of focal dystonia on his performing career at a time when the condition was barely understood. (Episode 53)

“My career was mostly motivated by fear.”

Susan Graham joins us for a candid look at her life and storied career, and shares her insights into the world of the singer. She describes her "Leave it to Beaver" upbringing in Texas and how she made the shift from Broadway tunes to the world of opera. With humorous anecdotes, she gives insights into her relationship with her audiences, the music she sings, and how she could have never foreseen the success she later found. (Episode 46)

“You really cannot make any progress if you’re not okay with yourself. You can’t make progress until you let yourself sound like you.”

Grammy-winning singer Nathan Gunn has made a reputation around the world as one of the most exciting and in-demand baritones of the day and has appeared with the world's major opera houses and orchestras. He opens up about the world and magic of stage, the psychology and survival of the performer, the musician's breaking free financially, and breaking down barriers in every sense. (Episode 20)

“To me a performance is not an exhibition — it's an offering.”

Living the Classical Life presents a long-awaited exclusive conversation with distinguished pianist and composer Marc-André Hamelin. The narrative centers around the preparation and mindset for a Carnegie Hall appearance, and how Hamelin has managed to find a zone of performance completely free of the nerves that often plague others. Unique anecdotes and insights into his inner world reveal many surprises from a prolific musical life. (Episode 84)

“I feel a lot less shy on stage.”

Young cellist Oliver Herbert talks about what it means to explore the pathways to becoming a soloist on world stages while remaining true to one's self. Oliver shares how overcoming shyness can open pathways to artistic freedom on stage, and discusses wellness, joy, practicing, and how to pace artistic growth with career growth. From San Francisco, Oliver Herbert has made recent debuts with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the San Francisco Symphony, and has collaborated with distinguished conductors including Michael Tilson Thomas. (Episode 79)

“The loudest sound in the world cannot top the energy of a silence.”

Austrian conductor Manfred Honeck, renowned for his distinctive interpretations, is the International Classical Music Awards “Artist of the Year” 2018. With the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra he recorded symphonies by Beethoven, Bruckner, Dvořák, Mahler, and Tchaikovsky, winning the 2018 Grammy Award for Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 and Barber’s Adagio for Strings. Mr. Honeck is passionate and personal in this exclusive conversation, which ranges from the role of both silence and dissonance in music — and in our lives — to the echo of Alpine folk music in Late Romanticism, and how art reflects and transcends life in Shostakovich’s symphonies. (Episode 67)

“You get to a certain age when you don’t care so much what people think about you... and that’s one of the great things about getting older.”

Filmed in Steinway Hall in NYC, polymath pianist Stephen Hough describes his diverse creative projects, the importance of making a positive impression, the non-linear progress of learning, and how to deal with success and failure. Hough emphasizes the influence of his teacher Gordon Green, performance psychology, the artist’s role as an outsider, and his own perspective on the state of human rights in the world. (Episode 9)

“My career didn’t really start to take off until I was thirty. I was by no means a prodigy.”

Acclaimed worldwide for his profound musicianship and technical mastery, British cellist Steven Isserlis enjoys a distinguished career as a soloist, chamber musician, educator, author and broadcaster. The recipient of many awards, Steven Isserlis’s honors include a CBE in recognition of his services to music, and the Schumann Prize of the City of Zwickau. He is also one of only two living cellists featured in Gramophone’s Hall of Fame.

Episode 36

“Mozart is hard.”

Winner of the 1996 Leeds Competition, pianist and teacher Ilya Itin is a respected presence throughout the musical world. He shares with us his recollections of a life on stage in one of the most involved and thoughtful conversations about stage psychology that our show has presented — how to find focus, combat distraction, and discover the nature of inspiration. In discussing a musician's role in the larger world, Ilya explains his take on social media presence and ends with a beautiful tribute to the great Russian teacher Lev Naumov. (Episode 70)

“Sublimity can be terrifying.”

