The Podium

The Podium

Home
Archive
About
Don's Weekly: Harvard is insufficiently woke for one "undefinable artist"
From time to time, the spirit moves me to deviate from the usual Weekly Listen or long form formats.
Nov 29, 2022 • 
Don Baton
Southern Orchestra Executive Director Pushing to “Do Away with Blind Auditions”
The 1970s innovation of blind auditions—in which auditioning musicians are heard but not seen—was a monumental step for fair hiring in orchestras.
Aug 11, 2023 • 
Don Baton
Don's Weekly Listen: Poulenc's Oboe Sonata
Francis Poulenc is not the only composer whose career divides neatly into two contrasting phases, but in few cases is that contrast more meaningful.
Oct 12, 2022 • 
Don Baton
Don's Weekly Listen: Shostakovich's Anti-Formalist "Rayok"
Satire Under Communism
Nov 10, 2022 • 
Don Baton
I Promise I'm not John McWhorter
And Don's Weekly Listen
Feb 2, 2023 • 
Don Baton
Don's Weekly Listen: Balakirev's Islamey
Last week we made the acquaintance of Les Six, authors of the soundtrack to the French 1920s.
Oct 20, 2022 • 
Don Baton
Don's Weekly Listen: Sarah Chang and a Short Meditation on Prodigy
I'm sometimes embarrassed to admit that one of my favorite recorded performances of all time was given by an 11-year-old.
Jul 29, 2022 • 
Don Baton
The Price of Equity, Part 1
Florence Price was a Good, Not Great, Composer. We Should Not Be Expected to Pretend Differently
Apr 10, 2022 • 
Don Baton
Don's Weekly Listen
Each generation projects its own musical tastes onto the past.
Feb 24, 2023 • 
Don Baton
Don's Weekly Listen
Happy 2023, and welcome to a new year of Don’s Weekly Listens!
Jan 6, 2023 • 
Don Baton
Symphony on Native Land
Cris Derksen with the Orchestre Métropolitain
Mar 19, 2024 • 
Don Baton
Hey folks, I'm bi
...musical
Mar 3, 2023 • 
Don Baton
© 2025 Don Baton
Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture