Shows
Outdoor Adventure SeriesConnecting Audiences to Ocean Conservation: Andrew Lewin’s Science Communication MissionWelcome to a new episode of the Outdoor Adventure Series podcast! Today, we sit down with Andrew Lewin, marine biologist, science communicator, and the passionate voice behind the "How to Protect the Ocean" podcast. Andrew shares his fascinating journey from being inspired by Jacques Cousteau as a kid to spending months at sea in the Gulf of Mexico and ultimately finding his true calling in science communication and ocean advocacy.DISCUSSION03:50 Marine Technician Journey09:32 Exploring Water Conservation Facets12:58 Passion Drives Skillful Interviewing13:59 Podcast Growth and...
2025-08-2650 min
Quiet RiotAll I Want for Christmas Is EUNaomi and Alex disseminate Starmer's big "this is not a reset" speech. Naomi talks about the importance of a better EU deal and a new initiative for getting there, with Labour MP Andrew Lewin. Finally, Melania is flogging $90 ornaments and Donald has a new fragrance out for Christmas - which really gives new meaning to eau de toilet. ***SPONSOR US AT KO-FI.COM/QUIETRIOTPOD***“I wonder whether the civil service got into the habit of resisting ideas from gov’t, because of the extraordinary churn. If you’re in the ho...
2024-12-0852 min
How To Protect The OceanWhale Seaside Sanctuaries: How they can help captive whale rehabilitation #ThrowbackThursday)In this episode, Andrew introduces a new segment called Throwback Thursdays, where he reflects on past episodes. He highlights Dr. Naomi Rose, a frequent guest who provides valuable insights on orcas and marine mammal captivity. The episode focuses on whale seaside sanctuaries and the release of bottlenose dolphins from the National Aquarium of Baltimore. Andrew discusses the science of blackfish and the case of Keiko. Tune in for an exciting and informative discussion on ocean conservation. More on Whale Seaside Sanctuaries: https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/ More on Dr. Naomi Rose: https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/people...
2024-01-251h 22How To Protect The OceanWhale Seaside Sanctuaries: How they can help captive whale rehabilitation #ThrowbackThursday)In this episode, Andrew introduces a new segment called Throwback Thursdays, where he reflects on past episodes. He highlights Dr. Naomi Rose, a frequent guest who provides valuable insights on orcas and marine mammal captivity. The episode focuses on whale seaside sanctuaries and the release of bottlenose dolphins from the National Aquarium of Baltimore. Andrew discusses the science of blackfish and the case of Keiko. Tune in for an exciting and informative discussion on ocean conservation. More on Whale Seaside Sanctuaries: https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/ More on Dr. Naomi Rose: https://whalesanctuaryproject.org/people...
2024-01-251h 22
Classics For KidsGustav Holst 1: About Gustav Holst (2023)Born into a family of composers, Gustav Holst wanted to follow in their footsteps. His career included playing in orchestras and serving as head of music at St. Paul's Girls' School for almost thirty years while also composing.
He liked music by earlier English composers, folk music and poetry, especially poetry from ancient India. The success of The Planets thrust him into the spotlight and enabled him to focus more of his time on what he loved, composing.
2023-11-1506 min
Classics For KidsRalph Vaughan Williams 5: Winter in MusicIt’s December, and winter has officially begun. This is a program of music with wintery themes.
2022-12-3106 min
Classics For KidsRalph Vaughan Williams 4: Christmas Carols in Classical MusicIn celebration of the Christmas season, some classical compositions that have Christmas carols in them.
2022-12-2406 minClassics For KidsRalph Vaughan Williams 3: Turn of the 20th Century English ComposersRalph Vaughan Williams arrived on the scene just as a definite English classical music sound was being established. His three main teachers at the Royal Academy of Music were Arthur […]
2022-12-1706 minClassics For KidsRalph Vaughan Williams 2: Musical FantasiesOriginally, a musical fantasy was a piece that instrumentalists made up as they went along. Eventually, fantasies evolved into pieces that composers built out of various melodies they liked — […]
2022-12-1006 minClassics For KidsRalph Vaughan Williams 1: About Ralph Vaughan WilliamsRalph Vaughan Williams was one of the most important 20th century English composers. He spent years traveling the country collecting English folk songs, writing them down, and publishing them. Many […]
2022-12-0306 min
Classics For KidsCharles Ives 4: American Hymns in Classical MusicCharles Ives loved to put hymns into his music. Several other composers borrowed hymn tunes; here are several examples from 20th Century American compositions.
2022-11-2606 min
Classics For KidsCharles Ives 3: Folk Tunes in Classical MusicThe Country Band March has 12 recognizable popular and folk tunes in it. But Ives was not the only composer to put borrowed tunes in his music. Many classical composers […]
2022-11-1906 minClassics For KidsCharles Ives 2: Marching Through the Country Band MarchCharles Ives wrote the Country Band March about amateur musicians — people who make music for the love of it. In the Country Band March Ives combines a tune that […]
2022-11-1206 minClassics For KidsCharles Ives 1: About Charles IvesThe music that Charles Ives wrote was greatly influenced by his father, George. From the time he was a kid, Ives heard his father experiment with sound. George Ives always […]
2022-11-0506 min
Classics For KidsIgor Stravinsky 5: Halloween MusicAppropriately spooky classical music for Halloween.
