Looking ahead to Longborough's 2025 season, which will include the UK premiere of Wahnfried - Avner Dorman's opera about the Wagner family - and a new production of Debussy's post-Wagnerian masterpiece Pelléas et Mélisande, Longborough's Artistic Director Polly Graham talks about these works, and their relationship with the oeuvre of Richard Wagner…

In this episode we explore Götterdämmerung from the perspective of its heroine, Brünnhilde, with thoughts and musical excerpts from Professor Peter Franklin, conductor and pianist Justin Brown, and Longborough's own Brünnhilde Lee Bisset. This was recorded at an event for Longborough members. Find out more about Longborough Festival Opera at ⁠lfo.o…

In this episode we celebrate the upcoming 2024 season at Longborough - a new production of La bohème in the centenary year of Puccini's death, alongside the culmination of our Ring cycle. With readings and music from some of our brilliant Emerging Artists, we also look ahead at the exciting plans for our 2025 programme, with Longborough's Artistic …

Longborough Festival Opera: the first 30 years is a new book chronicling how a dream of an idea became bricks, mortar and sublime music. In this recording of the book launch, author Richard Bratby talks to music historian Sophie Redfern about Martin and Lizzie Graham's remarkable achievement, and the story of opera at Longborough. Internationally r…

Looking ahead to Longborough's 2023 production of Monteverdi's L'Orfeo, music director Robert Howarth and lutenist Lynda Sayce discuss interpreting manuscripts from Monteverdi's era. Find out more about Longborough Festival Opera at LFO.org.uk

Looking ahead to Longborough's 2023 production of Monteverdi's L'Orfeo, Robert Howarth, Olivia Fuchs and tenor Tom Randle explore Orfeo's pivotal scenes and monologues as he journeys into the underworld to find Euridice.In this podcast, two of the lead creatives on this summer's production at Longborough - Music Director Robert Howarth on keyboard,…

Wagner fits within a German ecological tradition stretching from Von Humboldt through Haeckel and Himmler to the Greens. Can any of this be heard in the music itself? This talk will show you how. This episode is a lecture by Professor Michael Spitzer, author of acclaimed book The Musical Human, with musical illustrations by Longborough's Ring cycle…

In July 2022, Longborough Festival Opera features an exciting double bill performed by our Emerging Artists: Francesca Caccini's La liberazione di Ruggiero, paired with Freya Waley-Cohen's contemporary song cycle Spell Book. In this episode, Longborough's artistic director Polly Graham speaks to the production's director Jenny Ogilvie about her pla…

Korngold's Die tote Stadt forms an exciting part of Longborough's summer 2022 festival. In this episode, Korngold experts Jessica Duchen and Michael Haas teach us more about this remarkable composer. With musical extracts from pianist Charles Matthews. This talk was recorded at an event for Longborough members. Thanks to Stuart Essenhigh on trumpet…

Longborough Festival Opera's Music Director Anthony Negus joins the pianist and musicologist Professor Kenneth Hamilton, as they discuss the surprising personal and musical relationships between Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt. Hosted by writer and librettist Sophie Rashbrook. Thanks to Stuart Essenhigh on trumpet in the introduction. Find out more …

In this episode, Longborough Festival Opera's Artistic Director Polly Graham joins the acclaimed librettist and opera director Sir David Pountney, who was in the midst of staging his own Ring cycle in Chicago when the pandemic first struck. The subject of their discussion is comedy in the Ring cycle: where and how we can find humour inside this hug…

Tim, Mark, and Olivia give final thoughts and wrap up the “How To: Middle School Percussion” series. Special thanks to Professor Mark Lortz for giving his time and expertise. Please visit his website, marklortz.com

Tim and Mark discuss the importance of timpani in the percussion section, even with beginners.

Tim and Mark discuss what to do when you have way to many percussionists in the section.

Tim and Mark discuss strategies to implement when there are not enough percussionists to cover all of the parts.

Tim and Mark discuss why it is so important to insist on proper technique on every percussion instrument.

Tim and Mark discuss the importance of being a well rounded percussionist, not just a drummer.

Tim and Mark discuss how to keep the percussion section organized, and how to make sure each member of the section gets equal playing time on each percussion instrument.

Tim and Mark discuss the importance of including the percussion section in the warm up and how to engage the section right from the very beginning of the rehearsal.

Tim and Mark discuss the different ways to start beginner percussion and which ways work best.

