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© 2025 Anthony Plog on Music
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Conversations with performers, composers, and entrepreneurs. Join Tony and some of the world’s great musicians in interviews that are fascinating, illuminating, and funny (well, most of the time).
202 Episodes
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I've always been impressed with the way Håkan has been able to achieve a great balance in his life, so we talk about what's important to him as both an artist and also as a husband and father. We end with Håkan talking about how he spends his time during the day of a performance. Would you like more inspirational stories, suggestions, insights, and a place to continue the conversations with other listeners? Visit anthonyplog-on-music.supercast.com to learn more! As a Contributing Listener of...
Today, we welcome two remarkable guests: composer Amy Scurria and Dr. Ryan Gardner, Associate Professor of Trumpet at the University of Colorado Boulder. Amy, a multi-award-winning composer, has seen her work performed worldwide, including at Carnegie Hall. With a unique perspective shaped by her late autism diagnosis, she began composing at just eight years old, using music as a language to explore her emotions. Ryan, originally from Santa Monica, California, has spent over a decade teaching...
Dan Locklair is an esteemed American composer and educator, known for his contributions to sacred music and his long tenure at Wake Forest University in North Carolina. Born in Charlotte, he began his career as a professional organist at just 14 and has since crafted a diverse body of work, which includes orchestral pieces and choral compositions. Locklair's notable achievements include being the Composer-in-Residence at Wake Forest and composing pieces for significant events, such as 'The Pe...
Tony welcomes two remarkable trumpet players and educators, Ryan Gardner and Tomislav Špoljar. Ryan is the Associate Professor of Trumpet at the University of Colorado Boulder, where he combines a wealth of experience with a passion for fostering community among trumpet players. Tomislav, based in Croatia, not only performs but also organizes significant music festivals, including the upcoming International Trumpet Guild conference, which seeks to unite trumpet players from around the globe. ...
Jan Swafford is a distinguished American author and composer, known for his insightful biographies of great composers like Charles Ives, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. With degrees from Harvard and Yale, he's made significant contributions to classical music literature. His works, including the Vintage Guide to Classical Music and "Language of the Spirit," reveal the rich narratives behind the music we love. His unique insights and deep understanding of these composers ill...
Trumpeter Chris Gekker has done just about everything a brass player can do—and done it at the highest level. A longtime member of the American Brass Quintet (18 years) and now Professor of Trumpet at the University of Maryland, Chris has also taught at Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, and Columbia University. His career spans recording Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 to sharing the stage with Sting, all grounded by a reflective artistic life shaped by literature and poetry. In Pa...
In his second appearance on Anthony Plog on Music, celebrated biographer and composer Jan Swafford returns for an expansive two-part conversation that dives deep into the very soul of classical music. In his previous interview from 2021, Jan discussed his monumental biographies of Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, and Ives. But his intellectual and creative output extends far beyond those volumes, and this new set of interviews explores more of his wide-ranging contributions to the world of music. ...
Norwegian hornist Frøydis Wekre has had a remarkable and influential career as both performer and teacher. She joined the Oslo Philharmonic at the age of 20, at a time when there were only two women in the orchestra, and went on to establish herself as a highly respected chamber musician, soloist, and educator. For many years, she served as a professor at the Norwegian Academy of Music, and her reach has extended far beyond Norway through the countless masterclasses she’s given around the wor...
For those looking for an example of a life lived with both artistic excellence and personal richness, oboist Christoph Hartmann is an inspiring model. A member of the Berlin Philharmonic since 1992, Christoph is not only a world-class orchestral musician but also a sought-after soloist and chamber player. He teaches at the Freiburg Musikhochschule, where he now lives, regularly commuting to Berlin for performances with the Philharmonic. Outside of his musical career, Christoph is deeply invol...
In the world of arts administration, few careers can rival the breadth and impact of Deborah Rutter’s. Her journey began with an early role working under the legendary Ernest Fleischmann at the Los Angeles Philharmonic and evolved into a series of leadership positions at some of the most prominent institutions in the United States. She has served as executive director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Seattle Symphony, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and, most recently, as president o...
