Best Experiments in Opera Podcasts (2025)

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Samantha Ege and Leah Broad on Avril Coleridge-Taylor 33:16

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3d ago33:16

33:16

Hattie Butterworth is joined by pianist and historian Samantha Ege and author Leah Broad to discuss the life and music of composer Avril Coleridge-Taylor as the first recording of her orchestral music and piano concerto is released on Resonus

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Stories Worth Telling: Self-Publish Your Family Story — with Peyton Wilfley from AllTales 24:51

13d ago24:51

24:51

Everyone has a story worth saving. AllTales makes it easy to turn them into beautifully illustrated books. This week on UPBEAT, I'm joined by Peyton Wilfley — founder of AllTales.com — to talk about preserving legacy through storytelling. Whether it's your grandfather's life story, a memory book for your kids, or a meaningful gift for someone you l…

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Conductor Klaus Mäkelä on performing Mahler's Eighth at the 2025 Mahler Festival 19:54

16d ago19:54

19:54

In May this year, the Concertgebouw – Amsterdam's legendary concert hall – played host to the 2025 Mahler Festival. Originally scheduled for 2000, the centenary of the first such event, but moved back by five years due to the pandemic, the Mahler Festival saw all of Mahler's symphonies performed chronologically over two weeks, and performed by a ha…

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Pianist Mao Fujita on concluding his preludes project 23:30

26d ago23:30

23:30

Mao Fujita, who took second prize in the Piano category at the 2019 Tchaikovsky Competition, released an album on Sony Classical of 72 preludes back in the autumn of 2024 – the three sets of 24 by Chopin, Scriabin and Akio Yashiro. Now as a pendant to that project he has recorded another six, by Ravel, Rachmaninov, Mompou, Franck, Busoni and Alkan.…

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Composer and author Robin Holloway on celebrating 900 years of classical music 37:00

26d ago37:00

37:00

The composer, academic and writer Robin Holloway has just published a new book, Music's Odyssey, An Invitation to Western Classical Music (Allen Lane). He's Emeritus Professor of Music at the University of Cambridge, where James Jolly went to visit him a couple of weeks ago to talk about the book's genesis and aims. The podcast features an excerpt …

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Countertenor Philippe Jaroussky on his new album 'Gelosia!' 34:19

1M ago34:19

34:19

The French countertenor Philippe Jaroussky has just released a new Erato album of cantatas da camera by Alessandro Scarlatti, Porpora, Galuppi, Handel and Vivaldi, 'Gelosia!'. On it he also conducts his ensemble Artaserse, which he founded in 2002, and with which he increasingly appears solely as conductor rather than as singer. Gramophone's James …

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The Hermes Experiment on their new album, Tree 34:56

1M ago34:56

34:56

The Hermes Experiment - an ever-innovative, exploratory and imaginative ensemble - have released their new album, Tree, a meditation on nature, memory and change embracing contemporary composers and reimagined music from the past. Two members of the group, soprano Héloïse Werner and clarinetist Oliver Pashley - who also both have compositions on th…

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Gramophone Classical Music Awards 2025: The Winners 56:50

1M ago56:50

56:50

In this special edition of the Gramophone Podcast, we explore the full list of winners from this year's Gramophone Classical Music Awards. Editor Emeritus James Jolly, Editor Martin Cullingford, Deputy Editor Tim Parry and Editor of Opera Now and Choir & Organ Hattie Butterworth talk through the Category Winners, the Special Awards, and of course t…

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Maxim Emelyanychev on Mozart's symphonies 26:20

1M ago26:20

26:20

For this week's Gramophone Podcast, Editor Martin Cullingford travelled to Padua to talk to Maxim Emelyanychev, Chief Conductor of Il Pomo d'Oro, about recording Mozart symphonies - and specially their latest release of Symphonies Nos 35 and 36, and Violin Concerto No 3 - on period instruments for the Aparté label.…

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Tine Thing Helseth on Echoes, her new album of trumpet concertos 31:17

2M ago31:17

31:17

This week's guest on the Gramophone Podcast is trumpeter Tine Thing Helseth, who talks to Editor Martin Cullingford about her new recording on the Lawo label. Called 'Echoes', it features works by Arutiunian, Penderecki and Weinberg - she talks about the album, as well as her wider work championing her instrument and its repertoire.…

