Thoroughly Good Classical Music Podcast

Episode 14 of the Thoroughly Good Classical Music Podcast was recorded behind the scenes at the inaugural Waterperry Opera Festival in the idyllic setting of Waterperry Gardens in Oxfordshire.

This podcast features a tour of the site with Festival Director Guy Withers, and an interview with baritone Nick Morton and Musical Director Bertie Baigent plus excerpts from the final dress rehearsal for one of the operas in production - Jonathan Dove's sparkling setting of Jane Austen's Mansfield Park.

The Waterperry Opera Festival runs until 19th August 2018\. Next year's dates are 25th-28th July 2019\. Find out more at waterperryoperafestival.co.uk

This episode features pianists Charles Owen and Katya Apekisheva - artistic directors of the London Piano Festival - a five day series of concerts from 3-7 October 2018 at Kings Place featuring appearances from Stephen Kovacevich, Pavel Kolesnikov, and Samson Tsoy.

Charles, Katya and I met at Kings Place in London on the 10th August 2018 and talked about Debussy, the performance experience, and the challenges of running a festival. They provide some highlights of the Festival towards the end of this podcast.

Tickets at kingsplace.co.uk/lpf

Funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and the Esmee Fairburn Trust, the Philharmonia's award-winning multimedia digital is touring the UK with an exhibition dedicated to Holst's Planet Suite and a virtual reality experience.

Jon Jacob meets Events Manager Elizabeth Howard, Director of Residencies Jonathan Mayes, and Audience Development Manager Tom Spurgin at the exhibition's current home in Bedford.

For more information on the exhibition visit philharmonia.co.uk/virtualorchestra.

Watch a video recording of the unedited discussion on YouTube >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=let6I4ZjXvY

Laura Attridge and Jonathan Tilbrook discuss opera production and the challenges staging Benjamin Britten's problematic opera Rape of Lucretia in the #MeToo era. 

Trinity Laban's production of Rape of Lucretia is on 6, 7 and 8 July 2018 at Stratford Arts Circus, London. Tickets are £15\. More details here >> https://www.trinitylaban.ac.uk/whats-on/britten-the-rape-of-lucretia-2

Recorded at the Khachaturian Cello Competition in Yerevan, Armenia, Jon Jacob speaks to some of the finalists competing for the first prize about the competition experience, the challenges of playing some of the repertoire and their own hopes and aspirations for the future.

Opera Holland Park General Director Michael Volpe and opera-goer Ruth Elleson join Jon Jacob in a discussion about opera appreciation, inspiring the younger generation, ticket prices, and this year's OHP season.

For more information about the 2018 season, visit http://www.operahollandpark.com/2018-season/.

Watch Hip Hop to Opera on YouTube here >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coz6CUlXi38

And for the Inside Out character Michael refers to in the podcast, see here >> https://twitter.com/ImIncorrigible/status/1001756462794903552

The Thoroughly Good Classical Music Podcast invites three people who play, listen or otherwise work in classical music to sit and discuss the subject they love. They’re unplanned conversations recorded as live, very nearly unedited, and more often than not take unexpected twists and turns.

Podcast 8 recorded in the Steinway Piano Showroom in London features a returning participant – the marvellous Fran Wilson from the Cross-Eyed Pianist blog - one of the two artistic directors of this years Leeds Piano Competition, and former Radio 3 New Generation Artists Editor, Adam Gatehouse.

Podcast seven was recorded in the Royal Overseas League off Arlington Street in Central London. It features Royal Overseas League Arts Director Geoff Parkin, and previous Royal Overseas League Gold Medal Final winner saxophonist Huw Wiggin. 

For a full list of the topics we discussed head over to the Thoroughly Good Blog.

Podcast six was recorded in the much-maligned hotel bar The Heights – and features music journalist Ariane Todes and I talking to violinist Hugo Ticciati.

Hugo talks about his new album 'White Light – The Space Between', why he went without glasses for five years, the challenge of improvisation for classical music musicians, and rock balancing. 

For a full list of the topics we discussed head over to the Thoroughly Good Blog.

Episode 5 of the Thoroughly Good Classical Music Podcast features conductor Damian Irorio, currently the music director of the Milton Keynes City Orchestra, and Alexander van Ingen of the Academy of Ancient Music.

The Academy of Ancient Music will be playing Bach’s St John Passion on Good Friday at 3pm at the Barbican.