German pianist Alexander Krichel has performed on some of the world’s great stages and recorded an extraordinarily wide-ranging repertoire, from Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev to Ravel and Schumann. Yet a career in music was far from inevitable. Growing up in a family of scientists, Alexander was equally at home with mathematics, and might well have pursued medicine had he not won a coveted place studying with the formidable pianist Vladimir Krainev. He recalls the unconventional beginnings of his musical education, and the teacher whose exacting demands helped shape both the pianist and the person he would become.

In a conversation full of humour and candour, Alex revisits his final lesson with Krainev, just six hours before his teacher’s death, and the special place Rachmaninoff’s Second Piano Concerto continues to hold for him. He talks about why the greatest challenge at the keyboard is not virtuosity but making the piano sing, how he learned to favour risk over perfection in the recording studio, and why he believes music must remain a lifelong process of discovery. He also reflects on taking classical music into schools, and the importance of having a life beyond the practice room.

This program was recorded at the 2026 Australian Festival of Chamber Music, in Cairns. The next festival takes place 23-31 July 2027.

Christopher Lawrence has spent his life sharing his love of music with Australian audiences, as a broadcaster, recording producer, writer and, more recently, leader of musical tours. His journ ey began rather improbably in the ABC mailroom, before washing records in the network's vast library became an extraordinary musical education. In this conversation, Christopher reflects on the twists and turns that led him to the microphone, the award-winning recordings and television productions he helped create, and the sometimes exhausting realities of life as a breakfast radio presenter.

Growing up with parents in showbusiness, he recalls being introduced to Nat King Cole while still in his bassinet, and later concocting an elaborate ruse to meet Leonard Bernstein, only to find himself invited to the composer's birthday party. He also talks about his work with Renaissance Tours, the determination behind the success of Van Diemen's Band, founded by his wife Julia Fredersdorff, and a lifelong passion for Berlioz that recently inspired a whirlwind trip to Brussels. It's a warm and frequently amusing journey through a life spent finding new ways to bring people closer to music.

South Korean violinist Bomsori Kim has quickly earned an enviable reputation on the international concert stage, performing with leading orchestras around the world and at some of the most prestigious international festivals. Making her Australian debut with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra for Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, Bomsori reflects on her long-standing affection for the work, her first encounter with the orchestra as a student in Seoul, and the remarkable 300-year-old Guarneri del Gesù violin on which she performs.

In this conversation, Bomsori recalls the childhood concert that inspired her to take up the violin, her studies in Korea and at Juilliard, and the opportunities and pressures that came with international competitions. She discusses her love of opera and jazz, the challenges of capturing a performance in the recording studio, and her fascination with the ancient strategy game Go. She also reveals her passion for championing the music of Polish composer Grażyna Bacewicz, including her involvement in a documentary exploring a long-forgotten work.

Bomsori Kim performs with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra 14-17 October.