Pubradio talents share interviewing tips

Virtuoso Voices, the production shop creating interview clips for classical music stations, has updated and republished its extended tip sheet on interviewing performers. “Interviewing 3.0” features advice from some of public radio’s best-known hosts (Bob Edwards, Robert Siegel, Susan Stamberg), as well as its most experienced music producers (David Brown, John Diliberto, Marco Werman and Brian Newhouse, among others). Terry Gross isn’t among those sharing trade secrets; but, reading through the guide, it becomes apparent that the craft of interviewing isn’t a secret, it’s a disciplined skill that has much to do with being prepared, listening carefully and not being afraid to ask the hard, obvious or even dumb questions. Producers David Srebnik and Cynthia May first developed the guide as a presentation to the Association of Music Personnel in Public Radio; the latest version, expanded with help from Tom Huizenga of NPR Digital, offers advice that applies to any and all interviews.