Part 1 of our discussion with violinist Andrew Wan is focused on Beethoven. For the 250th Anniversary of Beethoven’s birth, Andrew Wan is recording

all of the composer’s violin sonatas. Andrew describes how meticulous attention to detail in preparing Beethoven results in performances of astonishing freedom and spontaneity.

Amy Schwartz-Moretti of the Ehnes Quartet says “every cell in my body comes to life” when she has the honor of playing Beethoven string quartets with members of this ensemble. Ehnes Quartet members share their most personal responses to the cycle of Beethoven quartets in Part 3 of our discussion.

Part 2 of our discussion with the renowned Ehnes Quartet focuses on the unique roles that Beethoven demands of the four players who take on his string quartets. We get answers from the perspective of each instrument within the quartet.

This special edition of our podcast is a 3-part discussion with the Ehnes Quartet, made up of violinists James Ehnes and Amy Schwartz Moretti, violist Richard O'Neill, and cellist Edward Arron. In Part one, they discuss how Beethoven’s String Quartets take us from the work of a young artist flexing his compositional muscles to the stream of consciousness musings of a mature master craftsman.

This special 2020 Winter Festival Preview episode features SCMS Artistic Director James Ehnes discussing Beethoven and Bach with Classical KING FM host Dave Beck. Nine of Beethoven's string quartets and four of Bach's concerti will be performed as part of the Festival. James also speaks about the other Festival programming and his father's impact on him as a performer.

In the final part of our conversation, violinist Erin Keefe talks about how playing Brahms’ chamber music led to her appointment as concertmaster of the Minnesota Orchestra, and we hear that performance of Brahms. Erin also shares one of her favorite concertmaster solos, a passage from the Richard Strauss “Four Last Songs.”

Part 2 of our conversation with violinist Erin Keefe includes her shocking admission that she “detests practicing.” But Erin explains that the social aspect of music, and the friendships and collegiality of chamber music in particular, fuel her passion for perfecting her craft.

In part 1 of our discussion with violinist Erin Keefe, she shares a recording of music by Jean Sibelius and talks about how she’s come to a deeper understanding of that great Finnish composer through her travels and performances with her Finnish husband, conductor and composer Osmo Vänskä.

The final part of our chat with tenor Nicholas Phan, we learn about his founding of the Collaborative Arts Institute of Chicago to promote opportunities for art song performance. We hear a delightful song by Hugo Wolf and 'An Die Musik' by Franz Schubert. Nicholas also speaks warmly of his former vocal teacher Rosemary Russell.

Part 2 of our conversation with tenor Nicholas Phan, the unique and special aspects of art song and vocal chamber music, which is a particular focus for Phan. A song about witches by Felix Mendelssohn is heard and discussed, as well as the how the vocal music of Mendelssohn and other composers is under-performed.