Noted

Music Director Stéphane Denève, IN UNISON Chorus Director Kevin McBeth, and St. Louis Symphony Chorus Director Erin Freeman join Assistant Conductor Sam Hollister to reflect on a season defined by connection, collaboration, and growth. Together, they explore the themes of love and community at the heart of a program featuring Kevin Puts, Nathalie Joachim, and Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloé , including...

SLSO Assistant Conductor Sam Hollister steps into the spotlight as guest, joined by host and audio engineer Kyle Pyke, for a behind-the-scenes look at a milestone moment—his SLSO subscription debut on the podium. The conversation explores the excitement and pressure of leading the orchestra, the journey to conducting, and the perspective shift from host to guest. Hollister also shares insights int...

SLSO Principal Keyboard Peter Henderson joins Assistant Conductor Sam Hollister to reflect on the contrasting musical worlds of Wagner, Mozart, Samy Moussa, and Respighi. He shares insight into the unique color and role of the keyboard within the orchestra, including the shimmering voice of the celesta, and explores how his work as both performer and teacher shapes his musical perspective.

SLSO Principal Trumpet Steven Franklin joins Assistant Conductor Sam Hollister to explore a program that pairs new music with a towering orchestral masterpiece. Franklin shares his approach to preparing works by living composers like Carlos Simon, reflects on his long relationship with Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, and offers insight into one of the most iconic trumpet solos in the repertoire. He also...

Composer Kevin Puts joins Assistant Conductor Sam Hollister to discuss his Concerto for Orchestra and his ongoing relationship with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra. Puts reflects on his roots in St. Louis and the experience of writing for a specific ensemble. He also shares insights into the inspiration behind his music and the collaborative journey of bringing a new work to life alongside Beetho...

SLSO Associate Principal Timpanist and Section Percussionist Kevin Ritenauer joins Assistant Conductor Sam Hollister to explore a program inspired by the wonder of space and the power of cinematic sound. Ritenauer reflects on how composers like John Williams and Kevin Puts create a sense of the unknown through music, what gives a piece its cinematic feel, and how genre-blending artists like Time f...

SLSO Concertmaster David Halen joins Assistant Conductor Sam Hollister to explore a program rich in storytelling and virtuosity. Halen reflects on his long tenure with the orchestra, shares insight into the role of the concertmaster, and discusses performing the iconic solo passages of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade . The conversation also touches on the emotional depth of Berg’s Violin Concerto a...

SLSO Associate Principal Cellist Melissa Brooks joins Assistant Conductor Sam Hollister to reflect on a program that brings together four distinct American voices, including works by Leonard Bernstein and former Music Director David Robertson. Brooks shares memories from the Robertson era, offers insight into performing music by a living composer on the podium, and considers what defines an “Ameri...

SLSO IN UNISON Chorus Director Kevin McBeth joins Assistant Conductor Sam Hollister to reflect on Lift Every Voice, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra’s annual Black History Month Celebration. McBeth shares insights from his years leading the IN UNISON Chorus and explores the spiritual and emotional through-line connecting works by Rosephanye Dunn Powell, Carlos Simon, beloved hymns, and treasured s...

SLSO Music Director Stéphane Denève joins Assistant Conductor Sam Hollister to explore Mozart’s The Magic Flute in concert. Denève reflects on what makes opera in concert a unique artistic experience, how Mozart brings timeless themes vividly to life through music, and the balance of humor and philosophy at the heart of the work. He also shares what continues to reveal itself in this beloved opera...

SLSO violist Andrew François joins Assistant Conductor Sam Hollister to reflect on a program shaped by resilience, healing, and the endurance of the human spirit. François shares personal insights on returning to music-making after the pandemic, discusses the significance of presenting Billy Childs’ Diaspora in spaces like Powell Hall, and explores the quiet strength and hope embedded in Prokofiev...

SLSO horn player Julie Thayer joins Assistant Conductor Samuel Hollister to explore a program that balances playfulness, innovation, and emotional depth. Thayer reflects on the energy of Lotta Wennäkoski’s Flounce , the excitement of collaborating with unusual instruments like the sheng in Jukka Tiensuu’s Teoton , and the technical demands of the horn—especially in the brass-driven moments of Tcha...

Saint Louis Dance Theatre Artistic Director and choreographer Kirven Douthit-Boyd joins Assistant Conductor Sam Hollister to explore the intersection of music and movement in a program inspired by dialogue, character, and storytelling. Hear Douthit-Boyd discuss shaping relationships through choreography, reimagining Stravinsky’s Pulcinella for today’s stage, and what makes collaborating with a liv...

Former St. Louis Symphony Chorus director Amy Kaiser joins Assistant Conductor Sam Hollister to reflect on the enduring power of Messiah and its deep roots in the SLSO’s holiday tradition. She shares memories from her over 30 performances of the work, insights into Handel’s expressive yet demanding choral writing, and thoughts on keeping a beloved masterpiece fresh year after year. Kaiser also off...

SLSO Principal Percussionist Will James joins Assistant Conductor Sam Hollister to unpack a program that spans the intimate lyricism of Clara Schumann and Joseph Haydn to the sharper edge of Dmitri Shostakovich. James offers a behind-the-scenes look at the intricate planning required for major percussion setups, reflects on the orchestra’s history with Shostakovich’s music, and shares how choices...

SLSO bassist and St. Louis native Sarah Hogan Kaiser joins Assistant Conductor Samuel Hollister to explore a program energized by Bartók, Rachmaninoff, and Beethoven. She reflects on the rhythmic drive at the heart of these works, the unique challenges and joys of anchoring the orchestra from the bass section, and the continual process of rediscovering familiar masterpieces. Kaiser also shares ear...

SLSO Principal Horn Roger Kaza joins Assistant Conductor Sam Hollister for an inside look at a vibrant program featuring Connesson, Khachaturian, and Stravinsky. Kaza reflects on approaching new music for the first time, revisits the magic and intensity of The Firebird , and shares what it feels like to anchor some of the score’s most iconic moments from the horn section. He also discusses the sen...

St. Louis Symphony Chorus Director Erin Freeman joins Assistant Conductor Sam Hollister to reflect on the immense emotional and musical scope of Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem . She shares insights into preparing the chorus for this monumental work, which interweaves the Latin Requiem Mass with the haunting war poetry of Wilfred Owen. Hear Freeman discuss the challenges of performing such deeply h...

SLSO Principal Clarinetist Scott Andrews reflects on the emotional depth and enduring beauty of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff’s music. Hear Andrews share personal insights into performing Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony—home to one of the most intimate clarinet solos in the repertoire—and explore how both composers transformed personal struggle into music of lasting resonance and renewal. 

SLSO Principal Oboist Jelena Dirks offers a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process of preparing for a performance. She shares how musicians interpret a composer’s vision and explores the expressive possibilities of woodwind playing, including insights into the music of Jean Sibelius. 

SLSO Conductor Laureate Leonard Slatkin shares insights into the U.S. premiere of his new work, Schubertiade: An Orchestral Fantasy . Hear Slatkin reflect on his enduring friendship with pianist Emanuel Ax and explore his connection to Edward Elgar’s Symphony No. 1

In our debut episode of Noted , Music Director Stéphane Denève shares reflections on the SLSO’s return to a newly renovated Powell Hall. From celebratory fanfares to Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben , discover how the opening program captures the spirit of a heroic homecoming.