We're back with a full season of inspiring conversations featuring Grammy nominated singer-songwriter and pianist Regina Spektor, Grammy nominated violinist Midori, the three-time Grammy Award-winning conductor and pianist Yannick Nézet-Séguin, and many more! Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram.Follow David on Instagram.You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram or 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 trailer has been edited and condensed to fit the time format.Episode copyright © 2023 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MacArthur Genius Grant Fellow and American classical cellist Alisa Weilerstein is a musical prodigy. 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 the President of the United States, as well as discusses her groundbreaking new solo concert series Fragments.Thanks to our good friends at Ravinia for helping to make this interview possible. Get your tickets here to see Alisa Weilerstein perform live at Ravinia on August 17th.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.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 © 2023 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

MacArthur "Genius" Grant recipient, Avery Fisher Prize winner, and acclaimed pianist Jeremy Denk is also a New York Times bestselling author. He sits down with David to discuss his memoir Every Good Boy Does Fine, which was published to universal acclaim and how he managed to write the book with demanding concert and practice schedules. Jeremy recalls how his dad rescued a graffiti-covered piano from a burlesque house, getting beat up for blasting classical music with a boombox on his childhood school bus, and when he began to practice for the love of practicing. Jeremy shares lessons he learned from numerous piano teachers over the years and an early mistake he made when first starting out as a teacher himself. To close the conversation out, David and Jeremy share a laugh about the smell of the practice rooms on the fourth floor of Juilliard.Thanks to our good friends at Ravinia for helping to make this interview possible. Get your tickets here to see Jeremy Denk perform live at Ravinia on July 28th.Check out Jeremy Denk on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, or the web.You can order Jeremy's book Every Good Boy Does Fine here.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 © 2023 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grammy nominated Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Montero is celebrated for her exceptional musicality and her ability to improvise complex pieces on themes suggested by her audiences at live performances. The best-selling recording artist, Latin Grammy Award winner, and human rights activist discusses recording at Abbey Road Studios, seeing her album poster-size Tower Records near Lincoln Center, and what she discovered about her brain when she performs spontaneously. Gabriela reminisces about learning to play the piano at eight-months old, performing Haydn D Major at age nine, her desire to leave the piano behind in her early thirties, and her ultimate return to the instrument. She shares with David how her music influences her political activism and what it meant to her to perform with Itzhak Perlman, Yo-Yo Ma, and Anthony McGill at the inauguration of President Barack Obama.Thanks to our good friends at Ravinia for helping to make this interview possible. Get your tickets here to see Gabriela Montero perform live at Ravinia on July 21st. Check out Gabriela Montero on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, or the web. As discussed in the interview, you can see Gabriela perform Haydn D Major at age nine here. 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 © 2023 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're back with three more inspiring conversations featuring pianist Gabriela Montero, pianist Jeremy Denk, and cellist Alisa Weilerstein.Thanks to our good friends at Ravinia for helping to make these interviews possible. To see these guests perform live this summer, check out Ravinia's calendar.Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram.Follow David on Instagram.You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram or 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 trailer has been edited and condensed to fit the time format.Episode copyright © 2023 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Preeminent Principal Tuba for the Santa Fe Symphony and New Mexico Philharmonic Dr. Richard Antoine White's personal journey to the stage is astonishing. He shares how he overcame the circumstances of his early childhood plagued by poverty and homelessness to become the first Black American to earn a doctorate of music in tuba. Richard recounts how he ultimately won a spot at the competitive Baltimore School for the Arts despite his inability to read music, discusses the importance of his lessons with American orchestral tuba player and teacher David Fedderly, and embodies the power of positivity.Check out Dr. Richard Antoine White on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or the web. Don't miss his book I'm Possible: A Story of Survival, a Tuba, and the Small Miracle of a Big DreamFollow 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 © 2023 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Six-time Grammy Award winner and Oscar nominee Terence Blanchard is a famed trumpeter, band leader, and composer. Recently, he also became the first Black composer commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera since it opened in 1883. Terrence discusses his debut at the Met and the enormity of the experience, along with his start at age 19 with The Jazz Messengers, and the greatest lesson he learned from jazz legend Art Blakey. Terence reflects on his expansive work for film, including 17 collaborations with Spike Lee, and answers David's specific questions about a pivotal scene in Mo' Better Blues.Check out Terence Blanchard on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Apple Music, Spotify, 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.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 © 2023 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

