Tall Poppies The Podcast
Nicole Kidman, Russell Crowe and Mel Gibson. That Hollywood spotlight ensures that most of us know the name of these celebrity Aussies, but what about those many other Australians who have forged impressive careers around the globe? Artists, academics, sportsmen and women, scientists and no doubt many, many more professions. People like the Melbournian Barrie Kosky, who is today one of the world’s most-celebrated opera directors, conductor Simone Young, who directs international orchestras and Sydney-born singer-songwriter Kat Frankie, a popular performer at top music venues all over Germany. As a journalist working internationally for decades, I’m constantly amazed at the number of Australians – high profile or otherwise – living outside Australia – who have remarkable careers and what’s more, remarkable stories to tell. In Tall Poppies I’ll be sitting down with one of these inspiring Aussies each episode to chat about their work, living abroad and their passage to international success. Of course we will also look at how growing up in Australia influenced them in the past and even today in their work.
Episodes
29 episodes
Far from Home, Close to Music, Special
In this special episode of Tall Poppies: The Podcast, host Breandáin O'Shea sits down with a new generation of Australian musicians making their mark abroad. Violinists Leanne McGowan, Josephine Chung, and Harry Ward, three remarkable artists w...
Hector McDonald: French Horn Legend
“I’m very happy I came from Australia. I think it gives you a down-to-earth outlook. Living here in Vienna, you encounter many people who are quite privileged, having grown up in musical families and playing in string quartets sinc...
Alma Moodie Part II
This is the second of two podcasts featuring the life and music of Alma Moodie. Moodie was born in rural Australia, but moved to Europe early last century and eventually became a student of the legendary Carl Flesch, who referred t...
Alma Moodie Part I
This is part I of two podcasts featuring the life and music of Alma Moodie.She was born in 1898 in rural Australia, and moved to Europe early last century. She became a student of the legendary Carl Flesch, who referred to her as his ...
Poetry Special with Alice Miller & Matthew McDonald
The poets Matthew McDonald and Alice Miller join Breandáin O'Shea to talk about poetry and ponder music's curious relationship with the spoken word.
Matthew Larkum, Neuroscientist
Away from the challenges the world is facing during this pandemic, we are also living through another one of the greatest of scientific endeavours – that is - the attempt to understand the most complex object...
Matthew McDonald, Principal Bass Berlin Philharmonic
In this edition, Matthew tells Breandáin about his journey from Canberra to becoming a principal player with one the world’s most prestigious music ensembles. He reflects on the effects the current pandemic has had on musicians and shares a h...
Liza Lim, Composer
On this episode of Tall Poppies, The Podcast Breandáin meets the composer Liza Lim. She is Professor of Composition at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, where she also runs the Composing Women Program.Liza has created composition...
#02_Barrie Kosky _ Stage Director _Short Edition
There are not many stage directors in the world who, in the space of six months, have directed Wagner’s “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg,” Debussy’s “Pelléas et Mélisande” and the musical, “Fiddler on the Roof.” But that is exactly how Barrie ...
Barrie Kosky, Stage Director, Full Edition
There are not many stage directors in the world who, in the space of six months, have directed Wagner’s “Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg,” Debussy’s “Pelléas et Mélisande” and the musical, “Fiddler on the Roof.” But that is exactly how Barrie ...
Simone Young - Conductor, Full Edition
There have been many highlights in Simone Young's career. Alongside conducting most of the world’s great orchestras including the London and New York Philharmonic Orchestras, the City of Birmingham Symphony, and the BBC Symphony at the BBC Pr...
#04_Simone Young - Conductor_Short Edition
There have been many highlights in Simone Young's career. Alongside conducting most of the world’s great orchestras including the London and New York Philharmonic Orchestras, the City of Birmingham Symphony, and the BBC Symphony at the BBC Pr...
Brett Dean, Composer, Full Edition
In two decades, the musician Brett Dean has risen from being an orchestral violist who once wrote music on the side, to one of the world’s most celebrated composers.
Brett Dean, Composer, Short Edition
In two decades, the musician Brett Dean has risen from being an orchestral violist who once wrote music on the side, to one of the world’s most celebrated composers.In fact, Brett Dean’s music is championed internationally by orche...
Kat Frankie, Singer-Songwriter
In this episode of Tall Poppies Kat Frankie tells Breandáin about how her ideas becomes wide-ranging musical compositions and how she enjoys the creative process a little more than performing. We also get the chance to sample some of the musi...
Tall Poppies with Kat Frankie, Singer-Songwriter_ Short Edition
In this episode, Kat Frankie tells Breandáin about how an idea becomes a wide-ranging musical composition and how she enjoys the creative process a little more than performing. We also sample a little of Kat's latest album, "Bad Behaviour". ...
Rhys Martin, Dancer, Choreographer & Educator
The Tall Poppies podcast this week features dancer and choreographer, Rhys Martin, who hails from Newcastle, New South Wales. A graduate of Sydney University, Rhys initially studied literature and fine arts. He began his career in the theatre...
Paul Kildea, Author & Musician
In this edition, Paul Kildea talks about his latest book, "Chopin's Piano, A Journey Through Romanticism," and rising to the challenge of finding the right words to describe music. He also recalls the time in his life when the adjective – Aus...
Peter Singer, Philosopher
Breandáin caught up with the renowned Melburnian, Peter Singer, in Berlin at the presentation of the 3rd annual “Peter Singer Award,” an accolade given to those working on strategies to relieve the suffering of animals.Much of Pete...
Cathy Milliken, Musician
Cathy Milliken has been an artist many young Australian musicians have looked up to when they have travelled abroad to continue their studies in Europe. A renowned oboist, composer and music educator, Cathy has held key positions with two of ...
Siobhan Stagg, Soprano
Soprano Siobhan Stagg studied at Melbourne University and later at the Wales International Academy of Voice in Cardiff. Her many accolades include first prize at the 2014 International Mozart Competition. She is a member of the ensemble at th...
Heather Betts, Painter
In this episode Breandáin O'Shea meets the Sydney-born painter Heather Betts, who has been living in Berlin, since 1984. She is a graduate of Sydney’s Fine Arts Institute, she also studied viola at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music. Heather ...
Tall Poppies Postcard with Robert Gray, Poet
Tall Poppies Postcard with Poet Robert Gray Over the next few weeks, “Tall Poppies: The Podcast,” will feature a series of 10 minute excerpts from archived interviews with renowned Australians. We are callin...
Tall Poppies Postcard with Adam Elliot, Animation writer, Director and Producer
Adam Elliot’s films have been featured at hundreds of festivals and have received numerous awards, including an Academy Award for his film, “Harvie Krumpet”. Adam calls his films “Clayographies,” and by that, he means clay-animated biographie...
Shannon Barnett, Jazz Trombonist
In this podcast, the extraordinary jazz trombonist Shannon Barnett joins Breandáin to talk about her phenomenal career in music, the challenges she continues to face as a female musician and about the inspiration she finds through teaching th...
