We take as our point of departure the upcoming All-American program from the TSO, featuring works by Aaron Copland, George Walker, and George Gershwin. Joining us by phone is pianist Michael Chertock, who solos in Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue with the symphony. In this wide-ranging conversation we hear about Michael's path to piano excellence, his prior experiences with Toledo, an odd job he held during his youth, and how to deal with hecklers. Also, in a podcast exclusive, we welcome TSO Music Director Alain Trudel back to the program to lend more insight into the music heard on the concert.