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- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
10,001 - 25,000 - Monthly Reach
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25,001 - 75,000 - Active Followers
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15,001 - 40,000
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Recent episodes
"Playing Outside the Bach(s)" - An Interview with Cellist Dorothy Lawson, Artistic Director and Founding Member of ETHEL
May 1, 2026
37m 23s
"Building One Measure at a Time" - An Interview with Cellist Ole Akahoshi, Assistant Professor, Yale School of Music
Apr 17, 2026
28m 12s
"No Drums, No Frets" - An Interview with Cellist Tommy Mesa, International Soloist, Faculty, Manhattan School of Music
Apr 3, 2026
36m 05s
"The Dynamics of Equity" - An Interview with Stanford Thompson, Executive Director of Equity Arc
Mar 20, 2026
42m 02s
"Bach from the Land of the Haka" - An Interview with Cellist Inbal Megiddo, Associate Professor, New Zealand School of Music
Mar 6, 2026
29m 34s
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| Date | Episode | Description | Length | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/1/26 |  "Playing Outside the Bach(s)" - An Interview with Cellist Dorothy Lawson, Artistic Director and Founding Member of ETHEL | One missed signup and a burst of kid-level courage can set an entire life in motion. Cellist and composer Dorothy Lawson grew up in Toronto surrounded by classical music and strong school music programs, but she didn’t “choose” cello in some grand, cinematic way. She simply chose to participate a day late, and the next opening happened to be cello. From there, the path becomes a masterclass in how musicians are formed: early access, social learning, and the kind of training that turns curiosi... | 37m 23s | ||||||
| 4/17/26 | "Building One Measure at a Time" - An Interview with Cellist Ole Akahoshi, Assistant Professor, Yale School of Music | A kid gets asked to “play a scale” by one of the greatest cellists who ever lived and has no idea what a scale is. That moment could have ended in embarrassment and retreat, but for Ole Akahoshi it became the beginning of a lifelong education in craft, taste, and what it really means to make the cello sing. The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, sits down with Ole Akahoshi, cellist and faculty at the Yale School of Music and Manhattan School of Music Prep Division, to trace his path fro... | 28m 12s | ||||||
| 4/3/26 | "No Drums, No Frets" - An Interview with Cellist Tommy Mesa, International Soloist, Faculty, Manhattan School of Music | He picked orchestra because he thought there would be drums and that mix-up changed his life. Cellist Tommy Mesa joins us to trace the real arc from an accidental start in Miami to major career milestones, including joining the Manhattan School of Music faculty, winning the Sphinx Competition, and earning top honors like the Avery Fisher Career Grant. Along the way, we talk about what makes a classical music career sustainable when you don’t begin at age four and how the right environment can... | 36m 05s | ||||||
| 3/20/26 | "The Dynamics of Equity" - An Interview with Stanford Thompson, Executive Director of Equity Arc | Classical music can change a life, but it can also quietly decide whose life gets changed. The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, sits down with Stanford Thompson, founder of Play On Philly and executive director of Equity Arc, to talk about the moment he realized music isn’t neutral and why “work hard” is only part of the story when access to training, instruments, time, and insider mentorship is so uneven. Stanford takes us from a childhood shaped by disciplined music educators, to hi... | 42m 02s | ||||||
| 3/6/26 | "Bach from the Land of the Haka" - An Interview with Cellist Inbal Megiddo, Associate Professor, New Zealand School of Music | A tiny sixteenth-size cello, a stubborn toddler, and a violin shop tantrum, that’s how this story begins. From there, Inbal Megido grew into an international soloist and chamber musician, studied with the legendary Aldo Parisot at Yale, and ultimately built a rich artistic life in Wellington, New Zealand. We explore how a childhood steeped in music became a fluent language, how cross-continental moves shaped identity, and why a liberal arts education can sharpen a performer’s ear and mind as ... | 29m 34s | ||||||
| 2/20/26 | "Sit Happens: From Suzuki to Systems" - An Interview with Cellist Melissa Kraut, DePaul University School of Music | A seven-year-old chooses the cello because “you get to sit,” and decades later becomes a sought-after pedagogue who reshapes how students think about practice, expression, and careers. That’s the arc that The Cello Sherpa Podcast host, Joel Dallow, explores with cellist and educator Melissa Kraut, equal parts heart, humor, and hard-won clarity. We dive into the early thrill of playing by ear and the long road to loving theory, including candid stories about faking through parts and finally d... | 35m 24s | ||||||
| 2/6/26 | "In Time and In Tune" - An Interview with Cellist Ilya Finkelshteyn, Principal of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra | What does it really take to move from a childhood in a Soviet special music school to the principal chair of a top American orchestra? The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, sits down with Ilya Finkelshteyn to trace that journey, through refugee camps, early months in Minnesota with two suitcases and $300, a total technical rebuild at Juilliard with Harvey Shapiro, and a relentless audition circuit that demanded both resilience and precision. Ilya opens the curtain on how committees act... | 36m 00s | ||||||
