With episodes nearing 350 in the STAGES archive, it’s time to revisit conversations featured in our previous seasons.

STAGES spotlights such episodes, in case you missed them the first time ‘round - or so you can simply savour, a second listen.

Either way, you’ll accessing precious oral histories from the people who were there, on and around our stages.

Iain Grandage is a composer, conductor and Festival Director. He has previously been at the helm of the Port Fairy Music Festival. When he joined STAGES in 2019, he was preparing to launch his first program as Artistic Director at The Perth Festival.

He recently announced the program for the 2023 Perth Festival - another exciting celebration of the Arts, headlined by Icelandic singer Björk in an exclusive season of her dazzling live concert experience, Cornucopia.

Born and bred in Perth, his excitement at steering this festival was palpable. He knows his audience and the responsibility of celebrating local and indigenous art forms, whilst also delivering unique and stimulating experiences drawn from an international canvas.

As a composer, Iain’s concert works have been performed by the ACO, Brodsky String Quartet, Australian String Quartet, Australian Brass Quintet and choirs and orchestras around Australia.

As music director he has conducted orchestras for Kate Miller-Heidke, Katie Noonan and Tim Minchin, and led the London Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also conducted and presented the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Education program.

His scores have covered a broad range of genres and cover diverse subjects; Opera with The Rabbits and The Riders, Theatre with Cloudstreet and The Secret River, Dance with When Time Stops and Film with Satan Jawa.

On this day of recording, Iain greeted me armed with a block of chocolate and a peppermint tea, eager to generously share his vision for the 2020 festival and an insight into his incredible instinct and ethos as an artist.

The Stages podcast is available from Apple podcasts, Spotify, and where you find your favourite podcasts. www.stagespodcast.com.au