Actor Tom Hiddleston recalls a powerful experience with nature, Arvo Pärt’s music, and the power of art to remind us of our humanity.

Tom Hiddleston on Arvo Pärt and the Infinite

Part mixtape, part sonic love-letter, The Open Ears Project is a podcast in which people share the classical track that means the most to them and why. Created by journalist and former WQXR Creative Director Clemency Burton-Hill, each episode offers a brief and soulful glimpse into human lives, helping us to hear this music — and each other — differently. Guests from the worlds of film, books, dance, comedy and fashion as well as firefighters, taxi drivers, and teachers share cherished musical memories and remind us that extraordinary things happen when we simply stop and listen. 

Transcripts are posted to individual episode pages as they become available.  

The Open Ears Project is produced by WQXR and WNYC Studios.

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Music

Acclaimed violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter muses on how Bach’s music has accompanied her through moments of sorrow and joy alike.

Anne-Sophie Mutter on Why Bach Is Always the Answer

Pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, known for his facility with canonic and contemporary music alike, muses on the unpredictability of both his homeland of Iceland and the Baroque “futurist” Rameau.

Víkingur Ólafsson on the Unpredictable Futurism of Rameau

Novelist Garth Greenwell reflects on growing up in rural Kentucky and how he found hope and an example of queer love in Benjamin Britten’s music.

Garth Greenwell on Finding Refuge in the Music of Britten and Pears

Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Jennifer Egan explains what Chopin’s music taught her about writing.

Jennifer Egan on Chopin's Narrative Masterclass

The former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams reflects on how listening to Bach feels a lot like prayer.

Tom Hiddleston on Arvo Pärt and the Infinite

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