Music Director Michael Stern joins Michael Gordon and concertmaster Jun Iwasaki to talk about his upcoming final season with the Kansas City Symphony. We also talk about his recently announced successor, Matthias Pintscher, and how he feels pro

How to Lie Professionally, with Jim Birdsall

May 25th, 2023 38m 43s

In this episode we talk with Vietnam veteran, voice artist, actor, musician, and longtime host for the Kansas City Symphony’s Memorial Day Celebration at the Station, Jim Birdsall. From his humble beginnings in North Dakota, to the jungles of V

The Resilient Revisited

May 4th, 2023 52m 58s

As Memorial Day approaches and the KC Symphony prepares for another Celebration at the Station, Beethoven Walks into a Bar revisits our conversation with Tim Donley of the band The Resilient. Tim, Mike, Stephanie, and our pal Jason Seber chat a

Finding your Coffee People with Sasha Cooke

Apr 20th, 2023 59m 46s

This week on Beethoven Walks into a Bar, Mike and Stephanie are joined by mezzo-soprano Sasha Cooke who is town to sing Hindemith's When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom'd with the Kansas City Symphony and Chorus. We talk about Sasha's work wi

Off the Podium with Teddy Abrams

Apr 7th, 2023 1h 7m

Teddy Abrams makes his second appearance on Beethoven Walks into a Bar this week, joining Mike and guest hosts Joe LeFevre (tuba) and Jessica Nance (viola). Teddy recently led the orchestra in a program including former podcast guest Caroline S

Off the Podium with Thomas Wilkins

Mar 23rd, 2023 54m 58s

This week on Beethoven Walks into a Bar, Mike and Stephanie chat with maestro, educator and all-around inspiring human Thomas Wilkins. The King of acronyms, he is currently artistic advisor for education and community engagement and the Germesh

Off the Podium with Matthias Pintscher

Mar 3rd, 2023 38m 38s

This week's episode features an off the podium chat with conductor and composer Matthias Pintscher. Stephanie, Gonzalo and return-guest John Klinghammer grill he maestro on this weekend's program, featuring works by Ravel, Scriabin and LIGETI.

Off the Podium with Francesco Lecce-Chong

Jan 12th, 2023 48m 52s

This week on Beethoven Walks into a Bar, Gonzalo and Stephanie chat with guest conductor Francesco Lecce-Chong about his upcoming visit to Kansas City. Francesco leads the Kansas City Symphony in a program of Mason Bates, Mozart and Respighi Ja

Re-Gifted: Name that Christmas Carol with David and Fabrice

Dec 8th, 2022 53m 6s

Sometimes the best gifts are re-gifts. This week on Beethoven Walks into a Bar we revisit this gem from Season Two with KCS musicians David Sullivan and Fabrice Curtis and our good friend Jason Seber. This holiday carol-filled episode is sure t

Off the Podium with Aziz Shokhakimov

Nov 21st, 2022 38m 2s

Happy Thanksgiving from Beethoven Walks into a Bar! And Happy FIRST Thanksgiving to our guest Aziz Shokhakimov! In this week's episode, we chat off the podium with Aziz who is in town to lead the Kansas City Symphony and fellow Uzbek Behzod Abd

Out of the Box with Magic Circle Mimes

Nov 2nd, 2022 47m 20s

This week's episode of Beethoven Walks into a Bar features a chat (yes, chat) with Magic Circle Mimes Doug MacIntyre and Maggie Peterson. Doug and Maggie have been introducing audiences to the arts of mime and symphonic music for over four deca

Off the Podium with Domingo Hindoyan

Oct 20th, 2022 45m 45s

On this week's episode of Beethoven Walks into a Bar, we welcome our first guest conductor of the season, Venezuelan Domingo Hindoyan who will conduct the orchestra and Kansas City Symphony Chorus in a program of Mendelssohn, Brahms and Berlioz

An Alpine Adventure

Oct 6th, 2022 1h 5m

This week on Beethoven Walks into a Bar, Mike and Stephanie get lost in the Bavarian Alps with two members of the KC Symphony brass section, associate principal trumpet Steven Franklin and bass trombonist Jahleel Smith. As the orchestra prepare

Meet the Concertmaster, Jun Iwasaki

Sep 22nd, 2022 50m 7s

After years of searching, the Kansas City Symphony has a new concertmaster! After running through a veritable gauntlet of auditions, trials and recitals, Jun Iwasaki has landed the coveted role of concertmaster and now calls KC home. We chat ab

Welcome to KC, Gonzalo Farias!

