Off The Podium

Ransom Wilson has long been recognized internationally as one of the greatest flutists of his generation. Flutist/conductor Ransom Wilson has performed in concert with major orchestras the world over. As a flutist, he has recently launched an ongoing series of solo recordings on the Nimbus label in Europe. As a conductor, he is starting his third season as Music Director of the Redlands Symphony in Southern California, and he continues his positions with the Lar Lubovitch Dance Company and Le Train Bleu ensemble. He has led opera performances at the New York City Opera, and was for ten years an assistant conductor at the Metropolitan Opera. He has been a guest conductor of the London, Houston, KBS, Kraków, Denver, New Jersey, Hartford, and Berkeley symphonies; the Orchestra of St. Luke’s; the Philadelphia Chamber Orchestra; the Hallé Orchestra; and the chamber orchestras of St. Paul and Los Angeles. He has also appeared with the Glimmerglass Opera, Minnesota Opera, and the Opera of La Quinzena Musical in Spai

Ep. 104: Kirsten Agresta Copely, harpist. Let's Talk Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan. KIRSTEN AGRESTA COPELY is a harpist, composer, and arranger. Known for her unusual command of genres like hip-hop in addition to classical music, her prolific career has taken her throughout the United States, Europe, South America, Israel, Japan, and the South Pacific; she has performed for heads of state, in blockbuster movie soundtracks, alongside Billboard 100 artists, on late night television, and with the most recognized symphony orchestras in the world. Composition marks Copely’s latest addition to her career: she recently released her first album as composer, Around the Sun, in January 2020. The album, a collection of New Age works, is a collaboration with her husband Marc Copely, credited as producer, engineer, and mixer. Recently, One World Music UK praised her first single as “a rich weave of melodic brilliance...a single you could leave on repeat for hours.” In this episode we talk about Kirsten's collaborat

Ep. 103: Angel Velez, conductor. Let's Talk Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan. Angel Velez enjoys a career balanced between the studios of Los Angeles, guest conducting and teaching. Velez has extensive experience as an orchestral conductor working with orchestras such as the Augsburger Philharmoniker (Germany), Berlin Sinfonietta (Germany), Budapest Symphony (Hungary), Cape Cod Symphony (USA), Deutsche Staatsphilharmonie Rhineland-Pfalz (Germany), Boca del Rio Philharmonic (Mexico), Illinois Valley Symphony (USA), Indianapolis Symphony (USA), Moravian Philharmonic (Czech Republic), Puerto Rico Symphony (USA), Rousse Philharmonic (Bulgaria), Los Angeles studio ensembles and many others. Velez serves as conductor of the Santa Monica Chamber Orchestra, artistic director and conductor for Silent Films LIVE, a live-to-film concert series benefiting Education Through Music - Los Angeles, as well as conductor for the recent Silent Films LIVE album with the Varèse Sarabande Chamber Orchestra at Capitol Studios. H

Ep. 102: Ludovic Morlot, conductor. Let's Talk Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan. Following eight years as Music Director, Ludovic Morlot is now Conductor Emeritus of the Seattle Symphony. His tenure in Seattle formed a hugely significant period in the musical journey of the orchestra. Ludovic’s innovative programming encompassed not only his choice of repertoire, but theatrical productions and performances outside the traditional concert hall space. There were numerous collaborations with musicians from different genres, commissions and world premieres. Some of these projects, including John Luther Adams’ Become Ocean, Aaron Jay Kernis’ Violin Concerto performed by James Ehnes and an exploration of Dutilleux’s music, have earned the orchestra five Grammy Awards, as well as the distinction of being named Gramophone’s 2018 Orchestra of the Year. Under Ludovic’s baton, 19 recordings have been released under the Seattle Symphony Media label which was launched in 2014. In this podcast we talk about Ludovic's d

