Classical Music Happy Hour – “Isabel Hagen – likes a good viola joke”

Podcast: Classical Music Happy Hour
Host: Emanuel “Manny” Ax
Guest: Isabel Hagen (Juilliard-trained violist, comedian, filmmaker)
Date: May 6, 2026

Episode Overview

This lively episode of “Classical Music Happy Hour,” hosted by the renowned pianist Emanuel Ax, features the multi-talented Isabel Hagen—a Juilliard-trained violist whose career has evolved into standup comedy and filmmaking. The discussion blends music and humor, traversing topics such as performance anxiety, the intersection of comedy and musicianship, the peculiarities of viola culture, orchestral traditions, classical music hot takes, and their mutual love for the quirks of the concert world. Audience questions and memorable anecdotes add to the sense of a relaxed, convivial gathering.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Isabel’s Musical Roots and Switch to Comedy

Strong Musical Background
- Isabel grew up in a deeply musical family: her father is a jazz saxophonist, her brother a classical pianist and conductor.
  - “I came from a musical family, so my dad is a jazz sax player and my older brother is a classical pianist and conductor… It was just sort of [a] natural thing to do.” (02:04–02:18)
Choosing the Viola
- Started on piano at age 4, switched to viola at 10 because she admired a friend of her brother’s who played it.
  - “My brother had a friend who played the viola who I thought was cool. I had a bit of a crush on him.” (02:19–02:35)
  - “The deeper tone.” (02:36–02:38)
Relating to Performance Anxiety
- Enjoyed Juilliard but struggled with her own inner pressures as a performer.
  - “I think people sometimes assume I'm on some sort of crusade because I gave up music to pursue stand up comedy. But I really loved my time at Juilliard… My issue with music is only a battle with myself and my own performance anxiety, demons…” (01:41–02:02)

The Crossover: Comedy and Music

What’s Harder: Comedy or Classical Performance?
- Finds comedy suits her—“more freedom”—even if it’s psychologically demanding.
  - “I think it’s harder, but I’m more suited for the specific difficulties of it. Cause with music, sure, they applaud no matter what, whereas...comedy, you know, you're looking for a specific reaction...if people aren't laughing, it ceases to be comedy.” (03:16–03:27)
  - “A lot of it is very much planned and practiced, just like you practice your instrument.” (04:07–04:34)
Comedy as a Tool for Performance Anxiety
- Frequent performance in stand-up has built resilience that music, with fewer performance opportunities, did not.
  - “Comedy really helps. Just the sheer amount you get on stage as a comedian…So it’s just that flexing the muscle of performing…performances have become less precious.” (22:07–22:42)
On Combining Viola and Comedy
- Initially kept her musician identity secret as a comedian; later experimented with blending viola and stand-up.
  - “For four years of keeping them separate, I didn’t want to diminish the quality of either one. So finally I thought, well, what if I just play beautiful music and then tell a really funny joke next to each other?...the juxtaposition...is the humor.” (12:42–13:08)
  - Notable Joke from Isabel’s act:
    - “I hate when people show me pictures of their kids. It’s like, we get it, he’s missing. Move on.” (11:38)
    - “My friend recently told me I have resting, sad face. I was like, oh, no, it’s active help.” (12:13)

Orchestral Life: Traditions, Seating, and Jokes

Why Do Orchestras Sit That Way?
- Audience question prompts conversation about evolving traditions and acoustics of orchestral seating—some choices are for sound, some for tradition, some just for practical reasons.
  - “People have found that the particular way of seating...is usually the best sounding for most traditional music…But in Vienna…the hall is...small...so the basses all go in a row at the back...” (06:28–07:54)
- Modern works may specify seating; most of the time, it’s tradition or conductor’s preference.
  - “Very few have actual prescriptive seating. Mostly modern...pieces.” (07:54–08:01)
Viola Joke Subculture
- Isabel embraced viola jokes as soon as she switched instruments.
  - “As soon as I switched to viola when I was 10, I immediately googled viola jokes and just memorized a bunch of them.” (09:16–09:23)
- Tracing the First Viola Joke:
  - “I think actually the first viola joke was Berlioz…oh, so young and already a violist. And I think that may have been the first one ever.” (09:23–09:50)
  - “Can we trace the origin of the viola joke?” (09:50)
- Berlioz and “Harold in Italy”
  - Discussion if “Harold in Italy” is itself a viola joke.
    - “Is that just one big viola joke or...” (09:58–10:08)
    - “If there is a joke in that, is that in the first movement, there’s a lot for viola. And then it gets less and less as it goes on.” (10:11–10:27)

