Acclaimed Israeli-American pianist Orli Shaham is a compelling performer, educator, and recording artist. A recipient of the Avery Fisher career Grant, she is Chair of the Board of Trustees of Kaufman Music Center, Artistic Director of Pacific Symphony's chamber series, and was Artist in Residence at Vancouver Symphony. On this season 6 finale of Speaking Soundly, Orli sits down with David to reflect on their early musical education together and her motivation to earn degrees from The Juilliard School and Columbia University at the same time. Our guest shares how she was fueled by focus and curiosity, two traits she gained growing up the daughter of scientists and in admiration of her older musical brothers. To close it out, Orli recalls how her relationship to performance changed once she became a mother to twin boys, which led to her founding of the Bach Yard musical program for kids, and why her best collaborator is her husband, conductor David Robertson.

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Check out Orli Shaham on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, or the web. To learn more about Orli's music education program Bach Yard, visit them on the web.

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Photograph of Orli Shaham by Pacific Symphony/Matthew Morgan .

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.

Episode copyright © 2025 Artful Narratives Media.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Grammy Award–winning pianist Evgeny Kissin has been a towering presence in the classical music world for decades and a favorite among audiences worldwide. Evgeny joins David to recall his legendary US debut recital at Carnegie Hall, why firemen closed down his performance in Bologna, and the reason his mother didn't want him to study music.

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Check out Evgeny Kissin on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Apple Music, Spotify, or the web.

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You can find out more about Artful Narratives Media on Instagram and the web.

Photograph of Evgeny Kissin by Phillip Andrukovich.

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.

Episode copyright © 2025 Artful Narratives Media.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Renowned Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes brings a deep sense of introspection to everything he performs. Our guest reflects on his childhood playing the euphonium in a band compared with his lonely pursuit as a pianist, the moment he realized that "this would be his life," and his relationship with practice. Leif Ove discusses the piece of music of which he never tires, his Beethoven journey with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, and the advantages of being both the pianist and the conductor at the same time. To close out the conversation Leif Ove explains why he felt at home for his second concert—not his first—at Carnegie Hall.

We need your help to amplify artistic voices. Please consider supporting this show by making a 100% tax-deductible donation here.

Be sure to subscribe, leave us a rating, and share the podcast with your friends if you liked this episode!

Check out Leif Ove Andsnes on Instagram, Facebook, 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 Leif Ove Andsnes by Helge Hansen/Sony Music Entertainment.

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.

Episode copyright © 2025 Artful Narratives Media.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.