Paul Jacobs is known for his unusual “firsts”: He landed an official church appointment at the age of 15, won a Grammy for organ, and played the complete works of Bach in an 18-hour marathon concert. In this thoughtful and thought-provoking conversation, Paul Jacobs discusses a wide range of topics. Why do miracles happen only when you’re alone with yourself and the music? Why play organ music in today's existential vacuum? How do you find an individual voice on the most complex and variable of instruments? And what does it take to memorize an invisible matrix of pistons, stop pulling etc. and all the notes of six-part counterpoint Bach? (Episode 69)

“Our rule about rehearsal from the beginning was to not complain about each other to anybody else afterwards. You don’t talk about Fight Club outside of Fight Club.”

Winner of the prestigious Banff, Young Concert Artists, and Fischoff competitions, the Cleveland Quartet Award, and an Avery Fisher Grant, the Jupiter Quartet features graduates of the Cleveland Institute of Music and Oberlin Conservatory. They discuss competitions, rehearsals, sound, management, group dynamics, and making a living in a changing musical world. (Episode 19)

Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

String Quartet No. 14 in d minor, "Death and the Maiden"

I. Allegro

In performance at Smith Memorial Hall, University of Illinois.

“I realized, of all the places I'd played, the one that was most meaningful for me was the meat department.”

Nicholas King describes his unique path from childhood performances in a supermarket, through conservatory, to establishing his own philanthropy and performing around the world. He's won an impressive array of contests and awards, including the Congressional Medal of Recognition, and is living proof that, by helping others, you help yourself. (Episode 32)

“I felt my life was over.”

In an intensely personal conversation, Grammy-winning oboist Alex Klein traces the ups and downs of a most unusual career, from a childhood with attention deficit and learning to play without an instrument, to becoming the Principal Oboist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. In a first for the show, the symptoms of musician’s dystonia are demonstrated visually and through an emotional account of how to live with a crippling condition. Full of anecdotes, musical and artistic concepts, and confessions, this episode is sure to have viewers talking. (Episode 51)

“I truly believe that art gives us the gift of empathy.”

Jennifer Koh made her debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at age 11, and has since been heard with leading orchestras around the world. She is Musical America’s 2016 Instrumentalist of the Year, a winner of the Concert Artists Guild Competition, and a recipient of an Avery Fisher Career Grant. Ms. Koh is also the Artistic Director of arco collaborative, an artist-driven nonprofit that fosters a better understanding of our world through a musical dialogue inspired by ideas and the communities around us. (Episode 44)

“I spent my whole life trying to make the harp sound like a piano.”

Yolanda Kondonassis is the first classical harpist nominated in the category of Best Classical Instrumental Solo for a concerto with orchestra (in 2020, for Jennifer Higdon’s Harp Concerto). Her lively, inspiring conversation with Zsolt ranges from mastering a uniquely challenging instrument to strategizing success. The world-renowned artist explains how being a “pianist at heart” explains her instrument’s electrifying sound; she reveals her “obsession with timing,” and attributes her stellar career to a love for “18-step, labor-intensive processes,” turning daily practice into a high-stakes undertaking, and to using a yellow pad to avoid “false economy.” (Episode 74)

“It’s easier for me when I can’t see the audience.”

Grammy award winner and recipient of the 2013 Richard Tucker Award, Isabel Leonard is on the Board of Trustees at Carnegie Hall and is in constant demand as a recitalist, having appeared with some of the foremost conductors of her time.  Highly acclaimed for her “passionate intensity and remarkable vocal beauty,” she continues to thrill audiences both in the opera house and on the concert stage in repertoire that spans from Vivaldi to Mozart to Thomas Ades. (Episode 17)

“I knew a teacher who for the last 20 years watched TV while teaching lessons.”

Dmitri Levkovich, who won top prizes in nearly 20 competitions around the world, discusses creative processes and daily practice, the benefits of competitions, the self-teaching artists do in solitude, recollections of his teacher Sergei Babayan and the development of technique, and how he overcame four years of tendinitis. (Episode 45)

“Composition is something you have to do because you can't imagine doing anything else.”

