While we take a pause for Christmas, we're bringing you four podcasts which Gramophone's Martin Cullingford and James Jolly have chosen as particularly enjoyable and memorable conversations. This week it's the turn of James to choose...

This podcast dates from February 2019, the month the much-loved singer Dame Emma Kirkby turned 70 – and also the year in which Gramophone celebrated her enormous contribution to musical life with a Gramophone Lifetime Achievement Award. James Jolly went to talk to the soprano for a special birthday podcast.

You can listen to the Podcast above. To hear other Gramophone podcasts, or to subscribe for free to new editions, search for 'Gramophone' in your Podcast App of choice, or visit Gramophone's page on Apple Music podcasts.

We've also gathered together the six most listened-to Gramophone podcasts of 2021 for you to enjoy: you can find them here. 

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