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Ian Page on the music of Gluck 41:39

2M ago41:39

41:39

In this week's Gramophone Podcast, the conductor Ian Page joins Editor Martin Cullingford to talk about the music of the 18th-century composer Gluck, setting him in the context of musical developments of his time. The conversation marks the release of the new album from his ensemble The Mozartists - a recording of arias from Gluck operas, sung by A…

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#194: Ron Von Dreau - The Secret to Growing a 60+ Student Music Studio 1:17:51

2M ago1:17:51

1:17:51

In this episode of That’s Not Spit, It’s Condensation, I sit down with tubist and teacher Ron Von Dreau to talk about what it takes to build and sustain a thriving private teaching studio. Ron has taught in Texas for decades, managing studios of 60–80+ students while also teaching at the university level, directing band programs, and balancing free…

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Anastasia Kobekina on Bach's Cello Suites | Gramophone Podcast 38:25

2M ago38:25

38:25

In this week's Gramophone Podcast, cellist Anastasia Kobekina talks about her new recording of one of the most revered series of works for her instrument - Bach's Solo Cello Suites. While the album isn't released by Sony Classical until next Friday (September 26), three movements are already available as singles, and in this side ranging conversati…

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#193: 4 Skills That Separate Audition Winners from Everyone Else 54:40

2M ago54:40

54:40

In this episode, I'm going to break down the real reason auditions feel so brutal—and what separates the winners from everyone else. It's not luck. It's not just talent. It's a learnable set of skills that anyone can develop. If you’ve ever walked off stage thinking “I thought I was ready… what happened?”—this is for you. You’ll learn: ✅ The mindse…

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Composer John Rutter: a birthday conversation 56:00

2M ago56:00

56:00

One of the most-performed composers of our time, Sir John Rutter, celebrates his 80th birthday on September 24. To mark the occasion Harmonia Mundi has released an album of his choral music sung by the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge, directed by Graham Ross – 'John Rutter: A Clare College Celebration'. And next week Decca releases an all-orchest…

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From Opera to Coaching: Elena Armijo on Real Voice and Leadership 36:40

3M ago36:40

36:40

The best leaders know this. This week on UPBEAT I'm joined by Elena Armijo, a former opera singer turned executive coach, for a conversation about her bold pivot from opera to executive coaching and how to lead with your real voice. A must-listen for anyone craving alignment and purpose. Elena is a Master Certified Coach (MCC), Trauma-Informed Cert…

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Rowan Pierce on recording Bach, Handel and Vivaldi | Gramophone Podcast 28:44

3M ago28:44

28:44

Soprano Rowan Pierce joins Jonathan Whiting to reflect on the intimacy of making chamber-scale Baroque music without a conductor, the challenges of Bach's expansive recitatives, and the almost operatic drama of Handel's 'Tra le fiamme'. She also speaks about her long collaboration with Ashley Solomon, the ensemble's director, and about finding new …

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The Viral Power of Doing Things the Right Way 20:50

3M ago20:50

20:50

What happens when you stop chasing trends and start doing things the right way? In this episode, I share the story of seeing The All-American Rejects live — and how their "house party tour" proves you can go viral while staying authentic. This was a totally unplanned episode, but out of it came 4 main takeaways that can help you in life, business, …

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Composer Jake Heggie on 25 years of writing operas 33:28

3M ago33:28

33:28

Composer jake Heggie joins Hattie Butterworth to speak about the recording release of 'Intelligence', an opera premiered at Houston Grand Opera in 2023 and out now on the LSO Live label. They also look back on 25 years since Heggie's first opera 'Dead Man Walking' was premiered and ahead to a new production of the work at English National Opera in …

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Shawn Finnegan's $1.5M Setback and How Relationship Building Changed the Game 36:25

3M ago36:25

36:25

What would you do if you lost $1.5 million? In this episode, Shawn Finnegan shares how he turned a $1.5 million setback into a million-dollar opportunity with his 3-step formula for networking and relationship building. As the co-founder of Tax Hive and partner with Kevin O'Leary, Shawn's insights are ones you can't miss. Parker Kane uncovers power…

