Best Ben Kapilow Podcasts (2024)

1
The Incredible Rob Kapilow: The Polyglot Pied Piper of Music 1:06:31

1+ y ago1:06:31

1:06:31

Episode Summary In this final episode of Season 4, I bring you Rob Kapilow. A musical savant, innovator, and global presence, listening to Rob is like taking a master class in music, and in life. From Duke Ellington to Joseph Campbell, from Beethoven to the Beatles, and from Yale to Paris to Native American reservations, Rob Kapilow will take you o…

1
Ben Koldyke: From Football Coach to "How I Met Your Mother" 50:36

1+ y ago50:36

50:36

Episode Summary How does it happen that an English teacher and sports coach becomes a renowned actor? Ben Koldyke – who played Don Frank on How I Met Your Mother and many other roles – tells us, along with cameo insights about Aaron Sorkin, Second City, and Dartmouth College. Sydney Finkelstein Syd Finkelstein is the Steven Roth Professor of Manage…

1
Mike Morin: A Life in Radio 59:03

1+ y ago59:03

59:03

Episode Summary What is it like being on the radio? In New Hampshire, that means interviewing would-be Presidents, but for Mike Morin it also means being curious, open-minded, and occasionally even pulling crazy stunts that upset half of his listeners. A life in radio in the “Live Free or Die” state. Sydney Finkelstein Syd Finkelstein is the Steven…

1
Laurie Wallmark: STEM Books for Kids 1:00:19

1+ y ago1:00:19

1:00:19

Episode Summary Laurie Wallmark is a pioneer – one of the first women at Princeton, a software engineer, a computer science professor, an entrepreneur who created an online bookstore before Amazon ever did, and now, an award-winning writer of picture book biographies of women in STEM, for kids. Passionate about science, writing, teaching, and learn…

1
Alejandro Juarez Crawford: Democratizing Entrepreneurship 1:06:18

1+ y ago1:06:18

1:06:18

Episode Summary How do we make it easier for people around the world to learn and get the tools to innovate and become entrepreneurs? In this episode, founder Alejandro Juárez Crawford shares his answer: RebelBase, a company that is helping people understand problems and launch experiments that can become solutions. Erudite and articulate, Alejandr…

1
Hannah Kearney: Olympic Gold Medalist 1:01:19

1+ y ago1:01:19

1:01:19

Episode Summary Hannah Kearney is an Olympic Gold Medal Winner in freestyle skiing. She’s won 46 World Cup races. And now she’s retired, and ready to reflect on what it’s like to be the best in the world and how you come down from that high to live a productive, and energizing, life. Sydney Finkelstein Syd Finkelstein is the Steven Roth Professor o…

1
Not Lost in Translation, with Wendy Pease 57:19

2y ago57:19

57:19

Episode Summary How’s life growing up in a neighborhood where no one looks like you? In this episode, I talk to a former student, Wendy Pease, who grew up overseas and learned to adapt to life where she was the one who stood out. Now, many years later, perhaps unsurprisingly, she runs a business focused on managing cultural and language barriers. F…

1
Bad Blood: Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos, with author John Carreyrou 49:58

2y ago49:58

49:58

Episode Summary John Carreyrou literally wrote the book on Theranos – the bestseller “Bad Blood,” which built on his earlier writing at the WSJ that broke the story. With Elizabeth Holmes scheduled to be sentenced this week, I sat down with John to get the inside scoop on how he uncovered the Theranos fraud, his take on Holmes, what went wrong and …

1
Snap, with CMO Kenny Mitchell 54:33

2y ago54:33

54:33

Episode Summary What’s it like to work at the top levels of marketing in major companies? Kenny Mitchell – an Emmy Award nominated leader who combines creativity with business smarts – describes his move to Big Tech, life at Snapchat (he's the CMO there), augmented reality, and what he wished he knew when he was 20 years old that he knows now. Sydn…

1
Taking on Climate Change with Design Thinking: Silicon Valley's David Johnson 1:00:35

2y ago1:00:35

1:00:35

Episode Summary Dave Johnson is a Silicon Valley attorney and climate change activist whose attention to design thinking suggests a less well-traveled approach to dealing with global threats. Sydney Finkelstein Syd Finkelstein is the Steven Roth Professor of Management at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College. He holds a Master’s degree …

1
Climate Change, with Professor Maron Greenleaf 48:00

2y ago48:00

48:00

Episode Summary Climate change is here, from wildfires to hurricanes and a gradual rise in temperatures. Carbon offsets have become prominent weapons in the war against climate change, but what does it really mean in practice? And on the ground in Brazil? Maron Greenleaf is an anthropologist studying these very questions. What is she learning about…

1
A Snapshot of Two Dartmouth Students Who Want to Change the World 46:19

2y ago46:19

46:19

Episode Summary Two women – one studying economics with her own fashion line (Avalux) and a member of the US 2020 Olympic team in rugby, the other a first-generation low-income Latina college student in bioengineering looking to increase representation in academia while studying developmental genetics in women’s health. An up-close conversation wit…

1
Student-Athlete Kevin Boyce Takes On Brown University 54:24

2y ago54:24

54:24

Episode Summary University students and Covid. Scholar-athletes fighting to preserve their sport in a diminished resource environment during Covid. African-American students willing to have the “uncomfortable” conversations with classmates, professors, and administrators. Competing to get better every day. Kevin Boyce from Brown University, on The …

1
Elevating Women at Work, with Kristy Wallace 57:09

2y ago57:09

57:09

Episode Summary Diversity in the workplace is top-of-mind for my MBA students and senior leaders alike. In this episode of The Sydcast, I want to profile one organization that’s on the front lines, creating opportunities for women in particular to fulfill their career potential. Kristy Wallace, up until very recently head of the Ellevate network, t…

1
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Cannabis, with Chris Walsh 1:00:56

2y ago1:00:56

1:00:56

Episode Summary Cannabis is booming. Whether for medicinal or recreational purposes, more and more US states have legalized the business. How did we get here and where are we going next? A conversation with cannabis insider Chris Walsh on regulation, public policy, market growth, and which established industries will be the first to enter the game.…

1
How Music Plays in Our Brains, with Professor Elizabeth Margulis 52:42

2y ago52:42

52:42

Episode Summary The Music Cognition Lab at Princeton University is where researchers study why we love music, how we process while listening, why we like what we like, and countless other creative questions that combine music, cognitive science, and neuroscience. Our guest on this episode of The Sydcast is the scholar and creative force behind the …

1
Mighty Networks, With Silicon Valley Entrepreneur and CEO Gina Bianchini 52:07

2y ago52:07

52:07

Episode Summary Gina Bianchini is a Silicon Valley entrepreneur and founder of Mighty Networks, a platform for creators (of anything) to build out and monetize their content. As a past business partner with legendary entrepreneur and investor Marc Andreessen, Gina has deep roots in startup culture. Who is Gina Bianchini, what is Mighty Networks, an…

1
Natalie Tung: Revolutionary for Better High-School Education for Girls 48:58

2y ago48:58

48:58

Episode Summary Boarding school. Enrichment and personal growth experiences. A supportive community. Natalie Tung is creating all of this … for black and brown high school girls in Trenton. The idea took shape while Natalie was at Princeton and reflected on her own experience growing up in Hong Kong. Now, just a few years later, she’s hit the tippi…

1
Marcela Gomez: The Art of Multi-Cultural Life 1:09:04

2y ago1:09:04

1:09:04

Episode Summary “Knowing the history of my family, knowing what my grandparents decided to do, changed my life.” On this episode of The Sydcast, a story of Hispanic culture in America and how Marcela Gómez connected the dots in a way that others seldom did. Her journey, from Bogota, Colombia to Miami, Atlanta, Nashville, and New York City. Sydney F…

1
Samantha Coates: Deep Dive Into Rote Teaching 40:51

2y ago40:51

40:51

In this episode, Samantha Coates discusses teaching by rote. Topics discussed include the definition of rote teaching, the common criticisms it receives, its relationship to teaching by ear, the overlap between learning music and language acquisition, what makes a great rote piece, how her BlitzBooks series integrates rote teaching with reading tea…