Ep. 101: Miguel Harth-Bedoya, conductor. Let's Talk Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan. Celebrating more than 30 years of professional conducting, Miguel Harth-Bedoya is a master of color, drawing idiomatic interpretations from a wide range of repertoire in concerts across the globe. He has amassed considerable experience at the helm of orchestras, including seven seasons as Chief Conductor of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra and twenty seasons as Music Director of the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra. Previously he has held Music Director positions with the Auckland Philharmonia and Eugene Symphony. Beginning in August 2020, Harth-Bedoya will be the new Director of Orchestral Studies at the University of Nebraska, Omaha, and will work to create a brand new Bachelor of Music in orchestral conducting. He has also created The Conducting Institute, with a summer orchestral conducting program as well as a variety of online courses. In this podcast we talk about his time studying with Otto-Werner Mueller, new position

Ep. 100: Robert Dick, revolutionary composer and flutist. Let's Talk Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan. World renowned as the leader in contemporary music for flute, Robert Dick embodies the ideal of the Renaissance artist. With equally deep roots in classical music old and new and in free improvisation and new jazz, he has established himself as an artist who has not only mastered, but redefined the instrument. In 2014, the National Flute Association honored Robert Dick with its Lifetime Achievement Award. In this podcast we spoke about how he overcame Covid-19, his revolutionary Glissando headjoint, and the music on his playlist. He also talked about a new book that he is working on and the three books that he has already published, among many other topics and stories. For more information about Robert Dick please visit: http://robertdick.net/ © Let's Talk Off The Podium, 2020

Ep. 99: Wadada Leo Smith. Let's Talk Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan. Wadada Leo Smith, trumpeter, multi-instrumentalist, composer, and improviser is one of the most acclaimed creative artists of his times, both for his music and his writings. For the last five decades, Mr. Smith has been a member of the historical and legendary AACM collective. He distinctly defines his music as “Creative Music.” Mr. Smith’s diverse discography reveals a recorded history centered around important issues that have impacted his world. In this podcast we talk about improvisation, creative music, and the African-American Improvisation program at Cal Arts. Mr. Smith talks about his collaborations with Vijay Iyer and Anthony Braxton, his Ankhrasmation language scores, and much more. For more information about Wadada Leo Smith please visit: https://wadadaleosmith.com/  © Let's Talk Off The Podium, 2020

Ep. 98: Diane Schuur, Grammy winning jazz vocalist Let's Talk Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan Schuur’s much-laureled career includes two Grammy Awards---each for Best Jazz Vocal Performance---on Timeless (1986) and Diane Schuur and The Count Basie Orchestra (1987). Both were released by GRP Records, the label that had launched her recording career. Schuur scored three additional Grammy nominations for subsequent albums Pure Schuur and Love Songs, as well as for the individual track “The Christmas Song.” Schuur’s music has explored almost every locale on the American musical landscape, and her attendant studio collaborations---showcasing her pitch-perfect execution and three-and-a-half-octave vocal range---are a who’s who of American originators in a plethora of styles. They include the albums Heart To Heart with B.B. King and Swingin’ for Schuur” with Maynard Ferguson, alongside assorted tracks with Stan Getz, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Alison Krauss, Vince Gill, Mark Knopfler and Jose F

Ep. 97: Martin Kuuskmann, Estonian-born bassoon virtuoso Let's Talk Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan Grammy nominated Estonian-born bassoon virtuoso, Martin Kuuskmann’s charismatic and commanding performances throughout the world have earned him repute as one of the leading solo instrumentalists of his generation. Kuuskmann has appeared with conductors Neeme, Paavo and Kristjan Järvi, Robert Spano, Tõnu Kaljuste, Risto Joost, Nikolay Aleksejev, Anu Tali, Mihhail Gerts, Kirk Trevor, Leonid Grin, and with orchestras such as Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra, National Orchestra of Chile, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra of St. Lukes, Estonian Festival Orchestra, Porto Alegre Symphony Orchestra, Macao Orchestra, Indianapolis Chamber Orchestra, Symphony Orchestra of the Norrlandsoperan, and many others. Constantly pushing the boundaries for new artistic and technical possibilities, Kuuskmann has premiered 11 bassoon concertos, all wri

