Sticky Notes: The Classical Music Podcast

This week I have TWO co-hosts on Sticky Notes as Donald Weilerstein(my dad, and one of the most sought after violin teachers in the world) and Soovin Kim(a wonderful violinist and sought after teacher) sit down with me to listen to great recordings of violinists of the past like Heifetz, Oistrakh, Neveu and more!  We talk about what made them so great, what made them different from one another, and how we can learn from them, all while listening to tons of absolutely wonderful music. Thanks for listening!

Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 (with Jonathan Biss)

"I may be Barack Obama, but I'm not Gustavo Dudamel." I sat down a few weeks ago with Deborah Borda, (the Barack Obama of classical music) the new CEO and President of the New York Philharmonic, to talk about the future of not only the orchestra, but also of classical music in general.  We also talked about the vital connection between the artistic and social imperative of a classical music organization.  This may be my favorite Sticky Notes interview ever, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Happy Valentine's Day from Sticky Notes!  This week, we tell one of classical music's greatest love stories; the story of Johannes Brahms and Clara Schumann.  We'll explore  the young Brahms and his fervent love for Clara Schumann, the desperate love of Clara for Johannes, and the feverish atmosphere of their first infatuation which took place in the context of Robert Schumann's devastating mental illness.  Thanks so much for listening, and I really hope you enjoy it!  

This week on Sticky Notes, we dive headlong into PART 2 of one of the boldest statements ever made by a young composer with Gustav Mahler's massive 1st symphony.  It's so massive that I had to split the show into two parts!  Check out last week's show in case you missed it, but this week we take a detailed look at the 3rd and 4th movements of the symphony, along with a look at Mahler's Romanticism and optimism, something that is present more here than in any of his other pieces.  Thanks for listening!

This week on Sticky Notes, we dive headlong into one of the boldest statements ever made by a young composer with Gustav Mahler's massive first symphony.  It's so massive that I had to split the show into two parts!  This week, we talk a lot about Mahler's early life and the early genesis of this masterpiece.  Then we take a detailed look at the first two movements of the symphony and its depictions of nature, silence, creation, joy, fear, and celebration.  Thanks so much for listening!

This week on Sticky Notes we dive into Film Music!  For almost 100 years, filmgoers have been captivated by the music of composers like John Williams, Bernard Herrmann, Erich Korngold, Dmitri Shostakovich, Max Steiner, and Charlie Chaplin.  On this week's episode, we'll find out why.  We will also talk about the beginning's of film music, and the difficult question of where film music fits into(or doesn't fit into) the classical canon.  Thanks for listening, and I hope you enjoy it!  

In advance of my appearance with the New York Philharmonic this week, conducting an all-Ravel program, the Season 3 premiere of Sticky Notes is devoted to the music of Maurice Ravel.  We're talking about 4 of his greatest pieces - Bolero, Valses Nobles et Sentimentales, Tombeau de Couperin, and his Piano Concerto for the Left Hand.  We dive into Ravel's brilliant creativity, and the soul beneath the restrained exterior of his music.  Thanks so much for listening, and I hope you enjoy it!  

Season 3 begins next week on Sticky Notes, but for now, revisit a classic from Season 1 - a deep dive into Rachmaninoff's last work and his greatest orchestral masterpiece, the Symphonic Dances.  This piece is a culmination of all of Rachmaninoff's genius, and is a testament to his orchestration, melodic gift, and ability to combine the sacred and the profane.   We take a look at just about every note of this incredible work, so I hope you enjoy it!

Debussy "La Mer" (Re-broadcast)

How to Change the World with Yo-Yo Ma (Re-broadcast)

Have you ever thought, "I like classical music, but I just don't know much about it!"  Have you ever been intimidated by a classical concert? Well, if that sounds like you, then this is the show for you.  I'm answering 21 questions about classical music, from "What is Classical Music?" to "How is a piece of music written?" to "How can I deepen my knowledge of classical music?"  Thanks so much for listening, and have a wonderful holiday!  

The Music Effect: A Special Holiday Episode for the Whole Family (Season 2 Finale)

This week on Sticky Notes, I'm really happy to welcome Glenn Dicterow, the former concertmaster of the New York Philharmonic and LA Philharmonic, to the show.  Glenn was a concertmaster for an incredible 42 years, giving him thousands of great stories, memories, insights, and thoughts about leading, conductors, violin-playing, and orchestral life.  Thanks so much for listening, and I hope you enjoy it!  

Join conductor and host Joshua Weilerstein as we take a look at Shostakovich's 4th String Quartet, one of his less well-known pieces, but one that is as profound and meaningful as it gets.    We'll explore the Jewish themes of the quartet, as Shostakovich was acutely aware and sympathetic to Jews who were living in the USSR during the terror of 1948-1953.  But the main focus will be the music itself.  How did Shostakovich write politically resistant music at a time when this was highly dangerous?