Conductor Timothy Meyers explores the artistry, intensity, and collaborative spirit behind Live from Spoleto 2025, a powerful new recording featuring the.

Recorded live in concert with an audience, the album captures the electricity and vulnerability of live orchestral performance — something Myers believes can never be fully recreated in a studio. He shares how live recordings are assembled through performances, dress rehearsals, and “patch sessions,” while reflecting on the emotional experience of hearing young musicians play not just with technical brilliance, but for one another.

The conversation dives deeply into the mission of the Spoleto Festival orchestra itself: assembling a new ensemble of early-career musicians every year through a nationwide audition process and shaping them into a cohesive artistic community in just a matter of weeks. Myers discusses the balance between orchestral excellence, mentorship, and creating an environment where musicians are treated as professionals from the very beginning of their careers.

Sarah Cahill and Myers also explore the album’s repertoire, including Sean Okpebholo’s vibrant Stellar, inspired by astronaut Dr. Mae Jemison; the sweeping emotional landscape of the with soloist; and the richly textured suite from. Throughout the discussion, Myers reflects on programming contemporary music alongside orchestral masterworks and why young musicians must engage equally with both traditions.

The episode concludes with a fascinating look at Myers’ work outside the concert hall, where he speaks to businesses and leadership groups about listening, communication, and collaboration. Drawing parallels between conducting and leadership, he explains why the best conductors — and the best leaders — are ultimately the best listeners.

Insightful, energetic, and deeply thoughtful, this episode offers a compelling portrait of orchestral music not as a museum piece, but as a living, human act of connection.