From jumping in as a rehearsal pianist at the Salzburg Festival, through taking on ENO at the age of thirty-one, and onto the legacy of the LPO , Ed Gardner gives a refreshingly honest insight into his journey from a young chorister to the multi award-winning conductor that he is today. Nina chats to Ed about nurturing and sustaining his musical - and managerial - relationships, his approach to collaboration, and why cross words in a rehearsal room isn’t always a bad thing

Find out more about the London Philharmonic Orchestra and their upcoming season here and the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra here.

How can we find balance when our schedules can be so punishing? How can we find meaning in our work in a world that celebrates immediate success?  And how can we tackle that unrelenting desire for perfectionism? Returning guest Lou Platt explores these questions and more, and gives ideas and insight into what we can do to better take care of our mental health and wellbeing.

You can find Lou on her website or at Artist Wellbeing, on Twitter here, & on Instagram here.

What happens when the career you have is not the one that you really want? Do you stay and climb the ladder, or do you take a risk and step into your story? Nadine Benjamin found herself thriving in the world of Finance, but always remembered her teacher Mrs. Lake who introduced her to the Queen of the Night’s music at school, telling her that she too could sing like that one day. Taking three months out to try to make singing into her career, Nadine’s talent alongside her bravery and tenacity took her from constantly asking for auditions, to writing up her business plan and asking people to support her, on to finding her own unique path to training her voice.  Needless to say, she didn’t look back. Now, alongside her thriving career - from ENO to the Royal Opera House & Glyndebourne and beyond - she works as a mentor, Mind Coach, certified High Performance Coach, & founder of her own mentorship programme Everybody Can! where she coaches and champions others to step into their own stories.

If you need to reach out for help – The Samaritans can be found here https://www.samaritans.org/ and called on 116 123 for free (UK).

You can find Nadine on Twitter & on Instagram, via her website and through Everybody Can!.