When President Obama began considering whom he should appoint to the Supreme Court, Diane Wood was the first person he interviewed. She was on everyone’s short list. He ultimately picked someone else but as a Judge on the United States Court of Appeals, Wood remains a formidable force in shaping the law. She also happens to be an accomplished oboist playing in several amateur orchestras.

In conversation with host Gilbert Kaplan, Judge Woods reveals:

• Her favorite oboe concerto
• Her reaction to learning a conductor described her playing as “sober and practical”
• Another instrument she would love to play
• What music she has on when writing opinions
• The music she chose for her wedding
• Which historic composer would be her choice to create an opera about controversial Supreme Court battle Bush v. Gore

Alessandro Marcello Oboe Concerto. Second movement. Academy of London. Richard Stamp. Ray Still. Virgin Classics 7 90813-2.

Johann Sebastian Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 1. First movement. Academy of St. Martin-in-the Fields. Neville Marriner. Philips 400 076-2.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Don Giovanni "Madamina". Vienna Philharmonic. Josef Krips. Fernando Corena. Decca 5365948.

Robert Wright and George Forrest (based on themes of Alexander Borodin) Kismet “And This is My Beloved”. London Symphony. Paul Gemignani. Ruth Ann Swenson, Samuel Ramey, Dom De Luise, Jerry Hadley. Sony Broadway SK 46438.

Antonín Dvorák Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”. Second movement [excerpt]. Vienna Philharmonic. Herbert von Karajan. Deutsche Grammophon 439 009-2.

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Sheherazade. Conclusion [excerpt]. Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev. Philips 289 470 840-2.