We kick off our first “How To” series with Middle School Percussion. Professor Mark Lortz, Stevenson University, joins us and shares his his expertise. For more info about Dr. Lortz, visit his website, marklortz.com

Tim and Olivia talk with Joey Montes, marching band show designer, about how high schools are handling outdoor and indoor rehearsals, as well as creative performance ideas, all while adhering to social distancing protocols.

Tim explains what happens when your audio recording is bad and you don’t have time to re-record the episode. We hope you don’t break up with us. After all, it’s 2020, the gift that keeps on giving!

Tim and Olivia speak with middle school band director Becky Mercer, and find out how she organizes her remote learning rehearsals.

Tim talks about 3 of the most important traits of a band teacher, being organized, prepared, and flexible, especially in the face of remote learning and lagging WiFi.

Tim and Olivia talk to Paula Hales, Band Director at Archer Lodge Middle School, about her plan to teach her 6th grade beginner band during 100% remote learning.

In this episode, conductor Justin Brown and director Olivia Fuchs chat to music journalist Richard Bratby about this incredible work: Janácek's musical language; his parallels to Wagner; and why grown adults would want to see an opera about talking animals. Longborough Festival Opera's Emerging Artist production of The Cunning Little Vixen will now…

Tim and Olivia listen to Melissa Sevigny talk about how she will teach her middle school band while being 100% remote learning. Don’t forget to hit us up at anchor.fm/Tim-Besel Also, check out Virtual Band Consortium at hyltonmusicdesign.com

Tim and Olivia discuss how they are going to structure their high school band classes in the 100% remote learning environment. Hit us up at anchor.fm/Tim-Besel Also, check out Virtual Band Consortium at hyltonmusicdesign.com

Tim and Olivia speak with Aaron Snipes, Head Band Director at Braswell High School in Aubrey, Texas about the protocols his band put in place to keep students safe at band camp during the Coronavirus Pandemic. For more info, you can contact Mr. Snipes at asnipes@dentonisd.org

Tim and Olivia speak with Aaron Snipes, Head Band Director at Braswell High School in Aubrey, Texas about the protocols his band put in place to keep students safe at band camp during the Coronavirus Pandemic. For more info, you can contact Mr. Snipes at asnipes@dentonisd.org

In this episode, writer and librettist Sophie Rashbrook chats to historian Eleanor Rosamund Barraclough and soprano Lee Bisset, who was set to have been Brünnhilde in Wagner's Die Walküre at Longborough in the postponed 2020 season. In their discussion they explore the roles and mythical origins of Wagner’s women. For further reading, see Eleanor's…

Tim and Olivia answer a question from listener Karen, about how to get your kids to practice at home. To leave a voice message, question, or comment, visit anchor.fm/Tim-besel

We talk with middle school band director Paul Black about the first year of band. We discuss creating a great foundation, as well as what the students need to know, and when they need to know it.

We talk with middle school band director Paul Black about the first year of band. We discuss creating a great foundation, as well as what the students need to know, and when they need to know it.

We talk with middle school band director Paul Black about the first year of band. We discuss creating a great foundation, as well as what the students need to know, and when they need to know it.

In this episode, music journalist Richard Bratby chats to Longborough's Music Director Anthony Negus and bass-baritone Paul Carey Jones, who was scheduled to sing Wotan in Wagner's Die Walküre at Longborough in the postponed 2020 season. In their discussion they trace Wotan's journey through Wagner's Ring cycle. Thanks to Stuart Essenhigh on trumpe…

Welcome to the Longborough podcast. Artistic Director Polly Graham introduces Longborough Festival Opera, a 500-seat homegrown theatre in the Cotswolds. Our podcast series was born out of the Covid lockdown. We'll be welcoming lots of our friends from the world of opera and the arts, including singers, players, directors, conductors and more, for w…

Tim and Olivia finally get around to introducing themselves!

Tim and Olivia finish their conversation with Paula Hales about National Boards. Find more info at nbpts.org

The following conversation takes place over two episodes. Tim and Olivia discuss National Board Certification with guest Paula Hales. Paula is a National Board Certified band director as well as a scorer for the National Boards. Find more info at nbpts.org

Tim and Olivia discuss the importance of communicating with students, parents, and administration. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

Tim and Olivia discuss teaching band during the Coronavirus pandemic with middle school band Director KJ Stafford.

Tim and Olivia discuss creating networks with other band directors to help you in your first year of teaching.