1
The Man With Ten Jobs, with Gautam Mukunda 53:45

2y ago53:45

53:45

Episode Summary A wide-ranging discussion with the multi-talented Gautam Mukunda. Leadership, Theranos, Failure and Learning, Luck, Russia and Ukraine, the Financial Crisis, Inequality, Innovation. Bezos, Jobs, Holmes, Neumann, Sackler, Putin. Sydney Finkelstein Syd Finkelstein is the Steven Roth Professor of Management at the Tuck School of Busine…

1
Crossroads for an Entrepreneur, with John Pepper 53:01

2y ago53:01

53:01

Episode Summary John Pepper is a restaurant entrepreneur, angel investor, and a hands-on advocate for the rights of low-wage workers. He’s been an Uber driver, confronted small-town Vermont politics, and turned a banned college fraternity house into a shared work space for startups. Motivated by social justice, sustained by business, he shares his …

1
From Politics to Venture Capital, with Colin Van Ostern 52:51

2y ago52:51

52:51

Episode Summary Careers zig-zag, they don’t go in straight lines. But yet there is a thread that connects our paths over time. This is true if you run for Governor of New Hampshire, grow one of the top online education universities in the US, or lead the biggest collection of angel investors in the country. And it’s true if you’ve done all of these…

1
Tonya Lawson: Having Multiple Income Streams as a Piano Teacher 40:54

2y ago40:54

40:54

In this episode, Tonya Lawson discusses options of additional income streams for piano teachers beyond teaching income. Topics discussed include why it's advantageous to have multiple income streams as a piano teacher, even if you're in a situation where you currently live comfortably from your teaching income alone. Then we went through various to…

1
Writing Entrepreneurship Books ... for Kids, with Lowey Sichol 52:58

2y ago52:58

52:58

Episode Summary Lowey Bundy Sichol writes books about entrepreneurship for kids. Think Google, Lego, and Disney. A multiple award-winner who used to write business school case studies, Lowey has figured out how to communicate to children in a way that makes them want to keep reading. On this episode of The Sydcast, Lowey tells her story. Sydney Fin…

1
The Business of Reporting on Business, with Diane Brady 57:06

2y ago57:06

57:06

Episode Summary Diane Brady is one of the top business journalists in the world, with writing and editing gigs at the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg Business Week, and Forbes. And also an old friend. She’s wise (“nobody needs more content, they need more intelligence”) and she’s a pro (“the best interviews are about listening”). In this episode, Di…

1
NATO and Technological Warfare in Ukraine 56:04

2y ago56:04

56:04

Episode Summary Ukraine is Ground Zero for war, but also all manner of newer technologies, from cyber to AI. What is NATO seeing, and learning, and what are the implications of the war for global security, technology, and innovation? James Appathurai has a front-row seat at NATO HQ, on this episode of The Sydcast. Sydney Finkelstein Syd Finkelstein…

1
George Boateng: The Impact Entrepreneur from Ghana 48:03

2y ago48:03

48:03

Episode Summary What happens when a tech-savvy entrepreneurial young man from Africa comes to America for school? It’s his first time in the US and what does he learn? As he describes on this episode of The Sydcast, George Boateng learns that he is black. That simple, and powerful, observation will strike many listeners as profound, yet George unde…

1
The Path to University President 55:47

2y ago55:47

55:47

Episode Summary Scholar, leadership guru, author, speaker, and influencer, for the last 7 years Christine Riordan has been President of Adelphi University in New York. How did she get there? How did her leadership work translate to when she was sitting in the corner office? How did she navigate running a large university during Covid? And how does …

1
10 Ways to Work With a Student Who Doesn’t Practice 12:30

2y ago12:30

12:30

In this solo episode, Ben Kapilow offers 10 strategies for working with students who never or rarely practice. This list includes a combination of strategies he has arrived at through trial and error as a piano teacher, as well as strategies learned from the guests who have appeared on All Keyed Up.By Ben Kapilow