The “Hot Takes” and Audience Participation

Letting Audiences Clap Between Movements
- Both Manny and Isabel are in favor, noting it’s historically accurate and inviting.
  - “I think let people enjoy the music.” (18:54)
  - “In Mozart’s time, they were whooping and hollering during the recap.” (19:00)
“We Don’t Need to Save Classical Music”
- Addressing anxiety about the aging audience and the persistent “crisis” narrative in classical music.
  - “I have a lot of older audiences come to see me do standup because they’re intrigued by the viola, and sometimes they’re the best crowds.” (29:45–29:54)
  - “Sometimes we emphasize the glass is half empty aspect.” (29:07)

Musical Preferences and Context

Concertos: Overplayed or Underappreciated?
- Isabel’s “spicy” take on Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations:
  - “It just feels like one of those pieces that I don't need to hear ever again. But that’s my hot take.” (31:12–31:26)
- Shares that musical preferences are shaped by life context:
  - “A lot of our opinions about most pieces are more contextual than we’d like to admit. Where were you in your life when you first discovered this piece?...Were you heartbroken?...” (31:55–32:09)
Underrated Favorite—Brahms F-major String Quintet
- Isabel’s nostalgia for the piece is connected to “the joy of chamber music camp and everyone just coming together.”
  - “Every movement is so beautiful. It just reminds me of the joy of chamber music camp...” (13:51–14:44)

Audience Questions: Theory and Performance

Difference Between “Atonal” and “Dissonant” (Tough Music Theory for All Audiences)
- Manny: Dissonance is tension that seeks release (resolution to consonance); atonality is music with no “home key”.
  - “Most of music is going from dissonance to consonance...Dissonance [is] to consonance.” (27:03–27:24)
- Isabel: “Atonal music is dissonant without the resolution...All atonal music is dissonant, but not all dissonant music is atonal.” (28:27–28:42)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Isabel on her move to comedy:
- “It took pursuing the one career more miserable than music to really appreciate [music].” (03:03–03:14)
On audience interaction as a comedian:
- “If you don’t get [laughter], as Seinfeld said, it ceases to be the artform.” (03:27)
Isabel on contextual preferences:
- “A lot of our opinions about most pieces are more contextual than we’d like to admit. Were you hungry? Did you eat enough that day?” (31:55–32:26)
Manny on Beethoven:
- “If anybody defined the piano, it was Beethoven. So to say that his music is unpianistic doesn’t really mean very much.” (14:51–15:13)
Isabel on performing:
- “Performances have become less precious. I mean, I still...They’re of great importance, but I’m less...’Oh, this better be, this is it,’ you know.” (22:39–22:42)

Timestamps for Key Segments

[02:04–02:38] Isabel’s musical family and switch to viola
[03:03–03:27] Discovering that comedy was a tougher but more natural fit
[06:10–08:01] Explaining orchestra seating and traditions
[09:16–09:53] Viola jokes and their origins
[11:38–12:13] Sample of Isabel’s music/comedy act
[13:51–14:44] Brahms Quintet and memories of chamber music camp
[18:54–19:13] In favor of clapping between movements
[27:03–28:42] Dissonance vs. atonality, explained
[31:12–31:26] Isabel’s “hot take” on the Rococo Variations
[31:55–32:26] The role of context in musical taste

The Episode’s Spirit and Takeaways

Celebratory and Conversational:
The episode feels like a friendly, offbeat salon, debunking pretensions in classical music and embracing both tradition and irreverence.
Welcoming New Audiences:
Both Manny and Isabel champion breaking the “rules” to make classical music more accessible—whether it’s clapping between movements, telling bad jokes, or talking openly about anxiety.
Blending Worlds:
Isabel’s journey typifies the new fluidity between “serious” music and pop-culture performance—it’s possible to be both a fine artist and a funny truth-teller.

Final Thoughts

This episode offers sharp, heartfelt, and often hilarious reflections on the world of classical music, courtesy of two uniquely personable artists. Whether you’re a lifelong listener or a curious newcomer, Manny and Isabel’s honest and witty banter invites you to see both the joys and oddities of the concert hall—and maybe laugh at a viola joke or two along the way.

