Host Ben Laude interviews pianist Garrick Ohlsson, pianist Jed Distler, pianist Kate Liu, pianist Emanuel Ax, and spokesperson Alek Laskowski about Chopin's lesser-known works and the history of the International Chopin Competition.
23 Sept 2025
Season 2 Episode 6: CONCERTOS
Host Ben Laude and pianist Garrick Ohlsson interview Martín García García, John Rink, and Jed Distler about Chopin's piano concertos, offering analytical and historical insights.
25 Aug 2025
Season 2 Episode 5: SONATAS
Host Ben Laude interviews pianist Garrick Ohlsson, Yulianna Avdeeva, Martín García García, and musicologist Jeffrey Kallberg about Chopin's Sonatas, exploring their analysis, history, and performance.
5 Jul 2025
Season 2 Episode 4: POLONAISES
Pianist Garrick Ohlsson and host Ben Laude explore Chopin's Polonaises, while Alexander Gadjiev and Yulianna Avdeeva react to their own performances, and Jed Distler recommends recordings in this interview episode.
15 May 2025
Season 2 Episode 3: MAZURKAS - Part II
Host Ben Laude interviews pianist Garrick Ohlsson, Polish musician Janusz Prusinowski, and pianist/soprano Chelsea Guo about Chopin's genius Mazurkas and their living folk traditions.
5 May 2025
Season 2 Episode 2: MAZURKAS - Part I
Host Ben Laude interviews pianist Garrick Ohlsson, critic Jed Distler, and professor Jerome Lowenthal exploring Chopin's Mazurkas and their iconic recordings.
12 Mar 2025
Season 2 Episode 1: WALTZES
Host Ben Laude interviews pianist Garrick Ohlsson and pianist Stephen Hough about Chopin's Waltzes, with insights from critic Jed Distler and expert Mark Ainley.
1 Jan 2025
Episode 9: Barcarolle, Berceuse, Fantaisie
Host Ben Laude interviews pianist Garrick Ohlsson and guest pianist Eric Lu about Chopin's Barcarolle, Berceuse, and Fantaisie, with music critic Jed Distler offering recording recommendations.
16 Dec 2024
Episode 8: Impromptus & Improvisation
Host Ben Laude interviews pianist Garrick Ohlsson, Professor John Rink, and improvisers Gabriela Montero and Noam Sivan about Chopin's Impromptus and improvisation.
5 Dec 2024
Episode 7: The New Waltz
Host Ben Laude interviews Chopin scholars Alan Walker, John Rink, and Jeffrey Kallberg about the newly discovered Waltz in A minor, exploring its authenticity and musical significance.
25 Nov 2024
Episode 6: Etudes - Part II
Chopin pianists Claire Huangci, Dina Yoffe, and Yunchan Lim share their insights on Chopin's Etudes, revealing the intricacies and influences behind these iconic pieces.
16 Nov 2024
Episode 5: Etudes - Part I
Episode 5 is the first of two episodes dedicated to Chopin's Etudes. This episode itself is divided into two big parts featuring Garrick Ohlsson, who will zigzag through the 24 Etudes based on the repertoire requirements set by the International Chopin Competition in Warsaw. The episode closes with music critic Jed Distler’s recommendations for outstanding recordings of Etudes over the past century.
This podcast is produced in partnership with the Chopin Foundation of the United States, which presents the National Chopin Competition every 5 years. The Chopin Podcast comes on the eve of the 11th National Chopin Competition, to be held in Miami in January 2025. For more, visit chopin.org.
Tickets to the final rounds of the National Chopin Competition are now available:
https://ci.ovationtix.com/1811/performance/11533416?performanceId=11533416
https://ci.ovationtix.com/1811/performance/11533420?performanceId=11533420
Each episode in this series is dedicated to one of Chopin's major compositional genres, and features Garrick as well as 1-2 special guests approaching the pieces within that genre from a number of different angles – analytically, historically, and pianistically. Follow us at chopinpodcast.com.
