Info

A Musical Life with Hugh Sung

Pianist Hugh Sung shares stories about making music and what moves our souls. Featuring interviews with musicians from a wide variety of genres, including Classical, Folk, Rock, Jazz, and beyond. Visit http://amusicallife.com for all episodes and show notes. New episodes coming every Monday.
RSS Feed Subscribe in Apple Podcasts
2017
May
March
February
January


2016
December
November
October
September
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2015
December
November
October
September


Categories

All Episodes
Archives
Categories
Now displaying: November, 2015
Nov 30, 2015
Dacia Clay, Host of the

Dacia Clay is the music librarian for Houston Public Media’s Classical 91.7 station, as well as the host and co-producer of “Classical Classroom”, a weekly podcast that helps listeners learn more about the world of classical music. What makes this show so interesting is the fact that Dacia has a deep dark secret...

I first learned about Dacia Clay and the “Classical Classroom” podcast from my good friend, composer Daron Hagen, who was featured in Dacia’s show. His interview on A Musical Life, by the way, will be up in a few episodes, so be sure to subscribe to be notified about that.

Each week, Dacia invites a classical music artist or teacher to come onto her show and give her “homework” assignments that cover different topics. If you’re new to classical music or just curious about it, and feel intimidated about all the mumbo-jumbo musical jargon, then “Classical Classroom” is the perfect podcast for you. Dacia is fun, witty, and refreshingly honest in sharing what she likes and doesn’t like, as well as what she doesn’t know and wants to learn.

Music Links

The Imperial March (Darth Vader’s Theme)
Le sacre de printemps (The Rite of Spring): Part I (Adoration of the Earth): The Augurs of Spring / Dances of the Young Girls
Missy Mazzoli: Song From the Uproar: Overture
George Crumb: Black Angels: God-music
“Bread Thief” from A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night
No Cities To Love by Sleater-Kinney
Dreams Come True by DJ Oguretz

 

Dacia's Trumpet Lesson on "Classical Classroom" with two musicians affiliated with the River Oaks Chamber Orchestra.

Links

Classical Classroom Podcast Website

Nov 23, 2015
Gregory Alan Isakov, Indie Folk Singer & Songwriter

Gregory Alan Isakov is a fascinating, conscientious singer/songwriter based in Boulder, Colorado. Some of his best known songs are “The Stable Song”, “Raising Cain”, and “Big Black Car”, which was featured in a 2012 McDonald’s holiday commercial. Greg balances a busy touring and recording schedule with life on his 4-acre farm, where he raises animals, bees, and a variety of crops, thanks to his degree in horticulture. His songs explore facets of everyday life with thought-provoking lyrics and vivid word imagery, thanks to his love of prose and writing.

I have to give special thanks to our associate producer, Allison Pokras, for introducing me to Gregory Alan Isakov’s music. Allison grew up together with Greg, after he immigrated from South Africa to Philadelphia at the age of 7. Greg has spent his entire life traveling, and much of those experiences are expressed in his music. Greg’s songs have been featured on several TV shows and commercials, and he’s collaborated with the likes of Brandi Carlile, Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls, and the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. 

Musical Selections

(from the album That Sea The Gambler)
1. The Stable Song
(from the album The Weatherman)
2. Amsterdam
3. Saint Valentine
4. Second Chances
5. Living Proof
6. Time Will Tell
7. O' City Lights
8. Astronaut
9. California Old Back
10. The Universe
11. Suitcase Full Of Sparks
12. Honey It's Alright
(from the album This Empty Northern Hemisphere)
13. Big Black Car
14. That Moon Song
(from the album The Weatherman)
15. All Shades Of Blue
16. She Always Takes It Black

Note: The musical selection links are affiliate links, meaning that when you make a purchase I receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. This is how I am able to provide new episodes for you. Thank you for your support!

Additional Links

Gregory Alan Isakov's Website

Nov 16, 2015
Chris Foley, Collaborative Pianist and Blogger

Collaborative pianist, teacher, and vocal coach Chris Foley is the author of CollaborativePiano.com, one of the most popular classical music blogs that turns 10 years old in November, 2015. What is "collaborative piano"? Ah, great question! It happens to be the type of piano playing that both Chris and I specialize in, but I’ll let Chris answer that question himself!

