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Tom talks to one of the biggest stars in opera today, the American mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato. Her new project 鈥淓mily 鈥� No Prisoner Be鈥� is a collaboration with the ensemble Time For Three and composer Kevin Puts who has written a cycle of songs, setting the poetry of Emily Dickinson. Joyce talks about how the project was created, what it means to be touring it across the USA in the coming weeks, and her passionate belief in the power of music to inspire empathy and kindness.

After the launch of the 麻豆社鈥檚 Get Singing scheme this week, aimed at getting 11-14 year olds singing together in and out of the classroom, we talk to one of the country鈥檚 most inspirational choirstarters, James Sills. He鈥檚 made it his life-mission to make everyone realise the power of what happens when we sing together, whether it鈥檚 the Bantom of the Opera project at Bradford City Football Club, in schools, in corporate leadership settings, or the choir he helped set up for the homeless in Wales. He talks to Tom about why we all need to get singing.

This year marks the centenary of the American composer Morton Feldman. We hear from pianist Siwan Rhys and percussionist George Barton about what makes Feldman鈥檚 music so special and what it鈥檚 like to perform his four and half hour long work 鈥淔or Philip Guston鈥�, from tummy rumbles and creaky chairs to transformation and euphoria.

We also hear from the Spanish violinist and conductor Roberto Gonz谩lez-Monjas about his new album of Mozart violin concertos and the pianist Claire Huangci introduces her new album of piano heroines.

To listen on most smart speakers just say "Ask 麻豆社 Sounds to play Saturday Morning鈥�.