2022-10-2906 min
Classics For KidsIgor Stravinsky 4: Composer Teachers and their StudentsNikolai Rimsky-Korsakov spent years as a professor at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. Many of his students became famous composers themselves: Anatol Liadov, Alexander Glazunov, and Igor Stravinsky. A lot of […]
2022-10-2206 min
Classics For KidsIgor Stravinsky 3: Fire MusicTo go with this month’s music from Igor Stravinsky's ballet The Firebird, some more music by composers who were playing with fire.
2022-10-1506 min
Classics For KidsIgor Stravinsky 2: The FirebirdIgor Stravinsky based his ballet The Firebird on a Russian folk tale about an evil demon named Kashchei, who has thirteen princesses under his spell. A prince who wanders into […]
2022-10-0806 minClassics For KidsIgor Stravinsky 1: About Igor StravinskyRussian composer Igor Stravinsky had a big hit with his first ballet, The Firebird. Stravinksy kept on writing ballets, followed by operas, and orchestral and choral music.
2022-10-0106 min
2022-09-2405 min
Classics For KidsGeorg Philipp Telemann 4: The “Gigue” is Up!“Gigue” is the French word for jig — a lively dance in triple time. The jig started out as folk dance in Ireland, Scotland, and northern England, before finding its […]
2022-09-2406 minClassics For KidsGeorg Philipp Telemann 3: Self-Taught ComposersGeorg Philipp Telemann never studied composition – he taught himself how to write music. There are quite a few composers who taught themselves, including Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, Edward Elgar, Francis Poulenc, […]
2022-09-1706 minClassics For KidsGeorg Philipp Telemann 2: Go for BaroqueGeorg Philipp Telemann composed during the Baroque period, which ran from about 1600 to 1750. Suzanne Bona, host of the National Public Radio program Sunday Baroque, talks with Naomi Lewin […]
2022-09-1006 minClassics For KidsGeorg Philipp Telemann 1: About Georg Philipp TelemannTelemann loved to write. He wrote more pieces of music than any other composer, and he also wrote not one, not two, but THREE autobiographies.
2022-09-0306 min
Classics For KidsJohann Strauss, Jr. 4: Musical ConversationTritsch-Tratsch — the title of a polka by Johann Strauss, Jr. — is Austrian slang for “chit-chat.” A lot of composers used music to portray people making sounds: talking, laughing, […]
2022-08-2706 min
Classics For KidsJohann Strauss, Jr. 3: The WaltzThe waltz is a dance in 3/4 time that was very popular in Vienna, Austria in the 19th century. But the roots of the waltz go back to the German […]
2022-08-2006 minClassics For KidsJohann Strauss, Jr. 2: Other Members of the Strauss FamilyJohann Strauss, Sr. had three musical sons: Johann, Jr.; Josef; and Eduard. Sometimes they worked together as musicians, but other times, there was bitter rivalry.
2022-08-1306 minClassics For KidsJohann Strauss, Jr. 1: About Johann Strauss, Jr.Johann Strauss, Jr. was the son of a very successful violinist and orchestra leader. Eventually, Johann, Jr. was in competition with his father, conducting an orchestra of his own. When […]
2022-08-0606 min
Classics For KidsAaron Copland 5: Classical Music in PopWhat do Frank Sinatra, Blood Sweat and Tears and John Denver have in common? They all used classical music in some of their pieces. After Aaron Copland composed his Fanfare […]
2022-07-3006 minClassics For KidsAaron Copland 4: What’s in a NameIn 1942, Eugene Goossens, music director of the Cincinnati Symphony, invited two dozen or so composers to write fanfares honoring those serving in World War II. Hear some more of […]
2022-07-2306 minClassics For KidsAaron Copland 3: Tiptoe Through the FanfareA look at exactly what’s going on musically in Aaron Copland’s Fanfare for the Common Man.
2022-07-1606 minClassics For KidsAaron Copland 2: What is a FanfareThe word fanfare comes from a French word that means to blow trumpets. Fanfares have been used for centuries to announce someone or something important. Presidential inaugurations, movies, the Olympics […]
2022-07-0906 minClassics For KidsAaron Copland 1: About Aaron CoplandAaron Copland was a 20th century American composer from Brooklyn, New York. Copland is known for writing very American music, but he actually studied in France. His teacher, Nadia Boulanger, […]
2022-07-0206 min
Classics For KidsGiuseppe Verdi 4: What’s it like to be an Opera Singer?Opera singer Denyce Graves talks with Naomi Lewin about what it’s like to be an international opera star.
2022-06-2506 min
Classics For KidsGiuseppe Verdi 3: The Story of AidaGiuseppe Verdi composed Aida for a new opera house in Cairo, Egypt that opened around the time as the opening of the Suez Canal. Aida is the story of an […]
2022-06-1806 minClassics For KidsGiuseppe Verdi 2: What’s an Opera?An opera is like a play in which the characters sing all their lines. Opera singers do not use microphones — their voices are trained, and can fill a whole […]
2022-06-1106 minClassics For KidsGiuseppe Verdi 1: About Giuseppe VerdiGuiseppe Verdi — “Joe Green,” in Italian — was a great opera composer and Italian patriot. His music became part of the Italian fight for independence and unity.
2022-06-0406 min
Classics For KidsFrédéric Chopin 4: Famous Pianist-ComposersFrom the time Frédéric Chopin was a child, audiences loved to hear him play the piano. A lot of composers were famous as keyboard players, too: Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Liszt…
2022-05-2806 minClassics For KidsFrédéric Chopin 3: Military MusicIn his Military Polonaise, Frédéric Chopin uses the piano to imitate the drums that accompanied armies marching into battle. A lot of composers have put battle sounds into their music.
