Cello Museum Podcast

In this special short episode of the Cello Museum Podcast, Dr. Brenda Neece is joined by her friend and colleague Erica Lessie for a behind-the-scenes conversation about the Bethany Beach Cellofest.The Bethany Beach Cellofest is a supportive, non-competitive summer retreat for adult cellists. In this conversation, Brenda and Erica talk about why they created the Cellofest, why it takes place in Bethany Beach, Delaware, and the kind of experience they are building: serious cello study, time by the sea, and a welcoming community where participants can improve without having to prove themselves.This episode explores:The origins of the Bethany Beach CellofestThe influence of Cellomania and Martha GerschefskiWhy the retreat is designed for adult learnersThe “improve, not prove” philosophyWhat participants can expect during the weekClasses on Bach’s First Cello Suite and Matz’s Lights and ShadowsTechnique, ensemble playing, private lessons, and a masterclassWellness sessions on the beachBuilding community through musicBethany Beach Cellofest 2026 runs August 9–16 in Bethany Beach, Delaware. Faculty include Jennifer Kloetzel, Erica Lessie, and Dr. Brenda Neece.Details and registration:https://cellomuseum.org/2026-bethany-beach-cellofest/Public events and more information: https://cellomuseum.org/2026-bethany-beach-cellofest/Full show notes: https://cellomuseum.org/the-bethany-beach-cellofest-improve-not-prove/With thanks to our community partners and supporters: the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation, St. Martha’s Episcopal Church, the Town of Bethany Beach, Stephanie Tsantes, and the donors, volunteers, and community members who help make the Bethany Beach Cellofest possible. The Cello Museum Podcast is the official podcast of the Cello Museum.Explore articles, exhibitions, and upcoming events at: https://cellomuseum.org Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with fellow cellists and music lovers.If this conversation inspires you to explore unaccompanied cello repertoire, join us in Delaware this summer at the Bethany Beach Cellofest (9–16 August). Find details here. 

“Find role models everywhere. It doesn’t have to be in the field that your child is going into. And make them very proud of what they’re doing and never, never allow them a sense that they can’t do anything.” — Dr. Kadiatu Kanneh-MasonIn this episode of the Cello Museum Podcast, Dr. Brenda Neece returns to a May 2021 Cello Book Club conversation with Dr. Kadiatu Kanneh-Mason, author of House of Music: Raising the Kanneh-Masons.We originally chose this book for our May 2021 Cello Book Club in celebration of Mother’s Day in the United States. Returning to the conversation now, in May 2026, feels especially fitting as we once again mark a month devoted to honoring mothers and the often unseen work that helps young musicians grow.Known around the world as the mother of the remarkable Kanneh-Mason musicians — including cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason and pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason — Dr. Kanneh-Mason offers a deeply human view of family life behind the performances.This conversation explores motherhood, memory, practice, identity, representation, music education, and the delicate balance between guidance and freedom.In this episode:A reading from the epilogue of House of MusicMotherhood beyond the success storyGuidance, freedom, and “healthy neglect”Practice as attentionHome, heritage, and belongingRole models, representation, and opening doorsMusic as a resource for lifeThe importance of music educationMotherhood, identity, and the work behind the musicSince this conversation was recorded, Dr. Kanneh-Mason has continued exploring many of these themes in her 2025 book To Be Young, Gifted and Black. Her son, cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, has also written The Power of Music: How Music Connects Us All.Links & Resources:Dr. Kadiatu Kanneh-Masonhttps://www.kannehmasons.com/project/kadiatu-kanneh-mason/Instagramhttps://www.instagram.com/kadiatukannehmason/Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/thekannehmasonsHouse of Music: Raising the Kanneh-Masonshttps://amzn.to/49w71CjTo Be Young, Gifted and Blackhttps://amzn.to/43o8aslThe Power of Music: How Music Connects Us All by Sheku Kanneh-Masonhttps://amzn.to/4nX5ZVKExplore Unaccompanied Cello This Summer:If this conversation inspires you to explore the cello more deeply, join Jennifer Kloetzel, Erica Lessie, and Dr. Brenda Neece in Bethany Beach, Delaware, for the Bethany Beach Cellofest, 9–16 August.Learn more:https://cellomuseum.org/2026-bethany-beach-cellofest/Read the full show notes:https://cellomuseum.org/house-of-music-kadiatu-kanneh-mason-on-motherhood-music-and-family/ Explore more at the Cello Museum:https://cellomuseum.orgSubscribe to the Cello Museum Podcast wherever you listen to podcasts.Some links in these show notes are affiliate links. Thank you for your support.The Cello Museum Podcast is the official podcast of the Cello Museum.Explore articles, exhibitions, and upcoming events at: https://cellomuseum.org Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with fellow cellists and music lovers.If this conversation inspires you to explore unaccompanied cello repertoire, join us in Delaware this summer at the Bethany Beach Cellofest (9–16 August). Find details here. 