1
An Athlete's Life, with Anouk Patty 52:40

2y ago52:40

52:40

An Athlete's Life, with Anouk Patty Episode Summary: So many people are afraid of change, but sometimes we get to talk to someone whose life is a case study of change. When it was clear that Anouk Patty – an NCAA champion ski racer – would not be good enough to reach Olympic medal heights, she changed. Business school and a successful career in tec…

1
Dr. Lucy Gilbert: The Cancer-Curing Doctor 53:27

2y ago53:27

53:27

Dr. Lucy Gilbert: The Cancer-Curing Doctor Episode Summary: Dr. Lucy Gilbert – an oncologist at McGill University – has developed a genetic AI-based test to detect early stage ovarian and endometrial cancers, the third highest cancer-killer of women. In this episode of The Sydcast, Dr. Gilbert shares her journey from Singapore to London to Montreal…

1
Jaime Slutzky and Heidi Kay Begay: How and Why to Start a Music Teaching Podcast 51:41

2y ago51:41

51:41

Heidi Begay, Jaime Slutzky, and Ben Kapilow discuss how and why to start a music teaching podcast. Topics discussed include the advantages of starting your own podcast, from what equipment you need, how to create an RSS feed, coming up with a concept, finding your niche, marketing, and monetization.By Ben Kapilow, Jaime Slutzky & Heidi Begay

1
Jay Rosenzweig: The Man With Five Careers 59:57

2y ago59:57

59:57

Episode Summary: Every once in a while our guest on The Sydcast seems to do everything well. Jay Rosenzweig, this week’s guest, is a great example. Entrepreneurial “breathing” is in his bones, whether that means building a major executive search firm, investing in dozens of Web 3.0 startups, or spearheading major initiatives at multiple non-profit …

1
Noa Kageyama: Help Your Students Work Through Stage Fright 38:20

2y ago38:20

38:20

Noa Kageyama, performance psychologist and faculty at the Juilliard School, offers thoughts on stage fright and performance anxiety. Topics discussed include the relationship between stage fright and performance quality, the advantages children receive from working through stage fright, how to prepare to combat stage fright in the weeks leading up …

1
Shelley Zalis: The Champion of Equality 56:17

2y ago56:17

56:17

Episode Summary: Shelley Zalis is an entrepreneur, provocateur, connector, CEO, champion of women and equality, and (as some have called her) “chief troublemaker.” What makes Shelley so fascinating is that she simply refuses to accept the status quo when it’s broken, and what’s broken is the experience – both on the job and at home – of so many wor…

1
Jonny May: Advice on Improv and Marketing 37:22

2+ y ago37:22

37:22

Jonny May, pianist and educator with over 250,000 subscribers on YouTube and over 10,000 students currently taking his online piano classes, discusses strategies for teaching improvisation to piano students. He also talks about the entrepreneurial thinking behind his digital content and offers advice for other teachers who want to reach larger audi…

1
Jeff Maggioncalda and Coursera: The Future of Learning 1:07:24

2+ y ago1:07:24

1:07:24

Episode Summary: Recently, Syd launched a set of four online courses on the Coursera platform – the Strategic Leadership “specialization” – getting a first-hand view of how education has shifted from traditional classroom to digital media. Since the Sydcast is all about learning, it seems appropriate for the first episode of Season 4 to kick off wi…

1
Jeremy Siskind: Introducing Your Students to Jazz 39:38

2+ y ago39:38

39:38

Jeremy Siskind, two-time laureate of the American Pianists Association and the winner of the Nottingham International Jazz Piano Competition, offers guidance to piano teachers and students who are interested in adding jazz music to their arsenal. Topics discussed include the relationship between classical and jazz music, how studying jazz music can…

1
10 Great Ways to Introduce a Piece (Plus 2 Bad Ways) 16:41

2+ y ago16:41

16:41

In a solo episode, Ben Kapilow discusses 10 creative and engaging ways to introduce pieces to piano students. Many of these teaching strategies have been discussed by guests on All Keyed Up, and those interviews are brought up throughout the solo episode. These 10 ways are contrasted with 2 ways of introducing pieces that, while common, are perhaps…