2022-05-2106 minClassics For KidsFrédéric Chopin 2: The PolonaiseThe polonaise is a dance that was fashionable in the Polish court. Since Polish nobility used to like to speak French, the name “polonaise” is French. Eventually, the polonaise caught […]
2022-05-1406 minClassics For KidsFrédéric Chopin 1: About Frédéric ChopinFrédéric Chopin was one of the greatest pianists of his day. Every single piece of music he wrote used the piano. The name Chopin doesn’t sound very Polish because Chopin's […]
2022-05-0706 min
Classics For KidsBenjamin Britten 5: The Instruments of the Orchestra – Part 2Benjamin Britten was asked to compose music for a film that explained the instruments of the orchestra to children. Britten borrowed a tune by one of his favorite composers, Henry […]
2022-04-3006 min
Classics For KidsBenjamin Britten 4: The Instruments of the Orchestra – Part 1Benjamin Britten was asked to compose music for a film that explained the instruments of the orchestra to children. Britten borrowed a tune by one of his favorite composers, Henry […]
2022-04-2306 min
Classics For KidsBenjamin Britten 3: Pizzicato and Other Musical TermsPizzicato is the Italian word for “plucked” — it tells string players how to play their instruments at a given spot in the music. A lot of musical “traffic signals” […]
2022-04-1606 minClassics For KidsBenjamin Britten 2: The Simple SymphonyBenjamin Britten composed his Simple Symphony when he was twenty, but he based it on music that he’d written much earlier — some of it when he was only 10! […]
2022-04-0906 minClassics For KidsBenjamin Britten 1: About Benjamin BrittenAfter studying at the Royal Conservatory of Music in London, Benjamin Britten got a job writing film music. Then he went on to compose choral music, chamber music, songs, and […]
2022-04-0206 min
Classics For KidsWomen’s History Month 4: What’s It Like to Be a Conductor?A program featuring acclaimed conductor JoAnn Falletta, who talks about her early love of music, how seeing her first symphony concert inspired her to become a conductor, and all the […]
2022-03-2606 min
Classics For KidsWomen’s History Month 3: Contemporary Women ComposersThere are many women composers these days, and this program introduces some of them: Caroline Shaw, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, Anna Thorvaldsdottir, Lera Auerbach, Kaija Saariaho, Chen Yi, Jennifer Higdon, Libby […]
2022-03-1906 min
Classics For KidsWomen’s History Month 2: Women Composers of the PastThough many societies either forbade or looked down on women who wanted to be composers, many persevered. This show highlights Francesca Caccini, Élizabeth Claude Jacquet de la Guerre, Louise Farrenc, […]
2022-03-1206 min
Classics For KidsPiotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky 2: BalletBallet is a theatrical performance that tells a story using music, costumes, sets, and dance. Victoria Morgan, artistic director of the Cincinnati Ballet, talks with Naomi Lewin about ballet and […]
2021-12-1106 min
How To Protect The OceanBeluga transfer from Marineland to Mystic Aquarium update and more on Bill S-203 (Cetacean Captivity Ban) with Kaitlyn MitchellKaitlyn Mitchell is a lawyer for Animal Justice, a non-profit organization that looks out for the welfare of animals in Canada. Website: https://animaljustice.ca/ Kaitlyn came highly recommended as someone to interview on the Canadian side of the border that is involved in advocating for the belugas in the transfer from Marineland (Canada) to Mystic Aquarium (US). I covered the original story by interviewing Dr. Naomi Rose (Episode 1197, https://www.speakupforblue.com/show/speak-up-for-the-ocean-blue/sufb-1197-havoc-the-beluga-whale-dies/). Kaitlyn provides us with an update on the beluga whale transfer as well as how we c...
2021-09-1349 min
How To Protect The OceanBeluga transfer from Marineland to Mystic Aquarium update and more on Bill S-203 (Cetacean Captivity Ban) with Kaitlyn MitchellKaitlyn Mitchell is a lawyer for Animal Justice, a non-profit organization that looks out for the welfare of animals in Canada. Website: https://animaljustice.ca/ Kaitlyn came highly recommended as someone to interview on the Canadian side of the border that is involved in advocating for the belugas in the transfer from Marineland (Canada) to Mystic Aquarium (US). I covered the original story by interviewing Dr. Naomi Rose (Episode 1197, https://www.speakupforblue.com/show/speak-up-for-the-ocean-blue/sufb-1197-havoc-the-beluga-whale-dies/). Kaitlyn provides us with an update on the beluga whale transfer as well as how we c...
2021-09-1349 min
Classics For KidsZoltán Kodály 4: The Kodály MethodZoltan Kodály developed a method for teaching music. It is still used by teachers around the world today. Jill Trinka, who teaches the Kodály Method, talks with Naomi Lewin.
2021-08-2806 minHow To Protect The OceanHavoc, the beluga whale, dies at Mystic Aquarium after being transferred from MarinelandDr. Naomi Rose joins me on the podcast with an interesting story that resulted in the death of a recently transferred beluga whale at Mystic Aquarium. The beluga whale named Havoc was transferred from the troublesome Marineland located in Canada. Naomi describes how the process was flawed from the beginning including the fact that Havoc was sick before the transfer and Mystic Aquarium is known for research that showed cetaceans that are sick don't do well with being transferred. This story highlights the problems with processes even though they are in countries that have animal we...