Sep 8th, 2022 50m 29s

Welcome to SEASON SIX of Beethoven Walks into a Bar! This week, we meet the Kansas City Symphony’s new Associate Conductor Gonzalo Farias. Learn about Gonzalo’s journey from Chile to KC, the audition process of a conductor, and his love of vint

Off the Podium with Gemma New

Jun 29th, 2022 34m 15s

This week on Beethoven Walks into a Bar, New Zealander Gemma New reflects on her week with the Kansas City Symphony conducting Ravel's Mother Goose Suite, a new violin concerto by Chris Rogerson and Saint-Saëns' epic "Organ" Symphony. We chat a

Knowing the Score with Coach Andy Reid

Jun 6th, 2022 49m 5s

This week on your favorite podcast, we throw out the playbook, tackle important topics and try not to utter any offensive lines when we're joined by Kansas City's favorite head coach, Andy Reid! Fresh off attending two KC Symphony performances,

Off the Podium with Paolo Bortolameolli

Apr 19th, 2022 50m 59s

In addition to conducting around the world, maestro Paolo Bortolameolli has somehow found the time to create an insightful video series, author a book and join us for a chat on Beethoven Walks into a Bar. We have a great time discussing growing

Off the Podium with Christian Reif

Mar 30th, 2022 53m 25s

This week we chat off the podium with German-born conductor Christian Reif. Christian joins the Kansas City Symphony April 1-3, 2022 conducting works by Joan Tower, W.A. Mozart and Stravinsky. We chat about his upcoming trip to KC, the illustri

Off the Podium with Michael Francis

Feb 21st, 2022 46m 42s

This week on Beethoven Walks into a Bar we have a delightful chat with British conductor-turned-Floridian Michael Francis. Michael's upcoming program with the Kansas City Symphony includes music by Purcell, Mozart and Elgar. Speaking of Mozart,

Off the Podium with Eduardo Strausser

Feb 1st, 2022 48m 36s

This week on Beethoven Walks into a Bar we chat off the podium with Maestro Eduardo Strausser who joins us from Berlin in advance of his week here with the orchestra. And who knows, maybe we change things up and do the interview in one or more

Joel Thompson, Nina Simone and Beethoven Walk into a Bar...

Jan 25th, 2022 54m 13s

This week on Beethoven Walks into a Bar, we chat with rising American composer Joel Thompson. Joel is currently best known for his piece for men’s voices, piano and strings Seven Last words of the Unarmed, and is quickly making a name for himse

Off the Podium with Joshua Weilerstein

Jan 10th, 2022 46m 38s

Welcome to Season Five of Beethoven Walks into a Bar! We kick off the season and 2022 with Maestro Joshua Weilerstein. A podcaster in his own right, Joshua explains how his own show, Sticky Notes, came to be. He also chats about his upcoming vi

It Wouldn't be Christmas without a Swamp Hen

Dec 13th, 2021 38m 38s

Beethoven Walks into a Bar celebrates another Holiday season with music from around the world! Experience sounds of the season from Africa, Europe, Australia and the Americas. Plus, our new favorite segment is back with a brand new jingle...Top

All about the Bass with Caleb Quillen

Dec 6th, 2021 40m 22s

This week's episode is all about that bass. The Kansas City Symphony boasts one of the very best bass sections of any American orchestra, and we sit down with one of the members of this prestigious section, Mr. Caleb Quillen. Get ready to unlo