
Hello Open Ears fans, pianist Emanuel Ax is dropping into the feed to introduce Classical Music Happy Hour, a new podcast he hosts that you might enjoy. The show is all about the joy in chatting about music with all sorts of people, including some of Manny’s dearest friends like pianist Yuja Wang, composer John Adams, actor David Hyde Pierce, and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. So grab a drink and join Manny Ax for music, merriment and conversation.
Apr 30
3 min

Ana González is here to introduce you to her new podcast, Our Common Nature, a musical journey with cellist Yo-Yo Ma. When the world stopped in 2020, Yo-Yo Ma started thinking about how music can reconnect people to the natural world. In this limited podcast series, Yo-Yo goes around the country to places where people have deep connections to the earth.
Nov 12, 2025
33 min

Janna Levin, a theoretical cosmologist and professor of astronomy and physics, talks about Mozart, black holes, and life’s unfinished work.
Jun 17, 2024
24 min

Hanna Arie-Gaifman shares a story about why this Bach sarabande reminds her of her cousin, Zuzana Ruzickova, who survived the Holocaust and went on to become an acclaimed harpsichordist.
Jun 10, 2024
15 min

Composer, violinist, and vocalist Caroline Shaw shares memories of playing Mendelssohn’s “Octet for Strings” as a music student and how it helped spark a lifelong love for chamber music.
Jun 3, 2024
11 min

Nick Ferrone is a real-estate agent by day and harmonica player by night. In this episode, he talks about his abiding appreciation for Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings.”
May 27, 2024
24 min

Actress Lucy Boynton remembers her childhood as one surrounded by music. Here, she shares a favorite piano piece by Chopin and reflects on the power of music to establish tone in filmmaking.
May 20, 2024
13 min

Entrepreneur Martha Lane Fox recounts how Beethoven’s music allowed her to gain confidence and find her voice again.
May 13, 2024
17 min

Steve Reich talks about the influence of 13th-century French composer Pérotin on his own compositions and why medieval music feels fresh to contemporary ears.
May 6, 2024
25 min

Acclaimed violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter muses on how Bach’s music has accompanied her through moments of sorrow and joy alike.
Apr 29, 2024
12 min
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