Monika Vischer speaks with one of the hottest couples in classical music, pianist, Orli Shaham and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Music Director, David Robertson. David is one of today's most exciting conductors. Orli is currently touring with her brother, violinist, Gil Shaham. The two miraculously found a few minutes during a stop in New York to share their thoughts on juggling romance with two international careers and a growing family with 5-month old twins. 

(Photo below by Robert Bullivant) David Robertson and Orli Shaham at Powell Symphony Hall, St. Louis, MO.

In 2005, the Classical Public Radio Network (CPRN) began an on-going collaboration with pianist Orli Shaham to produce Dial-A-Musician, a feature she created for CPRN's morning drive-time programming. This segment was conceived both to further music education and to broaden the listeners' connection to classical music and musicians.

During each feature, Orli directs a listener question to an expert, drawing on personal and professional relationships — literally 'dialing' her guests up for his or her insights. Guests on Dial-a-Musician have included pianists Emanuel Ax and Yefim Bronfman, musicologist Elaine Sisman, composer John Adams, Emerson Quartet violinist Philip Setzer and cellist David Finckel, superstar soprano Natalie Dessay and, of course, Orli’s husband, St. Louis Symphony Music Director David Robertson, and Orli’s brother, violinist Gil Shaham, among over forty others. Dial-A-Musician ran for over two years on numerous local stations.

Below are a few Dial-a-Musician segments. Keep an eye out for more additions in the coming weeks.

Stephanie Wendt talks with parents and educators alike on what it takes to inspire, motivate and guide children through the joy of a musical education. These features explore the benefits of studying music at an early age, deciding how hard to push a child, finding the right instrument, instructor, music program, and more.

Guests include experts such as Michael V. Smith, chair of music education at The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.; Colleen Conway, Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in Music Education at The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and author of the book “Great Beginning for Music Teachers: A Guide to Mentoring and Induction"; and Robert Cutietta, dean of the Thornton School of Music at the University of Southern California, and author of the book “Raising Musical Kids: A Parent's Guide.”

Join Dan Drayer for Notes from Aspen, as he visits one of the top music festivals in the world, The Aspen Music Festival and School. There, under the guidance of preeminent professional musicians in their field, students train to become the next generation of performers, conductors, and composers; resulting in a number of very special public performances by these splendid artists.

In this series, which was recorded in the summer of 2007, Dan explores the beauty of creating, performing, and mentoring in this beautiful summer solstice atmosphere. These short features look at the purpose of a music festival; the impact the festival has on talented student musicians, as well as what the seasoned professionals learn from the young artists. Dan will talk with child prodigies about the pressures they face, and hear advice from former prodigies. He’ll weigh in on master classes, as young conductors learn their craft with hands-on training from masters, and the camaraderie experienced between individuals who share this common bond of musical brilliance.