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 91: People talk about fugues a lot, especially with Bach — what exactly is a fugue? 01.04.2026 1:39

Robert Emery explains what a fugue is and why composers like Johann Sebastian Bach are famous for them. 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...

Day 90: I’ve noticed things like D.C. or D.S. written in music — what do those tell the musicians to do? 31.03.2026 0:52

Robert Emery explains what markings like D.C. and D.S. mean in sheet 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 ask about classical musi...

Day 89: I always hear people mention 4/4 or 3/4 time — what does that actually mean when we’re listening to the music? 30.03.2026 3:00

Robert Emery explains what time signatures like 4/4 or 3/4 actually mean when we hear the 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 ask...

Day 88: Sometimes music sounds unusual or mysterious — is that because of different keys or modes? 29.03.2026 1:46

Robert Emery explains why some music sounds mysterious or unusual because of keys or modes. 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 abou...

Day 87: Why is a tuning fork shaped the way it is, and how was the standard pitch (A440) chosen 28.03.2026 1:08

Robert Emery explains why tuning forks are shaped the way they are and how the standard pitch of A440 was chosen. 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 alw...

Day 86: Which composer had the most children? 27.03.2026 1:33

Robert Emery reveals which composer had the most children and how that affected their life. 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 abou...

Day 85: What piece of classical music has the biggest orchestra in it (like Mahler or Strauss works)? 26.03.2026 0:38

Robert Emery explains which pieces require the largest orchestras in classical 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 ask about clas...

Day 84: Who was the youngest famous conductor or prodigy (like Stokowski started young)? 25.03.2026 0:59

Robert Emery shares who the youngest famous conductor or prodigy might have been. 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 classica...

Day 83: What is the “concertmaster” and how did that role start? 24.03.2026 1:21

Robert Emery explains what the concertmaster does and how that role began in orchestras. 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 c...

Day 82: Why does the conductor’s score look different than individual parts? 23.03.2026 1:15

Robert Emery explains why a conductor’s score looks very different from the individual parts musicians use. 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 wa...

Day 81: Who was the first famous female conductor? 22.03.2026 0:57

Robert Emery explains who the first famous female conductor was and why she was important. 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 80: Which composition is the longest (by duration) or has the most musicians on stage? 21.03.2026 1:06

Robert Emery explores which musical composition is the longest or requires the most musicians on stage. 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...

Day 79: Why do orchestras wear formal dress (tails/tuxedos), and is it still required 20.03.2026 1:45

Robert Emery explains why orchestras traditionally wear formal dress such as tails and tuxedos. 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...

Day 78: What do Op. (opus) numbers or K. (Köchel) numbers mean in a title? 19.03.2026 1:53

Robert Emery explains what Opus numbers and Köchel numbers mean in the titles of musical works. 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...

Day 76: How do cartoons or non-classical art (like “Fantasia” with Leopold Stokowski) influence how people see conductors? 18.03.2026 2:03

Robert Emery explains how cartoons and films like Fantasia have shaped how people imagine conductors. 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 t...

Day 75: What do you think about pop/contemporary music – do any artists inspire you? 18.03.2026 1:19

Robert Emery shares his thoughts on pop and contemporary music and whether any artists inspire 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...

Day 74: What are the steps to be a conductor? 18.03.2026 2:17

Robert Emery explains the steps someone typically takes to become a conductor. 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 73: Which composer or musical piece is your absolute favorite to conduct, and why? 18.03.2026 1:36

Robert Emery shares which composer or musical piece he most enjoys conducting and why. 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 cla...

Day 72: How do conductors communicate with section leaders or the concertmaster (first violin) in rehearsal? 17.03.2026 1:25

Robert Emery explains how conductors communicate with section leaders and the concertmaster during rehearsals. 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...

Day 71: How do you prepare for a rehearsal or a concert? How many hours/days before do you study the score? 17.03.2026 2:53

Robert Emery explains how conductors prepare for rehearsals and concerts and how long they study the score. 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 wa...

Day 70: What happens during an orchestra rehearsal? What do conductors do in rehearsals? 17.03.2026 2:28

Robert Emery reveals what actually happens during an orchestra rehearsal and what the conductor focuses on. 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 wa...

Day 69: How do you conduct a piece that has no strict beat, like a free-form introduction? 17.03.2026 1:13

Robert Emery explains how a conductor approaches a passage that has no strict beat, such as a free-form introduction. 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...

Day 68: What is a fermata (hold) or a caesura (pause) in music, and how does a conductor signal it? 17.03.2026 1:28

Robert Emery explains what a fermata or a caesura means in music and how a conductor signals them. 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 67: What's your favorite instrument to ignore? 17.03.2026 0:56

Robert Emery jokingly reveals which instrument in the orchestra he secretly enjoys ignoring. 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 66: What is the point of melodic minor scales? 17.03.2026 1:49

Robert Emery explains the purpose of melodic minor scales and why they are used 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 ask about...