Deutsche Grammophon Podcast

Be charmed by pianist Bruce Liu in this episode of the DG International Podcast series! Bruce and host Sarah Willis talk about how his life changed the day he won the 2021 Chopin Competition, his many hobbies, life on the road and, of course, his debut studio album “Waves”.

In this episode, host Sarah Willis welcomes pianist Víkingur Ólafsson who tells us why he has waited 25 years to record Bach’s Goldberg Variations. The pair discuss many things including Víkingur's relationship with Bach and what the best time of day is to listen to the new album. Is Víkingur the Bach pianist of our generation? Find out in this episode!

This episode of the DG International Podcast certainly counts as one of the highlights of the series so far. Violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter talks to host Sarah Willis about her 60th birthday celebrations, the important musical collaborations and memories in her life and much, much more - a conversation not to be missed!

This episode of the Deutsche Grammophon International Podcast series features the talented violinist María Dueñas who is celebrating her very first album for DG,"Beethoven and Beyond”. Join María in conversation with podcast host Sarah Willis as they delve into her deep connection with Beethoven, find out more about why she composed her own cadenzas for the concerto and also why she then recorded everyone else’s as well!

This episode is a kind of birthday podcast in honour of the well-known and popular harpsichordist and conductor Trevor Pinnock and the ensemble he founded 50 years ago: The English Concert. To mark the occasion, DG has released a collection of their complete recordings on Archiv Produktion in a box set of 100 discs. Trevor and Sarah chat about making recordings, being period instrument pioneers and how the heart is connected to Baroque music.

In this episode, podcast host Sarah Willis welcomes pianist Yuja Wang. Join them for a lively and fun conversation to find out more about Yuja’s new album "The American Project“, playing boogie woogie and jazz and also about her friendship with conductor and composer Michael Tilson Thomas.

In this new episode, podcast host Sarah Willis welcomes the “Father of Minimalist Music”, composer Steve Reich. Steve recently explained in an interview with documentary filmmaker H. Paul Moon "I never expected to write a string quartet” so of course Sarah wanted to find out why. Find out more about his three successful quartets, his collaboration with the Mivos Quartet, some of his favourite musicians and even about his famous baseball caps on this latest edition of the DG International Podcast Series.

In the latest podcast episode, host Sarah Willis welcomes the South Korean violinist Bomsori. The two talk about Bomsori's superstar status in her home country, her life with the violin, K-Pop bands and of course, the very special moment when Bomsori signed her contract with Deutsche Grammophon.

In this podcast episode, horn player and podcast host Sarah Willis welcomes pianist Lang Lang - - a musician who had had a huge impact on the piano world and has also inspired millions of children to learn the instrument. In this episode, Sarah & Lang Lang talk about the creation process for his album "The Disney Book“ and the magic of these iconic films and their music.

This month, DG Podcast host Sarah Willis catches up with star-violinist David Garrett. The main topic is, of course, David’s recently released album ‘Iconic’, which was inspired by iconic Golden Age violinists such as Heifetz and Kreisler, who influenced David so much as a child. David also talks about his guest collaborators on the album who include Andrea Bocelli and Itzhak Perlman. And what is coming up next for David? Find out on this podcast!

In this DG Podcast episode our host Sarah Willis meets Czech conductor Jakub Hrůša. They talk about his new album “Hans Rott: Symphony No. 1” recorded with the Bamberger Symphoniker of which he is the Chief Conductor. Hrůša describes how he came up with the idea to record an album around Hans Rott’s symphony, what is special about this composer’s music and how Gustav Mahler and Anton Bruckner were a key part of Hans Rott’s tragically short life.

Deutsche Grammophon Podcast host Sarah Willis talks to the Austrian pianist Rudolf Buchbinder, who is about to release his new album “Soirée de Vienne” with music from Strauss, Schubert, Beethoven, Schumann and Chopin. Unfortunately such “Soirées” (Buchbinder calls them “Hausmusik”) are a thing of the past. Composers used to play and even improvise, creating a special atmosphere. In their conversation Willis and Buchbinder talk about the old “Soirée”-format and whom the pianist would invite to his own Viennese Soirée. They expand to the wider Viennese coffee culture, why Buchbinder chose these composers for his new album and his experience recording them in the studio.