Chris and I have known each other virtually for many years, but we’ve never actually spoken directly until this interview. So it’s a real delight for me to introduce Chris Foley, who is an accomplished collaborative pianist based in Toronto Canada. A hallmark of Chris Foley's career in classical music has been his ingenuity, constant state of evolution and drive to pass on the rich legacy of chamber music, art song, opera and contemporary music as a dedicated teacher to new generations.  His wide-ranging career has spanned the academy, stage and even TV as pianist and singing coach on the sleeper hit on Bravo!Canada award winning reality show "Bathroom Divas".  A seeker of the cutting edge, this month Chris celebrates the 10th anniversary of his blog, The Collaborative Piano, which is one THE most popular classical music blogs out there. Happy 10th birthday, Chris! What an incredible accomplishment and amazing resource for classical music and collaborative pianists worldwide!

Musical Selections:

Die Schöne Müllerin, D.795 – 1. Das Wandern - with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Gerald Moore

Ariettes oubliées: 1. C’est l’extase langoureuse - with Dawn Upshaw and James Levine

At The Statue Of Venus: A Lucky Child - with Susan Graham and Jake Heggie

Schubert: Erlkönig, D. 328 (Op.1) – Wer reitet so spät - with Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Gerald Moore

Sarasate: Malaguena, Op.21 No. 1 - with Itzhak Perlman and Samuel Sanders

Show Notes

Book: The Complete Collaborator: The Pianist as Partner by Martin Katz

Tapestry Opera: https://tapestryopera.com/

Visit Chris' blog at http://collaborativepiano.com 

Nov 9, 2015
Launch Day!

Welcome to A Musical Life. I’m Hugh Sung. Today is Monday, November 9, 2015, and I’m so excited to officially launch this podcast! Every week I’m going to be sharing stories about making music and the things that move our souls. Thanks to my work as a professional pianist and tech entrepreneur, I’ve had the privilege of meeting so many amazing musicians and music lovers from all walks of life. People like:

  • David Kim, Concertmaster of the Philadelphia orchestra.
  • Pianist Gary Graffman, former director of the Curtis Institute of Music and teacher of some of the most renowned pianists today like Lang Lang, Yuja Wang, and Haochen Zhang.
  • Aaron Rosand, the last romantic violinist, with whom I collaborated as his pianist for 20 years.
  • Jordan Rudess, keyboard wizard for the progressive rock band Dream Theater.
  • And gaelic singers Calum Martin and his daughter Isobel Ann Martin who hail from the western isles of Scotland. If you’ve never heard of gaelic psalm singing, you’re in for a real treat!

Even though I’m a classical pianist, I want to explore music across a broad spectrum of styles, so I hope you’ll keep an open ear and enjoy this journey of discovery with me.

You can hear all the episodes at amusicallife.com. Each episode has show notes, where you’ll find links to all the music featured, so I hope you’ll check them out.

To listen to A Musical Life on the go, use your favorite smartphone podcast player app and search for "A Musical Life" - you can find us on iTunes and Stitcher. Wherever you find us, please subscribe - it’s completely free, and you’ll be able to get the latest episodes automatically.

If you like what you hear and want to support the show, please post a review. Go to amusicallife.com/review and you’ll be taken to our page on iTunes, where you can rate with stars and leave some comments or suggestions if you’d like. Remember, the more stars means the more you enjoy the show. I’d really appreciate your feedback!

One more thing: to celebrate the launch of this show, we’re having a special contest on Facebook. Visit amusicallife.com/contest and enter your email address for a chance to win a special prize each week. The sooner you enter, the more chances you’ll have to win! And by the way, as a special thank you for entering, I’ll be giving free tracks of my recording of Claude Debussy’s “Clair de lune”, which I recorded specially for this contest.

That’s it for now. Thank you so much for listening, and I hope you’ll join our family. And if you have a story you’d like to share, visit the contact page at amusicallife.com, or email me directly at stories@amusicallife.com

Until next time, I’m Hugh Sung, and I wish you a musical life.

