Interviews

Soundboard — Davell Crawford

Davell Crawford discusses the rich jazz tradition of New Orleans, the fall of New York, moving forward, and employing the multiple personalities that live within you.

Soundboard — Bill Murray

Bill Murray discusses American Letters, Mark Twain, James Thurber, absurdity vs. ridiculousness, failure, getting to work, writing vs. acting, rhythm and flow, and improvisation.
 

Same Hits, Different Day

Living legend Billy Joel talks about the staying power of his music, the alchemy and process of songwriting, the origins of his aesthetic, Beethoven and the Beatles, and what he’s trying to learn now.

By Ben Finane

Unscripted

Igor Levit on improvising; his ‘very direct’ and personal sound; and his love for Frederic Rzewski, Marina Abramovic, and voices beyond the classical canon. 
By Ben Finane

Don't Box Me In

Jonas Kaufmann talks about the evolution of fitness in opera; Parsifal and playing Parsifal; finding an interpretation to suit the composer, director and conductor — and honing it; the essentialness of spontaneity; listening to your body, instinct and doctor; and living on the Five Year Plan.   
By Ben Finane

An Existential Joy

Thoughts from violinist Leonidas Kavakos on Beethoven and folk music
By Ben Finane

The Humanist — Murray Perahia

Murray Perahia discusses the pull of Bach, the invention Of Haydn, his love for Mozart, editing the Beethoven Sonatas, the influence Of Heinrich Schenker, and the importance Of rubato.
By Ben Finane

The Artist

Piotr Anderszewski on sabbaticals, filmmaking, his hometown of Warsaw, curation, and his love for Mozart, Janácek
and Schumann
By Ben Finane

Burning It to the ground — Don Airey

Don Airey on the Steinway Sound, finding space, piano vs. organ, the legacy of deep purple, and life beyond the band
By Ben Finane

A Life, Improvised — Joachim Kühn

Joachim Kühn on his foray into visual art — and his love of Ornette Coleman, J.S. Bach, and African rhythm.
By Ben Finane

No Fixed Ideas — Mitsuko Uchida

Mitsuko Uchida discusses Schumann as weirdo, tempo as translation, the difficulty of Mozart and the transcendence of late Schubert.
By Ben Finane

Yes, Why Not? — Lalo Schifrin

Lalo Schifrin, a composer for all seasons, at eighty-five
By Ben Finane

Music & Poetry

Baritone Thomas Hampson sings America’s praises.
By Ben Finane

Truth in Music

Gidon Kremer delves into the roots of musical expression.
By Ben Finane

The Bridge Builder

Hilary Hahn discusses diving into new music, what it means to be American, giving her collaborators an online voice and her knee-knocking introduction to improvisation.
By Ben Finane

A Quick One While He's Away

From somewhere in Eastern Europe, Arvo Pärt answers an email.
By Ben Finane

The Choreographer

Mark Morris talks about putting music first, the importance of boring music, the problem with musicians, the three Hs, and why  it's more fun workign with people who are really good at what they do.
By Ben Finane

Spreading the Word

American cellist Zuill Bailey preaches the gospel of life with classical music.
By Ben Finane

Pure Instinct

Maestro Michael Tilson Thomas talks Mahler, Stravinsky and the future of contemporary music — in real space and in cyberspace.
By Ben Finane

American Maestra

Marin Alsop holds forth on Americans vs. Europeans,the enduring gender gap, and the evolution of the orchestra.
By Ben Finane

Finding a Way In

Isabel Leonard discusses dance training as character building, singing as expression, Frozen versus The Magic Flute, Mozart and Rossini as base building, trouser roles, and contemporary opera.
By Ben Finane

Russian Russian

Maestro and impresario Valery Gergiev discusses the legacy of Prokofiev and Stravinsky along with his opera-house arms race.
By Ben Finane

In a Different Light

Israeli mandolinist Avi Avital discusses the rich history of his instrument; the nonexistent border between folk and classical; transcriptions and commissions; embedding nuance; and the artistic persona.
By Ben Finane

The Traveler

Rosanne Cash talks community, geography, learning on the road, reinvestigating the South, borrowing, melancholy, and respect for tradition.
By Ben Finane

The Woeful Romantic

Joshua Bell defends his ventures and aesthetic.
By Ben Finane

The Impostor

Béla Fleck discusses the origins of his name and instrument, the return of one microphone, his banjo concerto, dealing with weakness, his writing process and artistic expression. 
By Ben Finane

Still Singular

Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter stresses authenticity, dedication and scholarship.
By Ben Finane

The Bridge Builder

Jordi Savall crosses the chasm vast.
By Ben Finane

A Rock Star in Winter

Embracing his inner baritone and lutenist, Sting goes classical.
By Ben Finane

The Quiet Road Forward

Why the ‘poor little dying girls’ hold no interest for mezzo-soprano Elīna Garanča
By Ben Finane

Trusting in Quality

David Robertson on rehearsing, marketing and programming classical music.
By Ben Finane

The Art of Storytelling

Yo-Yo Ma speaks of artistic principles, Bach as universalist, deepening our perception and appreciation, liberal arts as continuous learning,  and the unlimited creativity of nature. 
By Ben Finane

I Have That Blood — Yuja Wang

Yuja Wang talks About rhythm, approach, avoiding Beethoven and Mozart, Russians who don’t give back, Rihanna, Petrouchka, Chopin and music as people.
By Ben Finane

Music in Words — Bill Murray

Bill Murray discusses American Letters, Mark Twain, James Thurber, absurdity vs. ridiculousness, failure, getting to work, writing vs. acting, rhythm and flow, and improvisation.
By Ben Finane

Lang Lang: Minister of Culture

Lang Lang talks Metallica, music education, Hans Zimmer, Herbie Hancock, global citizenship and being Human.
By Ben Finane

Rufus Wainwright: The Throwback

Rufus Wainwright talks about his style, his sound, writing a song, writing an opera, restoring our collective dignity, Judy Garland, Frank Sinatra and William Shakespeare.
By Ben Finane

Olga Kern: Soaring Melodies

Olga Kern on the rich, pianistic legacy of Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, the Kern Family and Billy Joel
By Ben Finane

Illuminating The Masters

Maurizio Pollini reveals his pathways in to Bach, Beethoven and Chopin, as well as to more modern composers.
By Ben Finane

Music from the Tribe — Davell Crawford

Davell Crawford on the rich jazz tradition of New Orleans, the fall of New York, moving forward, and employing the multiple personalities that live within you
By Ben Finane