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Cellist Alisa Weilerstein on recording new concertos by Gabriela Ortiz and Richard Blackford 23:58

3M ago23:58

23:58

During the 2024-25 season, Alisa Weilerstein premiered three new cello concertos – Richard Blackford's The Recovery of Paradise (which she has recorded for Pentatone with the Czech Philharmonic conducted by Tomáš Netopil), Gabriela Ortiz's Dzonot (recorded for Platoon with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Gustavo Dudamel) and Thomas Larcher's Retur…

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No Empty Trips: How Headkrack Balances Hustle and Purpose 35:56

3M ago35:56

35:56

No empty trips. What does that mean? Every risk, every failure, every late night—adding up to something bigger than you imagined. Nothing you do is a waste of time. In this episode of UPBEAT, rapper and world-class radio/TV host Headkrack shares how he builds success with purpose—without wasting a single trip. We talk about his "No Empty Trips" min…

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The Dover Quartet on recording Woodland Songs | Gramophone Podcast 36:06

3M ago36:06

36:06

Joel and Camden from the Dover Quartet meet Hattie Butterworth in Philadelphia to discuss their latest album, Woodland Songs, which places the music of Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate and Pura Fé alongside the Dvorak 'American' String Quartet in F Major. Though vastly different works in style, expression, and historical context, they share the common …

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#192: Doug Lindsey - Master Lip Trills and Unlock Effortless Trumpet Technique 1:31:26

3M ago1:31:26

1:31:26

In this episode, we break down how to master lip trills, develop faster and cleaner technique, and play with more freedom—without adding tension. You’ll learn why “lip trills” aren’t actually about the lips, how to train your air and embouchure for effortless control, and the exact exercises that build dazzling technique you can trust in any perfor…

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From $30 to CEO: Raynei Villarreal on Faith & Creative Entrepreneurship 37:49

3M ago37:49

37:49

What separates dreamers from achievers? Sometimes, it's just $30 and the courage to risk everything. When Raynei Villarreal had only $30 in his pocket, he faced a decision every entrepreneur understands: play it safe or bet on your vision. He chose vision, transforming a passion for wearable art into GMRT Customs, a faith-driven brand now serving c…

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Mandolinist Avi Avital on his new album 'Song of the Birds' | Gramophone Classical Music Podcast 31:03

4M ago31:03

31:03

The mandolin player Avi Avital, with his ensemble Between Worlds, has just released a new DG album 'Song of the Birds' which crosses boundaries to explore the musics of three geographical regions – Iberia, southern Italy (Puglia) and the Black Sea – with vivid results. For this week's Gramophone Podcast, James Jolly caught up Avi Avital while he wa…

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Finding Your Real Voice Online: You Don't Have to Be Everywhere 38:57

4M ago38:57

38:57

Overwhelmed by posting on all platforms? Just, stop. In this episode of UPBEAT, Virginia Kerr, a former TV news anchor turned video strategist, shares her journey of reclaiming her authentic voice online and why she chose to stop chasing every platform — ultimately building her business on YouTube. In this episode, Virginia reveals: • How focusing …

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Live from 2025 Three Choirs Festival 36:33

4M ago36:33

36:33

Join Hattie at the 2025 Three Choirs Festival in Hereford as she speaks to performers, composers, clergy and audience members to discover what makes the festival such a place of pilgrimage 300 years since its foundation

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I Almost Didn't Share This: The Power of Trusting Your Story 17:06

4M ago17:06

17:06

What if your breakthrough is on the other side of just showing up? 🤔 I was praying in my car when I felt a strong prompting to hit record—no script, no plan. Just the real story behind what was actually happening during the viral moment that changed everything. I hope this finds who it's meant to—and reminds you to trust your path and own your stor…

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Cellist Guy Johnston on the Bliss Cello Concerto | Gramophone Classical Music Podcast 29:26

4M ago29:26

29:26

Guy Johnston joins Hattie Butterworth to discuss his latest recording of the Arthur Bliss Cello Concerto with Andrew Manze and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. A technical mine field, the concerto was written for the great cellist Rostropovich and premiered with Benjamin Britten conducting at the 1970 Aldeburgh Festival. Guy also speaks …

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How to Monetize a Podcast Without Selling Out — with Dave Jackson 43:55