He is one of todays most outstanding and charismatic conductors – Gustavo Dudamel’s new album "Antonín Dvořák: Symphonies Nos. 7 – 9“ was released in July this year. DG podcast host Sarah Willis meets him in the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles for this new episode where Dudamel talks about the new recording, his relationship with the L.A Philharmonic and his project for young musicians “Encuentros LA 2022”. Listen to Gustavo Dudamel’s album now: http://dgt.link/Dudamel-Dvorak-Symphonies

DG Podcast host Sarah Willis is joined by charismatic tenor Jonathan Tetelman in our latest episode, together the pair explore all aspects around his exciting career, love, the future of the opera world, and ponder the question of how many high Cs one can actually sing in a day. Listen to Jonathan Tetelman's first single of his upcoming album now: https://music.apple.com/de/album/arias/1625294773

Sarah Willis meets Norwegian violinist Mari Samuelsen, who spans 900 years of music on her new album "Lys". You will learn exciting background stories about the creation of "LYS", on which the violinist has dealt with light and shadow in music. Mari Samuelsen reveals why light inspires her so much and how the extraordinary selection of pieces came about, as well as her personal relationship to spirituality on her artistic path. The violinist is known for her penchant for experimental challenges and musical boundaries. On her album, she brought together works by very different composers, whom she - if possible - simply called to present her idea of ​​exchanging ideas about the language of sound to better understand the music. From Hildegard von Bingen to Boyencé, there are no temporal or stylistic boundaries for the music Mari Samuelsen has recorded. In a conversation with Sarah Willis you get exciting, personal insights into the musical world of thought of the Norwegian artist. Listen to Mari Samuelsen's album now: https://music.apple.com/de/album/lys/1614703352

Dutch pianist and composer Joep Beving has been described as a one-man recording phenomenon. With the release of his new album “Hermetism” he returns to his solo piano roots. In this podcast episode he talks to Sarah Willis about why he mainly plays peaceful pieces, how he came to Deutsche Grammophon and about his cherished Schimmel piano, which he once inherited from his grandmother. Listen to Joep Beving's album now: https://music.apple.com/us/album/hermetism/1604867963

How does one actually become an opera singer? Is it enough to be able to sing at the highest level? In the new DG Podcast episode, Sarah Willis talks with Nadine Sierra, who is hailed as one of the most promising young talents in opera. The American soprano reflects on the multifaceted challenges of being a modern opera diva and, of course, about her new album "Made for Opera," on which she presents three of the most powerful female roles of the 19th century. Listen to Nadine Sierra's album now: https://music.apple.com/us/album/made-for-opera/1600920164

Elīna Garanča is one of the great singers of our time. When she sings, opera houses and concert halls are sold out. But during covid times, singing was considered one of the most dangerous ways to spread the virus. In this new podcast episode with Sarah Willis, Elīna Garanča talks about this challenging time of silence, the moment when she was finally back on stage in Salzburg and of course, about her new album “Live from Salzburg”, that captures the power of live performance. Listen to Elīna Garanča's album now: https://music.apple.com/de/album/wagner-wesendonck-lieder-mahler-r%C3%BCckert-lieder-live/1590572819

For the latest podcast episode Sarah Willis has invited the harpist Magdalena Hoffmann, who was signed by Deutsche Grammophon last year. With her personal, contemporary approach Magdalena Hoffmann broadens the repertoire of the harp, one of the oldest and most demanding musical instruments. Tune in to learn more about Magdalena, her upcoming album ‘Nightscapes’ and why she thinks some pieces come to life even better on the harp than on other instruments! Listen to Magdalena Hoffmann's album now: https://music.apple.com/us/album/nightscapes/1594872972

