Backstage: Classical Career Conversations

Join host, Katrina Stroud, as she sits down with professional classical musicians to uncover the personal journeys behind public performances. In each episode, you'll hear candid conversations that reveal the passion, struggles, and turning points that have shaped the lives of classical musicians.

From basement practice rooms to the world's greatest stages, guests share their stories of resilience, artistry, and inspiration that rarely make it to the public audience. Whether you're a seasoned musician, working student, or someone who loves the transformative power of classical music, this podcast invites you to listen deeply -- to the music, and to the stories behind it.

Host

Katrina Stroud

Katrina Stroud has been playing violin since the age of three and currently attends the University of Michigan, and graduated from the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings with her Bachelor’s degree in Violin Performance with electives in Business. As a sophomore in college in 2023 she won second prize in the St. Paul String Quartet Competition and was a quarter-finalist in the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.

Katrina has performed in the Fabian Concert Series of Mercer University and has also been invited to and performed in the concert series Andy and Friends, USCB Chamber Music, and New Canaan Chamber Music. Katrina has performed in Rome alongside Robert McDuffie, and performed in the Emmy award-winning “A Night of Georgia Music” which was broadcasted on national television. Katrina was a member of the Macon-Mercer Symphony Orchestra and has performed with the New World Symphony as a substitute musician.