Classical Music Happy Hour – “Isabel Hagen – likes a good viola joke”

Podcast: Classical Music Happy Hour
Host: Emanuel “Manny” Ax
Guest: Isabel Hagen (Juilliard-trained violist, comedian, filmmaker)
Date: May 6, 2026

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Isabel’s Musical Roots and Switch to Comedy

Strong Musical Background
- Isabel grew up in a deeply musical family: her father is a jazz saxophonist, her brother a classical pianist and conductor.
  - “I came from a musical family, so my dad is a jazz sax player and my older brother is a classical pianist and conductor… It was just sort of [a] natural thing to do.” (02:04–02:18)
Choosing the Viola
- Started on piano at age 4, switched to viola at 10 because she admired a friend of her brother’s who played it.
  - “My brother had a friend who played the viola who I thought was cool. I had a bit of a crush on him.” (02:19–02:35)
  - “The deeper tone.” (02:36–02:38)
Relating to Performance Anxiety
- Enjoyed Juilliard but struggled with her own inner pressures as a performer.
  - “I think people sometimes assume I'm on some sort of crusade because I gave up music to pursue stand up comedy. But I really loved my time at Juilliard… My issue with music is only a battle with myself and my own performance anxiety, demons…” (01:41–02:02)

The Crossover: Comedy and Music

What’s Harder: Comedy or Classical Performance?
- Finds comedy suits her—“more freedom”—even if it’s psychologically demanding.
  - “I think it’s harder, but I’m more suited for the specific difficulties of it. Cause with music, sure, they applaud no matter what, whereas...comedy, you know, you're looking for a specific reaction...if people aren't laughing, it ceases to be comedy.” (03:16–03:27)
  - “A lot of it is very much planned and practiced, just like you practice your instrument.” (04:07–04:34)
Comedy as a Tool for Performance Anxiety
- Frequent performance in stand-up has built resilience that music, with fewer performance opportunities, did not.
  - “Comedy really helps. Just the sheer amount you get on stage as a comedian…So it’s just that flexing the muscle of performing…performances have become less precious.” (22:07–22:42)
On Combining Viola and Comedy
- Initially kept her musician identity secret as a comedian; later experimented with blending viola and stand-up.
  - “For four years of keeping them separate, I didn’t want to diminish the quality of either one. So finally I thought, well, what if I just play beautiful music and then tell a really funny joke next to each other?...the juxtaposition...is the humor.” (12:42–13:08)
  - Notable Joke from Isabel’s act:
    - “I hate when people show me pictures of their kids. It’s like, we get it, he’s missing. Move on.” (11:38)
    - “My friend recently told me I have resting, sad face. I was like, oh, no, it’s active help.” (12:13)

Orchestral Life: Traditions, Seating, and Jokes

Why Do Orchestras Sit That Way?
- Audience question prompts conversation about evolving traditions and acoustics of orchestral seating—some choices are for sound, some for tradition, some just for practical reasons.
  - “People have found that the particular way of seating...is usually the best sounding for most traditional music…But in Vienna…the hall is...small...so the basses all go in a row at the back...” (06:28–07:54)
- Modern works may specify seating; most of the time, it’s tradition or conductor’s preference.
  - “Very few have actual prescriptive seating. Mostly modern...pieces.” (07:54–08:01)
Viola Joke Subculture
- Isabel embraced viola jokes as soon as she switched instruments.
  - “As soon as I switched to viola when I was 10, I immediately googled viola jokes and just memorized a bunch of them.” (09:16–09:23)
- Tracing the First Viola Joke:
  - “I think actually the first viola joke was Berlioz…oh, so young and already a violist. And I think that may have been the first one ever.” (09:23–09:50)
  - “Can we trace the origin of the viola joke?” (09:50)
- Berlioz and “Harold in Italy”
  - Discussion if “Harold in Italy” is itself a viola joke.
    - “Is that just one big viola joke or...” (09:58–10:08)
    - “If there is a joke in that, is that in the first movement, there’s a lot for viola. And then it gets less and less as it goes on.” (10:11–10:27)

The “Hot Takes” and Audience Participation

Letting Audiences Clap Between Movements
- Both Manny and Isabel are in favor, noting it’s historically accurate and inviting.
  - “I think let people enjoy the music.” (18:54)
  - “In Mozart’s time, they were whooping and hollering during the recap.” (19:00)
“We Don’t Need to Save Classical Music”
- Addressing anxiety about the aging audience and the persistent “crisis” narrative in classical music.
  - “I have a lot of older audiences come to see me do standup because they’re intrigued by the viola, and sometimes they’re the best crowds.” (29:45–29:54)
  - “Sometimes we emphasize the glass is half empty aspect.” (29:07)