| 1/23/26 | "Global Resonance" - An Interview with Cellist Hee-Young Lim, Professor at the Beijing Central Conservatory of Music | A single question—“Can I have it?”—nearly sent a child’s cello out the door. Instead, that moment lit a fuse that carried Hee-Young Lim from piano lessons and packed Korean school days to principal chair in Rotterdam and a teaching home at Beijing’s Central Conservatory of Music. The Cello Sherpa Podcast host, Joel Dallow, interviews Hee-Young, and they take a deep dive into the chain of choices that shaped her artistry: the advantages of piano-first training for cello technique, how small h... | 27m 46s | ||||||
| 1/9/26 | "The 3 Cs of a Lasting Career: Curiosity, Commissions, & Communication" - An Interview with Cellist Johannes Moser, International Soloist and Chamber Musician | A cello can feel like an escape, a calling, and eventually a limb. That’s how Johannes Moser describes the moment the instrument clicked for him and why, decades later, he still loves the daily work most players dread. Our conversation traces his path from messy youth concerts and amateur orchestras to major stages, revealing how real leadership grows when the horn enters early, the violas miss a cue, and the soloist still carries the story. We dig into what actually sustains a modern career... | 37m 08s | ||||||
| 12/26/25 | "Auditions, Anxiety, and the Myth of Flawless Playing" - An Interview with Clinical Psychologist, Ellen Hendriksen | Perfectionism can sharpen your playing or steal your joy. The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, sits down with clinical psychologist Dr. Ellen Hendriksen to unpack where that line lives for working musicians and how to keep your standards high without letting self-worth rise and fall with every take. Ellen breaks down seven core patterns behind perfectionism—over-evaluation, self-criticism, rigid rules, mistake avoidance, procrastination, social comparison, and perfectionistic self-pres... | 35m 09s | ||||||
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| 12/12/25 | "Low Notes, High Stakes, & No Time to Waste" - An Interview with Rainer Eudeikis, Principal Cellist of the San Francisco Symphony | What does it really take to lead a world-class cello section while raising two young kids and navigating an orchestra’s evolving culture? The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, sits down with San Francisco Symphony principal cellist Rainer Eudeikis for a candid, witty, and deeply practical conversation about moving from Utah to Atlanta to the Bay Area, why some orchestras feel close-knit while others run purely professional, and how life stage changes your sense of community as much as g... | 38m 53s | ||||||
| 11/28/25 | "Euniquely Multi-Talented" - An Interview with Violinist Eunice Kim, Member of The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra | What if a great music career isn’t either–or but yes–and? The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, sits down with violinist Eunice Kim to explore how a childhood steeped in sound turned into a life that balances the intimacy of chamber music, the rigor of orchestral work, and the freedom of solo projects. From a seven-year-old debut in Seoul to the charged Saturdays at the San Francisco Conservatory prep division and the whirlwind of Aspen Music Festival, Eunice learned early to juggle sco... | 33m 22s | ||||||
| 11/14/25 | Lights, Camera, Cello - An Interview with Cellist Nick Canellakis, Faculty at the Curtis Institute of Music | What if the thing that makes people laugh at your art is the same thing that makes them listen closer? That’s the tension—and the opportunity—at the heart of our conversation with cellist and filmmaker Nick Canellakis, whose viral sketches and serious performances are two sides of one craft. We dig into the roots: a musical family, early piano, and the moment the cello took hold. Then the parallel story: childhood home videos evolving into a full-fledged filmmaking habit, culminating in a Cur... | 32m 29s | ||||||
| 10/31/25 | "Sacred Strings and Sweetgrass Things" - An Interview with Cellist Wilhelmina Smith, Soloist and Chamber Musician, and Composer Dawn Avery, Professor at Montgomery College | A sacred plant, a living coastline, and a cello that sings in two voices—Sweetgrass brings them together with uncommon clarity. The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, sits down with composer Dawn Avery and cellist Wilhelmina Smith to share how a pandemic idea turned into an immersive album where Mohawk language, indigenous song forms, and contemporary classical textures breathe the same air. Dawn traces her journey from conservatory training to a compositional practice grounded in ... | 31m 00s | ||||||
| 10/17/25 | "Tracks, Treasures, & Treble Clefs" - An Interview with Cellist and Franchomme Scholar, Louise Dubin | The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Cellist and Franchomme Scholar, Louise Dubin. She shares about her incredibly varied career as a freelancer, and her love of research, particularly on French compositions. Louise gives details about her experience recording her widely acclaimed album "The Franchomme Project" and her latest album "Passages." These albums reflect the culmination of her research in to discovering compositions that have never been recorded, and her drive to b... | 34m 40s | ||||||
| 10/3/25 | "Pablo 2.0: A Cello Legacy" - An Interview with Cellist Pablo Ferrández, International Soloist | The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Cellist, Pablo Ferrández. Pablo has been working all over the world as an international soloist. He shares about the experience of being born into a musical family and named after his father's idol, Pablo Casals. He also talks about what its been like to build an international career over the past decade, become a Sony recording artist, and he shares details about recording his latest album, "Moonlight Variations." For more information on... | 28m 47s | ||||||
