Fresh on the heels of her SECOND Grammy Award nomination, this time in the best classical instrumental solo category, Yolanda Kondonassis finds time to chat with our Better Than Monkeys audience about her passion for the harp, her newest recording of the Jennifer Higdon Harp Concerto with Ward Stare and the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, her passion for the environment, her skills as an author and educator, her not so secret love for her husband and her fixation with coffee and funky music!

On this episode of BETTER THAN MONKEYS, we get to spend a few minutes talking with a true legend in the music world. A platinum album selling songstress with more than 55 albums created over the course of her illustrious career, her recording of Joni Mitchell's BOTH SIDES NOW is in the GRAMMY HALL OF FAME and her recording of Stephen Sondheim's SEND IN THE CLOWNS won song of the year at the 1975 Grammy Awards. She is author, mentor, social activist and singer/songwriter, JUDY COLLINS.

When Washington politicians see him coming, they run for the hills! or more specifically, FROM the Hill! Capitol Hill, that is! For over 30 years, Mark Russell brought his signature bow tie, star-spangled piano and sharp political humor to America via regular PBS specials. Mark is "mostly" retired now, but still has strong opinions and wit as stinging as ever! On this episode of Better than Monkeys, we sit down with Mark and chat about ruining family holidays, Marines doing target practice in Hawaii, why political humor is so important in our society and OOOOH so much more! I hope you enjoy listening to this podcast as much as I enjoyed recording it!

Multiple Grammy Awards, 20 years as music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic, the FIRST WOMAN to be appointed to lead a major American music ensemble, a discography of over 115 titles and guest appearances on FRESH AIR WITH TERRY GROSS, PBS' Live from Lincoln Center, CBS Sunday Morning and more...our guest on this episode of BETTER THAN MONKEYS is none other than the dynamic barrier-breaking, music-making Maestro herself, JoAnn Falletta!

The creator and conductor of "BUGS BUNNY AT THE SYMPHONY," George Daugherty, joins WQLN Radio's Brian Hannah for a fun an lighthearted look at the genius behind the iconic Bugs Bunny cartoons featured in the 30th anniversary production of "BUGS BUNNY AT THE SYMPHONY!"

Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn, “the king and queen of the banjo” (Paste Magazine), have a musical partnership like no other. Béla Fleck is a sixteen-time Grammy Award winner who has taken the instrument across multiple genres, and Abigail Washburn a singer-songwriter and clawhammer banjo player who re-radicalized the instrument by combining it with Far East culture and sounds. The two met at a square dance, began collaborating musically and eventually fell in love. YOU can fall in love with the dynamic musical duo on the most recent episode of BETTER THAN MONKEYS and you can catch them LIVE at the Chautauqua Institution on July 26, 2019 (www.chq.org) Join host Brian Hannah as he, Bela and Abigail talk all things love, banjo, banjo love, music love...lots of love to go around!

Shonn talks about life on the road, creating a hit musical from scratch, juggling a career on the road and family life as well as UNDER THE STREETLAMP’s July 12, 2019, performance at the legendary CHAUTAUQUA INSTITUTION!

American treasure Wynton Marsalis, aka The Best Jazz Trumpeter Ever, (and also killer classical trumpeter) schools fellow trumpeter Brian Hannah on a thing or two, in this preview of Marsalis's summer 2019 visit to nearby Chautauqua Institution.

From Balanchine's School of American Ballet to countless iconic roles on Broadway, the legendary Chita Rivera's career has never ceased to scintillate!

So, totally normal question: how many close encounters of the third kind have YOU had? And have you ever peered up at the night sky and seen something that looked, well, . . . a little odd? Author, TV & radio personality, and researcher Stan Gordon shares his extraterrestrial insights in this out-of-this-world episode.