American Violinist David Chan is the esteemed Concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, an honored position he's held for more than two decades. He's also made a name for himself as a respected concert ensemble Conductor and Music Director. The Davids reminisce about Chan's Carnegie Hall solo debut and discuss the roles of the Concertmaster and Conductor. David Chan reflects on his first-rate education, his relationship to practice throughout his youth, and a childhood trip that cemented his desire to play violin. He also shares how his entrepreneurial spirit enabled him to pair his loves of music and wine together.Check out David Chan on Facebook, 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.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 © 2023 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grammy nominated artist Missy Mazzoli has established herself as one of the top composers of her generation. In 2018 she made history when she became one of the two first women to be commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera. Missy lets David in on her tips for overcoming writer's block, shares the early hurdles she faced as a young artist, and compares the rush of performing versus the feelings she gets watching her work be performed by other musicians. She talks passionately about the importance of mentorship and how the industry needs to change its perception of composers, so that the field is more diverse.Check out Missy Mazzoli on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Apple Music, Spotify, 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.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 © 2023 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Internationally recognized trumpet player Tine Thing Helseth is the first ever classical artist to win Newcomer of the Year at the Norwegian Grammy Awards—the Spellemannprisen. Tine talks about her ever changing nerves, how she finds her greatest confidence, and the perspective she gained after facing a serious depression in 2017. She also gives behind the scenes details about performing on a roof in a horrible windstorm, talks candidly about her cancer diagnosis, and lets us in on how she came to play barefoot, thanks to a question from one of David's students.Check out Tine Thing Helseth on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Apple Music, Spotify, 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.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 © 2023 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two-time Grammy Award winner James Ehnes is one of the most sought-after violin soloists on the international stage. James and David discuss a shared performance at Carnegie Hall and an unexpected mishap during the concert, the special sensation that James feeds off of when he connects with an audience, and the limitless possibilities of great art. James also reflects on the recordings he made during the pandemic lockdown (spoiler: be sure the fridge is unplugged!) and dishes on being part of the new Obi-Wan Kenobi recording. Check out James Ehnes on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Apple Music, Spotify, 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.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 © 2023 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Acclaimed composer, multi-instrumentalist, and Silk Road Ensemble member Kaoru Watanabe began playing Western Classical music at a very young age. After graduating from conservatory as a jazz flutist and saxophonist, he spent a decade overseas performing with and ultimately leading the world-renowned Taiko drum performance group Kodo. Kaoru reflects upon his ten years in Japan and how it profoundly influenced his practice, artistry, and identity. Now a leading musician of both the Taiko drum and the Japanese transverse flute Shinobue, Kaoru describes the pure elegance and brute force of the practice and the visceral response he felt the first time he saw them performed at Carnegie Hall. David considers Kaoru's numerous collaborations while discussing how Kaoru retains a sense of authenticity and the natural world informs and inspires his creative process.Check out Kaoru Watanabe on Instagram, Facebook, Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, or the web.Don't miss this video of Kaoru playing in the natural world as discussed in the interview.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 © 2023 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pop artist Rufus Wainwright is one of the most gifted singer-songwriters of his generation. He's recorded ten studio albums and composed numerous film soundtracks, as well as two operas. Born into musical royalty, Rufus reflects on his earliest memories alongside his famed Canadian folk singer-songwriter mother Kate McGarrigle, discusses how music brought him closer to his prominent singer-songwriter father Loudon Wainwright III, and dissects the influence of his extended family on his artistry. He talks about singing like his life depends on it, his need to practice the piano daily, and the brutal experience of sharing his songs for the first time.Check out Rufus Wainwright on Instagram, Twitter, 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.