Eight-time Grammy Award-winning pianist Emanuel “Manny” Ax has performed in the world’s greatest concert halls, playing on a different piano in each city, and enjoys the challenge of adjusting to each unique instrument. He recalls how an accidental trip to Carnegie Hall ignited his fantasy to perform on that very stage and reveals the secret to making the piano sing.Check out Emanuel Ax on Facebook, Twitter, Spotify, Apple Music, or the web.Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram.Follow David on Instagram.You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web.Photograph of Emanuel Ax by Lisa Marie Mazzucco.The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper.Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman. This interview originally aired on September 19, 2022. It has been edited and condensed to fit the time format.Episode copyright © 2022 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

International violin virtuoso, Ray Chen is redefining the role of today’s classical soloist. Using social media, Ray aims to educate, enlighten, and entertain his audience before they get to the concert hall. He credits his grit and determination to his experience of being a first-generation immigrant and likens playing his ten-million-dollar Stradivarius violin to wielding Thor’s hammer.Check out Ray Chen on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, or the web.Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram.Follow David on Instagram.You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web.Photograph of Ray Chen by John Mac.The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper.Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman. This interview originally aired on November 1, 2022. It has been edited and condensed to fit the time format.Episode copyright © 2022 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Three-time GRAMMY Award-winning American mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard describes how she navigates the occasional chaos of backstage as she prepares to sing in the world’s greatest opera houses. She enjoys the challenge of finding emotional inroads to the operatic roles she’s portrayed, even if it's a love-stricken teenage boy.Check out Isabel Leonard on Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, Apple Music, or the web.Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram.Follow David on Instagram.You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web.Photograph of Isabel Leonard by Sergio Kurhajec.The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper.Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman. This interview originally aired on September 26, 2022. It has been edited and condensed to fit the time format.Episode copyright © 2022 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Conductor Joshua Weilerstein catapulted to international attention at a young age when he won first prize of the world-famous Malko Competition for Young Conductors with hardly any formal training. He discusses growing up in a musical family, how performing for thousands of youth who had never heard a live concert profoundly influenced his career, earning the trust and respect of musicians, and paying homage with his popular classical music podcast "Sticky Notes" to the late Leonard Bernstein.Check out Joshua Weilerstein on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or the web and the Sticky Notes Podcast.Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram.Follow David on Instagram.You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web.Photograph of Joshua Weilerstein by Paul Marc Mitchell.The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper.Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman. This interview originally aired on November, 8, 2022. It has been edited and condensed to fit the time format.Episode copyright © 2022 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The podcast is taking a short break while we work on new episodes. In the meantime, we're airing some of our most memorable episodes from the first season. Metropolitan Opera Orchestra trombonist Denson Paul Pollard had an unconventional path to the stage and credits his grit, determination, and humble roots for taking him from a small town in rural Georgia to Carnegie Hall. Paul's work ethic is inspiring as he describes the jobs he’s held from Iowa to Hong Kong and his daily commute from Indiana to New York City.Check out Denson Paul Pollard on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Music, or the web.Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram.Follow David on Instagram.You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web.Photograph of Denson Paul Pollard by Rose Callahan.The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper.Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman. This interview originally aired on September 26, 2022. It has been edited and condensed to fit the time format.Episode copyright © 2022 Artful Narratives Media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode, David reflects back on guests from the first season of Speaking Soundly who spoke about their growth as musicians. Hear from Ray Chen, Joyce DiDonato, Christian McBride, and Dr. Denson Paul Pollard.Follow Speaking Soundly on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.Follow David on Instagram.You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or the web.The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper.Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman. This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode David talks about how Speaking Soundly got its start, what he loves most about interviewing his friends and colleagues, and his own musical background and relationship to practice. David is guest interviewed by Jason Blitman of 76West: A Podcast from the Marlene Meyerson JCC.Special thanks to 76West: A Podcast from the Marlene Meyerson JCC, host Jason Blitman, and audio engineer Matt TemkinFollow Speaking Soundly on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok.Follow David on Instagram.You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or the web.The Speaking Soundly theme song is composed by Joseph Saba/Stewart Winter and used by permission of Videohelper.Speaking Soundly was co-created by David Krauss and Jessica Handelman. This interview has been edited and condensed to fit the time format. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.