This page includes sample questions and other information for Podium Time Guests. Scroll down for information on ensuring the best audio quality and the flow of the interview.
Podium Time Example Questions
This is an outline of some potential topics. Not all questions may be addressed. We will confirm episode topics with you before we start recording.
(Note: The last 2 questions will almost always be used to end the interview: Hidden Gems and Billboard.)
- Controversial View: What’s a view or opinion about conducting that you have that most others don’t share?
- Lasting Lessons: What’s a saying, lesson, idea, or teacher that made a strong impression on you? What points do you remember or return to often?
- New Perspectives: What is something that you’ve recently changed your mind about? What do you see differently than you used to?
- Steps to Success: What were the most important things that you did that set you apart to get where you are now? If you had to outline achieving “success” for a conductor, what are the steps on that path?
- “Failure:” How has an apparent failure set you up for later success? Do you have a favorite failure or embarrassing story that you learned from?
- Shortcomings: What do you find is lacking in either music education or the education of conductors? What should young conductors spend more (or less) of their time and energy doing? If you could, what would you hypothetically change about your own training/education?
- Score Study: What is your process or philosophy of Score Study? How do you approach a score for the first time, and is there a structure or process to your study?
- Hobbies: What do you like to do outside of conducting? What do you wish you had more time for?
- Upcoming Programs: What is an upcoming program or opportunity that you are particularly excited about?
- Advice: What advice do you have for conductors that are graduating or just starting their career? What advice do you wish you had as a student? What advice would you have given 10 years ago that you no longer agree with?
- Frustrating: What’s something that makes you angry or really riles you up?
- *Hidden Gem: What’s an unknown/non-standard piece or composer that more conductors should know about? Who are you fascinated with recently?
- *Billboard: If you could erect a billboard that every Conductor/Musician/Student drove past every day, what would you put on it? This could be a few words, a paragraph, a quote, an image, a score, etc.
Ensuring the Best Podcasting Experience
- For the best audio quality, please use headphones.
- The best location for recording is a quiet, dry room with little background noise. A closet is often best.
Podium Time Interview Flow
Podium Time interviews are designed to be conversational and casual. We will jump between topics and tackle new points as they arise. Please don’t be afraid to share funny or interesting stories, or to dig deep and really get into some details. Most of our listeners are trained conductors or students.
As well, bathroom breaks or coughs can be edited out easily. We can always cut sections out, but we cannot add things in.
Here is a basic outline of what to expect:
- Before the Interview: After we’ve scheduled, we will discuss topics for the interview and decide what would be best to cover in the episode. At the scheduled time, we will have a quick pre-chat before recording. Please let us know if there are any additional topics you would like to focus on or avoid, or any stories you would like us to prompt (“So, tell us about the time that you…”).
- Intro: We will say hello and introduce you by name. Then depending on what we decided in the pre-chat, we will either ask for your career path or jump into the questions.
- Main Body: For the rest of the interview, we will move between topics or ask questions that will lead to more discussion. Often, we will spend most of the episode diving deep into just one or two big topics, decided beforehand.
- Close: Interviews usually end with “this has been great, do you have time for two more quick questions?” And then we will ask the Hidden Gem and Billboard questions before a final thank you.
- After the Interview: We will stay in touch by email and ask for your social media links, preferred picture, or anything else that we discussed in the interview.