The Fidelio Podcast

Recording engineer and producer, Dirk Fischer, chats about his career with Marie over coffee in St. Truiden, Belgium, where they have just finished recording Brahms Clarinet Sonatas and Trio with historical instruments. Read more about Dirk Fischer: fischerdirk.com And about Solaire Records: solairerecords.com

Marie sat down with historical cellist, Claire-Lise Démettre, to talk about Romantic-period string playing and techniques. They discuss Claire-Lise's cello and set-up, what it feels like to play gut strings, portamento, different kinds of vibrato – and those special moments that don't require anything from the player, when the music is just beautiful enough on it’s own.

This episode is very personal. Marie plays some short examples of various tracks from the new historically informed Brahms recording and talks about the inspirations, stories, experiences, and influences behind each example. Brahms’ inspirations for works often included nature, occasions, and the players for whom he dedicated his music. In this episode, Marie talks about her own personal inspirations for the interpretation and ideas heard on the recording.

The Brahms Mini-Series corresponds to the recent release of a new CD of the Brahms Works for Clarinet and Piano with Marie Ross (clarinet), Petra Somlai (piano), and Claire-Lise Démettre (cello). In the first episode of her Brahms Mini-Series, Marie introduces some concepts of the historical performance practice of the Romantic era, in particular relating to Brahms' chamber music. The concept of the mini-series is to reveal of the stories, ideas, and background that you can't include in the liner notes!

Marie Ross has started the first ever clarinet event in New Zealand, the University of Auckland Clarinet Weekend. She also holds a composition contest for new works for clarinet each year. In this episode, she speaks to last year's first prize winner, Joshua Pearson, about his piece Teine Sa. She talks about the contest itself, and how it will be organized differently this year for the most impact and benefit of the community.

David Crowell is a member of the Philip Glass Ensemble, playing woodwinds, and is a genre-crossing composer in his own right, leading his own band, Empyrean Atlas. His music has been said to be a mix of classical, jazz, pop, post-punk, African, ambient, and minimalism. David has played all over the world with the Philip Glass Ensemble, and chats to Marie about what it is like to play huge works such as Einstein on the Beach.

Posy Knight is a dancer, choreographer, actor, scenic designer, director, and arts educator. Marie chats with her about all the threads of her artistic life, how they fit together, and how she uses her creativity to better her local community in Milwaukee. They discuss thinking and the philosophy behind a physical art form such as dance, how an artist can discover unexpected interests, making money in the arts, and Posy describes a few of the productions she has designed the scenery for.

Marie chats with clarinetist, Franklin Cohen, from the Cleveland Orchestra about the Munich Competition, Leopold Stokowski, and Frank even gives some practice tips - which he manages to relate back to everything else about life.

Marie talks with Franklin Cohen, Grammy award winning clarinetist and Principal Clarinet of the Cleveland Orchestra for 39 seasons. They chat about his experience auditioning (twice!) for the Cleveland Orchestra and Lorin Maazel, expressivity on an instrument, how to find your voice as an instrumentalist (or artist), performance anxiety and accepting yourself.

Marie talks about her journey from being a full-time performer to also including a teaching position at The University of Auckland. She chats about some of her own teachers and influences, and how it can be possible to teach creativity through music. As well as being Lecturer of Clarinet in Auckland, Marie also teaches historical clarinet as a secondary instrument. She discusses what modern classical musicians with no ambitions of becoming historical performers can learn from these instruments.

Ep. 25: Miki Kekenj and the Concerto Köln Speak! Project

Episode 24: Josh Salsbury

Episode 23: Mark Kirkland's The Moving Picture Company 1914

Episode 22: Mark Kirkland Part 1

Episode 21: Thomas Morris and Dubliners 100