With composition titles like In the Cause of the Free, Ellis Island: The Dream of America, and Balance of Power, it's easy to tell Peter Boyer has more than a casual interest in American history. In fact, it's something that's inspired him throughout his career.

The cover art for most classical albums usually relies on a glamorous studio shot of the artist or a generically tranquil landscape that hardly relates to the music we're about to experience.

But that's not at all the case on the cover of The Strange Highway, the debut album from composer Gity Razaz. A pencil and ink drawing depicting a cloaked figure with an arrow through the heart, whose head is a series of celestial orbs and auras, this artwork from Daniel Martin Diaz not only draws us in — it perfectly captures Razaz's sound world, one inspired by the Surrealism art movement of the early 20th century.  

The savviest arts administrators know that putting a concert season together is more than programming popular repertoire or bringing big-name soloists to town. For Jeremy Geffen, executive and artistic director of Cal Performances at UC Berkeley, bringing to life all of the organization's artistic and educational activities — about 80 events per season — centers around ideas of building and serving communities across the Bay Area.

Some classical musicians choose to follow a specific lane throughout their career, either as an orchestral musician, a chamber player, or a concert soloist. But Stewart Goodyear can't confine his career to one lane — he demands an entire highway.

Among the countless projects classical music presenters have had to delay over the past two years, perhaps none has been more eagerly anticipated than that of Omar, a new opera from Rhiannon Giddens and Michael Abels.

So much of the way classical musicians perform or even think about music is informed by the work of past generations. But what happens when history books omit certain musicians, often due to their gender, race, or sexuality? How can those gaps in music history — and our shared musical legacy — be restored?

Many classical musicians turn to art, architecture, or literature to inspire their creativity and inform their performances. But for others, it's all about the music. Grammy Award-winning guitarist Jason Vieaux falls into that second category — especially when it comes to J.S. Bach.

Classical musicians are incredibly passionate about their work. But that doesn't mean they can't make room in their hectic lives for other passion projects. For harpist Yolanda Kondonassis — one of the world's greatest soloists and head of the harp departments at the Cleveland Institute and Oberlin Conservatory — earth conservation has been the focus of her activism for more than 20 years. And it's led her down some fascinating roads both inside and outside the music world.

For classical musicians, the process of exploring and learning new repertoire never ends. That's especially true for pianists, who have a titanic amount of literature available to them — from seminal keyboard works of the Baroque to the freshly inked compositions of today.

How does a storied summer music festival thrive in the 21st century? Especially one located in a town best known for its 19th-century gilded glamor and magnificent mansions? For Newport Classical's executive director, Gillian Friedman Fox, it's all about finding ways to respect history and tradition while forging new paths for access and inclusion. "For Newport Classical, people are looking for a classical music and arts experience that you just can't find anywhere else," Friedman Fox says in the latest episode of the Classical Post podcast.

Longevity and chamber music don't often go together. For every Emerson String Quartet that spends decades performing together, there are scores of chamber ensembles calling it quits every year. So when a group like the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet (LAGQ) reaches its 40th anniversary, it's a cause for celebration.

In the social media age, the life of a classical musician can appear glamorous — a steady stream of concerts across the globe, album releases, residencies, and black-tie receptions. But what are the ups and downs we don't see once the cameras are gone? And what roles can wellness and community play in the life of a performing artist today? Violinist and author Rebecca Fischer joins us on the Classical Post podcast.

The American conductor Ryan Bancroft joins us on the Classical Post podcast today, where we speak about his new appointment as the Chief Conductor Designate of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. Beginning in the 23/24 season, it’s a very important role at one of Europe’s premier orchestras.

Trio con Brio Copenhagen joins us on the Classical Post podcast today, which was recorded earlier this spring when they were on tour in the US. Right off the heels of winning the German Record Critics' Award, we spoke particularly at a time when many organizations had been grappling with presenting music written by Russian composers due to how their audience views the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine. Near the end of the episode we dive into this topic.

Soprano Laura Strickling joins us on the Classical Post podcast to discuss her Grammy nominated album, Confessions. Calling the U.S. Virgin Islands home, she tells the story of managing a mammoth commissioning project from the Caribbean while in lockdown.

It’s not everyday you hear about a vibraphonist, but today you will on the Classical Post podcast. Calling in from his home in Luxembourg, I spoke with the fascinating vibraphonist, composer, and producer Pascal Schumacher. He has a new album out on the Neue Meister label called LUNA. We dig into the background of creating this, including the accompanying gorgeous music videos.

The Grammy Award-winning Catalyst Quartet joins us on the Classical Post podcast today to discuss their latest album, UNCOVERED Volume 2, featuring the music of Florence Price. The star pianist Michelle Cann is also on the show as this album was a collaboration with her.

Zachary Carrettin and Mina Gajić are the dynamic duo on the podcast today. Zachary is music director of Boulder Bach Festival and Mina is its artistic and executive director. They have just released a chamber music album on the Sono Luminus label — Confluence — featuring a fascinating juxtaposition of Balkan dances and tango. I know tango speaks deeply to me, so I was very intrigued to hear the backstory of how this album came to be — seemingly disparate styles, but dovetailing so cleverly into a strong artistic statement in this album.

Film director Ted Braun joins us on the Classical Post podcast to discuss his new documentary ¡Viva Maestro! that chronicles Grammy-winning conductor Gustavo Dudamel who is famously known as LA Phil’s music director.

The Gateways Music Festival Orchestra makes its Carnegie Hall debut this month led by Anthony Parnther. The concert features Jon Batiste, who just won five Grammys at this year’s ceremony, including the highly-coveted title, “Album of the Year”.