2021-08-1646 minHow To Protect The OceanHavoc, the beluga whale, dies at Mystic Aquarium after being transferred from MarinelandDr. Naomi Rose joins me on the podcast with an interesting story that resulted in the death of a recently transferred beluga whale at Mystic Aquarium. The beluga whale named Havoc was transferred from the troublesome Marineland located in Canada. Naomi describes how the process was flawed from the beginning including the fact that Havoc was sick before the transfer and Mystic Aquarium is known for research that showed cetaceans that are sick don't do well with being transferred. This story highlights the problems with processes even though they are in countries that have animal we...
2021-08-1646 min
Classics For KidsWilliam Grant Still 1: About William Grant StillWilliam Grant Still has been called the Dean of Afro-American composers. Judith Anne Still, the composer’s daughter, talks with Naomi Lewin about her father’s life, and the difficulty he faced […]
2021-04-0306 min
Tippet Rise PodcastFrancis KéréHosted by the award-winning classical music radio announcer, Naomi Lewin, this episode of the Tippet Rise Podcast features a conversation with Francis Kéré, the world-renowned architect behind the art center’s latest installation, Xylem.
2020-02-0514 min
Tippet Rise PodcastPedja MuzijevicToday's episode, produced by Naomi Lewin, features Pedja Muzijevic, the newly appointed Artistic Advisor of Tippet Rise.
2019-03-0718 min
Tippet Rise PodcastThe Pianos of Tippet RiseToday's episode, produced by Naomi Lewin, is about the extraordinary pianos at Tippet Rise – including one that belonged to legendary pianist Vladimir Horowitz.
2019-02-0715 min
Tippet Rise PodcastAaron Jay KernisHosted by the award-winning classical music radio announcer, Naomi Lewin, this episode features Aaron Jay Kernis, the Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer, and explores two pieces he wrote for Tippet Rise: First Club Date, for piano and cello, and Oasis, for string quartet. We hear musicians, audience members and the art center’s cofounders reflect on Kernis’ work, and we hear the composer discuss a major inspiration for Oasis: the rugged Montana landscape, which he calls “a heavenly place.”
2019-01-0620 min
Work HappyHow to launch a fitness business (with Naomi White & Hannah Lewin)On episode four of Work It - the female entrepreneurs podcast brought to you by Work.Life and Angelica Malin we're talking to fitness entrepreneurs Naomi White - founder of health and wellness PR agency Naomi White Communications - and Hannah Lewin - one of London's leading female-only personal trainers. Entrepreneurs, fitness enthusiasts and self-employed gurus, we talk about things business - from taking risks to standing out, and being your most productive self. Don't forget to subscribe, and follow @WorkDotLife and @JellyMalin on social and visit work.life to find your perfect workspace. Hosted on Acast. See...
2018-08-2735 min
Conducting BusinessIs the 'Star-Spangled Banner' Out of Place at Orchestra Concerts?The "Star-Spangled Banner" that kicks off opening night concerts across the U.S. is often believed to be a great patriotic tradition. But some people think it's out of place and out of mood. The Fort Worth Symphony recently drew criticism over its practice of playing the anthem before every concert. A Dallas musician sounded off on Facebook that orchestra concerts were not meant to be patriotic events, and that the anthem ruined the mood a conductor was trying to set. Many others agreed.
In this week's podcast, two experts weigh in on the anthem at the orchestra...
2015-09-2517 min
Conducting BusinessWhy Russia Wants to Take Rachmaninoff From WestchesterAn international dispute arose last month when Russia announced its intentions to reclaim Rachmaninoff's remains from a cemetery in Valhalla, NY. Russian cultural minister Vladimir Medinsky claimed that Americans have neglected the composer's grave (pictured above) while attempting to "shamelessly privatize" his name. But Rachmaninoff's descendants have balked at the idea of moving the body, pointing out that he died in the U.S. after spending decades outside of Russia in self-imposed political exile.
This week's podcast explores just how Russia has built its case for moving Rachmaninoff's body, and what larger ambitions may be driving the...
2015-09-1017 minConducting BusinessWhy Russia Wants to Take Rachmaninoff From WestchesterAn international dispute arose last month when Russia announced its intentions to reclaim Rachmaninoff's remains from a cemetery in Valhalla, NY. Russian cultural minister Vladimir Medinsky claimed that Americans have neglected the composer's grave (pictured above) while attempting to "shamelessly privatize" his name. But Rachmaninoff's descendants have balked at the idea of moving the body, pointing out that he died in the U.S. after spending decades outside of Russia in self-imposed political exile.
This week's podcast explores just how Russia has built its case for moving Rachmaninoff's body, and what larger ambitions may be driving the...
2015-09-1017 minConducting BusinessContemporary Opera: Pleasing Both Connoisseurs and the Masses?When George Benjamin's Written on Skin had its American stage premiere at the Mostly Mozart Festival on August 11, it became an unlikely summer blockbuster: a complex, contemporary opera with an abstract storyline and a dense, modernist musical language. The work got standing ovations from audiences and rave reviews from critics – but not all of them.
This summer also saw another big premiere: Cold Mountain, by American composer Jennifer Higdon, at Santa Fe Opera. That work features a more accessible language, with traditional melodies and a conventional linear storyline, though reviews were somewhat more mixed.
