The Gould Standard

A conversational podcast about the arts, culture, and contemporary society.

We talk with artistic heroes working to create a more inclusive and mindful world, hear their incredible stories, and get to know what makes them tick. Our guests are leaders in a wide range of fields, nationalities, and lived experience, including musical composers and performers, painters, poets, filmmakers, actors, dancers, broadcasters, and more.

The Gould Standard
  • Kenneth Branagh podcast

    Branagh’s Brilliant Belfast
    The Gould Standard
    The Gould Standard
    Branagh’s Brilliant Belfast
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    In a career studded with dramatic and directorial milestones, Sir Kenneth Branagh has scored an artistic triumph with his most personal film ever, Belfast—the fictionalized story of his own childhood amidst the Troubles in Northern Ireland. In this candid and wide-ranging conversation, the virtuoso actor-director takes us inside his exploration of childhood under siege, along with other career highlights, including his lifelong love-affair with the works of William Shakespeare.

  • Kat Von D podcase

    Kat Von D: Tunes, Tattoos and a Taste of Glenn Gould
    The Gould Standard
    The Gould Standard
    Kat Von D: Tunes, Tattoos and a Taste of Glenn Gould
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    Kat von D, by any measure, is one-of-a-kind. One of the world’s most celebrated tattoo artists, Kat defies the idea that while life is short, art is forever, choosing a medium that is inherently perishable: the human body. She rose to fame for her starring appearances on two popular TV shows, Miami Ink and LA Ink, and parlayed that recognition into a wildly successful entrepreneurial career through her line of makeup, simultaneously becoming both an alternative fashion icon and a social media sensation. Music has always been central to her creative inspiration, and while her image evokes the worlds of punk, metal and goth, she is equally devoted to the classical piano, citing Beethoven and Glenn Gould among her heroes. We caught up with Kat on the eve of the release of her first album, “Love Made Me Do It,” for a conversation ranging from her modest beginnings to her rise to fame and her new musical adventures.

  • Alanis Obomsawin podcast

    Alanis Obomsawin – Part 2: Stories of Truth and Love
    The Gould Standard
    The Gould Standard
    Alanis Obomsawin – Part 2: Stories of Truth and Love
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    On September 30, Canada marks the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. As we reflect on the painful history and ongoing impacts of the residential school system, we are grateful to present Part 2 of our conversation with Glenn Gould Prize Laureate Alanis Obomsawin — visionary Abenaki artist and one of Turtle Island’s most passionate advocates for Indigenous Peoples. In Part 1 we spoke with Alanis about her early life and formative experiences. In Part 2, Alanis and host Brian Levine talk in depth about her films, including “Trick or Treaty”, “When All The Leave Are Gone” and the heartwarming “Christmas at Moose Factory.” Through a lens of immense empathy and understanding, Alanis’ 53 films document the pain and outrage caused by colonialism and intergenerational trauma, as well as the unparalleled love, resilience and dreams of a people on the road to justice. At 89 years old, Alanis currently has 8 more films in production. This episode also features a special guest conversation with Glenn Gould Protégé Prize Winner Victoria Anderson-Gardner, a young Ojibwe filmmaker chosen by Alanis to receive the award. Alanis Obomsawin’s films are available for free through the National Film Board of Canada. We encourage you to watch, listen and reflect. Thank you, Alanis.

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