Part mixtape, part sonic love-letter, The Open Ears Project is a podcast in which people share the classical track that means the most to them and why. Created by journalist and former WQXR Creative Director Clemency Burton-Hill, each episode offers a brief and soulful glimpse into human lives, helping us to hear this music — and each other — differently. Guests from the worlds of film, books, dance, comedy and fashion as well as firefighters, taxi drivers, and teachers share cherished musical memories and remind us that extraordinary things happen when we simply stop and listen.
Transcripts are posted to individual episode pages as they become available.
The Open Ears Project is produced by WQXR and WNYC Studios.
All content for The Open Ears Project is the property of WQXR & WNYC Studios and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
Part mixtape, part sonic love-letter, The Open Ears Project is a podcast in which people share the classical track that means the most to them and why. Created by journalist and former WQXR Creative Director Clemency Burton-Hill, each episode offers a brief and soulful glimpse into human lives, helping us to hear this music — and each other — differently. Guests from the worlds of film, books, dance, comedy and fashion as well as firefighters, taxi drivers, and teachers share cherished musical memories and remind us that extraordinary things happen when we simply stop and listen.
Transcripts are posted to individual episode pages as they become available.
The Open Ears Project is produced by WQXR and WNYC Studios.
Hanna Arie-Gaifman shares a story about why this Bach sarabande reminds her of her cousin, Zuzana Ruzickova, who survived the Holocaust and went on to become an acclaimed harpsichordist.
Composer, violinist, and vocalist Caroline Shaw shares memories of playing Mendelssohn’s “Octet for Strings” as a music student and how it helped spark a lifelong love for chamber music.
Nick Ferrone is a real-estate agent by day and harmonica player by night. In this episode, he talks about his abiding appreciation for Samuel Barber’s “Adagio for Strings.”
Actress Lucy Boynton remembers her childhood as one surrounded by music. Here, she shares a favorite piano piece by Chopin and reflects on the power of music to establish tone in filmmaking.
Steve Reich talks about the influence of 13th-century French composer Pérotin on his own compositions and why medieval music feels fresh to contemporary ears.
Pianist Víkingur Ólafsson, known for his facility with canonic and contemporary music alike, muses on the unpredictability of both his homeland of Iceland and the Baroque “futurist” Rameau.
While covering the Iraq War, journalist Dexter Filkins witnessed impossible scenes of suffering. Here, he speaks about finding respite in the music of Ravel.
Conductor Marin Alsop guides us through the unforgettable finale of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and how this music serves as a testament to human connection.
Novelist, broadcaster and "How to Fail" podcast host Elizabeth Day talks about encountering Jacqueline du Pré’s rendition of Elgar’s Cello Concerto and how it helped her navigate life and loss.
Musician Damien Sneed tells a story about performing Franz Liszt’s “Un sospiro” for his family and how it let him loosen his grip around ideas of adoption, rejection and acceptance.
Right after Deborah Frances-White heard Mozart’s “Così fan tutte” for the first time, she shared a serendipitous encounter with a stranger that could have been lifted from an opera plot.
Part mixtape, part sonic love-letter, The Open Ears Project is a podcast in which people share the classical track that means the most to them and why. Created by journalist and former WQXR Creative Director Clemency Burton-Hill, each episode offers a brief and soulful glimpse into human lives, helping us to hear this music — and each other — differently. Guests from the worlds of film, books, dance, comedy and fashion as well as firefighters, taxi drivers, and teachers share cherished musical memories and remind us that extraordinary things happen when we simply stop and listen.
Transcripts are posted to individual episode pages as they become available.
The Open Ears Project is produced by WQXR and WNYC Studios.