This week...
2015-08-3119 minConducting BusinessContemporary Opera: Pleasing Both Connoisseurs and the Masses?When George Benjamin's Written on Skin had its American stage premiere at the Mostly Mozart Festival on August 11, it became an unlikely summer blockbuster: a complex, contemporary opera with an abstract storyline and a dense, modernist musical language. The work got standing ovations from audiences and rave reviews from critics – but not all of them.
This summer also saw another big premiere: Cold Mountain, by American composer Jennifer Higdon, at Santa Fe Opera. That work features a more accessible language, with traditional melodies and a conventional linear storyline, though reviews were somewhat more mixed.
This week...
2015-08-3119 minConducting BusinessAs Newspapers Cut Music Critics, a Dark Time for the Arts or Dawn of a New Age?It's no secret that arts coverage has been slashed by many news media outlets looking to pare costs, and there are fewer writers and less space devoted to serious classical music criticism. This year has seen critics leave national newspapers including the Houston Chronicle and the San Jose Mercury News; last December brought the departure of long time New York Times critic Allan Kozinn. That's not to mention magazines; the age when Time and Newsweek had full rosters of arts critics have long since passed.
This week's podcast explores the consequences of these changes for readers – and art...
2015-08-1117 minConducting BusinessAs Newspapers Cut Music Critics, a Dark Time for the Arts or Dawn of a New Age?It's no secret that arts coverage has been slashed by many news media outlets looking to pare costs, and there are fewer writers and less space devoted to serious classical music criticism. This year has seen critics leave national newspapers including the Houston Chronicle and the San Jose Mercury News; last December brought the departure of long time New York Times critic Allan Kozinn. That's not to mention magazines; the age when Time and Newsweek had full rosters of arts critics have long since passed.
This week's podcast explores the consequences of these changes for readers – and art...
2015-08-1117 minConducting BusinessMusic Festivals Increasingly Promote Their Value to Tourism and Economy"Art for art's sake?" Not any more. A growing number of economic impact studies conducted by arts groups suggest that music festivals have a big impact on local economies.
"If you do these studies and show them to government officials, they might be more willing to invest in the arts in their own communities," says Timothy Mangan, the classical music critic of the Orange County Register, who recently reported on the issue in Southern California. Mangan found that festivals and venues in Orange County have sought to demonstrate how they create jobs, generate tax revenue, benefit hotels...
2015-07-3116 minConducting BusinessMusic Festivals Increasingly Promote Their Value to Tourism and Economy"Art for art's sake?" Not any more. A growing number of economic impact studies conducted by arts groups suggest that music festivals have a big impact on local economies.
"If you do these studies and show them to government officials, they might be more willing to invest in the arts in their own communities," says Timothy Mangan, the classical music critic of the Orange County Register, who recently reported on the issue in Southern California. Mangan found that festivals and venues in Orange County have sought to demonstrate how they create jobs, generate tax revenue, benefit hotels...
2015-07-3116 minConducting BusinessAs Soloists Aim For Glamour, Is Classical Music Going the Way of Pop?Scan through the websites and social media feeds of many orchestras, music festivals and concert halls and you'll notice a common theme: youth and sex appeal, especially when it comes to soloists. But it's more specific than that: Alluring young female violinists are everywhere – and brooding male conductors (or guitarists) with artfully-groomed stubble aren't far behind.
These musicians may well be talented and accomplished but their prominence also raises some questions: Is there room for less attractive soloists? And, as with Hollywood, do older women get shut out of opportunities?
Jessica Duchen, a classical music & dan...
2015-07-2319 minConducting BusinessAs Soloists Aim For Glamour, Is Classical Music Going the Way of Pop?Scan through the websites and social media feeds of many orchestras, music festivals and concert halls and you'll notice a common theme: youth and sex appeal, especially when it comes to soloists. But it's more specific than that: Alluring young female violinists are everywhere – and brooding male conductors (or guitarists) with artfully-groomed stubble aren't far behind.
These musicians may well be talented and accomplished but their prominence also raises some questions: Is there room for less attractive soloists? And, as with Hollywood, do older women get shut out of opportunities?
Jessica Duchen, a classical music & dan...
2015-07-2319 minConducting BusinessReynold Levy Delivers Frank Assessment of Lincoln Center and Its LeadersWhen Reynold Levy became president of Lincoln Center in 2002, the organization was “a community in deep distress, riven by conflict,” according to New York magazine. No surprise that the title of Levy’s new memoir is They Told Me Not to Take That Job: Tumult, Betrayal, Heroics, and the Transformation of Lincoln Center.
While much of Levy’s book offers an upbeat look at Lincoln Center's $1.2 billion redevelopment and its years of balanced budgets, he also surprised many with his scathing take on the management blunders at some of Lincoln Center's resident organizations, including the New York Philharmonic, t...
2015-05-1817 minConducting BusinessReynold Levy Delivers Frank Assessment of Lincoln Center and Its LeadersWhen Reynold Levy became president of Lincoln Center in 2002, the organization was “a community in deep distress, riven by conflict,” according to New York magazine. No surprise that the title of Levy’s new memoir is They Told Me Not to Take That Job: Tumult, Betrayal, Heroics, and the Transformation of Lincoln Center.
While much of Levy’s book offers an upbeat look at Lincoln Center's $1.2 billion redevelopment and its years of balanced budgets, he also surprised many with his scathing take on the management blunders at some of Lincoln Center's resident organizations, including the New York Philharmonic, t...
