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Acclaimed Israeli-American pianist Orli Shaham is a compelling performer, educator, and recording artist. A recipient of the Avery Fisher career Grant, she is Chair of the Board of Trustees of Kaufman Music Center, Artistic Director of Pacific Symphony's chamber series, and was Artist in Residence at Vancouver Symphony. On this season 6 finale of Speaking Soundly, Orli sits down with David to reflect on their early musical education together and her motivation to earn degrees from The Juilliard School and Columbia University at the same time. Our guest shares how she was fueled by focus and curiosity, two traits she gained growing up the daughter of scientists and in admiration of her older musical brothers. To close it out, Orli recalls how her relationship to performance changed once she became a mother to twin boys, which led to her founding of the Bach Yard musical program for kids, and why her best collaborator is her husband, conductor David Robertson. We need your help to amplify artistic voices. Please consider supporting this show by making a 100% tax-deductible donation here. Be sure to subscribe, leave us a rating, and share the podcast with your friends if you liked this episode! Check out Orli Shaham on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, or the web. To learn more about Orli's music education program Bach Yard, visit them on the web. Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram. Follow David on Instagram. You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web. Photograph of Orli Shaham by Pacific Symphony/Matthew Morgan . The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper. Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman.  This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format. Episode copyright © 2025 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grammy Award–winning pianist Evgeny Kissin has been a towering presence in the classical music world for decades and a favorite among audiences worldwide. Evgeny joins David to recall his legendary US debut recital at Carnegie Hall, why firemen closed down his performance in Bologna, and the reason his mother didn't want him to study music.  We need your help to amplify artistic voices. Please consider supporting this show by making a 100% tax-deductible donation here. Be sure to subscribe, leave us a rating, and share the podcast with your friends if you liked this episode! Check out Evgeny Kissin on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, or the web. Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram. Follow David on Instagram. You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web. Photograph of Evgeny Kissin by Phillip Andrukovich. The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper. Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman.  This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format. Episode copyright © 2025 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Renowned Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes brings a deep sense of introspection to everything he performs. Our guest reflects on his childhood playing the euphonium in a band compared with his lonely pursuit as a pianist, the moment he realized that "this would be his life," and his relationship with practice. Leif Ove discusses the piece of music of which he never tires, his Beethoven journey with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, and the advantages of being both the pianist and the conductor at the same time. To close out the conversation Leif Ove explains why he felt at home for his second concert—not his first—at Carnegie Hall. We need your help to amplify artistic voices. Please consider supporting this show by making a 100% tax-deductible donation here. Be sure to subscribe, leave us a rating, and share the podcast with your friends if you liked this episode! Check out Leif Ove Andsnes on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, or the web. Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram. Follow David on Instagram. You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web. Photograph of Leif Ove Andsnes by Helge Hansen/Sony Music Entertainment. The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper. Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman.  This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format. Episode copyright © 2025 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Executive and Artistic Director of Carnegie Hall Clive Gillinson credits his previous career as a young cellist with the London Symphony Orchestra for shaping his creative approach to managing the world's most iconic concert hall. Clive sits down with David to discuss his kinship with musicians, how he became an arts administrator by mistake, and the secret to raising money. Reflecting on his early days as a musician, our guest shares why he was kicked out of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain, the influence of his mother, and advice for young musicians. We need your help to amplify artistic voices. Please consider supporting this show by making a 100% tax-deductible donation here. Be sure to subscribe, leave us a rating, and share the podcast with your friends if you liked this episode! Check out Carnegie Hall on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, or the web. Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram. Follow David on Instagram. You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web. Photograph of Clive Gillinson by Fadi Kheir. The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper. Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman.  This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format. Episode copyright © 2025 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grammy Award winner Kayhan Kalhor is a world-renowned virtuoso of the kamancheh, the ancient Persian predecessor to the violin, as well as other instruments. He sits down with David to talk about the origins of the instrument, falling in love with it at age 10, and joining the Iranian National Radio and Television Orchestra at 13-years-old performing alongside musicians 4-times his age. Kayhan recalls how music took him to Europe—2,500 miles by foot with the kamancheh on his back—escaping the turmoil of the Iranian Revolution and ultimately landing at the New York Philharmonic with Yo-Yo Ma, and later Silkroad. To close it out, Kayhan reflects on how music is his anchor, refuge, and response to strife. We need your help to amplify artistic voices. Please consider supporting this show by making a 100% tax-deductible donation here. Be sure to subscribe, leave us a rating, and share the podcast with your friends if you liked this episode! Check out Kayhan Kalhor on Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, or the web. To learn more about Silkroad visit them on the web. Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram. Follow David on Instagram. You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web. The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper. Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman.  This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format. Episode copyright © 2025 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alexa Tarantino is a dynamic saxophone performer, composer, and educator, who recently made history as the first female full-time member to join the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. She chats with David about role models, the importance of being fearless, her relationship to practice, and a chance encounter with Philip Bailey that led to her performing with Earth, Wind, and Fire while at the Eastman School of Music. To close out the episode, Alexa discusses her new album, which features a track with Cécile McLorin Salvant, how walking on stage with Wynton is like hitting the football field as the lights go on, and the value of a musical education. We need your help to amplify artistic voices. Please consider supporting this show by making a 100% tax-deductible donation here. Be sure to subscribe, leave us a rating, and share the podcast with your friends if you liked this episode! Check out Alexa Tarantino on Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, Spotify, or the web. To learn more about Jazz at Lincoln Center visit them on the web. Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram. Follow David on Instagram. You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web. Photograph of Alexa Tarantino by Anna Yatskevich. The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper. Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman.  This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format. Episode copyright © 2025 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grammy Award-winning Scottish-Italian violinist Nicola Benedetti captivates audiences with her passionate and virtuosic performances. The soloist and David kick off the conversation with a debate about the superiority of the trumpet vs. the violin and how Nicola has expanded her instrument's repertoire championing new works, including Wynton Marsalis's violin concerto. Nicola reflects on her childhood listening to classical music with her mom and sister, attending the Yehudi Menuhin school, and how she was badly advised early in her career. She goes on to share what she thought when she was asked to be the Director of the Edinburgh International Festival and how she juggles this role, her performance schedule, and her work as the Founder and Artistic Director Benedetti Foundation. To close it out, Nicola settles an outstanding question about her daughter. We need your help to amplify artistic voices. Please consider supporting this show by making a 100% tax-deductible donation here. Be sure to subscribe, leave us a rating, and share the podcast with your friends if you liked this episode! Check out Nicola Benedetti on Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, or the web. To learn more about the Benedetti Foundation visit them on the web. For more info about the Edinburgh International Festival check out their site. Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram. Follow David on Instagram. You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web. Photograph of Nicola Benedetti by Andy Gotts. The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper. Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman.  This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format. Episode copyright © 2025 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Acclaimed piano soloist, member of The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and Artistic Director of the Bravo! Vail Music Festival Anne-Marie McDermott credits playing with others for shaping her own career. She joins David to discuss her childhood with her musical sisters, why a healthy sense of competition is helpful, and how the piano allowed her to come out of her shell. Anne-Marie recalls performing at Carnegie Hall unaware of the importance, when she quit the piano, and how fearlessness has propelled her. To close it out, David asks about when she was "booted" from Manhattan School for Music, what it's like to judge The Cliburn, and the difference of being a soloist vs. a chamber musician.  We need your help to amplify artistic voices. Please consider supporting this show by making a 100% tax-deductible donation here. Be sure to subscribe, leave us a rating, and share the podcast with your friends if you liked this episode! Check out Anne-Marie McDermott on Instagram, Facebook, Apple Music, Spotify, or the web. Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram. Follow David on Instagram. You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web. Photograph of Anne-Marie McDermott courtesy by Anne-Marie McDermott/Bravo! Vail. The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper. Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman.  This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format. Episode copyright © 2025 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Multiple Grammy Award winner and MacArthur Fellow Cécile McLorin Salvant is a fearless singer, composer, and visual artist who is one of the most highly regarded jazz vocalists of her generation. To kick the conversation off, David describes bonding with his daughter over Cécile's music at the legendary Blue Note Jazz Club. Our guest shares how the vibe of an audience affects a performance, the feeling of being in the spotlight, and her love of opera. Surrounded by music as a child, Cécile reflects on the times she tried to quit the piano, her long hatred for practice, how a small fender bender once saved her musical life, and an important lesson she learned from Wynton Marsalis. To close it out, David asks how the vocalist's visual art influences her music, why she plans to turn Carnegie Hall into a jazz club, and Cécile shares her recurring Met Opera nightmare. We need your help to amplify artistic voices. Please consider supporting this show by making a 100% tax-deductible donation here. Be sure to subscribe, leave us a rating, and share the podcast with your friends if you liked this episode! Check out Cécile McLorin Salvant on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, X, YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, or the web. Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram. Follow David on Instagram. You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web. Photograph of Cécile McLorin Salvant by Mite Kuzevski. The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper. Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman.  This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format. Episode copyright © 2025 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Violinist and composer Colin Jacobsen is “one of the most interesting figures on the classical music scene” (The Washington Post). The Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient joins David to describe his many musical families including the string quartet Brooklyn Rider, The Knights, an innovative orchestra for which he is the Co-Artistic Director with his brother, Eric, and the Santa Fe Pro Musica. Colin discusses childhood memories backstage at The Metropolitan Opera, the importance of playing with others, and what he loves about multi-generational musical experiences. Colin also reflects about the evolution of The Knights, which will perform at Carnegie Hall this season and his on-going collaboration with Yo-Yo Ma's Silkroad since its founding in 2000. We need your help to amplify artistic voices. Please consider supporting this show by making a 100% tax-deductible donation here. Be sure to subscribe, leave us a rating, and share the podcast with your friends if you liked this episode! For more information on Colin's musical families check out The Knights, Brooklyn Rider, Silkroad, and Santa Fe Pro Musica. Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram. Follow David on Instagram. You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web. Photograph of Colin Jacobsen by Marco Giannavola. The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper. Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman.  This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format. Episode copyright © 2024 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grammy-nominated Mexican composer and this season's Carnegie Hall Debs Composer Chair Gabriela Ortiz is renowned for her vibrant compositions that celebrate and transcend musical traditions. To kick things off David shares his excitement about performing Gabriela's work with the Met Opera Orchestra this season and our guest describes what it's like to be paired with musical greats including Wagner and Beethoven, why she wishes she was at the premiere of Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring," and where she finds inspiration as an artist. Gabriela reflects on the importance of intuition, falling in love with the work of Bartók, and the rich musical environment her parents provided for her as a child. On the back end the composer discusses how she nearly pursued a profession as a flamenco dancer, career challenges, what she did to get the attention of the Mexico City Philharmonic, and why she likes to sit among the audience when her music is performed.  We need your help to amplify artistic voices. Please consider supporting this show by making a 100% tax-deductible donation here. Be sure to subscribe, leave us a rating, and share the podcast with your friends if you liked this episode! Check out Gabriela Ortiz on Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, or the web. Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram. Follow David on Instagram. You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web. Photograph of Gabriela Ortiz by Marta Arteaga. The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper. Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman.  This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format. Episode copyright © 2024 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

