Classical Conversations: Recent Episodes
WGTE Public Media
Browse our audio archive of conversations with local and international classical musicians. WGTE's Brad Cresswell and Mary Claire Murphy speak with some of today's greatest artists about their latest recordings and performances. Watch the Classical Conversations Video Interviews. Classical Conversations® is a registered trademark of Classical Conversations Multi Media, Inc. and is licensed by WGTE.
Baritone Theo Hoffman implements a “pop bel canto” approach to his program of songs by Schubert and The Beatles, underscoring core similarities between the two in this Classical Conversation with Mary Claire Murphy.
Violinist María Dueñas explores capricious works by Nicolo Paganini and his successors, including Fritz Kreisler, Henryk Wieniawski, Jordi Cervello, and others. She surveys the album here in this Classical Conversation with Mary Claire Murphy.
In this Classical Conversation, Mary Claire Murphy asks composer Cliff Eidelman about the behind-the-scenes of his creative process for film scoring. Mr. Eidelman also comments on his concert discography, including a recent reinterpretation of his symphonic poem The Tempest.
WGTE's Mary Claire Murphy and Logan Cooney sit down with Rick Steves as he visits Toledo, Ohio on his "A Symphonic Journey" tour.
Dr. Chaerin Kim returns to FM 91 to talk about the European premiere of her signature work as a composer, Rendezvous, which she conducts in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31DEEYbgvdw. Dr. Kim shares her passion for music and answers questions about her musical philosophy and background. https://www.chaerinkim.com/blog/
The emerging Fourth Wall Ensemble, founded in 2023, has made a splash in its first year with a double album release, including Awake, with music by Samuel Siskind; and Ad Manus, with vocal selections by Caroline Shaw, Dietrich Buxtehude, Jeff Beal, Eric Whitacre, Morten Lauridsen, and Reena Esmail. Christopher Allen, the ensemble’s artistic and creative director, speaks with Mary Claire Murphy and highlights some of Fourth Wall Ensemble’s recent live performances, especially their appearance on the Death of Classical series that’s held in crypts and cemeteries in New York City.
Percussion guru Rob Desmond and Development guru (and percussionist) Dave Gierke talk with WGTE's Mary Claire Murphy and Brad Cresswell about the Steel Pan Band at Toledo School for the Arts, and the November 5th concert by "Paganini of the Steel Pan" Liam Teague.
Violinist Ray Chen collaborated with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Cristian Macelaru to release Player 1, an album replete with nostalgia for fans of video game, television, and film music. His conversation with Mary Claire Murphy is an invitation to reminisce and delight in cinematic orchestral arrangements as Ray performs on the ‘Dolphin’ Stradivarius.
In this conversation with WGTE's Mary Claire Murphy, Stathis Karapanos speaks on the often-misunderstood musical language of Paul Hindemith and introduces his album of complete Hindemith flute works.
Lima Symphony Orchestra Music Director Andrew Crust joins us for a chat about the LSO's new season and their October 19th season opener. Explore the Lima Symphony Season: https://www.limasymphony.com/2024-2025-season
Organist Gail Archer discusses her research on equity in the workplace for women organists and introduces us to the variety of programs scheduled for her fall 2024 performance season.
Soprano Karen Slack and pianist Michelle Cann have collaborated with ONEcomposer to present the album Beyond the Years, featuring 19 unpublished art songs by Florence Price. Learn more in this Classical Conversation with Mary Claire Murphy.
Conductor Gil Rose founded the Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP) over 100 albums ago; he joins us for a conversation about the orchestra and their two recent albums, John Alden Carpenter: Complete Ballets, and Paul Dooley: Masks & Machines. Please note: The first part of our chat was lost due to technical concerns; Gill starts off by telling us about BMOP (also, the music excerpts have been truncated for the online posting due to copyright concerns). Hear "Point Blank" at Paul Dooley's website: https://www.pauldooley.net/works/pointblankband Photo Credit: Kevin Condon
Trumpet virtuoso Mary Elizabeth Bowden furthers her mission to build the contemporary trumpet repertoire with an album of story-telling concertos, and she gives voices to some of those stories in this conversation with Mary Claire Murphy.
With the polarizing political season in full swing, it's important to remember that despite our differences, we're still neighbors and should treat each other as such. Enter Neighbor2Neighbor, a 2024 election year peace initiative, which has taken off in our community. In this radio roundtable, we're joined by four guests: Rev. Gayle Catinella (Rector of St. Michael's in the Hills Episcopal Church), Carol Nichols (who came up with the concept), Dave Karmol (neighbor of Carol's but on the opposite end of the political spectrum), and Brent Cousino (project advisor and community partner). https://www.neighbor2neighbortoledo.com/
Composer Robert Kyr provides an immersive experience of nature through several environmentally themed oratorios and choral dramas, including A Time for Life and Earth Vigil. He speaks with Mary Claire Murphy on his concepts and collaboration with the acclaimed ensemble Conspirare and their artistic director, Craig Hella Johnson. As a supplement to the conversation, see below for nature photography by Robert Kyr (captioned: Illuminated Cloud Beyond Mesas, Bright Mesa Rising from Stillness (High Noon), Bright Mesa Rising from Stillness (Twilight), Mesa with Three Trees, Bright Mesa Face, Illuminated Cathedral Mesa, Premiere of Earth Vigil, Mesa Descending into Twilight, The Tree of Life.