2015-05-1817 minConducting BusinessTubas for Girls, Harps for Boys: Shaking Gender Roles Among InstrumentalistsAccording to several recent studies, young musicians are still following traditional gender stereotypes when they choose an instrument. Girls at a young age go for what they perceive as "feminine" instruments, such as the flute, piccolo, violin, and clarinet; boys gravitate towards trumpets, tubas and percussion. Kids’ views of masculinity and femininity can lead to other problems; for instance, boys who take up the flute are more susceptible to social isolation and bullying.
Hal Abeles, the co-director of the Center for Arts Education Research at Columbia University's Teachers College, cites several reasons that these gender perceptions persist: a la...
2015-05-0119 minConducting BusinessTubas for Girls, Harps for Boys: Shaking Gender Roles Among InstrumentalistsAccording to several recent studies, young musicians are still following traditional gender stereotypes when they choose an instrument. Girls at a young age go for what they perceive as "feminine" instruments, such as the flute, piccolo, violin, and clarinet; boys gravitate towards trumpets, tubas and percussion. Kids’ views of masculinity and femininity can lead to other problems; for instance, boys who take up the flute are more susceptible to social isolation and bullying.
Hal Abeles, the co-director of the Center for Arts Education Research at Columbia University's Teachers College, cites several reasons that these gender perceptions persist: a la...
2015-05-0119 minConducting BusinessMichael Kaiser To Ailing Arts Groups: 'Don't Play It Safe'If you've ever looked out on an orchestra audience and marveled at all of the gray hair and empty seats, the next question that may enter your mind is, how will this picture look in 10, 20 or 30 years? And should I be alarmed?
In this week's episode, Michael Kaiser, known as the arts world's "Mr. Fix-It," gives some less-than-rosy answers – as well as some advice for orchestras and opera companies.
For 14 years, Kaiser was president of Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center, and before that, he helped rescue faltering organizations including the Royal Opera House, American Bal...
2015-04-2217 minConducting BusinessMichael Kaiser To Ailing Arts Groups: 'Don't Play It Safe'If you've ever looked out on an orchestra audience and marveled at all of the gray hair and empty seats, the next question that may enter your mind is, how will this picture look in 10, 20 or 30 years? And should I be alarmed?
In this week's episode, Michael Kaiser, known as the arts world's "Mr. Fix-It," gives some less-than-rosy answers – as well as some advice for orchestras and opera companies.
For 14 years, Kaiser was president of Washington, D.C.'s Kennedy Center, and before that, he helped rescue faltering organizations including the Royal Opera House, American Bal...
2015-04-2216 minConducting BusinessDo Broadway Musicals Have a Place on the Opera Stage?Chicago Tribune chief theater critic Chris Jones tells Naomi Lewin that nothing lights up his e-mail inbox like an opera company staging a Broadway musical using full amplification. "It's full of disgruntled patrons," he said. "You get the natural hall acoustics working – and then you get a miked performer."
The controversies go beyond acoustics and amplification – there's also the question of how to blend performers from the worlds of opera and Broadway in a single cast. On the other hand, there’s a huge potential upside for opera houses: the ability to reach new audiences clamoring for the soun...
2015-04-1515 minConducting BusinessDo Broadway Musicals Have a Place on the Opera Stage?Chicago Tribune chief theater critic Chris Jones tells Naomi Lewin that nothing lights up his e-mail inbox like an opera company staging a Broadway musical using full amplification. "It's full of disgruntled patrons," he said. "You get the natural hall acoustics working – and then you get a miked performer."
The controversies go beyond acoustics and amplification – there's also the question of how to blend performers from the worlds of opera and Broadway in a single cast. On the other hand, there’s a huge potential upside for opera houses: the ability to reach new audiences clamoring for the soun...
2015-04-1515 minConducting BusinessToronto Symphony President Defends Decision to Drop Controversial PianistToronto Symphony president Jeff Melanson tells WQXR's Conducting Business that pianist Valentina Lisitsa's politics had nothing to do with the orchestra's decision to drop her from its program this week.
"The concerns raised were not about a political perspective but were about directly offensive and intolerant comments directed at other human beings," he told host Naomi Lewin.
Melanson disputed Lisitsa's contention that the orchestra had made the decision in December after a donor threatened to withhold funds if she performed as scheduled.
The orchestra produced a seven-page list of the Twitter commentary it f...
2015-04-0813 minConducting BusinessToronto Symphony President Defends Decision to Drop Controversial PianistToronto Symphony president Jeff Melanson tells WQXR's Conducting Business that pianist Valentina Lisitsa's politics had nothing to do with the orchestra's decision to drop her from its program this week.
"The concerns raised were not about a political perspective but were about directly offensive and intolerant comments directed at other human beings," he told host Naomi Lewin.
Melanson disputed Lisitsa's contention that the orchestra had made the decision in December after a donor threatened to withhold funds if she performed as scheduled.
The orchestra produced a seven-page list of the Twitter commentary it f...
2015-04-0813 minConducting BusinessDetecting Music Plagiarism, After the 'Blurred Lines' CaseLast week, a Los Angeles jury found that the pop stars Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams copied Marvin Gaye's 1977 song "Got to Give it Up" in their song "Blurred Lines." The jury awarded the singer's estate $7.4 million. Gaye’s family celebrated the decision. But a lot of composers wondered if copyright is now being extended to cover not just song lyrics and melody but much else – tone, rhythm, tempo.