Lowell Liebermann is one of America's most frequently performed and recorded living composers. Called by the New York Times "as much of a traditionalist as an innovator," his music is known for its technical command and audience appeal. He has written over one hundred works, several of which have gone on to become standard repertoire for their instruments. His "Sonata for Flute and Piano" and "Gargoyles for Piano" have each been recorded at least twenty times. (Episode 38)

“My mother said, ‘I never wanted you to become a pianist.’"

Distinguished pianist, recording artist, and eminent Juilliard faculty member Jerome Lowenthal discusses the changing musical world, his legendary teachers William Kapell and Alfred Cortot, the positive side of participating in competitions, and the young musician's path to success through personal and musical well-being. (Episode 26)

“I can only feel free if I forget about myself.”

Susanna Mälkki is making waves in the world of conducting and joins us for a delightful conversation about her journey from being a cellist to being bitten by the conducting bug. She discusses the tradition of conducting from her native Finland, and discusses the conductor's world and responsibilities — and what it means to be a leader. She also discusses performance day routines, dealing with disappointments, and what is required to create magic on stage. (Episode 61)

“I once had to stab at a bee with my bow during a performance of Prokofiev Second.”

After nearly three decades of performing, American violinist and top-selling recording artist Anne Akiko Meyers has seen it all.  In this episode, she discusses her beginnings on major stages of the world, conquering stage fright, her passion for new music, and her relationship with audiences. She also tells a moving story of early struggles and doubts that led to renewed passion for performance. (Episode 25)

“Someone was sitting in the first row holding a mobile phone up right into my face.”

Four-time Grammy® Award winner Anne-Sophie Mutter discusses a recent incident with an audience member, along with many other aspects of her fascinating life as one of the world's most talented and successful violinists. (Episode 71)

“I don’t think performance ever becomes comfortable — we like that risk.”

Seldom are collaborators more sympathetically aligned. Christina and Michelle Naughton have been hailed by the San Francisco Examiner for their “stellar musicianship, technical mastery, and awe-inspiring artistry.” They made their European debut at Herkulesaal in Munich, where the Süddeutsche Zeitung proclaimed them “an outstanding piano duo.” After their Asian debut with the Hong Kong Philharmonic, the Sing Tao Daily said of their performance, “Joining two hearts and four hands at two grand pianos, the Naughton sisters created an electrifying and moving musical performance.” Their second album, Visions, was named "Editor's Choice" in 2016 by Gramophone Magazine. (Episode 37)

Gottes Zeit is die allerbeste Zeit, BWV 106
(Sonatina from "Actus Tragicus")
J.S. Bach/G. Kurtág

“Play in such a way as to make everybody around you better.”

Conductor Roger Nierenberg discusses his Music Paradigm, in which he seats business executives within orchestras to demonstrate engaging and humorous lessons in leadership through a love of music. Full of anecdotes about Leonard Bernstein and Carlos Kleiber and the complex character of conductors, this episode is surprising in its highlight of the transformative power of music. (Episode 47)

“The biggest part of the work is at home and alone.”

Conductor Gianandrea Noseda joins Living the Classical Life for a discussion that traces his early training as a pianist, the way he regards music from the conductor's point of view, and the search for meaning. He explains how a conductor influences the sound of the orchestra, develops a community audience by taking the music to them, and recounts the "shocking virtuosity" of Carlos Kleiber. This revealing conversation ultimately culminates in a search for honesty in life through music. (Episode 78)

“Surround children with musical role models and they will become that role model.”

Musical America’s 2018 Educator of the Year and MacArthur “genius” Francisco J. Núñez jump-started his career with a piano from the Salvation Army. In this riveting conversation he talks about how he uses music-making, the “great equalizer,” to transform lives. Since 1988 The Young People’s Chorus of New York City has created not only a vibrant new choral sound, but also an avenue to success for thousands of children. (Episode 73)

“We’re vulnerable: we need the approval of others in order to continue — we need the applause.”

