Interviews

All the Seen and Heard Interviews

Peter Oundjian, new Principal Conductor of the Colorado Symphony, in conversation with Laurence Vittes

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On 15 February, the Colorado Symphony Association announced the appointment of Peter Oundjian as Principal Conductor. In addition to conducting six Classics performances each season, Oundjian, who served as the orchestra’s Principal Guest Conductor from 2003 to 2006, will take a leading role in ‘reimagining’ the traditional symphonic model and positioning the Colorado Symphony as … Read more

CONDUCTOR DANIEL GROSSMANN IN CONVERSATION WITH ANTOINE LÉVY-LEBOYER

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Interview with Daniel Grossmann, founder, conductor and artistic director of the Jewish Chamber Orchestra Munich Antoine Lévy-Leboyer (ALL): How did you start the Jewish Chamber Orchestra Munich? Daniel Grossmann (DG): So, I had this idea in 1999. I was 21 years old. I grew up in Munich and did not like the way the Jewish … Read more

COUNTERTENOR JAKUB JÓZEF ORLIŃSKI IN CONVERSATION WITH RICK PERDIAN

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Jakub Józef Orliński talks to Rick Perdian Jakub Józef Orliński became an international sensation in 2017 with a YouTube video of him singing an aria, ‘Vedro con mio diletto’, from Vivaldi’s opera Il Giustino. Rather than the fiery coloratura Baroque showpieces that he often sings, the Polish countertenor performed a smoothly flowing love song with … Read more

The Singapore Symphony Orchestra has much to celebrate

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The Singapore Symphony Orchestra is one of ten contenders for the 2021 Gramophone’s Orchestra of the Year Award. This year, as has been the case since the award’s inception in 2018, nominees are chosen by the magazine’s editors and reviewers, and the winner will be decided entirely by international public vote. Previous winners include the … Read more

Howard Smith discusses his book Note For Note: Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered

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Note For Note: Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
An interview with author and amateur pianist, Howard Smith

Howard Smith has had a top-flight career in the world of computing and computer programming. On approaching retirement, he decided to leave his career and try something completely different – learn to play the piano. Howard had started the learn to play the piano as a child but was uninspired by the rigid approach adopted at that time and did not continue with his studies. In his book, Note For Note – Bewitched Bothered and Bewildered he describes the new and creative approaches which his teachers adopted to enable him to engage with the process of learning to play.

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An important premiere at the Three Choirs Festival – Gabriel Jackson introduces The World Imagined

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Gabriel Jackson’s new The World Imagined

When Covid restrictions caused the cancellation of the 2020 Three Choirs Festival I regretted that decision on many levels. One of my main disappointments was that the cancellation deprived us of the opportunity to hear the world premiere of a major new work by Gabriel Jackson, The World Imagined. Happily, it has been possible to reschedule the premiere and include it in the plans for the 2021 Three Choirs Festival. I have been an admirer of this composer’s music, especially his choral works, for many years now so the prospect of such a significant new score is enticing. Consequently, I seized the chance to discuss the new work with Gabriel, albeit in a socially distanced way.

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Have you ever heard of Florence Price? Learn more from Dr Samantha Ege

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Dr Samantha Ege in conversation with Antoine Lévy-Leboyer

Florence Price (1887-1953) was an Afro-American Composer who wrote a very significant amount of music: symphonies, concertos, chamber music, Lieder and some quite simply outstanding piano music. As was the case for numerous composers who, after their death, were somewhat forgotten, Price has found a formidable interpreter in pianist Samantha Ege who has championed her works in concert, recordings and at conferences.

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