Advertise on podcast: In Conversation

Australian clarinettist Lloyd Van’t Hoff has forged a wonderfully varied career as a soloist, chamber musician and educator, driven by a passion for music and the people who make it. Recorded in July at the Australian Festival of Chamber Music in Cairns, this conversation explores Lloyd’s early musical adventures, from discovering the saxophone in Charters Towers to falling in love with the sound of the clarinet, and the life-changing impact of winning the 2015 ABC Young Performer of the Year. He also reflects on his decision to pursue a career in chamber music rather than the more conventional path of an orchestral musician, and the friendships and collaborations that have shaped his journey. Lloyd discusses the creation of Arcadia Winds, his partnership with pianist Lisa Moore in Crux Duo, and the profound influence of studying with legendary clarinettist David Shifrin. Throughout the conversation, Lloyd’s infectious enthusiasm, restless curiosity and deep belief in the power of musical collaboration reveal a musician determined to forge his own path while helping others discover theirs. The next Australian Festival of Chamber is on 23-31 July 2027.

German pianist Alexander Krichel has performed on some of the world’s great stages and recorded an extraordinarily wide-ranging repertoire, from Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev to Ravel and Schumann. Yet a career in music was far from inevitable. Growing up in a family of scientists, Alexander was equally at home with mathematics, and might well have pursued medicine had he not won a coveted place studying with the formidable pianist Vladimir Krainev. He recalls the unconventional beginnings of his musical education, and the teacher whose exacting demands helped shape both the pianist and the person he would become. In a conversation full of humour and candour, Alex revisits his final lesson with Krainev, just six hours before his teacher’s death, and the special place Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto continues to hold for him. He talks about why the greatest challenge at the keyboard is not virtuosity but making the piano sing, how he learned to favour risk over perfection in the recording studio, and why he believes music must remain a lifelong process of discovery. He also reflects on taking classical music into schools, and the importance of having a life beyond the practice room. This program was recorded at the 2026 Australian Festival of Chamber Music, in Cairns. The next festival takes place 23-31 July 2027.

Christopher Lawrence has spent his life sharing his love of music with Australian audiences, as a broadcaster, recording producer, writer and, more recently, leader of musical tours. His journ ey began rather improbably in the ABC mailroom, before washing records in the network's vast library became an extraordinary musical education. In this conversation, Christopher reflects on the twists and turns that led him to the microphone, the award-winning recordings and television productions he helped create, and the sometimes exhausting realities of life as a breakfast radio presenter. Growing up with parents in showbusiness, he recalls being introduced to Nat King Cole while still in his bassinet, and later concocting an elaborate ruse to meet Leonard Bernstein, only to find himself invited to the composer's birthday party. He also talks about his work with Renaissance Tours, the determination behind the success of Van Diemen's Band, founded by his wife Julia Fredersdorff, and a lifelong passion for Berlioz that recently inspired a whirlwind trip to Brussels. It's a warm and frequently amusing journey through a life spent finding new ways to bring people closer to music.

South Korean violinist Bomsori Kim has quickly earned an enviable reputation on the international concert stage, performing with leading orchestras around the world and at some of the most prestigious international festivals. Making her Australian debut with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra for Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, Bomsori reflects on her long-standing affection for the work, her first encounter with the orchestra as a student in Seoul, and the remarkable 300-year-old Guarneri del Gesù violin on which she performs. In this conversation, Bomsori recalls the childhood concert that inspired her to take up the violin, her studies in Korea and at Juilliard, and the opportunities and pressures that came with international competitions. She discusses her love of opera and jazz, the challenges of capturing a performance in the recording studio, and her fascination with the ancient strategy game Go. She also reveals her passion for championing the music of Polish composer Grażyna Bacewicz, including her involvement in a documentary exploring a long-forgotten work. Bomsori Kim performs with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra 14-17 October.