On this week's episode, Naomi Lewin speaks with two experts about the case's implications: Mark Swed, the classical music critic of the Los Angeles Times, and Lawrence Ferrara, a pro...
2015-03-1822 minConducting BusinessDetecting Music Plagiarism, After the 'Blurred Lines' CaseLast week, a Los Angeles jury found that the pop stars Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams copied Marvin Gaye's 1977 song "Got to Give it Up" in their song "Blurred Lines." The jury awarded the singer's estate $7.4 million. Gaye’s family celebrated the decision. But a lot of composers wondered if copyright is now being extended to cover not just song lyrics and melody but much else – tone, rhythm, tempo.
On this week's episode, Naomi Lewin speaks with two experts about the case's implications: Mark Swed, the classical music critic of the Los Angeles Times, and Lawrence Ferrara, a pro...
2015-03-1822 minConducting BusinessDid a Loss of People's Leisure Time Kill RadioShack?After a long decline, RadioShack recently filed for bankruptcy and announced plans to shutter more than 1,700 stores. As many music lovers know, RadioShack was once the place to get speaker wire, headphones, adapters, or even a Realistic-brand stereo system. But how times have changed.
On this week's show, Christopher Mims, the Wall Street Journal's technology columnist, tells us about the cultural shifts that are behind Radioshack's demise. In a recent article he argued that the loss of RadioShack paralleled the decline of leisure time for would-be hobbyists and tinkerers.
"The kind of leisure that we're enga...
2015-02-1308 minConducting BusinessDid a Loss of People's Leisure Time Kill RadioShack?After a long decline, RadioShack recently filed for bankruptcy and announced plans to shutter more than 1,700 stores. As many music lovers know, RadioShack was once the place to get speaker wire, headphones, adapters, or even a Realistic-brand stereo system. But how times have changed.
On this week's show, Christopher Mims, the Wall Street Journal's technology columnist, tells us about the cultural shifts that are behind Radioshack's demise. In a recent article he argued that the loss of RadioShack paralleled the decline of leisure time for would-be hobbyists and tinkerers.
"The kind of leisure that we're enga...
2015-02-1308 minConducting BusinessNew Battle Lines Drawn Between Press and Arts OrganizationsUsually, a polite discourse pervades arts journalism, but two recent cases underscore the tricky relationships between classical music organizations and the media that covers them.
After Opera House Revokes Critics' Tickets, Examining Practice of 'Freebies'
Last month, Opera Australia removed a music critic for the Sydney Morning Herald from its complimentary press ticket list after the company's artistic director was reportedly "very offended" by a piece on the newspaper's arts website. This was followed Jan. 2 by a similar “comp” list ban against a critic for the publication Stage Noise. And in New York, a theatrical press ag...
2015-01-1417 minConducting BusinessNew Battle Lines Drawn Between Press and Arts OrganizationsUsually, a polite discourse pervades arts journalism, but two recent cases underscore the tricky relationships between classical music organizations and the media that covers them.
After Opera House Revokes Critics' Tickets, Examining Practice of 'Freebies'
Last month, Opera Australia removed a music critic for the Sydney Morning Herald from its complimentary press ticket list after the company's artistic director was reportedly "very offended" by a piece on the newspaper's arts website. This was followed Jan. 2 by a similar “comp” list ban against a critic for the publication Stage Noise. And in New York, a theatrical press ag...
2015-01-1417 minConducting BusinessThe Highs and Lows of 2014 in Classical MusicA pianist recited Yiddish poetry during a Washington, DC recital, the Seattle Symphony premiered a Pulitzer Prize-winning piece about the environment, and Anna Netrebko made a surprising transformation as Lady Macbeth – these were a few of the high points of 2014, according to three top music critics. Joining host Naomi Lewin for this discussion of the year's highs and lows of classical music are Anne Midgette, the classical music critic of the Washington Post; David Patrick Stearns, classical music critic of the Philadelphia Inquirer and for WQXR's Operavore blog; and Zachary Woolfe, freelance classical music critic for the New...
2014-12-1724 minConducting BusinessA Second Act for City Opera?There are still hoops to be jumped through, but it looks like, as Monty Python would say, New York City Opera is not dead yet. Last week, the bankrupt company's board of directors voted to approve the sale of its remaining assets – minus the endowment – to a group, called NYCO Renaissance, headed by Michael Capasso and Roy Niederhoffer. Capasso is general director of the Dicapo Opera Theatre; Niederhoffer is the founder of R.G. Niederhoffer Capital Management, Inc., and a former City Opera board member. Both join us on this episode to talk about their plans.
NYCO Renai...
2014-12-1121 minConducting BusinessA Second Act for City Opera?There are still hoops to be jumped through, but it looks like, as Monty Python would say, New York City Opera is not dead yet. Last week, the bankrupt company's board of directors voted to approve the sale of its remaining assets – minus the endowment – to a group, called NYCO Renaissance, headed by Michael Capasso and Roy Niederhoffer. Capasso is general director of the Dicapo Opera Theatre; Niederhoffer is the founder of R.G. Niederhoffer Capital Management, Inc., and a former City Opera board member. Both join us on this episode to talk about their plans.
NYCO Renai...
