Three In A Bar

In this bonus edition of TIAB, Seb and Verity chat to cellist, arranger, composer and the brains behind Map a Muso Susie Winkworth. Susie discusses the inception of her new business, what the catalyst was and how it works - Map a Muso helps match players with fixers and gigs in their area…a kind of musical speed dating if you will! There is chat about gigs from hell, shared experiences of journeyi...

Hot on the tail of our episode with composer Aileen Sweeney we've got another Cheltenham festival special with BBC Young Musician of the Year, percussionist Jordan Ashman. Jordan is performing in concerts in the festival on 11 & 12 July so if you are speedy you can still catch him there! (link below) Seb and Verity chat to Jordan about the whole BBC Young Musician process, brass banding, music...

In the first of two special episodes linked to the Cheltenham festival, this week’s guest is composer Aileen Sweeney. Aileen has written a piece which forms part of the site specific work ‘Byrdwatching’ which premieres on sat 8 July. Even by TIAB’s usual standards this is a brilliantly bonkers episode which careers around a whole host of subjects - with a smattering of music chat thrown in for goo...

In Episode 99 it's 'bring your husband to work' day as violinist, journalist and long suffering spouse of Verity, Rob Simmons guest hosts. What a perfect opportunity to thrash out any domestic issues...just kidding, it's all very amicable. Their guest is THE go to man for all things electric violin Benedict Heaney. Ben has spent his career and studies recording, performing and researching the elec...

This week’s episode comes to you from the sweaty underbelly of the Bridge Theatre… glamour all the way! It’s a double guest week featuring viola player extraordinaire Abby Bowen, and filling in for Seb is friend of the pod and wunderkind violinist Millie Ashton. Abby (and Millie) can currently be heard performing in the incredible new production of Guys and Dolls at the Bridge Theatre - ticket lin...

We're back! Did you miss us? We missed you....and what a belter of a guest we've got to kick start this new series. It's none other than newly crowned Ivor Novello winning composer, artist, producer and broadcaster Hannah Peel. Hannah is truly hot right now with a plethora of awards and nominations to her name. She is a critically acclaimed film, tv and theatre composer - her Ivor was awarded for...

Hello podfriends! We’ve recorded a little ‘bonus’ chat directly from our Instagram live this week where Seb phones in from Brisbane. Conversation covers Seb’s adventures around Australia with Rob Brydon and his merry band, his quest to find Harold Bishop, birdspotting, Verity’s dream month at the National Theatre and an excruciating medical procedure…. Back very soon with new episodes and an excit...

This week’s guest wins the award for most glamorous location for a live link up - It’s internationally renowned ‘cellist Matthew Barley and he’s in the rainforests of Brazil! Matthew kindly took time away from his holiday to chat with Seb and Verity about his soon to be released album Electric . This album brings together a unique collection of works for cello and electronics from the last 40 year...

This week Seb and Verity head to central London for a chat with British composer and conductor Jacques Cohen. TIAB regulars may well have heard our episode with esteemed arranger, violinist and educator Michelle Taylor Cohen - Jacques’ wife, in which he was oft mentioned so we were delighted to get the man himself! This episode is particularly monumental for having the (unverified) longest answer...

He can sing, he can dance, he can act….and he’s a dab hand with yer dahlias - it’s West End leading man Charlie Stemp. Seb and Verity caught up with Charlie in his (very lovely) dressing room at the Prince Edward Theatre in December, towards the end of his run playing chimney sweep Bert in Mary Poppins . Charlie chats about Crazy For You where he soon to be reprising his critically acclaimed role...

This week’s guest is queen of the harp and all round magnificent human Camilla Pay. Milly is hugely in demand as a session player - the extensive list of artists she has worked with includes John Legend, Bette Midler, Beyoncé and Morrissey . She is on countless film soundtracks - most recently Matilda the musical , and had performed on many major TV shows. Warning: If you are hoping for some hardc...

This week’s episode features British-Chinese composer, Alex Ho. Alex was the winner of the Critic’s Circle Young Artist Award 2021 , is the recipient of the PRS Composers’ fund 2023 and is a BBC Music Magazine Rising Star of 2022 . He also happens to be a flippin’ great guy! Seb and Verity met Alex back in November 2022, days ahead of the premier of his new work Carved in Gorton Stone , performed...