Sarah Willis' new podcast guest signed with Deutsche Grammophon when he was just 15 years old and is still going strong 11 years later: it's Jan Lisiecki, of course. The pianist has just returned to his home in Canada from a long tour and talks to Sarah via zoom about his upcoming album "Night Music", his affinity for Chopin and the reason he doesn't want to be called a prodigy. Tune in! Listen to Jan Lisiecki's album now: https://music.apple.com/us/album/chopin-complete-nocturnes/1570405831

For the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, Sarah Willis hosts two special guests live in the DG podcast studio: pianist Hania Rani and cellist Dobrawa Czocher, who have just released their Deutsche Grammophon debut “Inner Symphonies”. In the episode, the composer duo talks about the making of their new album, their close friendship and the diverse musical and cultural influences found in their music. Tune in! Listen to Hania Rani's and Dobrawa Czocher's album now: https://music.apple.com/us/album/inner-symphonies/1574935579

This episode’s guest has been described as an event, and podcast host Sarah Willis can only agree: the first time she heard Daniil Trifonov play live, it was just that - he was an incredible event. In conversation with Sarah, the pianist reveals many exciting details about the making of his new album "Bach: The Art of Life"; how many hours a day he had to practice the piano in preparation for this album and why performing Bach means going back to the roots of music-making. Listen to Daniil Trifonow's album now: https://music.apple.com/de/album/bach-the-art-of-life/1577776877

Peter Gregson is truly a multifaceted musician. He has written music for stage, screen and video games, and as a cellist he has performed all around the world. In this new podcast episode, Peter gives insights about his latest album "Patina" that presents works for solo cello, analogue synthesizers, piano and string orchestra. In conversation with Sarah Willis he also talks about what the album title Patina means, why he treats his cello like a voice and how he experienced recording the album in Dolby Atmos. Listen to Peter Gregson's album now: https://music.apple.com/us/album/patina/1567634882

In this episode, Sarah's guest is none other than the fabulous Alice Sara Ott. The German-Japanese pianist has just released her tenth album for DG, called "Echoes Of Life", which features Chopin's 24 Preludes beside contemporary works by various composers. Tune in to find out what this particular choice of repertoire is about, the story behind the dress she's wearing on the cover, and the positive things Alice has realized for herself as a result of the pandemic.

How does a famous conductor practice before recording his solo piano album? And what kind of repertoire do you choose when you venture to the keys as a conductor? In this Deutsche Grammophon podcast episode, Sarah Willis meets her friend and colleague Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Although his work as one of the world's leading conductors keeps him very busy, Yannick found time during the pandemic to release his first piano album. He explains that the piano gives him the opportunities to make chamber music, accompany singers, and to always take different angles on the music.

In this Deutsche Grammophon podcast episode, Sarah’s guest is Dustin O´Halloran, the Oscar-nominated pianist and composer. His new album “Silfur” was recorded in Iceland and in this podcast, Dustin talks to Sarah about his love for the piano as a truly expressive instrument, how he writes music and how the landscapes of Iceland influenced this album.

Deutsche Grammophon podcast host Sarah Willis loves to learn more about different musical genres. In this new episode, Sarah has the opportunity to interview the legendary American musician Moby about the making of his new album "Reprise", which required a completely new way of working from the artist: unlike usual, Moby did not work alone on his music, but together with many different artists and even an orchestra. Tune in and listen to the likeable and uncomplicated musician, who talks about his musical roots, his sources of inspiration and his work processes.

Deutsche Grammophon Podcast host Sarah Willis welcomes baritone Andrè Schuen to this episode. She is impressed by the voice, the articulation and the versatility of the young baritone who was born in South Tyrol speaking three languages as his mother tongue: German, Italian and Ladin. They talk about his impressive DG debut album of Schubert’s song cycle „Die schöne Müllerin“ - accompanied by Daniel Heide - art songs, the programming of recitals and many more fascinating aspects.

In this Deutsche Grammophon podcast episode Sarah Willis explores the world of electronic music with conceptual artist and composer Christian Löffler who reworked tracks by some of the greatest composers who ever lived, including J.S. Bach, Beethoven and Chopin. Löffler explains how he achieved the right balance between paying tribute to these illustrious composers but also re-inserting their music into contemporary discourse.