2014-12-1121 minConducting BusinessDejan Lazic, Pianist Who Demanded Removal of Review, Confronts CriticIn 2010, the Croatian pianist Dejan Lazic played a recital in Washington, D.C., and got a mildly critical review. Somehow that stuck: It's the second item that comes up when you Google Lazic's name, after his own website. Now he wants it permanently removed from the search engine in Europe, citing the European Union's new "right to be forgotten" ruling as legal justification. The review, titled "Sparks But No Flame," is by Washington Post classical music critic Anne Midgette. It describes Lazic's performance as technically well-played but a little superficial. In this WQXR exclusive, the two parties in...
2014-11-0417 minConducting BusinessHow Young Is Too Young to Attend Concerts?Last week, Michael Tilson Thomas was conducting the New World Symphony in Miami when he stopped the concert in its tracks. A fidgety child and her mother were in his line of sight, and he reportedly asked them to change seats. Some details remain unclear but the mom and child did more than that – they left the hall. The incident caused quite a sensation on the Internet and raised questions: What is the appropriate age for kids to start attending grown-up concerts? And how do you prepare them for the experience? In this podcast, we get three view...
2014-10-3020 minConducting BusinessVladimir Jurowski and the Art of Musical RebellionVladimir Jurowski just finished a four-city North American tour with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, where he's been the chief conductor since 2007. Last month, the Philharmonic renewed his contract through 2018, and critics have frequently praised his artistic bond with the ensemble. But along with his London ties, Jurowski also has some strong feelings about his native Russia, whether it's parsing the political subtexts in Soviet repertoire or speaking out on present-day civil liberties. We caught up with Jurowski before a recent Carnegie Hall performance and the conversation turned from Shostakovich to a daring Moscow performance of Britten’s War...
2014-10-2313 minConducting BusinessUlster Orchestra Endured Northern Ireland's 'Troubles,' Now Battles Funding CrisisThe United Kingdom is blessed with any number of top-flight orchestras – the London Symphony, London Philharmonic, umpteen BBC orchestras, and specialist groups like Academy of St. Martin in the Fields. But among connoisseurs, there's one group that has often batted above its league: The Ulster Orchestra. Considered one of the jewels in Northern Ireland's cultural crown, it was founded in 1966 and has since released nearly 100 recordings and worked under many respected conductors, including JoAnn Falletta, Sergiu Commissiona and Yan Pascal Tortelier. Now comes word that the Ulster Orchestra faces bankruptcy and possible shutdown by the end of the...
2014-10-1608 minConducting BusinessIs It Time to Stop Calling Classical Music 'Relaxing?'Classical music's ability to soothe the weary soul has been used to market everything from yoga classes to an endless supply of albums like "The Most Relaxing Classical Music in the Universe" and "Nature Sounds with Classical Music." Some promoters say this is a good thing, and should be embraced in our distracted, stressed out world. But others argue that the recording industry and even radio stations have oversold the stress-buster angle, which feeds a misperception that classical is benign and boring.
We debate this marketing strategy with two guests. Patrick Castillo, a Brooklyn-based...
2014-10-0117 minConducting BusinessYou Said What on Facebook? Musicians Discover Perils of OversharingMany of us have posted things online that we wish we hadn’t. The question of how unfiltered classical musicians should be on Facebook and Twitter re-emerged recently with the controversy surrounding American bass-baritone Valerian Ruminski. His contract with Opera Lyra, a Canadian company, was cancelled after he posted a rant on Facebook about seeing a man on a bus with diamond-studded fingernails. The man turned out to be a drag queen and Ruminski's post – which was screen-grabbed by other social media users – attracted a barrage of criticism.
Ruminski later apologized for his remarks but the dama...
2014-09-1120 minConducting BusinessRecovering Addicts Confront Their Demons through Classical Music• Share your thoughts below by clicking on the 'Show Comments' button
The refined world of classical music is not usually linked to addiction. But a documentary airing on Channel 4 in England this week opens the door to a lesser-known side of the business. "Addicts' Symphony" took ten musicians whose lives have all been plagued by drug and alcohol addiction, and prepared them for a one-off performance with members of the London Symphony Orchestra. The project's mastermind, composer and filmmaker James McConnel, is himself a recovered alcoholic. He notes how addiction frequently starts in response to pe...
2014-08-2717 minConducting BusinessDoes Classical Music at Train Stations Really Deter Crime?POLL: Should classical music be used to fight crime and loitering?
Move along, hoodlums. Antonio Vivaldi is playing at Newark Penn Station.
When New Jersey Transit upgraded the public address system at the Newark transit hub a year ago, they began piping in classical music along with the announcements on train arrivals and connections. The authority subscribed to a music service and station agents could select from different channels, which also include easy-listening and jazz.
The idea, said a NJ Transit spokesperson, is to relax customers "and make it more pleasant to traverse...
2013-04-0817 minConducting BusinessDoes Bach Need 'Rescuing' from Period Instruments?In recent months, symphony orchestras have returned to the music of J.S. Bach with a vengeance.
The New York Philharmonic is in the midst of a month-long Bach festival with the expressed goal of reclaiming the master's music for modern instruments. At the Philadelphia Orchestra, Bach's St. Matthew Passion and Brandenburg Concertos are on the calendar this spring. The orchestra also plans to re-record the Bach transcriptions of Leopold Stokowski – those sumptuous, technicolor arrangements that had been considered passé (if enjoyably so).
"There's been a weird phenomenon for a long time that has made it...
2013-03-2025 min