We are going full steam into 2023 with a belter of a guest for you…it’s comedian, actor, broadcaster and acclaimed jazz singer Charlie Baker. Charlie has appeared on shows including The Last Leg , Never Mind the Buzzcocks , Richard Osman’s House of Cards and starred in the leading role of Tony Blair in Harry Hill’s Tony! (The Tony Blair Rock Opera) Seb and Verity met up with Charlie back in late O...

Merry Christmas dear listeners! We thought we’d stick out this mini episode mainly to let you know about some of the great guests we’ve got coming up for you in 2023…..and also to have a festive witter of sorts! Thank you so much for your continued support this year, we really appreciate all the lovely feedback. We’ll be back in January with plenty of exciting things ahead - see you all then! Veri...

It’s two podcasts for the price of one this week as Three In a Bar and Things Musicians Don’t Talk About merge…. Seb and Verity spend a joyous evening in the company of TMDTA’s Hattie Butterworth and Rebecca Toal - in fact, if you haven’t already you can catch the first part of their conversation on TMDTA’s podcast feed, right hre: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/things-musicians-dont-talk-a...

Who doesn’t love an awards ceremony?! As you can imagine, when Seb and Verity were invited to come and interview the winners at the 20th Ivors Composers Awards the lure of a celebration, a party atmosphere, bowl food and plentiful wine was a no brainer! This episode features some of the inspirational and extraordinarily talented recipient’s of this year’s awards - along with some old friends of th...

This week Seb and Verity chat to violinist supremo Millie Ashton. This is actually Millie's third appearance on the pod having popped up briefly in Cat Parker's episode and featured as part of the Ashton/Melhuish dynasty back in 2020.....a lot has changed for her since then, including graduating from GSMD after (gulp) 16 years! Millie chats about her days living a double life as a student by day,...

Look who’s back……it’s friend (and In Verity’s case, husband) of the podcast Robert Simmons. It was brought to our attention that last time we had Rob on the pod he maybe didn’t get the opportunity to chat about the things he wanted to discuss. With this in mind we’ve had him back on….and done exactly the same thing again! This conversation covers his job with Royal Ballet Sinfonia, fitness regimes...

It’s podcast dah da da dah day (sorry, couldn’t resist it!) and this week’s guest is the newly crowned King George at West End musical phenomenon Hamilton - Joel Montague. Joel is an actor, choreographer and director who has a stellar list of West End shows he has performed in including Chicago, The Waitress, School of Rock and Funny Girl. The conversation happens in an entirely halloween themed l...

This week Seb and Verity venture into the Bedfordshire countryside to meet virtuoso percussionist Joby Burgess. Joby is embarking on a UK tour at the end of September performing his new album A Percussionist’s Songbook - a collection of specially commissioned songs by eight composers, including Graham Fitkin, Dobrinka Tabakova, Gabriel Prokofiev and Joby himself! The conversation takes place in Jo...

In Episode 83 Seb and Verity head down the Elizabeth line to Southall for a chat with tabla player, producer, composer and one of the best people you could hope to meet, Kuljit Bhamra MBE. Kuljit was one of the pioneers of British Bhangra and has produced, recorded and performed on copious amounts of records for British and Indian artists. He works extensively as a session musician as well as coll...

After an unintentionally extended break (sorry) we are back....and back with a belter. Episode 82 features true Broadway royalty. None other than orchestrator, arranger and producer Doug Besterman. Doug is a multiple Tony and Drama Desk award winner. His list of theatre and film credits is vast, including The Producers, Young Frankenstein, Aladdin, Fosse, Mary Poppins, Captain America, Chicago and...

Your hosts, Verity and Seb find themselves in Chichester and in the glorious presence of Barney Philpott. It's a mid-August scorcher of a day, with a very low-tech set up, but buckets of atmosphere... you'll really believe that you, too, are walking down a British high street. Barney, the tour guide, shows us around, sharing some genuine local tips, and excellent pastry deals. Just like a mini sau...

What's this? Another episode out so soon? That's right folks, we've got a fabulous guest for you this week - Internationally renowned concert pianist and co founder of the London piano festival Katya Apekisheva. Seb and Verity chat to Katya via zoom on a sweaty mid-July afternoon and for nostalgia's sake enjoy some zoom related hitches (haven't you missed them?!). They discuss Katya's upcoming sol...

We're back and this week we've got a belter for you! Its none other than viola player and new member of Estilo String Quartet George White. This conversation was recorded in early may on a sunny day in East London and is joyful meander through George's life and career so far. Seb and Verity chat to him about his extended season with South Bank Sinfonia, a baptism of fire in West End depping and th...