The 4 Best The Open Ears Project Podcast Episodes
1) BONUS: Tom Hiddleston on The Nutcracker
Actor Tom Hiddleston reminisces about his childhood love of Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker and reveals that he still turns to the Russian Dance whenever he needs a shot of vitality in his day.
2) 11. Sam Mendes on American Beauty
Director Sam Mendes explains how Carl Orff’s Gassenhauer helped him establish the mood for his first film, American Beauty. Keep listening after the episode to hear the full track.
3) 4. Miloš Karadaglić on Being Home
Guitarist Miloš Karadaglić discusses his deep connection to the longing for home expressed in Francisco Tárrega’s Lágrima. Keep listening after the episode to hear the full track.
4) 1. Alec Baldwin on Resetting Your Day
Actor Alec Baldwin talks about how Aram Khachaturian's Spartacus Adagio revives and energizes him during the busiest days of his life. Keep listening after the episode to hear the full track.
5) Janna Levin on Mozart’s Unfinished Ambitions
Janna Levin, a theoretical cosmologist and professor of astronomy and physics, talks about Mozart, black holes, and life’s unfinished work.
6) Hanna Arie-Gaifman on Bach and Survival
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.
7) Caroline Shaw on Mendelssohn and Possibility
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.
8) Nick Ferrone on Why Barber’s “Adagio” Gets a Bad Rap
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.”
9) Lucy Boynton on Chopin and Getting Into Character
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.
10) Martha Lane Fox on Perseverance and Beethoven
Entrepreneur Martha Lane Fox recounts how Beethoven’s music allowed her to gain confidence and find her voice again.