a mic on the podium

I am going to go out on a limb and say that this is possibly my favourite interview so far! Robert (or is that Bob?!) Spano was everything one could hope for - wise, open, honest, and very funny. We found out that we shared a bad habit when we were students, we discussed how an assistant conductor "should" observe a rehearsal, we get very geeky looking at the scores on my shelves and he tells a fu...

Yet another conductor who spoke passionately, honestly, and openly about what we do and how we do it! Jordan de Souza and I discussed so many topics - what seemingly mundane things can "piss people off" in an orchestra, what advice to listen to and ignore, how to say No to a debut with an orchestra for the right reasons, and after hearing his answer, what item will I now not be leaving home withou...

After interviewing Juanjo Mena last week, it made sense to me to follow him with his successor at the BBC Philharmonic? Omer Meir Wellber was fascinating to chat with - direct, open, honest, and never shy to let me know his thoughts. I discovered what very unusual instrument he started with as a child, we discussed whether it is possible to conduct music you hate, and he also had a very interestin...

Juanjo Mena was such a charming person to chat with - softly spoken, open, warm, and honest. I discovered what it is like studying with someone as intense as Sergiu Celibidache, what difficult task he sets any conductor who assists him, and he gives the most shocking answer to one of the ten questions ever - I was almost speechless when I heard it! If you would like to know more about conductors a...

I am always humbled when I get the chance to chat with someone so influential in the world of classical music and find that they are so warm, honest, and fascinating. Sir James MacMillan was a real joy to chat with - I discovered what music he likes to "champion" when he conducts abroad, we chat about the pitfalls of social media, and we discuss why it is problematic when a composer won't "let go"...

This was another chat I really enjoyed having with a lot of laughter between the two of us! Valentina Peleggi is a conductor who is really making strides in the conducting world. We discovered that we had both been to a little-known music festival in the mountains of Brazil, she was the first person to give the same answer to questions 1 & 2, and she was extremely forthright about what toppings sh...

It is always a pleasure when you meet someone for the first time and you instantly have a rapport - this was one of those occasions! Ben Glassberg and I chatted about diversity in the world of conducting, how important your relationship with the Leader or Concertmaster is, and how conducting must be "in the moment" and not a "dance routine" - and despite Ben worrying that "you will think that he i...

I love Argentina and have visited many times and it was a pleasure to chat with my first Argentinian conductor on the podcast! Christian Baldini and I discussed cover conducting and what that entails, I discovered which composer's full score was so large that the music stand had to be rebuilt, and, of course, the subject of England vs Argentina and football didn't take too long to come up! If you...

Paul Daniel had been on my list of conductors I was desperate to chat with for a long time and what a joy it was to get to speak with him! Despite some connection issues between the UK and France (and I do mean the internet!) I discovered how being a chorister at Coventry Cathedral really inspired him to conduct, I heard his very candid and honest reflections on the differences between Opera North...

Jaime Martín is definitely a conductor who is going places! Along with his titled positions in Sweden, Spain, Eire, and the US, since we recorded this interview, he has been appointed the next Chief Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra starting in 2022. I discovered why he stayed as a student in The Hague for as long as possible, which conductor seemingly never gave any upbeats, and he is...

This was a chat I really enjoyed with a fellow conductor and podcaster! Joshua Weilerstein is a joy to interview and we had a lot to chat about. We discussed his amazing lockdown project, how he started his podcast, 'Sticky Notes', and what he didn't even bother to pack in his suitcase when he entered the Malko Conducting Competition in 2009! If you would like to know more about conductors and con...

I am lucky that so many of the conductors have been a joy to chat with and this week's episode is no different! Carlo Rizzi was very interesting and such a warm and genial person. I discovered that Carlo studies his opera scores differently from symphonic scores, he tells me exactly what it takes to be a successful Music Director of an opera house, and I discover what he might start doing when he...

American conductor, Robert Trevino, is definitely making his mark on the world of conducting and classical music, having jobs in both Spain and Sweden, and since we recorded this chat, he's added another position in Italy. Despite some poor internet connections at times, we discussed how a conductor should treat and interact with orchestral musicians, I found out who "beat the incompetence" out of...

