a mic on the podium

I am always humbled when I get the chance to chat with someone so influential in the world of classical music and find that they are so warm, honest, and fascinating.

Sir James MacMillan was a real joy to chat with - I discovered what music he likes to "champion" when he conducts abroad, we chat about the pitfalls of social media, and we discuss why it is problematic when a composer won't "let go" in the rehearsal process!

If you would like to know more about conductors and conducting, why not subscribe at https://www.patreon.com/amiconthepodium, and for a monthly fee starting from just £5 a month, you can access two new series of interviews, group Zoom meetings with other fans of the podcast and myself, a monthly bulletin about the podcast and my own career as well as articles, photos, videos and even conducting lessons from myself.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to make a one-off donation to financially support this podcast, then go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/a-mic-on-the-podium and any donation you make will be greatly appreciated and help the podcast live on into the future.

This interview was recorded on 15th March 2021 via Zoom.

This was another chat I really enjoyed having with a lot of laughter between the two of us!

Valentina Peleggi is a conductor who is really making strides in the conducting world. We discovered that we had both been to a little-known music festival in the mountains of Brazil, she was the first person to give the same answer to questions 1 & 2, and she was extremely forthright about what toppings should go on pizza!

If you would like to know more about conductors and conducting, why not subscribe at https://www.patreon.com/amiconthepodium, and for a monthly fee starting from just £5 a month, you can access two new series of interviews, group Zoom meetings with other fans of the podcast and myself, a monthly bulletin about the podcast and my own career as well as articles, photos, videos and even conducting lessons from myself.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to make a one-off donation to financially support this podcast, then go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/a-mic-on-the-podium and any donation you make will be greatly appreciated and help the podcast live on into the future.

This interview was recorded on 11th February 2021 via Zoom.

It is always a pleasure when you meet someone for the first time and you instantly have a rapport - this was one of those occasions!

Ben Glassberg and I chatted about diversity in the world of conducting, how important your relationship with the Leader or Concertmaster is, and how conducting must be "in the moment" and not a "dance routine" - and despite Ben worrying that "you will think that he is alcoholic", he did mention alcohol in five of his answers to the ten questions at the end!

If you would like to know more about conductors and conducting, why not subscribe at https://www.patreon.com/amiconthepodium, and for a monthly fee starting from just £5 a month, you can access two new series of interviews, group Zoom meetings with other fans of the podcast and myself, a monthly bulletin about the podcast and my own career as well as articles, photos, videos and even conducting lessons from myself.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to make a one-off donation to financially support this podcast, then go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/a-mic-on-the-podium and any donation you make will be greatly appreciated and help the podcast live on into the future.

This interview was recorded on 31st October 2020 via Zoom.

I love Argentina and have visited many times and it was a pleasure to chat with my first Argentinian conductor on the podcast!

Christian Baldini and I discussed cover conducting and what that entails, I discovered which composer's full score was so large that the music stand had to be rebuilt, and, of course, the subject of England vs Argentina and football didn't take too long to come up!

If you would like to know more about conductors and conducting, why not subscribe at https://www.patreon.com/amiconthepodium, and for a monthly fee starting from just £5 a month, you can access two new series of interviews, group Zoom meetings with other fans of the podcast and myself, a monthly bulletin about the podcast and my own career as well as articles, photos, videos and even conducting lessons from myself.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to make a one-off donation to financially support this podcast, then go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/a-mic-on-the-podium and any donation you make will be greatly appreciated and help the podcast live on into the future.

This interview was recorded on 13th January 2021 via Zoom.

Paul Daniel had been on my list of conductors I was desperate to chat with for a long time and what a joy it was to get to speak with him!

Despite some connection issues between the UK and France (and I do mean the internet!) I discovered how being a chorister at Coventry Cathedral really inspired him to conduct, I heard his very candid and honest reflections on the differences between Opera North and English National Opera, and I heard his wonderful impersonation of one of the conducting greats! 

If you would like to know more about conductors and conducting, why not subscribe at https://www.patreon.com/amiconthepodium, and for a monthly fee starting from just £5 a month, you can access two new series of interviews, group Zoom meetings with other fans of the podcast and myself, a monthly bulletin about the podcast and my own career as well as articles, photos, videos and even conducting lessons from myself.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to make a one-off donation to financially support this podcast, then go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/a-mic-on-the-podium and any donation you make will be greatly appreciated and help the podcast live on into the future.