| 9/19/25 | "Embracing Your Passion" - An Interview with Clay McKinney, Cellist & Orchestra Director at Parkway Schools | The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews Clay McKinney, Orchestra Director and Cellist at Parkway Schools located in Chesterfield, Missouri. Clay shares how he developed an incredible passion for teaching, particularly as an Orchestra Director of a middle school. He also offers tips for building a following on social media, and talks about how he built an impressive following of over 10K on his Youtube channel. For more information on Clay: https://www.thecello.online/ Yo... | 34m 15s | ||||||
| 9/5/25 | "Perfection is the Enemy of Creativity" - An Interview with Cellist Alban Gerhardt, International Soloist and Chamber Musician | The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Alban Gerhardt. Alban is enjoying a 35 year career as an International Soloist and Chamber Musician. Having performed with most of the major American and European orchestras, Alban shares stories going back to his roots, growing up as a young child fascinated by classical music in a musical environment, with a father who was a violinist in the Berlin Philharmonic. He talks about how he has built an international career over severa... | 37m 05s | ||||||
| 8/22/25 | "Changing Lives Through Music" - An Interview with Cellist Robert Howard, Co-Artistic Director of the Kenya International Chamber Music Festival | The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Robert Howard. Robert is a Founder and the Co-Artistic Director, along with Rebecca Merblum, of the Kenya International Chamber Music Festival. He shares his journey growing up as a cellist in metro Atlanta, to his life of teaching and freelancing in the San Francisco bay area. After an incredibly moving trip to Kenya in 2019, Robert and Rebecca were inspired to start the Kenya International Cello Festival, which quickly morphed i... | 28m 45s | ||||||
| 8/8/25 | "Playing King and Pauper" - An Interview with Cellist Clive Greensmith, Colburn School Conservatory of Music Professor of Cello | The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Clive Greensmith. Clive has been Professor of Cello at the Colburn School Conservatory of Music since 2013. Clive shares about his incredible journey as cellist of the World renowned Tokyo String Quartet for their final 15 years, his position as Principal Cellist of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London, and how those two distinctive careers compared to each other. With his vast teaching experience, Clive also shares about hi... | 34m 11s | ||||||
| 7/25/25 | "Teaching Takes Dual Personalities" - An Interview with Cellist Emily Wright, Host of The Lonely Cello Podcast | The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Emily Wright. Emily is the host of The Lonely Cello Podcast. She shares about the many facets of her career, including working as a freelance cellist, an Associate Editor and contributing writer for Strings Magazine, working as a composer, and teaching students of all levels and ages, with a particular skill set geared towards adult students. For more information on Emily: https://emilywright.net/ You can also find Emil... | 36m 09s | ||||||
| 7/11/25 | "Practicing the Cello and Patience" - An Interview with Cellist Alisa Weilerstein, International Soloist and Chamber Musician | The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Alisa Weilerstein. Alisa is enjoying a career as an international soloist and chamber musician. In this interview, she shares what the experience of being recognized with a MacArthur “genius grant” Fellowship in 2011 was like, and how it impacted her career. She also talks about how she grew up surrounded by music, never had any doubt she wanted to be a professional cellist, her advice for building an international career and much... | 28m 36s | ||||||
| 6/27/25 | "Conquering Imposter Syndrome" - An Interview with Emilio Colón, Professor of Cello at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University | The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Emilio Colón. Emilio is Professor of Cello at the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. After getting off to a rocky start with his teacher Janos Starker, Emilio talks about how he felt that he was dead last amongst his peers on the cello, which in turn motivated him to work as hard as he could to prove that he had what it took to be successful. Shortly after graduating from Indiana, Janos Starker called him and invited hi... | 32m 06s | ||||||
| 6/13/25 | "Diversity Matters" - An Interview with Cellist Sterling Elliot, Winner of the 2019 National Sphinx Competition | The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews cellist Sterling Elliot. Sterling is the 2021 Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient and the winner of the Senior Division of the 2019 National Sphinx Competition. He shares about his journey growing up as the cellist in the family string quartet, starting at the age of 5, and he speaks about the impact of winning both the junior and senior divisions of the Sphinx Competition. Sterling also talks about how he has navigated the first co... | 37m 06s | ||||||
| 5/30/25 | "The Accidental Violist" - An Interview with Christian Colberg, Principal Violist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra | The Cello Sherpa Podcast Host, Joel Dallow, interviews violist, violinist, and composer, Christian Colberg. Christian is currently the Principal Violist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. He shares his amazing story about winning a job in the Baltimore Symphony after only playing the viola for 3 weeks, his journey from there to Cincinnati 17 years later, his compositional philosophy, tips for taking successful auditions, and much more! For more information on Christian: https://www.ch... | 38m 49s | ||||||
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Chart Positions
5 placements across 5 markets.
Chart Positions
5 placements across 5 markets.