This was another chat I thoroughly enjoyed - but then I have always seemed to get along well with brass players?! Fabien Gabel was great to chat with and I found out how much of an influence Pierre Boulez was on him, we discussed how to get over being nervous when working with and assisting conductors that you admire, and I discover that Fabien, like myself, is a Berlioz fan! If you would like to...

Sometimes you chat with someone and very quickly realise that it is going to be a very interesting conversation! Kerem Hasan is a conductor who is really going places and it is not hard to see why. We discussed our mental attitudes towards conducting, I found out that he was taught in a very unusual way whilst studying in Weimar, and I get to tell a story about a famous conductor conducting a moto...

Sometimes you get to chat with someone who has so many fascinating stories to tell and tells them so brilliantly! It was wonderful to chat with Matthias Bamert, a most charming man and also open, honest, and candid. I found out how two "fairytale meetings" with two of the giants of conducting changed his life forever, we discussed recording Mozart and Korngold, and I find out how filming concerts...

One of the bonuses of making this podcast is meeting new people and finding out how lovely they are in person. Gemma New definitely falls into this category! We discussed the difficulties we have both encountered when conducting Schools, Family, and Pops concerts, she gave the most creative answer yet to the question "when traveling abroad, what item could you not leave home without", and is it Ha...

It was a joy to chat with one of the true giants of the British classical scene. Sir Andrew Davis was very warm and extremely chatty, with a real willingness to be open and honest. I discovered which very surprising work was the first orchestral piece he ever conducted, why Janáček's Glagolitic Mass was a pivotal work for him, and which other conducting knight, when he was introduced to him as an...

Having met Håkan Hardenberger before, I knew this was going to fun! Håkan told me the brilliant story about how he came to have lessons with Leif Segerstam, how a 50th birthday present really opened his eyes to another profession, and who told him he should have half of his brain removed! A lovely chat with one of the nicest people you could ever wish to meet.   If you would like to financially su...

Sometimes when I chat with a conductor, we just get along straight away and this interview was definitely one of those! Hugh Wolff is wonderful to chat with, intelligent, warm, and funny. I discovered what he had learned from Rostropovich and how he had benefitted from his "generosity", why he was locked in a room in Paris for eight hours, and we discover that we have very different views on the s...

Today is 25th April 2021 and also Anzac Day. It seems therefore appropriate to interview my first Australian conductor, probably the most prominent Australian conductor working today. Simone Young was a joy to chat with - I discovered what pressures there may have been as a "trailblazer", we discussed conducting off-stage and how scary that can be, and I discover what criterion she uses when choos...

Dima Slobodeniouk was a fascinating person to chat with. We discussed how to cope with "first dates" with the world's top orchestras, I found out that the first piece he ever conducted at the Helsinki Academy was a rather surprising one, and I also discovered which symphony always "emptied him completely" and that he has decided not to conduct anymore! If you would like to financially support the...

What a delightful person Kevin John Edusei is and a joy to chat with! In an episode full of "firsts", I discovered how studying to be a sound engineer really helped him as a conductor, I heard everything I wanted to know about the German Kapellmeister system and found out what subject he is very happy to be "nerdy" about. If you would like to financially support the podcast, why not subscribe at h...

Manfred Honeck is such a lovely person to chat with - funny, serious, honest, and fascinating. I got to hear about his days playing in the Vienna Philharmonic and his thoughts on being conducted by Karajan, Bernstein, Kleiber & Harnoncourt, why fruit yoghurt was an early influence on his musical life and his choice of final meal is very apt for this Easter Sunday episode! If you would like to fina...

I have been wanting to chat with Sir Antonio Pappano since the podcast began and he was simply wonderful to interview! I discovered why passing his Grade 5 Piano exam was so important to him, we discuss his work for BBC TV and what that entails and I found out which work "finishes him" after every performance and he thinks that "Götterdämmerung is nothing in comparison"! If you would like to finan...