Behind the Curtain

James Ehnes is one of the most well-known and well-respected performing violinists in the industry today. He has soloed with major orchestras around the world including the New York Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, and the Berlin Philharmonic. He is also an accomplished recording artist and received a Grammy award in 2019. James talks about how he got started as a performer and what makes the experience meaningful to him. I have admired James and his playing for a long time, and it was such a privilege to get to chat with him. To learn more about James and find information about his recordings and performing schedule, go to his website jamesehnes.com.

Alpin Hong is an internationally acclaimed concert pianist, who has performed in prestigious venues such as Carnegie Hall, the Walt Disney Hall, and the White House. He also has a TED talk that has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times on YouTube, about how to be a performer. Alpin talks with me about how he became a professional musician, the importance of outreach work, and the benefits of taking risks. His humor and storytelling made me laugh the entire time I interviewed him, and I think his story will resonate with a lot of people. To learn more about Alpin, go to his website alpinhong.com, where you can find his TED talk, hear his recordings, and see all the amazing work he has done.

Aaron Dworkin is a leading arts administrator, MacArthur fellow, and Obama's first appointment to the National Council on the Arts. He is most well-known for founding the Sphinx Organization, which was one of the first of its kind to bring classical musicians of color to the national forefront. Aaron shares his unique story and path to becoming a fearless leader and innovator in the classical music field, while also painting a picture of what life as an arts administrator looks like. He is an incredible inspiration to me, and drives his life with creativity and decisive purpose. To learn more about Aaron, go to his website aarondworkin.com, where you can find information about his book, his two shows, and many other creative endeavors.

I am fascinated by the vibrant and inspiring lives of artists, so I am here to talk to people I look up to, and get a sneak peak of what it is like to be in their shoes. Each episode features a different artist who will tell their story of how they came to their profession, and paint a picture of what it is like to be in their field. This podcast is for everyone, not just people in the arts field - come join me if you want to learn from the powerhouses in the creative industry!