Octavist Glenn Miller speaks to Mary Claire Murphy on Sergei Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil, as arranged for men’s choir and recorded in Jerusalem by the PaTRAM Institute Male Choir.
Composer Scott Wollschleger talks about his new album from New Focus Recordings called Between Breath. The album contains four works for different duo and solo combinations that are presented here as a multi-movement complete work. Wollschleger's music balances exuberance and intimacy with characteristic sensitivity to timbre and structural proportions.
Celebrate the centennial of the “Rhapsody in Blue” with the album Norman Krieger Plays Gershwin. Norman joins Mary Claire Murphy on Classical Conversations for more details on the Rhapsody, Gershwin’s preludes, and his Piano Concerto in F.
In this Classical Conversation with Mary Claire Murphy, pianist/composer Chad Lawson speaks on his meditative approach to music composition and invites us into his album of piano solo music, “Where We Are.”
Violinist Elizabeth Chang speaks to Mary Claire Murphy about her unique album Sonatas and Myths, featuring seminal works by early 20th century composers Bela Bartok, Karol Szymanowski, and Ernst von Dohnanyi.
In her poetic Six Pieces for Solo Violin, composer Sophia Jani unfolds a series of targeted techniques to celebrate the solo violin and its place as a sweetheart of music history and modern times. In collaboration with violinist Teresa Allgaier, she foreshadows the set with an introductory prelude and then proceeds with great intentionality through a variety of musical characters; she shares the details with Mary Claire Murphy.
Through their album, Project Earth: The Blue Chapter, the Iris Trio takes a multi-disciplinary approach to celebrate the environment and the beauty of biodiversity. Anna Petrova, pianist of the Iris Trio, speaks with Mary Claire Murphy on the nuances within the poetry and accompanying compositions, crafted by Don McKay and Florian Hoefner, respectively.
We're joined by two members of the cast and two of the creatives behind Toledo Opera's production of Ragtime. Soprano Raquel Suarez Groen (Mother) and baritone Derrick Davis (Coalhouse Walker, Jr.) sing their big showpieces in the WGTE studios (with pianist Kevin Bylsma). Also, we hear from director James Norman, and the conductor of Ragtime, J. Ernest Green.
Grammy Award-winning organist Paul Jacobs is helping the King of Instruments retake its rightful place in classical music. The acclaimed musician joins Mary Claire Murphy and Brad Cresswell for a conversation about his return appearance at the Peristyle with the Toledo Symphony.
Dr. Chaerin Kim joins us to talk about her substantial career as a multi-instrumentalist, composer, conductor and professor, and gives advice for young musicians hoping to find success in the many competitions she has judged. We also hear her piano version of "Rendezvous" - a piece by Dr. Kim which has 100 versions (including many different languages).
In her sophomore album, "I Long and Seek After," violist and composer Jessica Meyer contemplates the question, "Am I doing all that I am supposed to be doing?" Themes of love, heartbreak, and self-discovery pervade the texts, which she set as intimate art songs. And on this, her 50th birthday year, she shares with Mary Claire Murphy her reflections on how to embrace the passage of time to age with utmost grace.
Ballet Theater of Toledo's Artistic Director Nigel Burgoine and composer David Jex talk about their collaboration "The Great Pancake Escape" - which features BTT dancers, magician Andrew Martin and narrator Tony Geftos reading from the book by Toledo-area author Paul Many. https://ballettheatreoftoledo.org/performances/
Composers Jamie Leigh Sampson and Andrew Martin Smith stop by the studio to talk about their composer collective ADJ•ective New Music and their project with the Toledo Symphony celebrating the full solar eclipse. Several of the composers represented by the group have composed a new suite of Planets, to be performed alongside Gustav Holst's famous Planets suite.
Pianist and composer Marina Arsenijevic (arson-nee-vitch) offers a Valentine tribute to Frédéric Chopin with her album Chopin Obsession, and she speaks with Mary Claire Murphy on how, as someone who has lived through the turmoil of war, she deeply resonates with the music. Through Chopin Obsession, she gives us a window into the nuanced emotions of Chopin's waltzes, his Ballade No. 1, and more.
Composer Peter Boyer speaks with Mary Claire Murphy on his celebratory "Rhapsody in Red, White, and Blue," commissioned by pianist Jeffrey Biegel for the centennial of George Gershwin's iconic "Rhapsody in Blue." He and Jeffrey are pursuing an ambitious "Rhapsody National Initiative" to perform the work in each of the 50 US states, and they're already on track for performances with more than 50 orchestras throughout the nation. They've also taken the rhapsody onto the international stage with a new recording by the London Symphony Orchestra.
Violinist Curtis Stewart, conductor James Blachly, and the Experiential Orchestra invite us into a musical dialogue with Julia Perry and Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson. Both Curtis and James join Mary Claire Murphy in a discussion of the works on this new album, American Counterpoints, and they introduce us to Curtis' own composition "We Who Seek."