4M ago43:55

43:55

Is focusing on monetizing actually costing you? 🤔 Podcast legend Dave Jackson from School of Podcasting shares how you can grow your show, build an audience, and finally monetize without selling out. Dave and I both recommend Podpage. It's the fastest way to build a legit podcast website (in under 5 minutes)! 30K+ podcasters trust it, and it's grow…

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2025 BBC Proms: Our Top Picks | Gramophone Classical Music Podcast 27:35

4M ago27:35

27:35

As the 2025 BBC Proms season gets underway, Martin Cullingford is joined by Tim Parry and Hattie Butterworth select their top picks. From Rachmaninov with Yunchan Lim and the UK premiere of Anna Thorvaldsdottir's Cello Concerto to a late-night tribute to Arvo Pärt and a rare performance of Delius's A Mass of Life, the team reflects on the Proms's c…

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#191: Victor Djonorh - What Middle School Band Directors Really Do (And Why It Matters) 1:13:50

4M ago1:13:50

1:13:50

In this episode of That's Not Spit, It's Condensation, I sit down with Victor Djonorh, longtime band director at Summit Middle School and assistant director at Edmond Santa Fe, to dive deep into the realities of teaching music at the middle and high school level. We cover: 🎵 How he accidentally became a tuba player 🎓 Lessons from his time at Oklaho…

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I Got Uncomfortable on Purpose (How Kade Peterson Rewired His Brain) 48:04

4M ago48:04

48:04

After dancing in his car for 90 days straight, Kade Peterson went viral and met T-Pain — but the real transformation happened before that. In this episode, we explore how getting uncomfortable on purpose rewired Kade's brain and helped him build a happier, more purpose-driven life. He rebuilt his discipline, learned to trust himself again, and star…

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How to Rebuild After Burnout (A Fresh Start for UPBEAT) 18:08

4M ago18:08

18:08

After an eight-month break from podcasting, I'm back with more clarity, purpose, and a renewed vision for UPBEAT. In this first episode back, I share why I stepped away, what I've been working through in therapy, and what finally pulled me back. If you're a creator, entrepreneur, or podcaster navigating burnout, identity shifts, ADHD, or the pressu…

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Julian Bream: an archive interview from 2013 with the great guitarist 19:23

5M ago19:23

19:23

We're today continuing the theme set by last week's edition, in which we marked the 500th episode of the Gramophone Classical Music podcast by looking back over some of our most memorable interviews and episodes. The interview Editor Martin Cullingford chose to reflect on was a conversation he had with the guitarist Julian Bream all the way back in…

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Music and conversation: 500 episodes of the Gramophone Podcast 38:20

5M ago38:20

38:20

Earlier this year the Gramophone Podcast passed 1 million downloads. Now we've reached another milestone: our 500th episode. Launched before podcasting's current popularity, the series steadily built a following, which grew substantially once we adopted a weekly schedule and set formats. Those formats include: interviews with major artists on new a…

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#190: Johanna Yarbrough - From Orchestral Challenges to Teaching with Impact 1:19:53

5M ago1:19:53

1:19:53

In this episode, I’m joined by Johanna Yarbrough, who recently transitioned from her role as second horn with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra to become the Professor of French Horn at Louisiana State University. What begins as a conversation about career trajectory quickly unfolds into a vulnerable and deeply insightful look at the realities of orch…

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Orchestra of the Year 2025: exploring this year's nominees 33:19

5M ago33:19

33:19

Gramophone's Editor Martin Cullingford speaks to James Jolly about the 2025 Orchestra of the Year nominated orchestras, discussing the impact each of them has made to recordings and the wider musical landscape To vote for Gramophone's Orchestra of the Year 2025, head to gramophone.co.uk/vote25

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Conductor John Andrews on recording The Seal Woman 42:10

5M ago42:10

42:10

Conductor John Andrews joins Hattie Butterworth to speak about the debut recording of Sir Granville Bantock and Marjory Kennedy-Fraser's folk opera, The Seal Woman. They explore the folk song collecting of Marjory Kennedy-Fraser, as well as Andrews's commitment to uncovering lesser-known repertoire

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#189: Is Vennture the Future of Mouthpiece Design for Trumpet Players? | Doug McVey 1:17:32