Created and hosted by Ben Laude.
Special thanks to Abby Tilton and Mark Rau for their assistance in the production of this episode.
26 Oct 2024
Episode 4: Scherzos
In Episode 4, pianist Garrick Ohlsson explores Beethovenian brilliance of Chopin’s Four Scherzos; silver medalist and top prize-winner of the 1990 International Chopin Competition Kevin Kenner reacts to his own performance of the Third Scherzo from Warsaw; 2015 National Chopin Competition medalist and proflic music educator Josh Wright breaks down signature passages from each Scherzo; and finally, music critic Jed Distler recommends some very special recordings of Chopin’s Scherzos from the past century.
This podcast is produced in partnership with the Chopin Foundation of the United States, which presents the National Chopin Competition every 5 years. The Chopin Podcast comes on the eve of the 11th National Chopin Competition, to be held in Miami in January 2025. For more, visit chopin.org.
Tickets to the final rounds of the National Chopin Competition are now available:
https://ci.ovationtix.com/1811/performance/11533416?performanceId=11533416
https://ci.ovationtix.com/1811/performance/11533420?performanceId=11533420
Each episode in this series is dedicated to one of Chopin's major compositional genres, and features Garrick as well as 1-2 special guests approaching the pieces within that genre from a number of different angles – analytically, historically, and pianistically. Follow us at chopinpodcast.com.
Created and hosted by Ben Laude.
Special thanks to Abby Tilton and Mark Rau for their assistance in the production of this episode.
18 Oct 2024
Episode 3: Ballades
In Episode 3, pianist Garrick Ohlsson explores the most tender, heroic, and even sadistic passages of Chopin’s Four Ballades at the keyboard; gold medalist of the 2020 National Chopin Competition, Avery Gagliano, reacts to her performances of the 1st and 3rd Ballades from both Miami and Warsaw; Chopin Biographer Alan Walker returns to the show to tell the story of Chopin’s Fourth Ballade; and finally, music critic Jed Distler recommends some very special recordings of Chopin’s Ballades from the past century.
This podcast is produced in partnership with the Chopin Foundation of the United States, which presents the National Chopin Competition every 5 years. The Chopin Podcast comes on the eve of the 11th National Chopin Competition, to be held in Miami in January 2025. For more, visit chopin.org.
Tickets to the final rounds of the National Chopin Competition are now available:
https://ci.ovationtix.com/1811/performance/11533416?performanceId=11533416
https://ci.ovationtix.com/1811/performance/11533420?performanceId=11533420
Each episode in this series is dedicated to one of Chopin's major compositional genres, and features Garrick as well as 1-2 special guests approaching the pieces within that genre from a number of different angles – analytically, historically, and pianistically. Follow us at chopinpodcast.com.
Created and hosted by Ben Laude.
Special thanks to Abby Tilton and Mark Rau for their assistance in the production of this episode.
10 Oct 2024
Episode 2: Nocturnes
In Episode 2, pianist Garrick Ohlsson explores what makes Chopin's Nocturnes so seductive to our ears; silver medalist of the 1975 Chopin Comeptition in Warsaw, Dina Yoffe, revisits a performance of a Nocturne she gave at the competition; Irish pianist John O’Conor discusses the Nocturnes of John Field that inspired Chopin; Garrick returns to share examples of the innovative techniques found in the Nocturnes that Chopin appropriated from Bel Canto opera; plus, music critic Jed Distler recommends some very special recordings of Chopin’s Nocturnes from the past century.
This podcast is produced in partnership with the Chopin Foundation of the United States, which presents the National Chopin Competition every 5 years. The Chopin Podcast comes on the eve of the 11th National Chopin Competition, to be held in Miami in January 2025. For more, visit chopin.org.