American born, Scotland based conductor Kellen Gray chats about the second album in his African American Voices series from Linn Records. Re-teaming with the Scottish National Orchestra, Kellen leads the first commercial recordings of landmark works by Margaret Bonds, Ulysses Kay, and Coleridge Taylor Perkinson.
In his latest album, William Susman performs selections from his monumental piano series, Quiet Rhythms. The acclaimed pianist/composer speaks with Mary Claire Murphy about the recording, which was captured live at the music venue Spectrum in New York City.
Toledo Ballet's Artistic Director Eric Otto and Wardrobe Supervisor Heather Pooley talk about the 83rd annual Nutcracker happening December 9th and 10th at the Stranahan Theatre. We hear what's new for this year with costumes, choreography, and music, and we even include a little throwback to Toledo SymphonyLAB with a Nutcracker Quiz (minus the special sound effects).
Superstar Classical Guitarist Miloš Karadaglić talks about his new album Baroque, and how the music on the album is intimately intertwined with his musical and personal philosophy.
Nigel Burgoine and David Jex discuss their new ballet (scenario by Nigel, music by David) which receives its world premiere from Ballet Theatre of Toledo on November 10th and 11th at the Valentine Theatre. Inspired by artworks in the Toledo Museum of Art, the ballet follows the adventures of a young girl as follows: It’s the holiday season and Florence and her mother are visiting the museum. Florence discovers a gift bag on a bench with a statue of Degas’ "Little Dancer Aged Fourteen.” She tries to find the owner when suddenly something magical happens; the statue comes to life and dances for her! The Degas Dancer takes Florence on a fantasy journey throughout the museum as she is entertained by masterpieces from around the world. One by one the sculptures and paintings fade away and Florence finds herself alone, holding the Degas statue. A little girl appears and is searching for the treasured gift she lost. Florence kindly returns the statue, and she begins dreaming of her next adventure in the museum!
In this Zoom conversation with WGTE's Mary Claire Murphy, Grammy®-nominated flutist Brandon Patrick George talks about his new album TWOFOLD from In a Circle Records. A pairing of canonical works for solo flute with new compositions, TWOFOLD represents a fascinating dialogue between composers of the past and composers of the present.
Plínio Fernandes explores the enduring genius of J.S. Bach in his latest album from Orchid Classics, Bacheando. The Brazilian guitarist joins WGTE's Mary Claire Murphy for a conversation about the recording, which not only contains some Bach favorites, but Brazilian works that are directly influenced by J.S. Bach.
Pianist and composer Carlos Simon grew up in a religious household, surrounded by hymns and a musical culture that has had a profound influence on his own work. Carlos joins us to talk about his album Together, which welcomes stellar performances from violinist Randall Goosby, mezzo J'Nai Bridges, baritone Will Liverman and cellist Seth Parker Woods.
Classical violinist Rachel Barton Pine has a secret. Well, not really a secret, especially after her recently-recorded collaboration with heavy metal and hardcore punk composer Earl Maneein. Together, they chat about their album Dependent Arising, which brilliantly pairs the classical/heavy metal violin concerto by Maneein with Dmitri Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1.
Randall Goosby brings his outstanding reputation as a solo violinist and arts advocate for diversity to bear in his second album for Decca Classics, which includes the first commercial recording of two concertos by Florence Price. In this conversation with WGTE's Brad Cresswell, Randall chats about the album - which pairs Price with the well-known concerto by Max Bruch - in both studio and live concert recordings with the Philadelphia Orchestra under conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin. Visit the artist's website: https://randallgoosby.com/ Visit the Decca page for this album: https://www.deccaclassics.com/en/catalogue/products/violin-concertos-goosby-nezet-seguin-12974
Pianist and composer Alexandra Stréliski talks about her new album, Néo-Romance, the followup to her platinum-selling album Inscape. Intrigued by the meeting of dark romanticism with the modern world, Alexandra fills Néo-Romance with beautiful musical short-stories — including some that mirror events in her own life.
Modern music specialist Maya Beiser (cellist, producer, multi-media artist and more) records — for the first time — one of the pinnacles of the cello repertoire, the Bach Solo Cello Suites. But, Maya's rendition has a bit of a twist, in that it's being released with different sound profiles, based on the space where it was recorded (in this case, a barn in the Berkshires of Massachusetts). Maya Beiser joins us to talk about the music found on her new album Infinite Bach.
Artist Matt Wedel joins WGTE's Brad Cresswell and Mary Claire Murphy for a discussion surrounding his exhibit at the Toledo Museum of Art, entitled "Phenomenal Debris." We get to the heart of what makes Matt's artistry so unique, and learn about his process in creating the many sculptures and drawings that make up the exhibit. "Phenomenal Debris" closes on April 2nd, but Matt Wedel will be in Toledo on March 31st to give an artist tour of the exhibit and sign copies of the TMA's new catalog of his work. More details at the Toledo Museum of Art Website.