In this third episode of the Cello Museum Podcast, we celebrate International Book Day with a special conversation drawn from our Cello Book Club.Originally recorded in July 2021, this episode features author and cellist Kittie Lambton, who joined us from Greece to discuss her novella The Cellist’s Notebook—a story that weaves together music, memory, and family history across generations.The episode opens with a reading from the book, in which a young girl discovers a hidden cello in her grandmother’s attic. What begins as a moment of curiosity leads to a deeper mystery rooted in the Second World War, and to a reflection on how music connects us across time.In conversation, Lambton reflects on the inspiration behind the story, including her own family history and her lifelong relationship with the cello. Together, we explore the role of music in memory, the experience of learning an instrument, and the creative process behind writing in the novella form.The discussion also turns to music education, community, and the importance of nurturing curiosity—particularly in young musicians.At its heart, this episode is about the enduring magic of discovery: how a single encounter—with an instrument, a story, or a piece of music—can shape a life.Read the full show notes here: https://cellomuseum.org/the-cellists-notebook-kittie-lambton-on-music-memory-and-storytelling/ Kittie Lambton — https://www.kittielambton.com/The Cello Museum Podcast is the official podcast of the Cello Museum.Explore articles, exhibitions, and upcoming events at: https://cellomuseum.org Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with fellow cellists and music lovers.If this conversation inspires you to explore unaccompanied cello repertoire, join us in Delaware this summer at the Bethany Beach Cellofest (9–16 August). Find details here. 

In this episode of the Cello Museum Podcast, composer Daniel DiMarino and cellist Dr. Jonathan Simmons take us inside the creation of "The Great Experiment," a newly commissioned work for cello and piano.Framed as a “study of energy,” the piece evolved through collaboration, revision, and performance. DiMarino shares his compositional process—from first ideas to final form—along with the challenges of writing for cello and piano for the first time.The conversation explores: Writing for the cello: register, balance, and texture  Shaping musical form through energy and contrast  Collaboration between composer and performer  The meaning behind the title "The Great Experiment" What defines an “American” musical sound  Influences from Copland, Kodály, Korngold, and film music  Accessibility and connecting with audiences DiMarino also discusses his work in music production, church music, and cinematic composition, and how these experiences shape his musical voice.At the heart of this conversation is a central idea:“I’m not particularly interested in my ideas just being my ideas… I want something approachable.”🔗 Learn MoreDaniel DiMarino https://www.danieldimarinomusic.comDr. Jonathan Simmons https://jonathansimmonscello.comExplore more at the Cello Museum: https://cellomuseum.orgWatch the world premiere of "The Great Experiment" & read show notes: https://cellomuseum.org/composing-the-great-experiment-daniel-dimarino-on-cello-collaboration-energy-and-voice/🎧 SubscribeFollow the Cello Museum Podcast for more conversations exploring the past, present, and future of the cello.The Cello Museum Podcast is the official podcast of the Cello Museum.Explore articles, exhibitions, and upcoming events at: https://cellomuseum.org Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with fellow cellists and music lovers.If this conversation inspires you to explore unaccompanied cello repertoire, join us in Delaware this summer at the Bethany Beach Cellofest (9–16 August). Find details here. 

In this episode of the Cello Museum Podcast, Dr. Brenda Neece speaks with Dr. Inbal Megiddo about recording J. S. Bach’s Cello Suites — a project that demands not only technical mastery, but artistic courage.Megiddo reflects on the long journey toward recording the six suites, including pandemic interruptions that led her to re-record the first three. The result, she explains, is not a definitive statement on Bach, but a deeply personal moment in an ongoing artistic life.The conversation explores:How the Bach Suites unfold as a journey through the stages of lifeAldo Parisot’s teaching philosophy and the search for an authentic voice“Free, but in tempo” — freedom within pulseWhy new recordings of Bach still matterRecording at Stella Maris in New Zealand Creativity inspired by the natural beauty and frontier spirit of New ZealandThe role of silence, breath, and storytelling in performanceAdvice for cellists studying the Bach suitesExperimenting with baroque bows, gut strings, and modern instrumentsPandemic-era music-making and the enduring power of the First Suite PreludeMegiddo also discusses her forthcoming book on Aldo Parisot’s pedagogy, her upcoming album Forbidden Voices (featuring music by composers suppressed during the Holocaust), and a new recording of works by Clara and Robert Schumann.At the heart of this conversation lies a bold artistic principle about finding one's one voice:Nothing is sacred. Question everything. Take risks.Listen to Inbal Megiddo’s recording of the Bach Suites:Listen on YouTubeBuy on Amazon (affiliate link)Explore more at the Cello Museum: https://cellomuseum.orgThe Cello Museum Podcast is the official podcast of the Cello Museum.Explore articles, exhibitions, and upcoming events at: https://cellomuseum.org Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts, and share this episode with fellow cellists and music lovers.If this conversation inspires you to explore unaccompanied cello repertoire, join us in Delaware this summer at the Bethany Beach Cellofest (9–16 August). Find details here.