1
Chenoa Murphy: Black Representation in Classical Music 38:32

2+ y ago38:32

38:32

Chenoa Murphy discusses black representation in classical music. Topics discussed include colorblindness, scarcity versus abundance mindsets, diversifying private studios, an inside-out approach to DEI, the anxiety that many white teachers face on teaching issues surrounding race, historical and present-day black involvement in classical music. In …

1
Panel on Rhythm Teaching 1:03:46

2+ y ago1:03:46

1:03:46

Tessa Grigg, Anne Katherine Davis, and Jason Sifford discuss teaching rhythm and pulse. Topics discussed include rhythmic development in infancy, Gordon's Music Learning Theory, movement activities, Dalcroze, rhythmic literacy and sequencing, backing tracks and other supplemental aids, the difference between groove and pulse, repertoire selection, …

1
My 15 Biggest Piano Teaching Mistakes 17:34

2+ y ago17:34

17:34

In a solo episode, Ben Kapilow lists 15 piano teaching mistakes he made earlier in his teaching career, which he was inspired to correct as a result of interviewing various piano teaching experts for “All Keyed Up.” He explains which guest sparked each change in his teaching.By Ben Kapilow

1
Josh Wright: Entrepreneurialism and Music 50:26

2+ y ago50:26

50:26

Josh Wright, Billboard #1 Artist and digital course creator, talks about entrepreneurialism and how it overlaps with teaching piano. Topics discussed include Josh's online courses, the influences he's had from listening to business podcasts and reading business books, branding, marketing, ways to think about target audiences, and the value of being…

1
Rami Bar-Niv: Musical Interpretation Guidelines 41:53

2+ y ago41:53

41:53

Rami Bar-Niv discusses phrasing and melodic shaping. He outlines the guidelines of interpretation used in his memoir Blood Sweat and Tours, illustrating these guidelines with numerous musical examples.By Ben Kapilow & Rami Bar-Niv

1
Janna Williamson: Teaching Intermediate Students 41:53

2+ y ago41:53

41:53

Janna Williamson offers advice and guidance for teaching intermediate students. In the first part of the interview, she discusses big-picture topics such as defining intermediate, why intermediate students are sometimes ignored, and what makes a great teacher of intermediate students. In the second part, she addresses several specific topics as the…

1
Startup: Shark Tank is Only the Beginning, with Fitfighter CEO and Founder Sarah Apgar 1:42:02

2+ y ago1:42:02

1:42:02

Episode Summary: Sarah Apgar – Princeton and Dartmouth alum, Iraqi war vet, volunteer fire fighter and EMT, and startup founder – wants to create a fitness and wellness movement based on the FitFighter steelhose product. In three conversations over the last year, we learn about Sarah and her company, her life as a Mom, her aspirations for her busin…

1
Edna Golandsky: Tackling Taubman 40:16

2+ y ago40:16

40:16

Edna Golandsky, founder of the Golandsky Institute, gives a deep dive into piano technique through the lens of the Taubman approach. Topics discussed include the use of the forearm, playing quietly, rotation, in and out motion, the problem with telling students to relax, and tone production.By Ben Kapilow & Edna Golandsky

1
A New Professor's Journey: Creating My Platform, with Danielle Callegari 1:33:34

2+ y ago1:33:34

1:33:34

Episode Summary: Italy. Food. Artisans. Culture. That is the life Professor Danielle Callegari is immersed in, and when you hear about it you’ll probably say, why didn’t I think of it! Except then you’ll need to spend years writing a book on Dante, then start the next book, cloistered in Italian libraries with no air conditioning during Roman summe…

1
Impostor Syndrome Meets Super Talent - Who Wins? with Catharine Keene 45:09

2+ y ago45:09

45:09

Episode Summary: Did you ever feel like you didn’t deserve the job you had? That you were faking it, and would soon be found out? That’s impostor syndrome in action, and my former MBA student Catharine Keene has been dealing with it for years. In this episode she tells her story, including how she’s figured out how to keep it under wraps as she sta…

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