Toledoans may remember superstar violinist Rachel Barton Pine's appearance with the Toledo Symphony a couple of seasons ago. Now, to mark the 25th anniversary of her pioneering album of works by Classical and Romantic composers of African descent, Cedille Records has re-released that album... with a new addition: Florence Price's Violin Concerto No. 2 with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, conducted by Jonathon Heyward. That violin concerto, composed shortly before Price's death in the early 1950's, lay undiscovered until 2009, when a treasure trove of Price works was discovered in her former house near Chicago. In this Classical Conversation, Rachel gives us the backstory on that discovery, plus all of the music on her album Violin Concertos by Black Composers Through the Centuries. A long-time proponent of the vast amount of classical music left behind by composers of color, Rachel founded the Music by Black Composers project to not only spread that music, but to inspire young Black performers to embrace it, and ultimately change the landscape of Western classical music by spreading diversity throughout the canon.
Award-winning Jamaican-American violist Jordan Bak joins us to preview his recital at BGSU on January 11, and to share a couple tracks from his debut album, IMPULSE. Described as “an exciting new voice in Classical performance” (I Care If You Listen), Jordan was named one of Classic FM's "30 Under 30" Rising Stars, and was a featured artist for WQXR’s inaugural Artist Propulsion Lab. Jordan is an Assistant Professor of viola at Bowling Green State University. Note: The musical selections have been trimmed in this podcast. Both tracks are available on IMPULSE. More about Jordan: https://jordanbak.com/ More about IMPULSE: https://www.brightshiny.ninja/impulse BGSU Recital Details: https://events.bgsu.edu/event/faculty_artist_series_jordan_bak_viola Jordan's recital will be live-streamed at https://www.youtube.com/user/bgsumusic/live Photo Credit: https://jordanbak.com/
Pianist and radio host Sarah Cahill joins us for a thoughtful discussion about her ongoing performance and recording project The Future is Female. She's recently released the second album in the series, subtitled The Dance, with ten tracks by women across time and space, from the French Baroque composer Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre to the modern-day composer, cellist, and vocalist Theresa Wong, whom Sarah commissioned for this disc.
As the war in Ukraine rages on, GRAMMY® Award-winning Ukrainian-American pianist Nadia Shpachenko offers the album INVASION with music by the composer Lewis Spratlan. As she watched in horror her home city of Kharkiv (and the rest of Ukraine) being destroyed and civilians being murdered every day, Shpachenko tried to come up with ways to express her feelings of utter despair and anger, as well as hope and resilience, through her music making. In addition to performing fundraising concerts featuring music by Ukrainian composers, she decided to put together a new album to support Ukraine humanitarian aid. Reference Recordings is proud to release this album, with 100% of proceeds benefitting Ukrainian people affected by the war. Shpachenko commissioned Ukrainian artists to create paintings/artworks to use in the album booklet, online and in-person galleries, and the accompanying music videos, as their responses to the music. Also featured are artworks made by children in Kharkiv, as their responses to the war. keep reading... Visit Nadia's website at https://nadiashpachenko.com/
As both a virtuoso sax player and a BBC3 radio personality, Jess Gillam is a "double-threat," known for her infectious personality as well as for her irresistible performances. Having just made her Carnegie Hall debut, Jess took a few moments to chat with us about her career, as well as her album Time from Decca Classics.
Our new classical host Mary Claire Murphy brings her musical talents to the Dana performance studio, playing her own music at the piano and providing the backstory to those works.
Acclaimed baritone Keith Phares joins us in the WGTE studios to talk about his career, share musical excerpts, and preview his upcoming Faculty Recital at Bowling Green State University on November 2nd. Recital Details (BGSU website) http://keithphares.squarespace.com/ (Photo of Keith Phares in the studio with WGTE's Brad Cresswell)
It's Live from FM 91, as we welcome star singers from Toledo Opera's double bill of Puccini's Suor Angelica and Mascagni's Cavalleria Rusticana. It's a singers' roundtable, with discussion and performance from soprano Jill Gardner, contralto Lauren Decker, and tenor Brian Cheney. We're also joined by conductor Geoffrey McDonald and Co-Artistic Director Kevin Bylsma, who accompanies our singers on piano.
Superstar vioinist Hilary Hahn joins us to talk about her album ECLIPSE, from Deutsche Grammophon records. A celebration of Hilary's return to the stage (after a year-long sabbatical), ECLIPSE documents her artistic growth during that experience – represented by three wonderful works that speak to Hilary's virtuosity in different ways. Listeners will revel in Hilary's performance of Pablo de Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy (which Hilary had never performed before), and a brilliant rendition of Dvořák's sprightly violin concerto. The centerpiece of the program, however, is the violin concerto by Argentine composer Alberto Ginastera. Intricately layered, sometimes powerful and sometimes almost painfully intimate, Ginastera's concerto is given a spectacular performance from Hilary, running the gamut from fierce virtuosity to glass-like delicacy.
Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson talks about his deeply personal album From Afar, released by Deutsche Grammophon records on October 7th, 2022. The album reflects Ólafsson’s musical DNA, from childhood memories growing up in Iceland to his international career and contemporary inspirations, recorded on both grand and upright pianos. https://vikingurolafsson.com/ Photos (c) Ari Magg
Superstar cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason joins us to talk about his latest album from Decca Records, SONG, which features an eclectic mix of folk tunes, classical, jazz and pop - including Sheku's own composition and arrangements.