“Seventeen was that age when we were realizing… we have to do something about this.” That poignant reflection echoes the emotional heart of SEVENTEEN, a powerful narrative work for orchestra created in response to the tragic 2018 high school shooting in Parkland, Florida—an event that claimed the lives of seventeen students. Composer Ron Ramin was moved to begin work on this piece soon after, eventually collaborating with librettist Portia Kamons, and later joined by Jamie Bernstein. Together...
In 2018, Austrian trumpeter Selina Ott made history by becoming the first woman to win first prize in the 70-year history of the prestigious ARD International Music Competition in Munich. That landmark achievement launched a remarkable career that has taken her to concert halls around the world, performing both as a soloist and with major orchestras. Her debut album, Trumpet Concertos, was honored with the Opus Klassik Award in 2021, and she has since released two more acclaimed solo recordin...
Bob Malone has quite literally helped shape the sound of modern trumpet playing around the world. He's been designing trumpets for nearly 40 years and is widely recognized as one of the premier trumpet designers in the world. His instruments are played in major orchestras across the globe, and his influence can be heard through the artistry of many of the finest trumpet players of our time. I’ve had the privilege of knowing Bob for almost 50 years, and watching his evolution—from passionate t...
In this conversation, we dive into the extraordinary creative partnership between two of the most celebrated figures in contemporary opera—librettist Gene Scheer and composer Jake Heggie. Together, Gene and Jake have brought to life some of the most powerful operatic works of our time, including Moby-Dick, Three Decembers, and It’s a Wonderful Life. Their collaboration is not only rooted in artistic brilliance but also in a deep, long-standing friendship. Individually, their accomplishments a...
I had the pleasure of speaking with John Gibson, a distinguished expert in electronic music who has had a fascinating journey through many aspects of the musical world. As someone who didn’t know much about electronic music going into this, I was pleasantly surprised by how accessible and engaging the discussion turned out to be. That’s thanks to John’s depth of knowledge and, just as importantly, his approachable nature and great sense of humor. With the help of our intrepid producer and tec...
Tom Morris is the author of Always the Music, a book I consider a must-read for anyone looking to understand the ins and outs of the classical music business—how it operates, its challenges, and the fascinating personalities involved. Tom has had an extraordinary journey in the world of music, having experienced it all from multiple perspectives. He started as a percussionist, performing with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and eventually became the General Manager of the same institution. Lat...
Jerry Hey is a Grammy Award-winning arranger, composer, and trumpeter with an incredible career that spans decades. His work as an arranger has brought him into close collaboration with legends like Quincy Jones, and he's crafted arrangements for some of the most iconic artists in music. If you've ever listened to major hits, chances are you've heard his brilliant work. As a trumpet player, Jerry's journey began with the group Sea Wind in Hawaii and later led him to become a top player in the...
Ashley Hall-Tighe is a superb trumpeter, musician, educator, and certified life coach. Ashley has an impressive career, having served on the faculties of several universities, including the Longy School of Music of Bard College, and she currently teaches at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music. But that’s not all – Ashley also works as a coach, helping individuals and groups combine wellness and music. What’s particularly remarkable is her ability to combine her professional life with her per...
General Introduction: Louise Pollock is currently the Professor of Trombone at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin. Before that, she served as the principal trombone of the Göteborg Opera while also teaching at the University of Göteborg Academy of Music and Drama. Alongside her orchestral work, Louise has earned several prestigious awards, including the First Prize and Audience Prize at the International Aeolus Competition for Wind Instruments in 2016. But what really makes this ...
I was delighted to have the opportunity to sit down with Anne Midgette and Greg Sandow together. Both are influential thinkers and leaders in the world of music, each boasting remarkable careers. Anne served as the music critic for The Washington Post for 12 years, following her tenure at The New York Times. She has co-authored two captivating but distinctly different books: My Nine Lives: A Memoir of Many Careers in Music with Leon Fleisher, and The King and I: The Uncensored Tale of Luciano...
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