In this episode, YolanDa and Francis are joined by AI expert Lora Aroyo to discuss artificial intelligence and its place in classical music. Their conversation covers everything from how AI developed to what its current capabilities of composing classical music are. They touch on the ethical and artistic implications of AI-generated music, evaluate its strengths and limitations, and try to define what makes music composed by humans unique. Plus, in the quiz, Lora and Francis tell us how they wou...
Mar 06, 2025•38 min•Season 8Ep. 8
What makes a typical brass player? What really happens on a ‘viola night’? Can the saxophone truly be considered a brass instrument? And just how do you clean a tuba? YolanDa, Lee and Claudia dive into the world of brass, weighing the pros and cons of being part of the brass section and comparing it to the rest of the orchestra. They share favourite brass moments, discuss the sometimes notorious reputation of brass players, and attempt to pinpoint the characteristics that make brass players uniq...
Feb 20, 2025•32 min•Season 8Ep. 7
It’s one of the most famous pieces of classical music, but why? The beginning of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony has an iconic status, but is it one of the best openings to a piece of music? YolanDa, Tom and Cassi dig deeper into those famous four notes and along the way they share other opening bars which are just as recognisable, arresting, or scary. It’s a tricky passage to play in sync with other players, so they discuss tips and tricks to ensure it gets off to a successful start. Plus, in the qu...
Feb 06, 2025•25 min•Season 8Ep. 6
Why is the viola the butt of so many jokes? Does the viola deserve to be mocked, or is it the unsung hero of the orchestra? YolanDa Brown is joined by Martin and Minn to unpack the origins of viola jokes and demystify why violas so often get the short end of the stick - or should we say bow? But for Martin and Minn the viola’s status as a comedic goldmine sometimes has wider implications that aren’t necessarily positive, for example putting people off learning the instrument, affecting the way c...
Jan 23, 2025•30 min•Season 8Ep. 5
What makes classical music sound like classical music? And what does the word ‘classical’ mean anyway? YolanDa Brown is joined by Kristina and Mark to give their take on these big questions. They do their best to figure out where the line is between classical and non-classical music, whether film music is classical, and what makes classical music classical. And they attempt to pin down why the word ‘classical’ came to be used to describe this genre of music in the first place. Plus, Mark and Kri...
Jan 09, 2025•32 min•Season 8Ep. 4
Tails? Long black? Stilettos? A dinner jacket? Concert dress is an important part of the visual appearance of an orchestra, but what is the dress code, how flexible is it, and is it old-fashioned? YolanDa, Mark and Alice all have their preferences when it comes to what they like to wear on stage. This conversation covers everything from what happens when you ask a tailor to make you a new set of tails, whether you need to iron a shirt when only a sliver of it is visible, why orchestras dress the...
Dec 26, 2024•21 min•Season 8Ep. 3
Round of applause, please! YolanDa, Hugh and Simon evaluate the pros and cons of applause, sharing their experiences both in the concert hall and beyond. Why do we clap, when should we clap, and what’s the etiquette? Together they cover pieces where people clap when they shouldn’t, pieces where it simply feels wrong to show your appreciation by clapping, and rock and jazz concerts where it’s common to clap every few minutes. But this episode isn’t just about putting your hands together - they al...
Dec 12, 2024•33 min•Season 8Ep. 2
When asked to name a classical composer, why does everyone always say Mozart? He’s one of classical music’s most famous composers (perhaps THE most famous), but does he deserve his reputation, and is he the G.O.A.T.*? YolanDa, Mark and Alice discuss Mozart’s high points and low points, his best pieces and his worse, and how he writes for different instruments. They also touch on what’s special about him and whether other composers are more deserving of fame. Plus, this episode’s quiz reveals str...
Nov 28, 2024•32 min•Season 8Ep. 1
Welcome to Pitch Me Classical! Saxophonist and presenter YolanDa Brown and players from the London Philharmonic Orchestra pitch their thoughts on some of classical music’s most-asked questions, with plenty of chit-chat and laughter along the way. Instagram: @londonphilharmonicorchestra TikTok: @lporchestra Facebook: @londonphilharmonicorchestra Youtube: @londonphilharmonicorchestra Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Nov 22, 2024•2 min
YolanDa Brown takes us through some of the best bits of Series 7. Why do trumpets transpose, and do they enjoy it? How has recording film music changed over the years? And what does retirement look like for orchestral musicians? Plus, singer Brindley Sherratt shares his top tips on preparing to sing an operatic role. With trombonist Mark Templeton, violinist Minn Majoe, horn player Mark Vines, tuba player Lee Tsarmaklis, double bass player Simon Carrington, trumpeter Anne McAneney, bass Brindley...
Apr 25, 2024•22 min•Season 7Ep. 13
YolanDa Brown sits down with three former LPO members - violinist Geoff Lynn, bassoonist Gareth Newman, and oboist Joan Graham - to explore retirement. When they retire, some musicians sell their instruments and never play a note again. Others reduce the amount of performing they’re doing to make more time for teaching. The former LPO members chatting to YolanDa today all approached retirement in very different ways. Geoff, Gareth and Joan tell YolanDa what they miss about their orchestral years...