Ep. 96: Øystein Baadsvik, international soloist and chamber musician. Let's Talk Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan Øystein Baadsvik is voted one of the top ten brass players in history by the listeners on Classic FM. He did the first TED talk on the topic tuba and is one of the most popular classical musicians on YouTube with more than six million views. His multi-faceted musical career as a soloist and recording artist has taken him all over the world. He regularly gives master classes and clinics at major universities worldwide. In this podcast we talk about his approach to tuba techniques, composition, and hobbies. Mr. Baadsvik also talks about the ways he practiced in different times of his life and how he built a unique career as an international soloist, chamber musician and teacher. For more information about Øystein Baadsvik please visit: https://www.baadsvik.com/ © Let's Talk Off The Podium, 2020

Ep. 95: Holly Mathieson, conductor Let's Talk Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan New Zealand-born Holly Mathieson is an award-winning conductor, regularly working with opera houses, ballet companies and orchestras in Europe, Australasia and North America. She is the Music Director Designate of Symphony Nova Scotia, Co-Artistic Director of the Nevis Ensemble with Jon Hargreaves, and founder and artistic director of Rata Music Collective. She frequently records for BBC Radio, and her first major commercial recording with Decca reached #1 on the UK classical charts. Her work has seen her travel to nearly every continent on the planet, and perform for audiences spanning from the British Royal Family and Europe’s political elites, to Scotland’s homeless and refugee communities. In this podcast we talk about programming, her time as an orchestra librarian, working with young musicians and music in time of Covid-19. Fascinating conversation with lots of stories! For more information about Holly Mathieson please vi

Ep. 94: Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Children's Chorus Let's Talk Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, internationally regarded choral conductor, clinician and educator, began his tenure as Artistic Director of Los Angeles Children’s Chorus in the 2018-19 season. He has worked with children’s and youth choirs his entire career. From 2004 to July 2017, Malvar-Ruiz was the Music Director of The American Boychoir, leading some 150 performances and up to five national and international tours annually. He prepared the choir for appearances with the New York Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Philharmonic and London Symphony Orchestra, among others, working with such conductors as Marin Alsop, Pierre Boulez, Charles Dutoit, Michael Tilson Thomas and Valery Gergiev and artists ranging from cellist Yo-Yo Ma, trumpeter Wynton Marsalis and pop legends Beyoncé Knowles, Sir Paul McCartney and Josh Groban to opera singers Kathleeen B

Ep. 93: Evelyn Glennie, virtuoso percussionist Let's Talk Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan Performing worldwide with the greatest orchestras, conductors and artists, Dame Evelyn Glennie’s solo recordings, which now exceed 30 CDs, are as diverse as her career on-stage. A double GRAMMY award winner and BAFTA nominee Evelyn is a composer for film, television and music library companies. Evelyn was awarded an OBE in 1993 and now has over 100 international awards to date, including the Polar Music Prize and the Companion of Honour. Evelyn is currently embarking on the formation of The Evelyn Glennie Collection. The vision is to open a centre that embodies her mission to Teach the World to Listen. In this podcast I spoke with one of the most iconic figures in classical music, Dame Evelyn Glennie. We spoke about improvisation, her journey to the Royal Academy of Music, life changing moments, music education and advice to young musicians. Glennie also talks about her first music teacher, collection of over 2000 i

Mark O'Connor began his creative journey at the feet of American fiddling legend Benny Thomasson, and the iconic French jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli. Now, at age 55, he has melded these influences into a new American classical music, and is perpetuating his vision of an American School of String Playing. Mr. O’Connor has won three Grammys, seven CMA awards as well as several national fiddle, guitar and mandolin champion titles. His distinguished career includes representing the United States Information Agency in cultural diplomacy to six continents and performing in front of several U.S. presidents including being invited to the White House by President Ronald Reagan to perform as a teen. In this podcast we talk about O'Connor's groundbreaking violin concertos, passion for education through the O'Connor Method, collaboration with Yo-Yo Ma, his mentors, American string playing and much more. Fascinating conversation with visionary whose approach to music and education has brought millions of people to th