Musical Preferences and Context

Concertos: Overplayed or Underappreciated?
- Isabel’s “spicy” take on Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations:
  - “It just feels like one of those pieces that I don't need to hear ever again. But that’s my hot take.” (31:12–31:26)
- Shares that musical preferences are shaped by life context:
  - “A lot of our opinions about most pieces are more contextual than we’d like to admit. Where were you in your life when you first discovered this piece?...Were you heartbroken?...” (31:55–32:09)
Underrated Favorite—Brahms F-major String Quintet
- Isabel’s nostalgia for the piece is connected to “the joy of chamber music camp and everyone just coming together.”
  - “Every movement is so beautiful. It just reminds me of the joy of chamber music camp...” (13:51–14:44)

Audience Questions: Theory and Performance

Difference Between “Atonal” and “Dissonant” (Tough Music Theory for All Audiences)
- Manny: Dissonance is tension that seeks release (resolution to consonance); atonality is music with no “home key”.
  - “Most of music is going from dissonance to consonance...Dissonance [is] to consonance.” (27:03–27:24)
- Isabel: “Atonal music is dissonant without the resolution...All atonal music is dissonant, but not all dissonant music is atonal.” (28:27–28:42)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Isabel on her move to comedy:
- “It took pursuing the one career more miserable than music to really appreciate [music].” (03:03–03:14)
On audience interaction as a comedian:
- “If you don’t get [laughter], as Seinfeld said, it ceases to be the artform.” (03:27)
Isabel on contextual preferences:
- “A lot of our opinions about most pieces are more contextual than we’d like to admit. Were you hungry? Did you eat enough that day?” (31:55–32:26)
Manny on Beethoven:
- “If anybody defined the piano, it was Beethoven. So to say that his music is unpianistic doesn’t really mean very much.” (14:51–15:13)
Isabel on performing:
- “Performances have become less precious. I mean, I still...They’re of great importance, but I’m less...’Oh, this better be, this is it,’ you know.” (22:39–22:42)

Timestamps for Key Segments

[02:04–02:38] Isabel’s musical family and switch to viola
[03:03–03:27] Discovering that comedy was a tougher but more natural fit
[06:10–08:01] Explaining orchestra seating and traditions
[09:16–09:53] Viola jokes and their origins
[11:38–12:13] Sample of Isabel’s music/comedy act
[13:51–14:44] Brahms Quintet and memories of chamber music camp
[18:54–19:13] In favor of clapping between movements
[27:03–28:42] Dissonance vs. atonality, explained
[31:12–31:26] Isabel’s “hot take” on the Rococo Variations
[31:55–32:26] The role of context in musical taste

The Episode’s Spirit and Takeaways

Celebratory and Conversational:
The episode feels like a friendly, offbeat salon, debunking pretensions in classical music and embracing both tradition and irreverence.
Welcoming New Audiences:
Both Manny and Isabel champion breaking the “rules” to make classical music more accessible—whether it’s clapping between movements, telling bad jokes, or talking openly about anxiety.
Blending Worlds:
Isabel’s journey typifies the new fluidity between “serious” music and pop-culture performance—it’s possible to be both a fine artist and a funny truth-teller.

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Isabel Hagen - likes a good viola joke

Summary

Classical Music Happy Hour – “Isabel Hagen – likes a good viola joke”

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Isabel’s Musical Roots and Switch to Comedy

The Crossover: Comedy and Music

Orchestral Life: Traditions, Seating, and Jokes

The “Hot Takes” and Audience Participation

Musical Preferences and Context

Audience Questions: Theory and Performance

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Key Segments

The Episode’s Spirit and Takeaways

Final Thoughts

Transcript

Summary

Classical Music Happy Hour – “Isabel Hagen – likes a good viola joke”

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Isabel’s Musical Roots and Switch to Comedy

The Crossover: Comedy and Music

Orchestral Life: Traditions, Seating, and Jokes

The “Hot Takes” and Audience Participation

Musical Preferences and Context

Audience Questions: Theory and Performance

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Key Segments

The Episode’s Spirit and Takeaways

Final Thoughts