Soprano Jennifer O'Loughlin shares a unique look into the world of a young opera singer who has received critical acclaim for her performances in Europe, America, and Japan. Her singing has been described as "a miracle of precision" and "bewitching, brilliant and theatrical." Nominated for the Best Female Lead by the Austrian Music Theater Awards, she also portrayed Amira in "La Sonnambula", winning the "AZ Stern des Jahres" for the best opera in Munich in 2015. O'Loughlin discusses making a pathway in a life in music, learning and preparing for a role, backstage routines, dealing with reviews, and the importance of a great vocal coach. (Episode 31)

“I want the audience not to come with preconceived notions but to decide on the evidence of their ears and their hearts what is good.”

Filmed in his home in Cleveland, Christopher O’Riley talks about his multifaceted musical life, from the practicalities of traveling with a keyboard to nurturing the next generation of musicians. He explains and demonstrates how he found his musical voice through a diversification of projects, ranging from his Radiohead arrangements to his Liszt Project. (Episode 11)

“You do get better at even the things you're terrible at, if you practice.”

An increasingly formidable presence on the world's stages, soprano Lisette Oropesa was born in New Orleans to Cuban immigrant parents. At age 22 she sang her first major role at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Susanna in Mozart's Marriage of Figaro, and she recently triumphed as the Met’s new Manon and Violetta. One of the most celebrated singers of her generation, she is a devoted runner who was featured in Runner's World Magazine, and with her personal story of fitness continues to inspire in all areas of life. She joins us for a discussion of how she mentally prepares a role for performance, how she regards audience perception in an age of Instagram glossiness, how to sort rejection and criticism, and how she ultimately seeks to communicate a sense of wonder in life. (Episode 77)

“Performing is like a drug.”

As an International Steinway Artist, Fulbright Scholar, and recipient of the Stipendium der deutschen Wirtschaft, Caroline Oltmanns is Professor of Piano at Youngstown State University and holds degrees from the Staatliche Musikhochschule Freiburg and the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.

Caroline Oltmanns has recorded six solo albums on the Filia Mundi label. Her playing has been broadcast globally on radio and television. This season, Oltmanns released her new concept album, Ghosts. Past seasons have included concert tours to Switzerland, Germany, South Africa, and China where she performed for sold-out houses. (Episode 42)

“My first experience with music was using it to self-medicate.”

Pulitzer Prize-winning music critic, author, producer, and professor Tim Page recounts how he found music at an early age and went on to write for the New York Times and the Washington Post. He discusses his love of art and music, and what it takes to be a perceptive critic. He also examines his discovery of Asperger’s Syndrome as an adult, and how it has affected his life in often surprising ways, including his friendship with Glenn Gould. (Episode 28)

“Live performance and recording are not even the same art—nobody knows better than me how fake CDs are.”
 
This episode begins with a recording session of Schubert’s A-flat Impromptu D935. Patrych discusses the changing world of recording and the prolific underground world of pirate recordings. He also sets the record straight about a scandal at Carnegie Hall on November 1, 2006 that was reported on in the New York Times. (Episode 2)

“Chamber music was like a narcotic for me.”

Merry Peckham has toured extensively throughout the US and abroad, and won the overall string category as well as the cello division of the National Federation of Music Clubs Competition. She is a founding member of the award-winning Cavani Quartet, Director of The Chamber Music Workshop at The Perlman Music Program, and is on the cello and chamber music faculties at The Cleveland Institute of Music. She is also host of the radio program Offbeat, aired weekly on WCLV, 104.9 FM. (Episode 27)

“I don’t want to sing out of fear.” Pérez, daughter of Mexican immigrants and one of today's fastest-rising operatic sopranos, talks about her very personal concept of success, the dangers of throwing oneself completely into a tragic role, and why it is about time for a Latina Rosenkavalier. She is the first Hispanic recipient in the Richard Tucker award’s 35-year history and in 2017 received the Sphinx Medal of Excellence, an award given to artists of color for artistic excellence, a spirit of determination, and ongoing commitment to leadership. Most recently she was honored with a 2019 Opera News Award for her artistry and for her commitment to mentorship in underserved communities. (Episode 68)

“Nervousness is a threat to the self — but if it’s not about the self, there is no threat to it.”