To close out the year, we're revisiting our interview with MacArthur Genius Grant Fellow and American classical cellist Alisa Weilerstein. The internationally celebrated artist discusses her first instruments (made by her grandmother!), her solo debut at age thirteen with the Cleveland Orchestra, and why she chose not to go directly to conservatory after high school. Alisa reminisces about performing at the White House and chuckles about receiving an apology from President Obama, as well as discusses her groundbreaking new solo concert series Fragments. We need your help to amplify artistic voices. Please consider supporting this show by making a 100% tax-deductible donation here. Be sure to subscribe, leave us a rating, and share the podcast with your friends if you liked this episode! Check out Alisa Weilerstein on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, or the web. Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram. Follow David on Instagram. You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web. Photograph of Alisa by Evelyn Freja. The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper. Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman.  This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format. Episode copyright © 2024 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grammy Award-winning violinist and conductor extraordinaire Maxim Vengerov is acclaimed for his concerts, recordings, and humanitarian work. The Siberian-born star discusses his discipline as a young musician, why he wanted to be a conductor by age 3, and how he knew at age 5 he had a natural gift for the violin. He reminisces about learning to play while wearing warm gloves, how music became his ticket to the world, and sets the record straight about why he punched his beloved teacher. To close out the conversation Maxim talks about a memorable experience as UNICEF's Goodwill Ambassador, David shares his excitement about performing with Maxim and The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra next month at Carnegie Hall, and our guest recalls "freaking out" on Carnegie's stage many years ago.  We need your help to amplify artistic voices. Please consider supporting this show by making a 100% tax-deductible donation here. Be sure to subscribe, leave us a rating, and share the podcast with your friends if you liked this episode! Check out Maxim Vengerov on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, or the web. Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram. Follow David on Instagram. You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web. Photograph of Maxim Vengerov by Davide Cerati. The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper. Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman.  This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format. Episode copyright © 2024 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two-time Grammy Award-winning soprano Angel Blue is a musical powerhouse. She and David discuss performing at The Metropolitan Opera together, the importance of the Prompter, how Angel draws on her own life experiences when singing, and why she says she is the "the annoying one in the rehearsal room." Reflecting on her childhood, Angel shares what opera she fell in love with at age four, the many voices in which she found inspiration (her father, Leontyne Price, Kathleen Battle), the first time she realized she could affect someone with her voice (in fourth grade!), and the parallels between her beauty pageant days and singing. To close it out, Angel shares her pre-performance ritual and David shares his excitement about performing with Angel and the Met Opera Orchestra later this season at Carnegie Hall.  We need your help to amplify artistic voices. Please consider supporting this show by making a tax-deductible donation here. Be sure to subscribe, leave us a rating, and share the podcast with your friends if you liked this episode! Check out Angel Blue on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, or the web. Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram. Follow David on Instagram. You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web. Photograph of Angel Blue by Dario Acosta. The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper. Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman.  This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format. Episode copyright © 2024 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chief Conductor and Music Director of the Czech Philharmonic Semyon Bychkov is an artist whose commitment, passion, and obsession with making music is contagious. To kick off the conversation Semyon and David discuss the unique relationship between a conductor and a musician based on their own experiences performing together at the Metropolitan Opera. The Maestro recalls his earliest musical experiences at age 5 (he had perfect pitch!), the moment when he realized he was born to conduct, and the parallels between his life as an artist and an athlete. Semyon shares why winning the Rachmaninoff Conducting Competition led to his escape from the former Soviet Union and ultimate emigration to the United States in 1975 and how he came to inherit Rachmaninoff's briefcase and some of his scores. To close out the conversation Semyon shares what he loves most about Carnegie Hall and how he perceives the power of music. Be sure to subscribe, leave us a rating, and share the podcast with your friends if you liked this episode! Check out Semyon Bychkov on Instagram, X, Facebook, Apple Music, Spotify, or the web. For more info on the Czech Philharmonic visit them on the web. Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram. Follow David on Instagram. We need your help to amplify artistic voices. Please consider supporting this show by making a tax-deductible donation here. You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web. Photograph of Semyon Bychkov by Marco Borggreve. The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper. Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman.  This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format. Episode copyright © 2024 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.