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 © 2023 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The only conductor to receive a MacArthur "Genius Grant" Fellowship, trailblazer Marin Alsop is the first woman to lead a major orchestra in the United States, in South America, in Austria, and in Britain. In addition to her accomplishments, she is vigilant about keeping the doors open for other women. Marin and David discuss the importance of partnership between musicians and a conductor, challenge of criticism, trouble of artistic perfection, and how she views the audience as an active participant in the concert experience. She reflects on her early musical idols, the Beatles and her longtime mentor and teacher Leonard Bernstein, and two of her landmark initiatives, the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship whose mission is to mentor, support, and promote women conductors as they advance in their professional careers, and OrchKids, which provides Baltimore City youth with equitable access to community-based, high-quality music instruction and programming that teaches musical and social skills transferable to all areas of their lives.Check out Marin Alsop on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, or the web.You can learn more about OrchKids here and the Taki Alsop Conducting Fellowship here.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 © 2023 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grammy Award-winning American countertenor, actor, and producer Anthony Roth Costanzo has enthralled audiences with his artistry in the greatest opera houses worldwide. He talks about his distinct, commanding, and dramatic voice, performing naked at the Metropolitan Opera, and the importance of engaging new audiences. Anthony recalls his theatrical childhood, how he was "bit by the opera bug" performing onstage with Pavarotti, and the elaborate thesis he co-wrote and performed while a student at Princeton.Check out Anthony Roth Costanzo on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, 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.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 © 2023 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two-time Grammy Award winner, MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient, and folk artist Rhiannon Giddens is a musical polymath. Defying the odds, she enrolled at Oberlin College to study opera without being able to read music, nor having seen a live performance. Rhiannon credits her formal training at conservatory and an apprenticeship with Black string musician Joe Thompson for her success, and sees music as her most powerful vehicle. The Artistic Director of the Silkroad Ensemble talks about her recent collaborations with Yo-Yo Ma and Francesco Turrisi, love of the banjo, and mission to reclaim American musical traditions.Check out Rhiannon Giddens on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, 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.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 © 2023 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

International superstar and Grammy Award nominated French-Lebanese trumpeter, composer, producer, and arranger Ibrahim Maalouf's music traverses genres and pushes creative boundaries. He reminisces about his earliest lessons with his prominent father, the trumpeter Nassim Maalouf, unpacks their complicated relationship, and shares the dramatic moment his life as a classical music virtuoso came to a close. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Ibrahim also speaks about the lack of acceptance he faces among the styles of music he commands and how that shapes his musical ethos. He reveals why Quincy Jones eating sushi was a good sign and talks about the power of music.Check out Ibrahim Maalouf on Instagram and 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 © 2023 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're back with more inspiring conversations featuring singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright, folk artist Rhiannon Giddens, trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf, conductor Marin Alsop, violinist James Ehnes, and many more!Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram.Follow David on Instagram.You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram or 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 trailer has been edited and condensed to fit the time format.Episode copyright © 2023 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode, David reflects back on guests from the first season of Speaking Soundly who spoke about their growth as musicians. Hear from Ray Chen, Joyce DiDonato, Christian McBride, and Dr. Denson Paul Pollard.Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.Follow David on Instagram.You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode David talks about how Speaking Soundly got its start, what he loves most about interviewing his friends and colleagues, and his own musical background and relationship to practice. David is guest interviewed by Jason Blitman of 76West: A Podcast from the Marlene Meyerson JCC.Special thanks to 76West: A Podcast from the Marlene Meyerson JCC, host Jason Blitman, and audio engineer Matt TemkinFollow Speaking Soundly on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.Follow David on Instagram.You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or 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. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.