Dutch cellist Pieter Wispelwey has spent more than four decades building a career defined by curiosity, individuality and a refusal to regard any interpretation as finished. Equally at home on modern and period instruments, he has repeatedly returned to the great works of the cello repertoire, recording Bach’s Cello Suites three times and Benjamin Britten’s suites four times. In this conversation, Pieter reflects on why familiar music continues to change, the impossibility of an “ultimate” recording, and his lifelong search for greater expression in performance.   Pieter also looks back on a childhood immersed in chamber music, his early fascination with the physical sound of the cello, and the teachers who helped shape his musical world, particularly Anner Bylsma. He recalls the recording that launched his international career, explains why historical performance was never simply about following rules, and reflects on the singers who profoundly influenced his musical imagination, from Alfred Deller and Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau to Gwyneth Jones. And away from the concert platform, he finds a very different kind of satisfaction tending the land and waterways around his rural home in the Netherlands.

Pekka Kuusisto has never been especially interested in staying neatly within musical boundaries. The Finnish violinist, conductor and composer returns to Australia to guest direct the Australian Chamber Orchestra’s Legends and Luminaries program, bringing with him the curiosity, spontaneity and collaborative spirit that have become hallmarks of his work. He reflects on the ACO’s influence on his own approach to directing, his enthusiasm for contemporary composers, and why he tries not to spend too much time thinking about what kind of musician he is supposed to be. The conversation looks back on a childhood immersed in music, from improvising at the piano with his father to beginning violin lessons at the age of three and later winning the Sibelius Competition. He talks about discovering Nordic folk traditions at a moment when he felt he had “lost the plot” musically, the value of collaboration over ego, and the freedom he has found in making music outside the classical world. His latest adventure is Council, a songwriting project with Gabriel Kahane, which has given him the chance to become, as he puts it, a “deeply middle-aged” beginner singer-songwriter. Pekka Kuusisto directs the Australian Chamber Orchestra from 3-19 October.

Simon Phillips has spent more than four decades at the heart of Australian theatre, directing everything from Shakespeare and contemporary drama to blockbuster musicals and opera. In Sydney directing the Australian premiere of Steven Moffat’s The Unfriend for Sydney Theatre Company, Simon reflects on the precision required to make comedy work and how the audience’s laughter becomes another member of the cast. He also looks back on a career that has taken Priscilla, Queen of the Desert around the world, helped bring Muriel’s Wedding to the stage, reimagined Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies, and put The Phantom of the Opera on Sydney Harbour. Simon talks about discovering theatre as a child in New Zealand, his enduring passion for Shakespeare, the challenges of directing opera, and his years leading the Melbourne Theatre Company. He speaks about a desire to always keep audiences on the edge of their seats, drawing us into lives and experiences beyond our own. Simon Phillips directs The Unfriend for the Sydney Theatre Company, at the Roslyn Packer Theatre, from September 29 through October 31.

Bass-baritone Andrew O’Connor has built a remarkably varied career spanning opera, chamber music, choral repertoire and contemporary Australian work. In this conversation, Andrew discusses Transformations, his new album with Van Diemen’s Band, which journeys through early German Baroque music while pairing works by composers including Schütz and Buxtehude with newly commissioned responses from Brooke Shelley and Alice Chance. He reflects on the particular richness of this repertoire for the bass voice, the pleasure of having new music written specifically for him, and why working with living composers has become such an important part of his musical life. Andrew also looks back on growing up in Perth, beginning as a trumpeter before discovering his voice almost by accident, and the opportunities that allowed him to begin working professionally at a remarkably young age. He talks about learning his craft on the job, his years with The Song Company, the unpredictable but rewarding life of a freelance musician, and his belief that different kinds of music-making continually feed into one another. Along the way, he discusses his passion for education and the life-changing potential of music. Transformations is out now on the Van Diemen’s Band label, and via streaming platforms.

