Emanuel Ax to Host “Classical Music Happy Hour” Podcast

On Wednesday, March 4, WQXR and Carnegie Hall will launch Classical Music Happy Hour, a new podcast series that invites listeners to pull up a chair, pour a favorite cocktail, and revel in the joy and lighter side of classical music.

Hosted by the seven-time Grammy Award-winning pianist Emanuel Ax—affectionately known as “Manny”—Classical Music Happy Hour features conversations with an eclectic lineup of composers, performers, and creative voices from the world of classical music and beyond. Each episode explores the guest’s life and career, dives into their favorite classical gems, includes music-inspired games, and folds in questions from listeners. The result is a podcast that feels like a relaxed gathering of friends who love classical music and want others to join the party.

“The idea for Classical Music Happy Hour really stemmed from my personal desire to talk to people I find interesting—in the music world and beyond—to learn from them, and find joy and humor in our different experiences,” said host Emanuel Ax. “Across every episode, my hope is that the podcast reveals essential truths about classical music: it’s meant to be fun, it’s meant for everyone, and it’s meant to bring us together.”

Ax mines his guests’ creative processes and inspirations—from Broadway composer Jeanine Tesori’s experience of working as a lighthouse keeper while drafting one of her earliest musicals, to the composers who inspired Nicholas Britell while crafting the award-winning scores for Succession and Moonlight, to composer Gabriela Ortiz’s childhood dream of becoming a flamenco dancer. The episode with John Adams highlights a particularly joyful and playful dimension of the acclaimed composer, while the episode with Yo-Yo Ma celebrates his decades of collaboration and friendship with Ax.

The series also features live performances from acclaimed artists including Ray Chen, Paquito D’Rivera, Marc-André Hamelin, and Yo-Yo Ma, adding an improvisational musical element to the conversations. Adding to the fun are a series of recurring games, including identifying whether a sound came from an instrument or an animal; figuring out if a name is that of a composer or a cheese; and guessing the identity of a composer based on bad reviews of their work.

WQXR will celebrate the release of Classical Music Happy Hour with a live event at WNYC’s The Greene Space on Monday, March 23rd at 7pm. Host Manny Ax will be joined by some of his podcast guests including Emmy Award-winning actor David Hyde Pierce, author and New York Times columnist John McWhorter, comedian-violist Isabel Hagen, and a very special guest. WQXR’s Elliott Forrest will be the Master of Ceremonies for this night of music, conversation, games, food, and of course, cocktails! For tickets and more information go to WQXR.org.

Learn more and read the episode descriptions at NYPublicRadio.org.