Cast members and creatives for Toledo Opera's production of "Blue" join us to talk about the work and how it uses a 400 year old artistic platform (opera) to address contemporary issues faced by the African American community. We also hear vocal excerpts from "Blue" sung by Kenneth Kellogg and Aundi Marie Moore, with Kevin Bylsma at the piano. Joining us are: Tazewell Thompson, librettist for "Blue" and director of Toledo Opera's production Chelsea Tipton II, conductor Kenneth Kellogg, bass, the Father Aundi Marie Moore, soprano, the Mother Toledo Opera is a sponsor of WGTE programs. You can find more info on Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson's "Blue" at toledoopera.org.
Dr. Naomi André, a celebrated musicologist and scholar, is a frequent contributor to the community discussions surrounding the new opera "Blue" and its production at Toledo Opera. In this conversation with WGTE's Brad Cresswell, Dr. André sheds light on where "Blue" not only fits into the traditional operatic canon, but how operas like this are directly relevant to today's societal issues of race relations, and point the way to the future of the art form itself. "Blue" with music by Jeanine Tesori and libretto by Tazewell Thompson is being produced by Toledo Opera in August 2022, more information here: https://www.toledoopera.org/upcoming-performances/season-event/blue/. Toledo Opera is a sponsor of WGTE programs.
The star string trio Time for Three performs for us (with composer Kevin Puts on the piano). In this session, we talk about their new album Letters for the Future, which contains concertos written for them by Kevin Puts and Jennifer Higdon.
The wonderful Neave Trio has appeared on FM 91 several times in the past. Now they have a new album out called Musical Remembrances, that contains some of the best-loved piano trios in the repertoire. Cellist Mikhail Veselov joins us for a conversation about the album and the music by Rachmaninoff, Ravel, and Brahms – all of it united through the concept of remembrance.
Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson talks about his deeply personal album From Afar, released by Deutsche Grammophon records on October 7th, 2022. The album reflects Ólafsson’s musical DNA, from childhood memories growing up in Iceland to his international career and contemporary inspirations, recorded on both grand and upright pianos. https://vikingurolafsson.com/ Photos (c) Ari Magg
Superstar cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason joins us to talk about his latest album from Decca Records, SONG, which features an eclectic mix of folk tunes, classical, jazz and pop - including Sheku's own composition and arrangements.
Cast members and creatives for Toledo Opera's production of "Blue" join us to talk about the work and how it uses a 400 year old artistic platform (opera) to address contemporary issues faced by the African American community. We also hear vocal excerpts from "Blue" sung by Kenneth Kellogg and Aundi Marie Moore, with Kevin Bylsma at the piano. Joining us are:Tazewell Thompson, librettist for "Blue" and director of Toledo Opera's productionChelsea Tipton II, conductorKenneth Kellogg, bass, the FatherAundi Marie Moore, soprano, the Mother Toledo Opera is a sponsor of WGTE programs. You can find more info on Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson's "Blue" at toledoopera.org.
The star string trio Time for Three performs for us (with composer Kevin Puts on the piano). In this session, we talk about their new album Letters for the Future, which contains concertos written for them by Kevin Puts and Jennifer Higdon.
The wonderful Neave Trio has appeared on FM 91 several times in the past. Now they have a new album out called Musical Remembrances, that contains some of the best-loved piano trios in the repertoire. Cellist Mikhail Veselov joins us for a conversation about the album and the music by Rachmaninoff, Ravel, and Brahms – all of it united through the concept of remembrance.
Since she was a child, opera sensation Nadine Sierra has wanted to sing opera. Now well beyond her wildest dreams, Nadine stands at the top of the younger generation of star sopranos, as evidenced by her latest album Made for Opera from Deutsche Grammophon records.In this conversation with WGTE's Brad Cresswell, Nadine recounts her family life growing up, the inspirations which fuel her personal and professional life, and how she identifies with each of the three women she portrays on the album: Verdi's Violetta, Donizetti's Lucia, and Gounod's Juliette.Nadine also talks about the modernized production of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor which (at the time of this interview) she is singing at the Metropolitan Opera. Listeners will have the opportunity to see that production on Saturday May 21st, 2022, when it is broadcast to theaters as part of the Met in HD series.
The acclaimed Norwegian pianist Leif Ove Andsnes joins us to talk about the second album release in his Mozart Momentum project, which documents the genius of Wolfgang Mozart by focusing on touchstone years in the composer's life (in this case, 1786). Performing with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Leif Ove presents a beautiful portrait during the years in which Mozart's writing for the piano was at its most revolutionary, creative and game-changing (a creativity also evidenced by his landmark opera The Marriage of Figaro, which dates from the same year). Released by Sony Classical, the album includes Mozart’s Piano Concertos Nos. 23 & 24, Piano Quartet in E-flat major, Piano Trio in B-flat major and Recitative and Aria Ch’io mi scordi di te? featuring Mozart specialist (and wonderful soprano) Christiane Karg.
Violinist Abi Fayette of the Catalyst Quartet joins WGTE's Haley Taylor to chat about the quartet's latest album release in their "Uncovered" project, which explores the music of pioneering Black composers. This installment (the second in the series) focuses on the music of Florence Price, the first African-American woman to have a symphony performed by a major orchestra (The Chicago Symphony, in this case).