Nov 2, 2015
Isobel Ann Martin, Traditional Gaelic Singer

Isobel Ann Martin, or "Bellann" to her friends, is a traditional Gaelic singer living on the Isle of Lewis off of the coast of Scotland. At the age of 18 she won the Traditional Gold Medal at The Royal National Mod. Despite her tremendous early success, Bellann has kept a low profile, with only a few CDs and television appearances, focusing instead on her career as a nurse and motherhood.

I’m delighted to introduce you to Isobel Ann Martin, or “Bellann” to her friends. Bellann is the daughter of Calum Martin, who was featured in my last episode, and is also a remarkable traditional Gaelic singer - the first time I heard her sing was when she submitted vocal tracks for one of my songs in my upcoming album, Psalms: Hyssop & Snow, and I was blown away by the purity of her voice and the amazing vocal embellishments that are one of the hallmarks of Gaelic singing.

If you enjoy this show, please click this link to post a review on iTunes. I really appreciate your support!

Musical Selections

Martyrs/St. Mary's

Cùl do Chinn

Faisg Air Glòir

`Oran Don T-Saoghal

An Iolaire

Note: The musical selection links are affiliate links, meaning that when you make a purchase I receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. This is how I am able to provide new episodes for you. Thank you for your support!

Additional Links

www.isobelannmartin.com

Nov 2, 2015
Calum Martin, Gaelic Singer & Songwriter

Gaelic singer, songwriter, and educator Calum Martin has been performing and recording since 1979. Based on the Isle of Lewis off the coast of Scotland, Calum has a special interest in Gaelic Psalm Singing, a unique a capella improvisatory singing style still practiced by congregations during their Sunday worship services, as well as pockets of African-American and Cree Indian congregations in the US. In fact, Calum explains, jazz, country and bluegrass styles can trace their musical origins in the Gaelic Psalms sung in the western isles of Scotland.

If you enjoy this show, please click this link to post a review on iTunes. I really appreciate your support!

Musical Selections

Fàgail Ghlaschu 

Dts welcome

Salm & Soul - CD

Craig Armstrong: World Trade Center Cello Theme (with Alison Lawrance) - MP3 Album

Note: The musical selection links are affiliate links, meaning that when you make a purchase I receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. This is how I am able to provide new episodes for you. Thank you for your support!

Additional Links

Calum Martin's email address: calum.martin@talk21.com

www.leummusic.com

Nov 2, 2015
Jordan Rudess, Keyboard Wizard

Jordan Rudess is a member of the progressive rock band, “Dream Theater” and was voted the best keyboardist of all time in a poll by MusicRadar. Jordan began his career as a classically trained pianist from Juilliard, and in some ways took 20 years to become an overnight success.

I first got to know Jordan when we were both featured in Pianist magazine back in 2008. After I co-founded AirTurn, I reached out to Jordan to help promote our wireless page turning pedal for the iPad, and he graciously invited me to his home to film a terrific promo. Thanks to our mutual love for music and technology, we’ve crossed paths several times at various music trade shows and have managed to stay in touch throughout the years.

If you enjoy this show, please click this link to post a review on iTunes. I really appreciate your support!

Musical Selections

Rick Wakeman - The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1973) - CATHERINE OF ARAGON

Patrick Moraz - "Someday" from the album "Refugee" (video)

Tangerine Dream - "Remote Viewing"

"Sailing" from Jordan's album "Unplugged"

Virtuoso Play Sampler Software for Atari 8-bit (video)

Jordan Rudess: "Listen to the Voice" from "Listen"

Jan Hammer, Jordan Rudess & Tony Williams - Miami Vice Theme (video)

Dream Theater - Dance of Eternity

Explorations for Keyboard & Orchestra - First Movement

Note: The musical selection links (aside from the videos) are affiliate links, meaning that when you make a purchase I receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. This is how I am able to provide new episodes for you. Thank you for your support!

Additional Links

www.jordanrudess.com

Jordan's Online Conservatory

Wizdom Music

Dream Theater

Nov 2, 2015
Aaron Rosand, The Last Romantic Violinist - Part 2

In part 2 of my interview with violinist Aaron Rosand, we delve into the obstacles he faced early in his career, the wisdom he shares with his students about life as a musician as well as why he fell in love with his beloved ‘Kochanski’ 1741 Guarneri violin, the violin that was his voice for 50 years.

