In this interview, Artistic Director Emeritus John Alexander joins Robert Istad to reflect on the ideas, composers, and personal meaning behind A Serenade to Music.

Across these conversations, John shares why he returned to the podium, how he shaped the arc of the program, and what draws him to music by composers from Vaughan Williams, Mozart, Bruckner, and Brahms to Lili Boulanger, Frank Ticheli, and Jake Heggie. Along the way, he reflects on poetry, live performance, musical legacy, living composers, and the enduring power of music to shape our lives.