Beethoven walks into a bar...

If you’ve been to a Kansas City Symphony concert in the last couple years, you know that we have been blessed with an influx of some incredible new musicians in the orchestra. One of those artists is our Principal Harp, Katherine Siochi. This week, we sit down with Katherine and learn all about this most magnificent of orchestral instruments, her career, her adorable pup Brooklyn, and her awesome ensemble for our Mobile Music Box series. We also find out which family the harp really belongs to and whose pup would win Best in Show, this week on Beethoven Walks into a Bar.

Episode 211 Playlist

www.katherinesiochi.com

This week’s guests are two of the funniest and most musical guys we’ve ever met. Gareth and Matt are the comedy percussion duo Buckets N Boards and perform regularly in Branson, MO, on Disney Cruiselines and have even graced the Helzberg Hall stage with the Kansas City Symphony. They're best known for bucket drumming, tap dancing, writing songs for squeaky turtles and playing recorders with their noses. Plus, we play a rousing game of "Name that Percussion Instrument," this week on Beethoven Walks into a Bar.

Episode 210 Playlist

When You Wish Upon a Star

This week we're talking with one of our favorite Boston sports fans, former associate conductor of the Kansas City Symphony, and CURRENT music director of the Knoxville Symphony, Aram Demirjian. Aram talks about fond memories in KC, his new ventures in Knoxville and his path from "backseat conductor" to Music Director. Plus, we have a special New England version of "Bah Talk," this week on Beethoven Walks into a Bar.

Episode 209 Playlist

https://www.aramdemirjian.com/

In this week’s episode, we meet the Kansas City Symphony’s very own Jedi, principal percussionist Josh Jones! Josh is the most recent winner of a Kansas City Symphony audition and he talks to us about his audition experience, working with members of the Chicago Symphony as a kid, his upcoming nuptials and life in KC so far. This week on Beethoven Walks into a Bar.

Episode 208 Playlist

www.drummojo.com

Have you ever wondered what really goes on backstage at the Kansas City Symphony?  This week we pull back the curtain during our conversation with the Symphony's incredible stage manager Dave Tebow. Dave tells us what it's like to parallel park the new 33 foot Mobile Music Box trailer and what goes on behind the scenes in Helzberg Hall before, during and after a performance. All that, plus a spirited game of Bar Talk -- who will win a BBQ lunch with Jason? Find out this week on Beethoven Walks Into a Bar!

Episode 207 Playlist

This week, we're joined by the special woman who sent Mike and Jason to prison. Leigh Lynch runs a program at Lansing Correctional Facility called “Arts in prison”, and she is committed to the idea that the arts are an essential part of helping inmates cope with the stress of prison, and preparing them to reenter society as more peaceful, and constructive citizens. We’ll also find out if anyone really wears orange and how Beethoven made his way into Lansing Correctional Facility -- this week on Beethoven Walks into a Bar.

Episode 206 Playlist

Florestan's Aria from Beethoven's Fidelio

Prisoners' Corus from Fidelio featuring the East Hill Singers

This year we have been celebrating what would’ve been the 100th birthday of legendary violinist Isaac Stern.  Back in January we were fortunate to have an extraordinary violinist perform with the Kansas City Symphony, Nancy Zhou.  Nancy was the first prize winner in the 2018 Shanghai Isaac Stern International Violin Competition, and she performed the Mendelssohn Concerto with guest conductor Peter Oundjian and the Symphony.  In this episode, we talk with Nancy about her career, how she’s spending her time during Covid-19, mojitos, Tex-Mex and much more -- this week on Beethoven Walks into a Bar.

Episode 205 Playlist

Music doesn’t have to be your primary gig for it to be a huge part of your life. Kansas City's favorite meteorologist Bryan Busby also happens to be a tremendously talented percussionist and plays timpani with groups throughout the metro area. We have a great chat about music, weather and play a surprise game of "Song Title or Storm Name," this week on Beethoven Walks into a Bar!

Episode 204 Playlist

Bryan Busby's Wonderful World of Weather

This week on Beethoven Walks into a Bar we sit down with one of KC's most treasured musicians, organist Jan Kraybill. Jan tells us all about the Kauffman Center's beautiful Julia Irene Kauffman Casavant organ, including what it's like to play and maintain such a mammoth instrument. Plus, Stephanie gets her first shot at hosting a rousing game of Bar Talk!

Episode 203 Playlist

This week, we're talking with one of the hardest working music educators in the business, Selene Hernandez. When she’s not busy running an orchestra program in Independence, MO, she fills her time teaching even more students for Harmony Project KC, a program which brings the gift of music to underprivileged children in Northeast Kansas City.

We’ll learn how music has shaped her life and how her personal journey inspires her teaching. This week, on Beethoven Walks into a Bar.

Episode 202 Playlist

Excerpt from Vienna Philharmonic, John Williams and Anne-Sophie Mutter

Yo-Yo Ma plays Bach

Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra plays "Mambo"