Breandáin O'Shea

"Experience the captivating blend of poetry and music on 'Tall Poppies: The Podcast - Poetry and Music Special,' featuring the talented poets Alice Miller and Matthew McDonald. Join host Breandáin O’Shea as we delve into the enchanting world of verse and its connection with music. Explore the passion and creativity of these remarkable artists in a conversation that's both thought-provoking and ins...

John Boyne is one of the most successful and admired novelists of his generation. In a career spanning more than 30 years, he has published 14 novels for adults, 6 novels for younger readers, and a short story collection. In this interview he talks to Breandáin O'Shea about his most most famous book, The Boy In The Striped Pyjamas. a New York Times No.1 Bestseller, and adapted for a feature film,...

Mitsuko Uchida, an acclaimed Japanese-born pianist, is renowned for her profound interpretations of classical piano repertoire. Born in Atami, Japan, in 1948, Uchida has established herself as one of the foremost interpreters of Mozart and Schubert, earning widespread recognition for her exquisite touch, nuanced phrasing, and deep musical insight. Her artistry extends beyond performance; Uchida is...

(MUSICIAN) "Join our podcast for an extraordinary and moving interview with Anita Lasker Wallfisch. Born in 1925 in Breslau, she had a comfortable childhood until the rise of anti-Semitism in Nazi Germany. Anita's journey from a musical family to Auschwitz, where she found solace in playing the cello, is an incredible story of survival and resilience. Hear her recount her experiences during the Ho...

(MUSICIAN) Legendary cabaret artist, singer songwriter, author, satirist and composer speaking to Breandáin O'Shea in 2002 on the occasion of Kreisler's 80 birthday.

In this captivating episode, Matthew McDonald, a remarkable talent, shares his inspiring odyssey from the heart of Canberra to achieving the prestigious position of a principal player with one of the world's most renowned music ensembles. As we navigate through his career, Matthew candidly reflects on the profound impact of the current pandemic on musicians, revealing the challenges and triumphs t...

In this intriguing episode recorded in Berlin, Germany in February 2020, we explore the fascinating world of neuroscientist and musician, Matthew Larkum. With a background in computer science, Matthew Larkum's journey from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music to the forefront of neuroscientific research is a captivating story. He hails from a lineage of scientists and is now a leading figure in Germ...

Stanley Dodds with Breandáin O'Shea Stan Dodds grew up in Adelaide and has been a violinist with the renowned Berlin Philharmonic orchestra since the early 90s. He is also a conductor and frequently directs ensembles of the Berlin Philharmonic and was appointed Principal Conductor of the Berlin Symphony Orchestra in 2014. He is dedicated to working with youth and amateur orchestras and is in charg...

Gail Jones is one of Australia’s most celebrated writers. At home, her work has received several major accolades including the 2019 Australian Prime Minister’s prize for literature, while abroad Gail’s fiction has been translated into fifteen languages and long-listed for esteemed prizes, such as the Man Booker Prize and the Orange Prize. Gail also has a special relationship to Berlin, where much...

Tall Poppies, The Podcast Series II coming in January 2020

Shannon Barnett, Jazz Trombonist by Breandáin O'Shea

Tall Poppies: Postcards - Animation Writer, Director & Producer, Adam Elliot Adam Elliot’s films have been featured at hundreds of festivals and have received numerous awards, including an Academy Award for his film, “Harvie Krumpet”. Adam calls his films “Clayographies,” and by that, he means clay-animated biographies. Their themes are bittersweet and often venture into domains that many filmmake...

The first of three excerpts from interviews in Breandáin O'Shea's archives, we meet Australian poet Robert Gray. Robert is an outstanding landscape poet and, alongside Les Murray, has been one of the most significant Australian poets of the last decades.

In this episode we meet Heather Betts. The Sydney-born painter has been living in Berlin, apart from a few years, since 1984. Heather is a graduate of Sydney’s Fine Arts Institute, but she also studied viola at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. She moved to Berlin with her husband, Brisbane-born musician, Brett Dean, where the couple studied at Berlin’s Hochschule der Künste, known today as the...

Since 2013, Siobhan has been a member of the ensemble at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, where her stage roles have included Pamina in Die Zauberflöte, Musetta in La Bohème, and Waldvogel and Woglinde in The Ring Cycle, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle. She has also frequently been a guest at many other opera houses, including London’s Royal Opera House, the Dutch National Opera, Munich’s Bavarian State Op...

Cathy Milliken has been an artist many young Australian musicians have looked up to when they have travelled abroad to continue their studies in Europe. A renowned oboist, composer and music educator, Cathy has held key positions with two of the world’s leading music ensembles, Ensemble Modern and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Breandáin caught up with Cathy in Berlin, where she talked about h...

Check out the website http://tall-poppies.com/ Professor Peter Singer, renowned ethical and political philosopher Much of Peter Singer’s career has been devoted to social and political causes, most notably animal rights, but also famine and poverty relief, environmentalism and reproductive rights. One of his first articles entitled, “Famine, Affluence, and Morality” argues that affluent persons ar...

Check out the website tall-poppies.com/ In this edition of Tall Poppies, Paul Kildea talks about his latest book, "Chopin's Piano, A Journey through Romanticism," and rising to the challenge of finding the right words to describe music. He also recalls the time in his life when the adjective – Australian - was not a positive one and shares his insatiable passion for Australia.

Check out the website tall-poppies.com/ The Tall Poppies podcast this week features dancer and choreographer, Rhys Martin, who hails from Newcastle, New South Wales. A graduate of Sydney University, Rhys initially studied literature and fine arts. He began his career in the theatre with Sydney’s pioneering underground company, “One Extra Dance.” In this Tall Poppies’ episode, Rhys recalls his enco...

Check out the website tall-poppies.com/ Tall Poppies: The Podcast highlighting Australian Luminaries Abroad http://tall-poppies.com/

Tall Poppies:The Podcast spotlighting Australian luminaries abroad Check out the website tall-poppies.com/ In two decades, the musician Brett Dean has risen from being an orchestral violist who once wrote music on the side, to one of the world’s most celebrated composers.

Check out the website tall-poppies.com/ Each episode of Tall Poppies features an interview with an exceptional Aussie living abroad. The podcast showcases their work as they share their overseas experiences and journey up the ladder to international success.

Spotlighting Australian luminaries aboard Check out the website tall-poppies.com/