Apr 11, 2024•34 min•Season 7Ep. 12
YolanDa Brown joins composer Colin Matthews, Principal Conductor of the LPO Edward Gardner and flautist Juliette Bausor to revisit Gustav Holst’s most famous work, The Planets. Faber recently published a new facsimile edition of Holst’s The Planets, edited by Colin Matthews, and today’s episode explores its significance and the unique insights that the original handwritten manuscript can give us. Colin, Ed and Juliette also talk to YolanDa about their favourite and least favourite movements, the...
Mar 28, 2024•33 min•Season 7Ep. 11
Today we’re dimming the lights, turning off our phones and filling up a giant bucket of popcorn to get the lowdown on music for film and TV. Film score production has changed a lot in recent years, and LPO musicians timpanist Simon Carrington and tuba player Lee Tsarmaklis have seen it all; from Elmer Bernstein’s skilful, old school approach, to the meticulous modern day techniques of click tracks and multitrack recording. Simon and Lee tell YolanDa about the film scores which soundtrack their e...
Mar 13, 2024•27 min•Season 7Ep. 10
Today we’re going deep in the music of Wagner - and specifically The Ring cycle, his collection of 4 monumental operas: Das Rheingold , Die Walküre , Siegfrie d, and Götterdämmerung Even if you haven’t seen these live, you’re probably aware that these are absolute behemoths of the opera house - with heroism, love, death, gigantic orchestras and big tunes that need big voices. Bass Brindley Sherratt is tackling the role of Hagen in Götterdämmerung, and he explains how memory, text and costume are...
Mar 01, 2024•31 min•Season 7Ep. 9
Today, another one of our top episodes from the archive… YolanDa Brown joins organist and conductor Anna Lapwood, piccolo player Stewart McIlwham and violinist Martin Höhmann to take a close look at Camille Saint-Saëns’ Symphony No.3 - his organ symphony. They discuss the challenges of communicating with the conductor from the organ, how to get the perfect tempo so those mammoth chords have maximum impact, and how the flutes and violins manage the difficult offbeat rhythms. Anna also reveals how...
Feb 15, 2024•41 min•Season 7Ep. 8
YolanDa Brown sits down with contrabassoonist Simon Estell and clarinettist Tom Watmough for a deep dive into Brahms’ Four symphonies Brahms’ symphonies are right at the beating heart of orchestral repertoire for very good reason: audiences love their romanticism and drama, and players can’t get enough of those gorgeous melodies. But how do you keep the music fresh when it’s played so often? Tom and Simon reveal how every conductor creates new challenges for the orchestra, and how Brahms was ins...
Feb 03, 2024•28 min•Season 7Ep. 7
YolanDa Brown talks to trumpeter Anne McAneney and cellist Francis Bucknall and explores Stravinsky’s Firebird. The Firebird is a hugely popular work, but what makes it so enduring? Anne, Francis and YolanDa discuss its story, Stravinsky’s revolutionary writing, and how to keep the music sounding fresh on stage and in recordings. They also mention a number of related works and why Stravinsky’s music lends itself so well to education projects. Plus, they reveal what changes when a piece is being ...
Jan 18, 2024•31 min•Season 7Ep. 6
YolanDa Brown joins violinist Minn Majoe and horn player Mark Vines to share their touring tips and tricks. Hot off the plane from their recent tour to Asia, Minn and Mark share the highlights and lowlights of the trip with YolanDa, who brings in her own touring experiences. They discuss the difficulties of transporting large instruments, suitcase essentials, and how to navigate washing your clothes when you’re away from home. Plus, ideas for what to do on a day off abroad… If you have any quest...
Dec 28, 2023•29 min•Season 7Ep. 5
YolanDa Brown joins harpist Rachel Masters and trombonist Mark Templeton to talk all things festive in this special Christmas episode. In this episode of LPO Offstage YolanDa and her guests share their favourite musical Christmas memories. They discuss the magic of carol singing, the pros and cons of seasonal gigs, and their favourite Christmas repertoire including some amusing alternative lyrics. Plus, they bust some myths about busking and share their tips and trips for performing in inclement...
Dec 14, 2023•27 min•Season 7Ep. 4
We’ve been dipping into the LPO Offstage archives and revisiting our favourite episodes. In this one, YolanDa Brown sits down with baritone Roddy Williams, horn player Johnny Ryan and cellist Kristina Blaumane to hear what singers can learn from instrumental playing, and why the issues of balancing a voice with an orchestra may not be what you expect. YolanDa also discovers how the players transition from the concert stage to the opera pit and back again, and finds out about the surround sound e...