Award-winning violin soloist, recording artist, and born motivational speaker Rachel Barton Pine has appeared regularly with the world's major orchestra's ever since her first appearance with the Chicago Symphony at age ten. Embodying her message of hope and passionate living, her appearance on Living the Classical Life begins with a performance of J.S. Bach's D Minor Partita and continues with a discussion about the art of practicing, overcoming adversity and motivational slumps, and the pursuit of all corners of the musical life. (Episode 30)

“I feel everything in life is just an improvisation.”
Violinist Filip Pogády, one of LTCL’s very first guests (Episode 4), has become a “classical music social media influencer.“ He shares his love for music on a multitude of platforms, from subway stations to Instagram. For him, a few minutes of Bach for the accidental passenger is no less meaningful than playing a recital or posting his daily practice, be it perfecting etudes or Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto in minute-by-minute increments. (Episode 72)

“I did what I had to do: I challenged myself.”

In their conversation, longtime friends Zsolt Bognar and cellist and Senior Ted Fellow Joshua Roman revisit the heady mix of early bravado, vulnerability, and the path to consistency and success. In his disarmingly candid way, Joshua describes how his personal challenge to master the forty "Etudes" by David Popper accidentally turned into a social media phenomenon, culminating in “The 2019 Popper Challenge,” a safe space for a huge cello community to share their most vulnerable moments of practicing. (Episode 75)

“I don’t believe in time zones.”

Award-winning young American cellist Joshua Roman discusses the challenges of a musician's travel, health and injuries, the world of competitions, and the role of mental practice. The episode concludes with host and guest in a rehearsal of Schumann's "Five Pieces in Folk Style." (Episode 1)

“Music criticism will never return to what it used to be.”

American music critic, author, and musician Donald Rosenberg started out as a horn player, trained at Mannes and Yale. He quickly became known for his insightful and accessible music reviews, as well as his book “The Cleveland Orchestra Story.” His 2008 dismissal from his position as principal classical music critic of the Plain Dealer, reportedly for his criticism of the conductor of the Cleveland Orchestra, created a firestorm of controversy in the international musical community. (Episode 65)

“It’s a paradoxical, Buddhist concept:  the way to really influence an orchestra is let their sound go through you, with your ears open.”

Winner of the Solti Foundation Conductor’s Prize, Case Scaglione went from trombone player in a Texas high school band to Associate Conductor of the New York Philharmonic, a position revived specially for him by Music Director Alan Gilbert. He discusses his life, the complex relationship between conductor and players, and how to make a modern orchestra sound as Bach intended. (Episode 15)

“The people who seem to have the best and most fulfilling musical careers are the ones who are warm human beings—good people—and attract people to their human qualities as well as their musical ones.”

Paul Schenly, winner of the Avery Fisher Prize, discusses the founding of Pianofest, the importance of friendships in careers, the role of competitions in musical development, the different types of stage fright, and dealing with reviews. He also shares his own personal reasons for becoming a musician. (Episode 6)

“I don't want my audience to see me. I want them to see themselves.”

Praised internationally for her passionate and technically brilliant performances, South African soprano Golda Schultz has a “clear, pure tone and… a sparkling personality, with a ready sense of humor” (The New York Times). Equally at home in leading operatic roles and as featured soloist with the world’s foremost orchestras and conductors, Ms. Schultz is making waves as one of the most exciting new voices on the classical music scene today. She discusses, among other things, her namesake Golda Meir, honesty in social media, and how to process pain and joy in life. She concludes with a jaw-dropping incident that cured her crippling stage fright. (Episode 81)

“I try to not wait until I am too comfortable.”

Cellist Astrid Schween is the newest member of the Juilliard Quartet and a new member of the Juilliard School faculty. An active juror and panelist, she was recently featured in Strings and Strad magazines and on NPR, and was an invited speaker at the Library of Congress on the role of women in music. In our exclusive interview, she discusses the learning she experienced after she left school, cultivating an individual voice, finding joy and ease on stage, recollections of Mstislav Rostropovich and Jacqueline du Pré, and many other fascinating topics. (Episode 41)

“Something always leads to something; nothing always leads to nothing.”

