Thoroughly Good Classical Music Podcast

Gil Shaham is one of a handful of performers who can switch between the character in the music and the personality of the performer mid-performance. Nothing is compromised as was witnessed at the InClassica International Music Festival in Dubai 2021. How does he manage to look so bright and perky on stage? And does it stop when he walks off the stage? 

Live from London boasts a viewing audience in 75 countries, with an estimated global reach of 4.5million. The series has raised more than £1 million for artists and arts organisations around the world. The latest series includes performances of Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time, Chineke!, and VOCES8 amongst a great many others. It would be easy to tell that story starting with when the pandem...

Joseph Phibbs arrangement of Benjamin Britten's first work Our Hunting Fathers features in Snape Malting's August season of concerts. In this podcast Phibbs talks about his work on the arrangement, and Phibbs' own clarinet concerto. A new cello sonata by Joseph Phibbs will be premiered by Tom Poster and Guy Johnston on 29 September at the Hatfield House Chamber Music Festival. 

Live Music Now is one of the UK’s biggest musical charities working specifically within the health and wellbeing arena, delivering inspirational musical moments. Jon Jacob visited the Priscilla Wakefield House in North London where folk singer Zoe Wren entertained dementia home residents one warm afternoon in late June 2021. 

Francisca Fullana's new album on Orchid Classics reflects the effervescent energy the violinist brings to his interview responses. Jon Jacob speaks to Francisco about 'Bach's Long Shadow' from his current home in California. Buy 'Bach's Long Shadow' via Presto Classical. https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/products/8907184--bachs-long-shadow-the-chaconne-files

Ahead of her London Mozart Players performance of Glazunov and Nyman at the Fairfield Halls in Croydon ( https://www.londonmozartplayers.com/whats-on/ ), the saxophonist shares her insights on the power of music, the way music changed her as a kid, and what it was like to discovered she was an MBE. More details on the Jess Gillam Ensemble tour of 'Time' on the Jess Gillam website. https://www.jess...

Domestic travel, budget hotels, and sanitised breakfasts. Post-pandemic classical music premieres are the post-pandemic equivalent of international travel. Composer Dani Howard talks about her new concerto for trombone, what it feels like to have her picture in the PRS For Music reception, and how to keep a positive mindset. Hint: you'll need to exercise. 

Norwegian Trumpeter Tine Thing Helseth's new release is a masterclass in seemingly effortless tone production. A must listen. And its a reflection of her personality too. Maybe. You be the judge. Buy Tine Thing Helseth's Magical Memories from Presto Classical . 

Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason appears at the BBC Proms this summer playing Dvorak's Cello Concerto. In the run up to that performance he's appeared with the London Mozart Players performing the same work. And he's worked with cellists half his age in Croydon sharing a bit of the Sheku sparkle. In this podcast hear from Sheku and musicians and teachers from Croydon Music and Arts about the impact the...

In this podcast Camilla King Head of Programming at Cheltenham and Jon Jacob talk about an arts administrators response to furlough, the sense of loss she experienced when her work was lost to the pandemic, logistics and especially about planning for different scenarios. The industry is fragile. And it depends on people like Camilla as much as the musicians themselves to get it back on its feet. I...

For more information about the Hertfordshire Festival of Music (4-10 June 2021) visit the HFOM website . 

A new set of songs composed by Russell Hepplewhite with words by Michael Rosen joins the ever-growing Friday Afternoons songbank commissioned by Britten-Pears Arts. Russell explores his compositional journey and how 'Everything' came to be written. More information on the Friday Afternoons website . 

Two composers born 80 years apart, one in Russia, the other in France. What links the two? And how did pianist Sabine Weyer come to be introduced to both? The answer is via email. Buy Sabine Weyer's Mysteries via Presto Music. https://www.prestomusic.com/classical/articles/3952--interview-sabine-weyer-on-miaskovsky-and-bacri

Waterperry Opera returns in 2021 with a series of outdoor performances running from 12-21 August 2021. Guy Withers, Rebecca Meltzer and Emma Doherty explore some of the challenges the Company faces post-lockdown. Box Office opens 3 May. More details on the Waterperry website. https://www.waterperryoperafestival.co.uk/

Composer, arranger and pianist Iain Farrington's new album of Gershwin tunes is out on the SOMM label on 16th April 2021. In this podcast Farrington talks to Jon Jacob about his transcribing, his work as a musician, and how the BBC Proms 2020 season opener came to be. Buy the album https://newalbm.link/gershwinicity/

Manchester Collective's first album 'The Centre is Everywhere' features works by Schoenberg and Glass, plus a commission by Edmund Finnis. Adam Szabo and Rakhi Singh discuss the recording and their thoughts about digital projects embarked upon by arts organisations during the global pandemic. 

St Johns Smith Square Holy Week Festival 2021 begins on Sunday 28 March - Palm Sunday. Vocal group Tenebrae under the direction of Nigel Short features in pre-recorded and live streams as well as Amici Voices, violinist Lana Trotovšek, Bojan Čičić, and organist Steven Devine. For more information visit the St John's Smith Square website . 

On 5 March 2021, Clare Hammond releases her fifth disc for BIS Records with an adventurous programme of twentieth and twenty-first-century variations for piano. Music: Karol Szymanowski – Variations on a Polish Theme , Op. 10 (1904)

New sessions available for amateur and professional musicians root musical practise in the context of the wider arts and cultural scene, and they're delivered by Zoom. Sophie Renshaw discusses the project in this podcast episode. For more information about courses available visit https://www.insideoutmusician.com/ .

Visions of Childhood with soprano April Fredrick , the English Symphony Orchestra and conductor Kenneth Woods is out on 5 February 2021 -  https://orcd.co/_visionsofchildhood