5M ago1:17:32

1:17:32

Doug McVey is the founder of Vennture mouthpieces. He guides the technical direction of Vennture, oversees the development of VennCAD, and designs the tooling and processes used to produce Vennture custom mouthpieces. www.vennture.mp Support the show

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Mezzo Kitty Whately on unknown French song 28:52

5M ago28:52

28:52

Kitty Whately joins Hattie Butterworth to discuss her new album on Chandos with pianist Edwige Herchenroder titled Horizons: French Melodies. They also explore the historic erasure of women composers, as well as Kitty's ongoing advocacy and research

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20 Years of VOCES8 with co-founders Paul & Barnaby Smith and soprano Andrea Haines 39:56

6M ago39:56

39:56

The vocal ensemble VOCES8 are marking their 20th anniversay with a new release – out today – celebrating the full breadth of their creativity, and an exciting season of concerts. Editor Martin Cullingford sat down with three of the key figures behind this most innovative of ensembles – the co-founders Barnaby Smith, Artistic Director, and Paul Smit…

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#188: How to Teach Trumpet: Lessons from 30+ Years of Experience 1:15:21

6M ago1:15:21

1:15:21

Michael Anderson is the recently retired Professor of Trumpet at the Wanda L. Bass School of Music at Oklahoma City University. He is a member of the International Trumpet Guild Board of Directors and ITG Journal editorial committee, Executive Director of the Guild’s web site, and chairman of the ITG technology committee. He is the ITG Journal colu…

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Conductor Andris Nelsons on the influence of Shostakovich 36:25

6M ago36:25

36:25

This week's Gramophone podcast is a special focus on one of the most significant of 20th century composers, Dimitri Shostakovich, the 50th anniversary of whose death we mark this year. As our guide to his music we're privileged to have conductor Andris Nelsons, who, together with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, has just reached the end of a journey …

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Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau at 100: Richard Wigmore discusses the great baritone's Winterreise recordings 49:44

6M ago49:44

49:44

The German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau's 100th birthday falls on May 28. One of the most versatile singers of the last century – his operatic repertoire alone ranged from Gluck, Handel and Mozart via Verdi, Wagner and Richard Strauss to Berg, Busoni and Reimann – it's his devotion to song that remains his lasting legacy. To mark the anniversa…

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#187: Sound, Self-Belief, and the Path to Trumpet Mastery | Karl Sievers 1:47:34

6M ago1:47:34

1:47:34

Karl Sievers grew up in Louisville, KY. His teachers include Leon Rapier, former principal trumpet in the Louisville Orchestra; Louis Davidson, former principal trumpet in the Cleveland Orchestra; William Adam at Indiana University; and others. Karl holds a DMA in Trumpet Performance, is in his 24th season as principal trumpet in the Oklahoma City …

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Masaaki and Masato Suzuki on Brahms's Ein deutsches Requiem 27:38

6M ago27:38

27:38

In this week's episode, Editor Martin Cullingford met with the founder and Music Director of Bach Collegium Japan Masaaki Suzuki, along with the group's Principal Conductor Masato Suzuki, to talk about their new recording of Brahms's Ein deutsches Requiem, available now on BIS – as well as discussing Bach's St John Passion, which they had performed…

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Pianist Yevgeny Sudbin on returning to Scriabin's music 26:35

7M ago26:35

26:35

In 2007, Yevgeny Sudbin released an album of music by Alexander Scriabin. Reviewing it in Gramophone, Bryce Morrison described it as a 'disc in a million'. Now, Sudbin has returned to the composer for his 25th recording for BIS, and offers a wide-ranging survey of music that includes two more of the piano sonatas. James Jolly caught up with Yevgeny…

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#186: What It Really Takes To Win A Top Opera Job (Trombone Edition) | Will Baker 1:05:56

7M ago1:05:56

1:05:56

William A. Baker, was appointed Bass Trombonist of the Lyric Opera of Chicago Orchestra in 2024 by Music Director Enrique Mazzola. He also currently serves as the Principal Bass Trombonist of the Monterey Symphony, a post he has held since 2018. From 2021-2024, Will primarily performed with the San Francisco Symphony, including over 200 performance…

Experiments In Opera Podcasts