As a professional horn player, Kate Sheeran has performed with a wide range of ensembles and recorded for a variety of labels, and for television and film. In 2018, she became Executive Director of the Kaufman Music Center, home to New York City's largest community arts school. In this conversation we discuss the fostering of dynamic thinkers and leaders in an academic setting, and address the question, "Are we in a music bubble?" (Episode 82)

“We are showcasing the beauty of imperfection.”

Nadine Sierra is the youngest winner of both the Marilyn Horne Foundation Vocal Competition and the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. In 2010 she took home first prizes at the George London Competition, Gerda Lissner Foundation International Competition, and Loren L. Zachary Society Vocal Competition. On the concert stage, she has performed at the Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Opéra national de Paris, La Fenice, the Ravinia Festival, Chorégies d'Orange, and Tanglewood among others. In this episode, Nadine and Zsolt chat about not being overwhelmed by past heroes, accepting the possibility of failure, and the importance of belonging.

“We’re working constantly as artists to overcome what we feel are our limitations”

Zsolt talks to Joel Smirnoff, recipient of the Lifetime Grammy Award and former first violinist of the Juilliard String Quartet, about his life and work in music: composing, avoiding the straight and narrow, what makes a complete musician, and why the musical life in Cleveland is special. (Episode 5)

“When we started Apollo’s Fire, I was living on Ramen noodles.”

Grammy®-winner Jeannette Sorrel recounts how she built one of the largest audiences for baroque music in the U.S. despite having no money, no role model and being told that neither audiences nor musicians would accept a woman as a conductor. She also explains how she leads musicians and audiences alike toward an understanding of a centuries-old aesthetic. (Episode 64)

“Musicians are so incredibly well-equipped to be successful.”

The President of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music explains why trained musicians thrive in the business world. In a compelling discussion about what is required of conservatories to train the new musician of the 21st century and what students must do to cope with changing models of success, David Stull discusses what he did to raise funds and create a dynamic new curriculum, at a time when the cost of higher education has reached crisis levels — and why a classical musician is the best-equipped individual in any field. (Episode 33)

“Luck favors the prepared mind.”

Peter Takács describes how a traversal of the complete Beethoven Sonata cycle takes the performer to the heart of Beethoven's human qualities. He reflects on the performer's relationship with the musical score, the recording process in the studio, and how to sustain spontaneity, demonstrating with musical examples. (Episode 13)

“It’s dangerous if you become famous overnight.”

French pianist and prolific recording artist Jean-Yves Thibaudet joins us for an up-close conversation about his life. He discusses how an artist maintains freshness and inspiration when repeatedly performing repertoire, and how he attempts to go deeper into the composer’s world. He shares his love of practicing and performing, and recalls his early meetings with Rubinstein. His insights include dealing with pressure, expectations, and what one must seek artistically on stage. (Episode 63)

“So many of us musicians play with pain-- even if it's the pain of not being able to express ourselves.”

Brian Thornton, longtime cellist of the Cleveland Orchestra, teacher, and founder of the Lev Aaronson Legacy Project festival in Texas, joins Living the Classical Life for a discussion about balance in life and music, emotional and physical wellness, and social activism. Filmed in Cleveland, he discusses his influential teacher, and how he leads a uniquely passionate life. (Episode 58)

“Establishing closer connection to the music... your fingers go directly from your heart.”

Extraordinary young piano phenomenon Daniil Trifonov describes his workday and methods while demonstrating from his repertoire. He discusses the importance of isolation in musical discovery, his experiments with sound and emotional impulse in practice, and shares some unusual methods of practice to illuminate the creation of authentic musical performances. (Episode 10)

“Working with Bill Murray taught me that classical music doesn’t need an explanation.”