This interview was recorded on 3rd February 2021 via Zoom.

Jaime Martín is definitely a conductor who is going places! Along with his titled positions in Sweden, Spain, Eire, and the US, since we recorded this interview, he has been appointed the next Chief Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra starting in 2022.

I discovered why he stayed as a student in The Hague for as long as possible, which conductor seemingly never gave any upbeats, and he is the first person to "politely decline" to answer one of the ten questions at the end!

If you would like to know more about conductors and conducting, why not subscribe at https://www.patreon.com/amiconthepodium, and for a monthly fee starting from just £5 a month, you can access two new series of interviews, group Zoom meetings with other fans of the podcast and myself, a monthly bulletin about the podcast and my own career as well as articles, photos, videos and even conducting lessons from myself.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to make a one-off donation to financially support this podcast, then go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/a-mic-on-the-podium and any donation you make will be greatly appreciated and help the podcast live on into the future.

This interview was recorded on 29th January 2021 via Zoom.

This was a chat I really enjoyed with a fellow conductor and podcaster! Joshua Weilerstein is a joy to interview and we had a lot to chat about.

We discussed his amazing lockdown project, how he started his podcast, 'Sticky Notes', and what he didn't even bother to pack in his suitcase when he entered the Malko Conducting Competition in 2009!

If you would like to know more about conductors and conducting, why not subscribe at https://www.patreon.com/amiconthepodium, and for a monthly fee starting from just £5 a month, you can access two new series of interviews, group Zoom meetings with other fans of the podcast and myself, a monthly bulletin about the podcast and my own career as well as articles, photos, videos and even conducting lessons from myself.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to make a one-off donation to financially support this podcast, then go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/a-mic-on-the-podium and any donation you make will be greatly appreciated and help the podcast live on into the future.

This interview was recorded on 13th July 2020 via Zoom.

I am lucky that so many of the conductors have been a joy to chat with and this week's episode is no different! Carlo Rizzi was very interesting and such a warm and genial person.

I discovered that Carlo studies his opera scores differently from symphonic scores, he tells me exactly what it takes to be a successful Music Director of an opera house, and I discover what he might start doing when he reaches his seventies?!

If you would like to financially support the podcast, why not subscribe at https://www.patreon.com/amiconthepodium, and for a monthly fee starting from just £5 a month, you can access two new series of interviews, group Zoom meetings with other fans of the podcast and myself, a monthly bulletin about the podcast and my own career as well as articles, photos, videos and even conducting lessons from myself.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to make a one-off donation, go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/a-mic-on-the-podium and any donation you make will be greatly appreciated and help the podcast live on into the future.

This interview was recorded on 12th October 2020 via Zoom.

American conductor, Robert Trevino, is definitely making his mark on the world of conducting and classical music, having jobs in both Spain and Sweden, and since we recorded this chat, he's added another position in Italy.

Despite some poor internet connections at times, we discussed how a conductor should treat and interact with orchestral musicians, I found out who "beat the incompetence" out of him, and we had a very amusing moment sparked by the difference between US English and UK English!

If you would like to financially support the podcast, why not subscribe at https://www.patreon.com/amiconthepodium, and for a monthly fee starting from just £5 a month, you can access two new series of interviews, group Zoom meetings with other fans of the podcast and myself, a monthly bulletin about the podcast and my own career as well as articles, photos, videos and even conducting lessons from myself.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to make a one-off donation, go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/a-mic-on-the-podium and any donation you make will be greatly appreciated and help the podcast live on into the future.

This interview was recorded on 10th August 2020 via Zoom.

This was another chat I thoroughly enjoyed - but then I have always seemed to get along well with brass players?!

Fabien Gabel was great to chat with and I found out how much of an influence Pierre Boulez was on him, we discussed how to get over being nervous when working with and assisting conductors that you admire, and I discover that Fabien, like myself, is a Berlioz fan!

If you would like to financially support the podcast, why not subscribe at https://www.patreon.com/amiconthepodium, and for a monthly fee starting from just £5 a month, you can access two new series of interviews, group Zoom meetings with other fans of the podcast and myself, a monthly bulletin about the podcast and my own career as well as articles, photos, videos and even conducting lessons from myself.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to make a one-off donation, go to https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/a-mic-on-the-podium and any donation you make will be greatly appreciated and help the podcast live on into the future.

This interview was recorded on 8th October 2020 via Zoom.