Robert Emery

Ask The Maestro

Music EN ↓ 190 episodes

Ask The Maestro is your daily front-row seat to the hidden world of classical music. Conductor Robert Emery steps onto the podium to answer the questions you’ve always wondered about — from the drama of the orchestra to the secrets behind the score. Engaging and straight to the point, each episode uncovers the stories, traditions, and secrets of the concert hall — one question at a time. Listen daily and stay curious. Send your question to ask@robertemery.com

Author

Robert Emery

Episodes

Day 141: How do brass players avoid running out of breath? 21.05.2026 1:46

Robert Emery explains how brass players manage their breathing during long passages. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask about class...

Day 140: Have you ever conducted with one hand due to injury? 20.05.2026 1:30

Robert Emery reveals whether he has ever conducted using only one hand due to injury. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask about clas...

Day 139: Thoughts on Eurovision 2026 19.05.2026 0:59

Robert Emery shares his thoughts and opinions on the previously held Eurovision Song Contest 2026. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to a...

Day 138: Who's the biggest diva you’ve worked with? 18.05.2026 0:49

Robert Emery shares his experience working with particularly demanding performers. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask about classic...

Day 137: What’s the weirdest thing you’ve been asked to autograph? 17.05.2026 1:12

Robert Emery reveals the strangest thing he has ever been asked to autograph. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask about classical mu...

Day 136: Why do some instruments transpose? 16.05.2026 2:40

Robert Emery explains why some instruments transpose and what that means in practice. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask about clas...

Day 135: Give an example of a fugue in a John Williams soundtrack 15.05.2026 0:39

Robert Emery gives an example of a fugue within a soundtrack by John Williams. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask about classical m...

Day 134: How do you communicate emotion to an orchestra without saying a word? 14.05.2026 0:28

Robert Emery explains how a conductor communicates emotion to an orchestra without speaking. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask abo...

Day 133: Do conductors use different layouts? 13.05.2026 1:38

Robert Emery explains whether conductors use different orchestral layouts. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask about classical music...

Day 132: How do you decide which musical lines come through? 12.05.2026 2:24

Robert Emery explains how conductors decide which musical lines should be heard most clearly. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask ab...

Day 131: Have you ever had an important part of a section not turn up? 11.05.2026 1:01

Robert Emery shares what happens if an important section player doesn’t turn up. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask about classical...

Day 130: What comes first in movie music - the music or the picture? 10.05.2026 2:49

Robert Emery explains whether music or picture comes first when composing for film. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask about classi...

Day 129: How can one composer write for every instrument in an orchestra? 09.05.2026 1:22

Robert Emery explains how a composer is able to write for every instrument in the orchestra. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask abo...

Day 128: What is the '4' in a 3/4 time signature? 08.05.2026 1:23

Robert Emery explains what the “4” represents in a 3/4 time signature. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask about classical music. Pr...

Day 127: What is the job of principal players in sections? 07.05.2026 1:53

Robert Emery explains the role of principal players within each section of the orchestra. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask about...

Day 126: Favourite time signature? 06.05.2026 1:19

Robert Emery shares his favourite time signature and why it stands out to him. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask about classical m...

Day 125: How do orchestras tune with rock musicians? 05.05.2026 1:24

Robert Emery explains how orchestras manage to tune when performing alongside rock musicians. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask ab...

Day 124: How do you decide on your interpretation of a piece? 04.05.2026 2:04

Robert Emery explains how conductors decide on their interpretation of a piece. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask about classical...

Day 123: Have you considered writing a book? 04.05.2026 0:57

Robert Emery shares whether he has ever considered writing a book about his experiences in music. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to as...

Day 122: What’s the most bizarre fan gift you’ve ever received? 02.05.2026 0:53

Robert Emery reveals the most bizarre or unexpected fan gift he has ever received. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask about classic...

Day 121: Have you ever had a fan rush the stage? 01.05.2026 0:45

Robert Emery shares whether he has ever had an enthusiastic fan rush the stage after a concert. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask about cl...

Day 120: Unusual Facts – Edward Elgar 30.04.2026 1:28

Robert Emery reveals some fascinating and lesser-known facts about Edward Elgar. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask about classical music....

Day 119: Unusual Facts – Maurice Ravel 29.04.2026 1:18

Robert Emery shares some surprising and unusual facts about Maurice Ravel. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask about classical music...

Day 118: Unusual Facts – Antonín Dvořák 28.04.2026 1:07

Robert Emery shares some unexpected stories from the life of Antonín Dvořák. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask about classical mus...

Day 117: Unusual Facts – Gustav Mahler 27.04.2026 1:25

Robert Emery explores intriguing and unusual facts about Gustav Mahler. Got a music-related question? Send it over to Robert Emery to be answered on Ask The Maestro: ⁠⁠robertemery.com/ask-the-maestro⁠⁠ --- Robert Emery is a conductor, presenter, and lifelong musical storyteller. Through 'Ask The Maestro', he answers the questions audiences have always wanted to ask about classical music. P...