The Open Ears Project

WQXR & WNYC Studios
wnycstudios.org/podcasts/open-ears-project
Weekly podcast.
Part mixtape, part sonic love-letter, The Open Ears Project is a podcast in which people share the classical track that means the most to them and why. Created by journalist and former WQXR Creative Director Clemency Burton-Hill, each episode offers a brief and soulful glimpse into human lives, helping us to hear this music — and each other — differently. Guests from the worlds of film, books, dance, comedy and fashion as well as firefighters, taxi drivers, and teachers share cherished musical memories and remind us that extraordinary things happen when we simply stop and listen.

Transcripts are posted to individual episode pages as they become available.

The Open Ears Project is produced by WQXR and WNYC Studios.
54 episodes  •  0 archived  •  
S2 E22
Introducing Classical Music Happy Hour with Emanuel Ax
S2 E22·
April 30
April 30
3 mins
Bonus
Introducing Our Common Nature with Yo-Yo Ma
Bonus·
Nov 12, 2025
Nov 12, 2025
33 mins
S2 E21
Janna Levin on Mozart’s Unfinished Ambitions
S2 E21·
Jun 17, 2024
Jun 17, 2024
24 mins
S2 E20
Hanna Arie-Gaifman on Bach and Survival
S2 E20·
Jun 10, 2024
Jun 10, 2024
15 mins
S2 E19
Caroline Shaw on Mendelssohn and Possibility
S2 E19·
Jun 3, 2024
Jun 3, 2024
11 mins
S2 E18
Nick Ferrone on Why Barber’s “Adagio” Gets a Bad Rap
S2 E18·
May 27, 2024
May 27, 2024
24 mins
S2 E17
Lucy Boynton on Chopin and Getting Into Character
S2 E17·
May 20, 2024
May 20, 2024
13 mins
S2 E16
Martha Lane Fox on Perseverance and Beethoven
S2 E16·
May 13, 2024
May 13, 2024
17 mins
S2 E14
Steve Reich on Why Medieval Music Sounds So Fresh
S2 E14·
May 6, 2024
May 6, 2024
25 mins
S2 E12
Anne-Sophie Mutter on Why Bach Is Always the Answer
S2 E12·
Apr 29, 2024
Apr 29, 2024
12 mins