If you enjoy this show, please click this link to post a review on iTunes. I really appreciate your support!

Musical Selections

Glazunov Meditation, Op. 32 (CD)

Glazunov Concerto/Meditation (MP3 Album)

Bach Chaconne from Partita No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1004

Chopin Nocturne No. 2 in E-flat major with John Covelli, piano

Gershwin Tempo di Blues with John Covelli, piano

Frank Sinatra: Laura

Brahms Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78 I. Vivace ma non troppo with Hugh Sung, piano

Note: The musical selection links are affiliate links, meaning that when you make a purchase I receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. This is how I am able to provide new episodes for you. Thank you for your support!

Additional Links

www.AaronRosand.com

Nov 2, 2015
Aaron Rosand, The Last Romantic Violinist - Part 1

Described by the New York Times critic Harold Schonberg as “one of the great living exponents of Romantic violin music”, Aaron Rosand has captivated audiences and critics the world over. His recordings have been hailed by Gramophone Magazine as “some of the greatest recordings of this century”. For over 50 years, Mr. Rosand performed on the  ‘Kochanski’ 1741 Guarneri violin. In 2009, he sold it for $10 million, and subsequently donated $1.5 million of the proceeds to The Curtis Institute of Music, where he studied as a student of Efrem Zimbalist, and where he currently teaches a new generation of master violinists.

When I was 19 years old and still a student at The Curtis Institute of Music, Aaron Rosand invited me to perform with him as his pianist for a concert tour of Japan and Korea. That began a 20 year collaboration filled with memorable performances and recordings, and a friendship that continues to this day.  Despite this, there were many questions I still had for Aaron, so our conversation went on for some time and I hope you’ll enjoy and learn a thing or two - I know I did.  Here’s part 1 of a 2 part interview and conversation with violinist Aaron Rosand.

If you enjoy this show, please click this link to post a review on iTunes. I really appreciate your support!

Musical Selections

Sibelius Concerto (CD)

Heifetz playing Korngold Concerto in D major, Op. 35: I. Moderato nobile

Kreisler Romance, Op. 4 from 111 Violin Masterpieces

Mendelssohn Sonata in F major with Geir Henning Braaten, piano (video)

Estréllita with John Covelli

Beethoven Sonata No. 5 in F major, Op. 24 "Spring "Sonata I. Allegro with Eileen Flissler

Beethoven Sonata No. 9, Op. 47 "Kreutzer" with Hugh Sung, piano (excerpt from "A Musical Memoir in Live Performances")

Note: The musical selection links are affiliate links, meaning that when you make a purchase I receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. This is how I am able to provide new episodes for you. Thank you for your support!

Additional Links

www.AaronRosand.com

Nov 2, 2015
Gary Graffman, The Epicurean Pianist

American pianist Gary Graffman has been a major figure in the classical music world since winning the Leventritt award in 1949. For 30 years, Mr. Graffman performed, toured and recorded with the world’s most prestigious orchestras. Despite an injury to his right hand in 1979, Mr. Graffman transformed his career to become the president of The Curtis Institute of Music, champion of music for left hand piano literature, and celebrated teacher of a brilliant new generation of pianists such as Lang Lang, Yuja Wang, and Haochen Zhang.

If you enjoy this show, please click this link to post a review on iTunes. I really appreciate your support!

Musical Selections

Promenade from Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition"

Variation 18 from Rachmaninoff's Rhapsody from a theme of Paganini Variation 18

Balakirev's "Islamey: Oriental Fantasy"

Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2 in G major, Op. 44: 1. Allegro brillante e molto vivace

Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 3: Allegro brillante

Schubert Fantasy in C major "The Wanderer", Op. 15 (D. 760): I. Allegro con fuoco, ma non troppo

Gary Graffman: The Complete Album Collection (Sony Classical)

Note: The musical selection links are affiliate links, meaning that when you make a purchase I receive a small commission from Amazon at no extra cost to you. This is how I am able to provide new episodes for you. Thank you for your support!

1