In her latest album Reflections: Scott Joplin Reconsidered, pianist Lara Downes reframes the life and work of the pioneering composer and performer Scott Joplin. In this Classical Conversation with WGTE's Haley Taylor, Lara discusses her activities during the pandemic (including starting a record label and making recordings, hosting radio programs, and exploring the work of Black composers), and her new Scott Joplin album in general.
Allen Markowicz and Sylvia Neil are probably t he only siblings to simultanously chair the boards of two opera companies: Toledo Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago, respectively. In this wide-ranging discussion, brother and sister talk about how their interest in opera was sparked (by the same opera, no less - albeit in separate cities). We also talk about how each company responded and adapted to the pandemic, and the role that great opera can play in bringing people together and sharing their experiences.
We spend time with the stars of Giuseppe Verdi's La Traviata, which is being presented by Toledo Opera on Friday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m. and at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 24 at the Valentine Theatre. International opera star and Toledo favorite Kathryn Lewek takes on the role of Violetta for the very first time, joined by her real-life husband, acclaimed tenor Zach Borichevsky as Alfredo. Rounding out the cast is dramatic baritone Malcolm MacKenzie, who plays Alfredo's father, Giorgio Germont. We're also joined by the esteemed maestro Joseph Colaneri, Music Director of the Glimmerglass Festival in upstate New York, and frequent conductor at the Metropolitan Opera. Pictured L-R in the WGTE studios: Brad Cresswell; Joseph Colaneri; Zach Borichevsky; Kathryn Lewek; Malcom MacKenzie.
Multi-Grammy nominated cellist Matt Haimovitz joins WGTE's Brad Cresswell to talk about the second installment in The Primavera Project - an onoing series of 81 solo cello commissions for Matt. The project takes inspiration from two paintings: Sandro Botticelli’s Primavera and Charline von Heyl’s Primavera 2020. The album, taking its title (the rabbits) from Charline von Heyl, features 13 new works by living composers including Missy Mazzoli, Tomeka Reid, Nico Muhly, Gordon Getty, and Sky Macklay among others.
Pianist Simone Dinnerstein joins us for a chat about her latest album, entitled Undersong. Beautiful, stately performances of works by Philip Glass, Robert Schumann, François Couperin and Erik Satie populate this disc, and those pieces share a common element: the refrain. Another theme which runs throughout is the global pandemic - this is the third album Simone has recorded at home in Brooklyn while waiting out Covid-19, and each of these works is a reflection on her quarantine experience.
Our old friends the Tower Brass Quintet (with three new members) return to the FM 91 studios to perform a program of Christmas favorites!
Multiple Grammy Award-winning conductor JoAnn Falletta talks with Haley Taylor about the remarkable pianist Claudette Sorel. A child prodigy (and eventual "poet of the keyboard" according to Falletta), Sorel was also a champion of modern music as well as female musicians. In this commemorative 2-CD set, we hear a selection of lesser-known works as well as a collection of American piano concertos. Claudette Sorel founded the Elizabeth and Michel Sorel Charitable Organization in 1996, named for her parents, to help expand opportunities and stretch the boundaries for women in music. JoAnn Falletta was a founding member of the Sorel Organization’s Advisory Board in the 1990s and she is a current Trustee. You can learn more about Claudette Sorel at the organization's website: http://www.sorelmusic.org.
Haley Taylor chats with the uber-talented siblings Sheku and Isata Kanneh-Mason, who have released their first album together. Entitled Muse, the recording (on the Decca Classics label) features the cello/piano sonatas of Samuel Barber and Sergei Rachmaninoff, plus some beautiful song transcriptions from both composers. As they tell us, their collaboration was partly inspired by the global pandemic, which led them to examine and explore their remarkable music-making together in an intimate setting.
UMich faculty member and stellar pianist Matthew Bengtson joins us for a preview of the upcoming 2021 American Liszt Society Festival at the University of Michigan (October 15 - 18). With a focus on Franz Liszt’s Hungarian roots and legacies, the festival features performances, dance, and presentations that provide a fully immersive experience with the culture and music surrounding one of the greatest pianist/composers of the 19th century. Visit the festival website: http://www.smtd.umich.edu/liszt2021 NOTE: due to copyright, the music in this feature has been truncated. You can hear all the music through Matthew Bengtson's hand-picked play"liszt" on Spotify
Four star singers from Toledo Opera's production of Il Trovatore join us for conversation and performance: soprano Leah Crocetto; tenor Carl Tanner; mezzo Deborah Nansteel, and baritone Kyle Pfortmiller. Also joining us are Co-Artistic Directors Kevin Bylsma (also the pianist) and James Norman.