John Daversa is a multi-Grammy winning artist, composer, arranger, producer, bandleader, educator, and Chair of Studio Music and Jazz at The Frost School of Music, University of Miami. ​ Daversa’s celebrated and distinctive musical perspective has been a passport to performances on world stages such as The Today Show, Late Nite with David Letterman, The Oprah Winfrey Show, Live 8 (Berlin), Hamburg Music Festival, Java Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, Montreux Festival, and the Playboy Jazz Festival. He has also had the opportunity to perform or record with artists such as Fiona Apple, Michael Bublé, Dori Caymi, Andraé Crouch, Sheryl Crow, Herbie Hancock, Bob Mintzer Big Band, and The Yellowjackets. In this podcast we talk about his move from Los Angeles to Miami, recorded albums, big bands, a jazz trumpet concerto, future projects and much more. Lastly, we discuss his journey and success with the multi-Grammy award winning album titled American Dreamers. For more information abou

Ep. 90: Jaime Martín, conductor Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan In September 2019 Jaime Martín became Chief Conductor of the RTE National Symphony Orchestra and Music Director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. He has been Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of Gävle Symphony Orchestra since 2013, and his time there has brought the orchestra a new level of international recognition through highly acclaimed recordings and touring performances. Having spent many years as a highly regarded flautist, working with the most inspiring conductors of our time, Jaime turned to conducting full-time in 2013 and has become very quickly sought after at the highest level. In this podcast we talk about the pandemic and the impact on the world of music, orchestral programming and diversity in Los Angeles. We also discuss the importance of new works, youth and community engagement. Lastly, Maestro Martín talks about the importance of Nikolaus Harnoncourt on his career and musical outlook. For more information abo

Ep. 89: Shiva Shafii, Director of Communications at Seattle Symphony Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan My guest is a young and dynamic Director of Communications for the Seattle Symphony, Shiva Shafii. In this episode we talk about the orchestral world during the pandemic and the future. Shiva talks about an injury in her early 20's and how she continued to be involved in music as an arts leader. We also talk about diversity in programming, connecting with audiences and much more! Follow Shiva Shaffi on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/shivashafii...

Ep. 88: Robert Aldridge, composer Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan GRAMMY®-winning composer Robert Livingston Aldridge (1954, Richmond,VA) has written over sixty works for orchestra, opera, music-theater, voice, dance, string quartet, solo and chamber ensembles. His music has been performed throughout the United States, Europe and Japan and Australia. He has received numerous fellowships and awards for his music from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the Guggenheim Foundation, the American Academy of Arts and Letters, National Endowment for the Arts, the New York Foundation for the Arts, the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, the Massachusetts Artist's Foundation, the Lila Wallace Reader's Digest Fund, Meet the Composer, The American Symphony Orchestra League, the New Jersey Council on the Arts and the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation. In this podcast we talk about his approach to composing, commissions, revisions and music education. Aldridge also talks about his journey from an English li

Ep. 87: Ran Blake, pianist/composer/educator Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan In a career that now spans five decades, pianist Ran Blake has created a unique niche in improvised music as an artist and educator. With a characteristic mix of spontaneous solos, modern classical tonalities, the great American blues and gospel traditions, and themes from classic Film Noir, Blake’s singular sound has earned a dedicated following all over the world. His dual musical legacy includes more than 40 albums on some of the world’s finest jazz labels, as well nearly 40 years as a groundbreaking educator at Boston’s New England Conservatory. In this podcast the legendary musician and educator talks about his teachers, collaborations, Gunther Schuller and creating a new department at the New England Conservatory. He also talks about his MacArthur fellowship, George Avakian, Thelonious Monk, Oscar Peterson and his many solo albums. For more information about Ran Blake please visit his official website: https://ranblake.com

Ep. 86: Stephen Hartke, composer. Off The Podium with Tigran Arakelyan. Winner of the 2013 GRAMMY Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition, Stephen Hartke is widely recognized as one of the leading composers of his generation, whose work has been hailed for both its singularity of voice and the inclusive breadth of its inspiration. From 1987 to 2015, he taught at the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, retiring as Distinguished Professor Emeritus. He now serves as Professor and Chair of Composition at Oberlin Conservatory. “One of the most distinctive and important living composers.” - New York Times In this podcast we talk about his move from CA to OH, his passion for non-western music genres and incorporating those ideas in his compositions. We also talk about composing with boundaries and having the freedom to compose without any restrictions. Hartke also gives advice to young composers, talks about inspirational figures in his life, and the future of classical music