Podcast host and Berlin Philharmonic horn player Sarah Willis admires violinist Hilary Hahn for her fantastic playing and the way she communicates her passion for what she does. In this Deutsche Grammophon podcast episode Hilary explains why her upcoming album is called “Paris”, why she initiated her #100daysofpractice challenge and how to hulahoop while playing the violin.

“Keep calm and play the oboe” – having heard the motto of the new Deutsche Grammophon podcast episode, it comes as no surprise that Sarah Willis welcomes her colleague from the Berlin Philharmonic: Albrecht Mayer. He is not only the principal oboe player of one of the best orchestras of the world but also appears as a renowned soloist and conductor, such as on his new “Mozart” album. Sarah and Albrecht have known each other for years so the episode is filled with anecdotes about life as a musician.

This episode’s guest needs no introduction. Deutsche Grammophon Podcast host Sarah Willis is convinced that one recognizes him by his voice instantly. Sarah is of course referring to Rolando Villazón. The Mexican singer gives surprising insights about his new album “Serenata Latina” for which he joined forces with the French harpist Xavier de Maistre. With a special musical recommendation Sarah and Rolando wish you a merry Christmas.

How do you become a world-class mandolin player? Avi Avital introduces both the listeners and Deutsche Grammophon podcast host and French horn player Sarah Willis to the world of the mandolin. The Israeli musician presents his recent album “Art of the Mandolin”, offering a guided tour of the instrument’s rich history and a star performer’s personal selection of some of its greatest compositions. The podcast episode ends with a charming duet by Avi and Sarah.

Which mentors, idols, visions and goals does a young cellist have? Kian Soltani, a rising star of the cello, is this episode’s guest of the Deutsche Grammophon podcast series hosted by horn player Sarah Willis. They talk about his recent recordings for Deutsche Grammophon with works from Dvořák and Beethoven and how he connects with the audience during these unprecedented times. Tune in and listen to the genuine and joyful chat between the two musicians.

Daniel Hope is violinist, artistic director, president of the Beethoven-Haus Bonn, TV and radio presenter, book author and initiator of a live series “Hope@Home” broadcast from his very own living room. To Sarah Willis – Deutsche Grammophon podcast host and horn player of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra – it seems miraculous how Daniel Hope manages all those wonderful projects and still finds the time to sit down for a relaxed podcast episode with her.

The 26-year-old pianist Seong-Jin Cho had two dreams: To play with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and to play at Carnegie Hall. Both dreams have already come true. In this episode of the Deutsche Grammophon podcast series hosted by Berlin Philharmonic horn player Sarah Willis you can find out more about the young pianist, his lifestyle and his new album “The Wanderer” with music by Schubert, Liszt and Berg.

This episode’s guest of the Deutsche Grammophon podcast series is Lisa Batiashvili. She is one of the most renowned violinists in the world and has played many times with host and Berlin Philharmonic french horn player Sarah Willis. They met at the former silent movie theater “Delphi” in Berlin which plays a significant role in Lisa’s new album “City Lights”.

After the successful launch of the international podcast series by Deutsche Grammophon hosted by Berlin Philharmonic horn player Sarah Willis, Sarah welcomes the French cellist Camille Thomas. They talk about their experiences as classical musicians – laughing about anecdotes and discussing Camille Thomas’ exciting and very personal new album production “Voice of Hope”. Sarah’s charming nature lets you get to know Camille Thomas not only as a fabulous musician but as a person.

The new podcast series by Deutsche Grammophon and hosted by Berlin Philharmonic horn player Sarah Willis gets off to a great start with Icelandic rising star of the piano, Víkingur Ólafsson as her first guest. Neither had met before but Sarah had been looking forward to meeting Vikingur ever since she first saw a video of him playing Bach in a fish factory! The episode gives unique insights into Vikingur's new album Rameau/Debussy for DG - and ends with a surprise, tune in!