Stephen Layton has spent his life exploring what happens when people come together to make music. In Sydney to conduct the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs in Mozart’s Requiem and other works, he reflects on the balance between instinct and preparation, having examined the famous piece note by note in preparing his own performing edition. The conversation traces Stephen’s story back to childhood, where he played alongside his father in a Pentecostal church where music might begin spontaneously and gather momentum around the room. From there came an extraordinary journey through Winchester Cathedral, Eton and King’s College, Cambridge, where scholarships opened doors that had once seemed unimaginable. Stephen speaks about founding Polyphony, his ambitious overnight performance of John Tavener’s The Veil of the Temple, and his seventeen years transforming the choir of Trinity College, Cambridge. He also explains why Australia became unexpectedly important to Trinity’s international success, and talks of a life shaped by curiosity, opportunity and an enduring fascination with the collective energy of music-making. Stephen Layton conducts the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs for Mozart’s Requiem and other works at the Sydney Opera House, September 9-12.

Percussionist Claire Edwardes has spent her career expanding the possibilities of her instrument and championing the music of our time. In this conversation, Claire reflects on her unlikely path from piano to percussion, the technical and physical demands of instruments such as marimba and vibraphone, and the sense of freedom she discovered in playing music without centuries of performance tradition behind it. Claire also traces the evolution of Ensemble Offspring, from a group of Conservatorium students playing “wacky new music” to one of Australia’s leading contemporary music ensembles. She discusses the art of commissioning new works, her desire to push the art form forward, and why introducing audiences to unfamiliar sounds is as much about curiosity and connection as it is about the music itself. She also reflects on Ensemble Offspring’s decade-long commitment to working with First Nations composers and how those collaborations have reshaped her thinking about creativity and the process of making music. We also hear about the enduring appeal of Steve Reich ahead of Ensemble Offspring’s upcoming concert, as well as Claire’s newest musical venture, Quartet X, an ensemble bringing together marimba, harp, guitar and violin for some unabashed musical guilty pleasures. Along the way, Claire reflects on turning 50, the pleasures and frustrations of a life spent surrounded by percussion instruments, and why she feels she is playing better, and is happier, than ever. Ensemble Offspring’s Reich: Rejoice: Repeat! is on at ACO on the Pier for two concerts on Saturday 12 September, and at The Street in Canberra on Sunday 13 September.

Olivier Award-winning British actor Nathaniel Parker has built a distinguished career across theatre, film and television, from the Royal Shakespeare Company and The Merchant of Venice opposite Dustin Hoffman to Wolf Hall and the long-running BBC series The Inspector Lynley Mysteries. In this conversation, Nathaniel reflects on the experiences that have shaped him as an actor, the lessons he has continued to learn throughout his career, and the mixture of instinct, craft and confidence that allows a performance to come alive. He is in Australia for a significant new challenge – playing Professor Henry Higgins in Opera Australia’s 70th anniversary production of My Fair Lady, his first ever musical.  He recalls discovering his love of performance as a child, training at LAMDA and joining the RSC at the beginning of his professional life. He shares vivid memories of working with Dustin Hoffman, reflects on the transition from stage to television, and speaks with striking candour about the stage fright that kept him largely away from theatre for two decades. He also explains how returning to the stage in Wolf Hall, and the trust placed in him by director Jeremy Herrin, transformed his approach to acting and helped lead to his Olivier Award-winning performance as Henry VIII. Nat discusses finding his own interpretation of Henry Higgins for a modern audience, the advice he has received from Julie Andrews, his continuing passion for Shakespeare, Tom Stoppard and T.S. Eliot, and the roles he still hopes to play. With disarming humour and openness, he reflects on family, music, poetry and the enduring excitement of good writing. Nathaniel Parker stars as Professor Henry Higgins in Opera Australia’s My Fair Lady at the Joan Sutherland Theatre of the Sydney Opera House from 10 September, before the production heads to Melbourne in November.