This episode introduces you to Jan Vogler, distinguished cellist and Europe's most innovative Festspiel Intendant. Irrepressibly optimistic, Jan explains how his upbringing in communist Germany fostered a deep understanding of freedom and how legendary cellist Heinrich Schiff taught him to be freely himself. In Jan’s musical universe, Schumann on gut strings hobnobs with Sting, and his cello is seated next to Bill Murray, which leads to a very eccentric collaboration between two like-minded free spirits. (Episode 76)

“I don’t try to reel my audience in — I try to reel myself in.”

In one of our most emotionally revealing interviews, American operatic soprano Deborah Voigt opens up about her long and acclaimed career. She discusses performance psychology, acting, the difficulty of maintaining relationships while on the road, and speaks candidly about her struggle with addiction and weight loss. (Episode 39)

“It's impossible to be loved by everybody.”

Cellist Alisa Weilerstein shares personal stories from her childhood, when her first cello was a cereal box with a chopstick for a bow. She discusses the pressures of the music industry, and how to cope psychologically with the stage, sharing that most of her pressures are self-imposed. She discusses the nature of criticism, whether from one's self or others, her strategies in the recording studio and the practice room, and how to set limits in a musical world of high demands. (Episode 49)

Bach: Cello Suite No. 3, BWV 1009

Sarabande

“To prepare for a competition, you train like an athlete but you perform like a poet.”

President of the prestigious Cleveland International Piano Competition, pianist Pierre van der Westhuizen shares a unique look into the world of competitions. He discusses his own musical path to being the President, what it takes to successfully prepare for and win a competition, and how a competition can produce winners with staying power. He ends with a discussion on pianists who successfully built careers without competitions, and a revealing look at how the Cleveland Competition successfully avoids scandal. (Episode 24)

“Life... music and what I do... has to be intermixed, has to be together... or else I feel like I’m not alive.”

In an unusually intimate portrait, young piano superstar Yuja Wang speaks of her life and work, demonstrating by musical examples throughout—including a staggering and delightful rendition of an Art Tatum arrangement of “Tea for Two.” She describes her musical aspirations in contrast with audience perceptions, the value of practicing and not practicing, learning and relearning a piece, and the importance of struggle for musical results. She ends the interview with a touching tribute to the late Claudio Abbado. (Episode 14)

“I never let anybody put me down.”

The 50th episode of LTCL follows the life, career, and art of tenor Robert White, who was a child star on NBC radio during the medium’s golden age. With archival audio and photos throughout, this special episode is a very personal look at a unique musician. In his lifelong singing career, White has sung for five U.S. Presidents, Britain’s Queen Mother and Prince Charles, Monaco’s Royal Family, and Pope John Paul II. He has recorded extensively for RCA, EMI, Virgin, Sony, Arabesque and Hyperion with such colleagues as Yo-Yo Ma, Placido Domingo, and Stephen Hough, in music ranging from Beethoven to Richard Rodgers and Edouard Lalo. His classical career began in earnest in 1959 when he was soloist at Carnegie Hall with Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic, and he maintains a highly successful singing and teaching career. (Episode 50)

“You start something, and it gets a life of its own.”

In this fascinating conversation filmed in 2019, decorated clarinetist and composer Jörg Widmann shares heartfelt insights into his artistic world and his search for meaning. In discussing inspirations and his musical style, he links vulnerability, beauty, and truth. The conversation draws surprising life connections through the experience of art, literature, and the sustained state of discovery. (Episode 83)

“If you do what you love, you do it well, and you give it your all, somebody will notice eventually.”

Four young rising stars in the classical music world discuss how to make a living, dealing with auditions, competitions, the role of teachers, and getting concerts. Featuring soprano Ariel Rose Bodman, violinist Filip Pogády, conductor Kyle Ritenauer, and composer-violinist Fernando Arroyo García-Lascurain. (Episode 4)

“You have to have inner confidence, and a team that is listening to you with compassion, insight, and imagination.”

Brian Zeger, one of the leading collaborative pianists in the musical world and director of the vocal arts program at the Juilliard School, shares his insights into how a young artist finds a unique artistic vision and growth musically and humanly. In his dynamic style, Brian highlights the struggles he overcame in his twenties, through self-awareness and realization of his strengths, that led to authentic confidence. (Episode 59)