We offer a preview discussion of Toledo Opera's upcoming production of Giuseppe Verdi's Il Trovatore, including how the opera's complicated (and sometimes horrifying) plot echoes the experience of contemporary communities of color. You can watch a much more in-depth discussion of these issues in Toledo Opera's Tuesday Talk, streaming (and later archived) on September 28, 2021 at 6:00 PM via Toledo Opera's Facebook page and YouTube channel. Joining us for this discussion:Dr. Naomi Andre, Professor in the Department of Afroamerican and African Studies, Women’s and Gender Studies, and the Residential College, University of Michigan.Sonia Flunder-McNair, Founder of Urban WholisticsDavid Ross, Muralist and Creative Placemaking Strategist for The Arts CommissionAlyssa Greenberg, Community Engagement Director for Toledo Opera Moderated by WGTE radio host and producer Brad CresswellPhoto: Sonia Flunder-McNair/Toledo Opera
The venerated pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet joins us to talk about his most personal album to date, called Carte Blanche, a collection of encores – each of which have a connection to the people and events that have shaped him as an artist. Released in celebration of Thibaudet's 60th birthday and longtime association with Decca Records, Carte Blanche features beautiful and stunning transcriptions of piano favorites which cross genres, cultures, and centuries, all of them never-before recorded by Thibaudet.
Billboard Chart-topping pianist and NPR Music personality Lara Downes joins us to sample her recent album New Day Begun, which is part of her ongoing recording project Rising Sun. Featuring music by Black composers from over nearly 200 years, Rising Sun Music's recordings are "radically reframing the history of classical music by embracing the true diversity of its origins and expanding the inclusivity of its future."
The young pianist (and singer) Chelsea Guo has racked up some impressive honors as a Young Scholar of the Lang Lang Foundation and a top prizewinner in the 2020 National Chopin Piano Competition. Chelsea joins us for a tour of her wonderful new debut album, Chopin: In My Voice, in which she not only essays the 24 Preludes of Chopin, but sings three Chopin-centric songs as well – while accompanying herself on piano. Learn more about Chelsea and watch her behind-the-scenes trailer for Chopin: In My Voice at her website: https://www.chelseaguopiano.com/
"Do not reach for the music. Do not try to will the music into being. Surrender yourself. Become empty and allow yourself to receive what feels true." Composer Richard Danielpour joins us for an in-depth conversation about his collection of musical portraits, An American Mosaic. Written for the pianist Simone Dinnerstein (who also talks about it here), An American Mosaic paints compelling pictures of the many heroes of the Covid-19 pandemic (as well as a couple villains).
The young cellist John-Henry Crawford (winner of the 2019 International Carlos Prieto Competition) introduces his debut album DIALOGO (Dialogue), recorded with pianist Victor Santiago Asuncion. Built around the idea of musical conversation, DIALOGO brings together the music of Dmitri Shostakovich, György Ligeti, and Johannes Brahms for a masterful program of very different – yet related – works. John-Henry talks about the music on the disc, shares the remarkable story of his cello (smuggled out of Austria by his grandfather in 1938), and the challenges faced by young musicians during the pandemic. We also take a peek at his formidable Instagram account (@cellocrawford) which has over 55,000 followers.
In this intimate conversation, composer, conductor,and host of the Interplay YouTube series Michael Shapiro takes us on a journey through his Peace Variations – a Theme and 18 Variations on the traditional melody of Shalom Aleichem ("peace be upon you"), played by the virtuoso violinist Tim Fain. Shapiro's beautiful and thought-provoking music represents a calm yet persistent voice – a call to action for universal peace, what the composer calls "the ultimate goal of Judaism and civilized living."
Craig Phillips, bass for the Grammy-nominated vocal quartet New York Polyphony provides some of the backstory for the group's latest album And The Sun Darkened. Featuring exquisite performances of ancient and modern works, And The Sun Darkened is organized around texts appropriate for Passiontide, the last two weeks of the Lenten season in the Roman Rite of the Catholic Church. (photo credit: Jacob Blickenstaff)
Karlos Rodriguez, founding cellist of the Catalyst String Quartet, talks about the first installment in Catalyst's Uncovered Project - an ongoing performance and muti-volume anthology recorded on the Azica label. The album is dedicated to music of the extraordinary (but somewhat neglected) Afro-British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, with guest performances from pianist Stewart Goodyear and clarinetist Anthony McGill.
The pianist Simone Dinnerstein joins us for a conversation about her second album recorded at home during the pandemic: An American Mosaic by Richard Danielpour. A 15-movement cycle of character shorts inspired by the heroes of the pandemic (Doctors and Interns, Teachers and Students, Rabbis and Ministers - to name but a few), An American Mosaic was written for Simone after the composer's own experience as an asthmatic at risk from Covid-19. To help alleviate his anxiety during this time, Danielpour listened to Simone's recording of works by Johann Sebastian Bach, which not only inspired the work as a whole, but also his three Bach transcriptions which also appear on the disc.
A Musical America Artist of the Year, Grammy-winning pianist Daniil Trifonov is known for his intense yet thoughtful performances, especially of the Russian masterworks. In his latest album Silver Age, Trifonov teams up with the Mariinsky Orchestra and conductor Valery Gergiev for piano concertos by Sergei Prokofiev and Alexander Scriabin. The young, dynamic pianist joins us for a conversation about the music on this disc, which also includes fabulous solo piano works by Prokofiev and Igor Stravinsky.