Few people have had a greater influence on modern theatre than Sir Howard Panter. As co-founder of Trafalgar Entertainment, he oversees a global network of theatres and productions, including Sydney's Theatre Royal, while producing acclaimed shows such as Fiddler on the Roof, Jersey Boys, The Lehman Trilogy and many more. In this conversation, Sir Howard reflects on why timeless works continue to resonate with audiences, the importance of quality storytelling, and why theatre remains one of the most powerful ways of bringing people together. Sir Howard also shares his remarkable journey from an art student who discovered he was better at "bossing people around backstage" than painting, to building two of the world's largest theatre companies from the ground up. He discusses the risks of owning theatres and producing shows, the challenge of programming successful seasons, and his passion for restoring historic venues to create spaces modern audiences enjoy visiting. The conversation also explores Trafalgar's work filming stage productions for cinema and television audiences, and reveals Howard's high regard for Australian performers, whom he believes are among the finest musical theatre actors in the world. 🎭 Trafalgar’s production of Fiddler on the Roof runs at Sydney’s Theatre Royal until October 3 before heading to the other capitals. Their new production of Noël Coward’s Private Lives, starring Lisa McCune and Hugh Bonneville in his Australian theatre debut, runs at the Theatre Royal from February 6, 2027.

Conductor Alexander Briger has built an extraordinary international career, working with orchestras and opera companies across Europe and Australia, while also creating one of this country’s most ambitious musical projects: the Australian World Orchestra. As the AWO celebrates 15 years, Alexander reflects on how an idea originally intended as a one-off became an ongoing orchestra bringing together leading Australian musicians from around the world, and discusses the upcoming concerts in Melbourne and Sydney . Alex also looks back on the beginnings of his own remarkable career, from hearing his uncle Sir Charles Mackerras conduct Mahler when he was 12 and immediately deciding to become a conductor, to leaving Australia for Europe in search of opportunities he simply couldn’t find at home. He recalls learning from Mackerras, Pierre Boulez and other great conductors, and the complex reality of carving out his own identity independent of his famous uncle. There are also some telling stories of the less glamorous side of an international conducting career, from having to learn major works at a day’s notice, to racing between countries and opera houses until the relentless pace eventually took its toll. He also reflects on what decades on the podium have taught him, including the importance of personality and instinct to great conducting. Alexander Briger conducts the Australian World Orchestra for Shostakovich’s 10th Symphony, Stravinsky’s Petrushka and a world premiere by Jonathan Mills, at Hamer Hall in Melbourne on Wednesday, 19 August and in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House on Thursday 20 August.

Swedish trumpeter Håkan Hardenberger has spent more than four decades redefining what is possible on his instrument, inspiring composers to create a remarkable new body of repertoire along the way. In Sydney to conduct and perform with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Håkan discusses HK Gruber’s Aerial Trumpet Concerto, one of many works written especially for him, and the extraordinary techniques and sounds Gruber drew from both player and instrument. He reflects on his collaborations with composers including Mark-Anthony Turnage and Brett Dean, his determination to give the trumpet the kind of substantial repertoire enjoyed by other instruments, and why the spontaneity and risk-taking of jazz remain an important influence on his approach to classical music. Håkan also looks back on the unlikely Christmas present that changed his life at the age of eight, leaving Sweden for Paris at just sixteen, and the very different teachers who shaped him as a musician. He recalls the competitions and recordings that helped establish his international career, explains why a lifetime is still not enough to master the trumpet, and reveals why conducting remains for him a “luxury hobby”.  Håkan Hardenberger conducts members of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra for Modern Masterpieces for Brass from 6-8 August, and then performs with the SSO for HK Gruber’s Aerial Trumpet Concerto from 12-15 August.

Norwegian trumpeter Arve Henriksen has forged one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary music, blurring the boundaries between jazz, folk, ambient soundscapes and improvisation. Joining the Australian Chamber Orchestra for its From Winter's Stillness tour, Arve discusses the inspirations behind this unique collaboration, his long-standing musical partnership with Trio Mediæval, and how the landscapes, history and traditions of Scandinavia continue to shape his music. In this conversation, Arve also reflects on a lifetime spent collecting sounds rather than styles, explaining why he believes improvisation is something we're all born with. He shares stories of growing up in a family marching band on Norway's rugged west coast, discovering jazz through Jan Garbarek, and why nature remains his greatest creative influence. We get a glimpse of his collaborative approach to music-making, where composition emerges organically from listening, trust and the courage to leave space between the notes. Arve Henriksen and Trio Mediæval join the Australian Chamber Orchestra for From Winter’s Stillness around Australia until August 9.