Getting permission to shoot at the Guggenheim was no small accomplishment. The work that the producers and the AD and locations departments put into making it happen in such a short period of time was nothing short of miraculous, but access was limited by the museum's hours of operation, meaning Wendey Stanzler had to finish the scene before the doors opened at 10 a.m. Shooting anywhere else wasn't really an option though; only a world-class institution on the level of the Guggenheim would be considered a step up for Gloria professionally.
In the scene when the battle lines are drawn between Thomas and Gloria with the winner getting Hesby's prized composition, Wendey Stanzler saw Thomas and Gloria's banter and argumentative competition as only heightened by Bruce Davison's choice to play Hesby with the attention span of a small child who has a little crush on Gloria while being a little scared of Thomas. She says Davison and Malcolm McDowell were inseparable on set, constantly laughing and telling stories, and McDowell's chemistry with Bernadette Peters exists both on and off screen.
Violist Nadia Sirota has served as a muse to composers such as Nico Muhly, Bryce Dessner, and Missy Mazzoli (who composed music by Thomas Pembridge last season). Her Peabody Award winning podcast, 'Meet the Composer,' was hailed as "the world's best contemporary classical music podcast" (Pitchfork).
Violinist Ray Chen's illustrious musical career - he rocketed on the scene when he took first prize at the Yehudi Menuhin (2008) and Queen Elizabeth (2009) Competitions - has carried him into the world of fashion, with sponsorships by American Eagle and Armani (which designed his 2014 album cover with pianist Christoph Eschenbach).
According to Sarah Walker, the walk from Gloria's office to the concert hall is about 28 miles (from the set that houses Gloria's office in Long Island City to the concert hall at SUNY Purchase).