Don't Be Caged By Your Age

EP 90 Nancy Shear: Still Breaking Barriers at 79

• Ande Lyons • Episode 90

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0:00 | 37:43

What does it look like to keep growing, exploring, and breaking barriers at 79? You’re about to find out.

Our guest, Nancy Shear, has been defying expectations her entire life - from sneaking into Philadelphia Orchestra concerts at 15 to becoming the personal librarian to Leopold Stokowski in a field that had very little room for women at the time.

Nancy shares what it took to navigate and succeed in a male-dominated field, and how curiosity, courage, and persistence opened doors that once seemed firmly closed.

We also explore her memoir, I Knew a Man Who Knew Brahms, a fascinating look behind the curtain of classical music’s golden age. Through her stories, she preserves a world few people experienced, and reminds us of the power of paying attention, staying engaged, and sharing what we’ve lived.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

  • Curiosity doesn’t fade with age - it fuels us
  • Barriers can be broken at any stage of life
  • Your experiences and stories truly matter
  • There is always more ahead for you

Nancy’s life is a beautiful reminder: we are never done becoming.

If you found inspiration from this conversation, please rate, review and share this episode.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, so be sure to hop on over to Don’t Be Caged By Your Age on LinkedIn or Instagram. Or leave a message on the website here.

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Waving from Boston – cheers!

Ande ♥

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