Tickets to the final rounds of the National Chopin Competition are now available:
https://ci.ovationtix.com/1811/performance/11533416?performanceId=11533416
https://ci.ovationtix.com/1811/performance/11533420?performanceId=11533420
Each episode in this series is dedicated to one of Chopin's major compositional genres, and features Garrick as well as 1-2 special guests approaching the pieces within that genre from a number of different angles – analytically, historically, and pianistically. Follow us at chopinpodcast.com (https://www.chopinpodcast.com/).
Created and hosted by Ben Laude.
Special thanks to Abby Tilton and Mark Rau for their assistance in the production of this episode.
2 Oct 2024
Episode 1: Preludes
In Episode 1, host Ben Laude invites pianist Garrick Ohlsson to lead a tour of Chopin's miniature miracles, the 24 Preludes, Op. 28; biographer Alan Walker tells the story of Chopin's death-defying efforts to compose the Preludes; and music critic Jed Distler looks at some of the greatest recordings of the Preludes over the past century.
This podcast is produced in partnership with the Chopin Foundation of the United States, which presents the National Chopin Competition every 5 years. The Chopin Podcast comes on the eve of the 11th National Chopin Competition, to be held in Miami in January 2025. For more, visit chopin.org.
Each episode in this series is dedicated to one of Chopin's major compositional genres, and features Garrick as well as 1-2 special guests approaching the pieces within that genre from a number of different angles – analytically, historically, and pianistically. Follow us at chopinpodcast.com (https://www.chopinpodcast.com/).
Special thanks to Abby Tilton and Mark Rau for their assistance in the production of this episode.
5 Sept 2024
The Chopin Podcast Preview
Join Garrick Ohlsson and Ben Laude for a 16-part deep dive into the music of Chopin.
Each episode in this series is dedicated to one of Chopin's major compositional genres, and features Garrick as well as special guests approaching the pieces within that genre from a number of different angles – analytically, historically, and pianistically.
Follow us at https://chopinpodcast.com
In this preview episode, Ben introduces his partnership with the Chopin Foundation of the United States, which presents the National Chopin Competition every 5 years.
The Chopin Podcast comes on the eve of the 11th National Chopin Competition, held every five years in Miami, FL. For more, visit https://chopin.org
1 Sept 2024
Preview
Join Garrick Ohlsson and Ben Laude for a 12-part deep dive into the music of Chopin. Episode 1 coming October 2nd!
Each episode in this series is dedicated to one of Chopin's major compositional genres, and features Garrick as well as 1-2 special guests approaching the pieces within that genre from a number of different angles – analytically, historically, and pianistically. Follow us at chopinpodcast.com.
In this preview episode, Ben introduces his partnership with the Chopin Foundation of the United States, which presents the National Chopin Competition every 5 years. The Chopin Podcast comes on the eve of the 11th National Chopin Competition, to be held in Miami in January 2025. For more, visit chopin.org.
Music featured in this episode:
Chopin: Nocturne in B-flat minor, Op. 9 No. 1 – Garrick Ohlsson, home recording (July 2024)
Chopin: Mazurka in B-flat minor, Op. 24 No. 4 – Garrick Ohlsson, live in Warsaw (2017)
Chopin: Sonata No. 2, Op. 35, I. Grave, doppio movimento – Avery Gagliano, live in Miami (2020) and Warsaw (2021)
Chopin: Prelude in B-flat minor, Op. 28 No. 16 – Eric Lu, live in Warsaw (2015)
Chopin: Waltz in A-flat major, Op. 42 – Garrick Ohlsson, live in Warsaw
(brief clip) Chopin: Waltz in A-flat major, Op. 42 – test recording, Josef Hofmann (1935)
Who has been a guest on The Chopin Podcast
Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.
Garrick Ohlsson
Jed Distler
Kate Liu
Emanuel Ax
Alek Laskowski
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
4.9 / 5
184 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 51 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
65
Social presence
0
YouTube
0
Engagement
91
Contact The Chopin Podcast
Guest appearances
Books guests
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