Nov 16, 2023•29 min•Season 7Ep. 3
Here’s another favourite episode from the LPO Offstage archives! YolanDa Brown chats to Damian Davis about the celebrated LPO truck, complete with a hydraulic lift and kitchenette, and asks how he safely transports hundreds of instruments to concert halls around the world. She also hears bass player Laura Murphy’s point of view - when do you take your ‘second’ instrument, and what do you absolutely not put in your instrument case when you go on tour…? If you have any questions you’d like to put ...
Nov 02, 2023•31 min•Season 7Ep. 2
We’re taking you back to one of our favourite episodes of LPO Offstage from the archives. This episode is all about venues and YolanDa Brown talks to violinist Tania Mazzetti and trombonist Mark Templeton to discover insights about how different acoustics can radically affect performance, as well as the best (and worst) backstage facilities. And quite a lot of beer. And sausages. If you have any questions you’d like to put to the musicians, please email [email protected], and you might be feat...
Oct 19, 2023•26 min•Season 7Ep. 1
If you’re playing and listening to music all day for your job, what do you listen to the rest of the time? In this final episode of Series 6, YolanDa Brown sits down with Simon Carrington (principal timpanist) and Alice Ivy-Pemberton (violinist and co-leader of the LPO) to talk about their personal relationship with music… They discuss music that imbues every day walking with meaning and purpose, getting in the zone while listening to music on the train, and sometimes just needing silence (‘natu...
Oct 05, 2023•38 min•Season 6Ep. 12
YolanDa Brown takes us through some of the best bits of Series 6, from alternative career paths, to romance in the orchestra, and a deep dive into Holst’s Planets. There’s also advice from Anna Lapwood about how to get into classical music, and Ben Gernon gives us a tour of the orchestra pit at Glyndebourne opera house. Plus, Lee and Dave’s must have tour items… Produced by Tandem Productions for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. #OffstagePod Twitter: @LPOrchestra Instagram: @londonphilharmonic...
Sep 21, 2023•23 min•Season 6Ep. 11
YolanDa Brown joins cor anglais player Sue Böhling and double bass player Hugh Kluger to find out the reality of life as an orchestral musician, from finding the best bakeries in South East London to having a whole additional career as an interior designer. In this episode of LPO Offstage YolanDa sits down to chat with Sue and Hugh about their must have items on tour, what they listen to outside their job, and some surprising facts about where their careers might have gone if they didn’t choose ...
Sep 06, 2023•37 min•Season 6Ep. 10
YolanDa Brown joins trumpet player Anne McAneney, cellist Francis Bucknall and harpist Rachel Masters to discuss Gustav Holst’s most famous work, The Planets. Space, the solar system and intergalactic travel have been depicted in music and films for decades, but Gustav Holst was there early, trying to communicate the vastness of the planets (and their mythical links) with music. In this episode of LPO Offstage the players reveal what the piece is really like to play, the techniques Holst uses in...
Aug 24, 2023•30 min•Season 6Ep. 9
We’ve dug into the archives to share one of our favourite episodes of LPO Offstage - Keeping in Shape. Facing the fear of fear, admitting you might not always want to go to those after concert drinks, and searching for the best strengthening exercises to avoid injury as a musician and a conductor are just a few of the tips and topics discussed by YolanDa Brown, cellist Elisabeth Wiklander and conductor Karina Canellakis. They discover that being in top shape for your job as a musician is a very ...
Aug 10, 2023•36 min•Season 6Ep. 8
Every summer, the LPO heads down to Glyndebourne in Lewes, East Sussex for a season as one of the opera house’s resident orchestras. In this episode of LPO Offstage, YolanDa meets conductor Ben Gernon ahead of the evening’s performance of Donizetti’s opera ‘The Elixir of Love’. As Ben and YolanDa chat about what it’s really like to conduct an opera, they wander through the opera house, the famous pit, gardens, backstage and Ben’s dressing room, stumbling upon a giant cake, the wig room, and the ...
Jul 27, 2023•37 min•Season 6Ep. 7
YolanDa Brown joins tuba player Lee Tsarmaklis and trombone player Dave Whitehouse to get the inside scoop on the low brass section of the orchestra. What exactly is the low brass section? As well as their respective trombone and tuba, Dave and Lee have to play multiple instruments ranging from the cimbasso, to the alto trombone, to the sousaphone and the ‘baritone thingy’. But do they all actually sound good? Dave and Lee reveal their thoughts on these mysterious instruments, and take us throug...
Jul 13, 2023•36 min•Season 6Ep. 6
YolanDa Brown joins Eastbourne’s Arts Ambassador Chris Connelley, LPO viola player Kate Leek and clarinettist Tom Watmough to find out what their top tips are for visiting Sussex, the LPO’s second home. As well as the Royal Festival Hall, the LPO performs regularly in Brighton, Eastbourne and Lewes in East Sussex for the Glyndebourne season. And quite a few of the musicians live in the area. What brings the musicians to that part of the world? And what recommendations do they have for holidaymak...
Jun 29, 2023•29 min•Season 6Ep. 5