Multi Grammy-winning violinist Hilary Hahn joins us to talk about her album Paris – a musical love letter to the city she has been visiting and performing in since her teenage years. Alongside the masterful and vibrant Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 1, Hilary plays a sumptuous classic: Ernest Chausson's Poème for violin and orchestra. Also on the album, two gorgeous serenades written for Hilary by Einojuhani Rautavaara – the last pieces the celebrated Finnish composer wrote before his death in 2016. (photo credit: OJ Slaughter/Deutsche Grammophon)
Dr. Alta Dantzler joins us to talk about her creation "The Music Behind the Mural," which brings many of the characters from Paul Geiger's famous mural at the Valentine Theatre to life. One mural character absent from that production is Al Jolsen, known as the “king of blackface," which gives rise to a separate panel discussion on blackface and racism in the arts, entitled "Where's Al?" Joining Alta for a preview of that discussion are fellow panelists, baritone Kenneth Overton and consultant Brad Powell, along with Toledo Opera's Alyssa Greenburg. WGTE's Brad Cresswell hosts. Both "The Music Behind the Mural," and "Where's Al?" are being held (and archived) virtually through Toledo Opera's Facebook and YouTube pages, more information at toledoopera.org. Photo credit: Stephanie Elton/Toledo Opera
In this virtual edition of Live from FM 91, violinist Cheryl Trace (Toledo Symphony) and Paul Monachino (Rosary Cathedral) preview the Toledo Symphony String Quartet's upcoming performance at Rosary Cathedral in Toledo. We hear excerpts from the free concert (Sunday Feb. 7th at 3:00 p.m.) which were recorded earlier in the week for this program.
Pianist Jeni Slotchiver joins Brad Cresswell for an engaging conversation about her new album American Heritage, a survey of piano music "From the Civil War to Civil Rights." With breathtaking arrangements of spirituals, Union army hymns, sea shanties and work songs, American Heritage paints an enlightening picture of the vast African-American musical landscape.American Heritage at the ZOHO Music website: https://www.zohomusic.com/cds/slotchiver_american.html
Soprano Kathryn Lewek and tenor Zach Borichevsky, stars of opera around the world and familiar to Toledo Opera audiences, join Brad Cresswell for a socially-distanced Zoom conversation about their upcoming gala concert for Toledo opera. Entitled Duets and Drinks, the concert features duets and arias from the married couple, followed by a Zoom cocktail party which is a fundraiser for the opera (where Zach promises to share a special recipe for the perfect drink to accompany the evening!). Tickets for the Zoom after-party can be ordered from Toledo Opera at this link: https://itkt.choicecrm.net/ChoiceCRM.NET/templates/TOLO/#/events or by calling 419-255-7464.
Viola da gambist Carolyn Surrick and lutenist Ronn McFarlane talk about their new recording Fermi's Paradox, a project born of the pandemic, when both artists saw their live performances cancelled. This beautifully eclectic album contains new compositions and arrangements for the duo, including the title track – Ronn McFarlane's meditation on the famous question posed by Italian-American physicist Enrico Fermi: if the probability of intelligent extraterrestrial life is so high, then where is everybody?
Cello luminary Matt Haimovitz takes us behind the scenes of his new French album, Mon Ami Mon Amour (My Friend My Love). Recorded with pianist Mari Kodama for the Pentatone Oxingale Series, the album features lovely performances of music by Poulenc, Fauré, Debussy, and more – including two rarities by the famed Boulanger sisters, Nadia and Lili.
WGTE's Brad Cresswell speaks with conductor Andrew Crust, newly-appointed Music Director of the Lima Symphony Orchestra. Currently the Associate Conductor of the Vancouver Symphony in Canada and former Assistant Conductor for the Memphis Symphony, Andrew launches his official Lima Symphony tenure with a concert on Saturday, November 28th. The program, called Lyrical Exuberance, features music by Copland and Bartok, plus Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 with soloist Awadagin Pratt. The concert will be both broadcast at the Van-Del Drive-In theater in Lima and streamed online. In this conversation, Andrew talks about that upcoming concert, his plans for the future and how the orchestra is adapting under the coronavirus pandemic.
Ricky Ian Gordon is without a doubt one of our greatest living composers for the human voice. His songs have been performed and recorded by many star singers (including Renée Fleming and Audra McDonald); his musical theater works and operas have been heard on progressive stages across the country, and he's been consistently recognized for his unique musical style – which blends a lyric romanticism with dramatic modernism to brightly illuminate the texts and poems that inspire him.In his new opera Ellen West, Ricky sets the poem of that name by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Frank Bidart to effect a stunning portrayal of the woman who was the earliest documented case of anorexia nervosa (and who eventually committed suicide). The opera deals with loss and the devastating consequences of struggling with body image (both of which Ricky has experienced personally). It's a cathartic journey, and as Ricky tells us in this conversation, one that ultimately points to a direction of hope – a message that seems more and more important in today's world.Recorded at New York's PROTOTYPE Festival in January 2020, Ellen West features soprano Jennifer Zetlan in the title role, baritone Nathan Gunn in multiple roles, The Aeolus Quartet, bass player Evan Premo and pianist Djordje Nesic, conducted by Lidiya Yankovskaya. The album can be found here: https://www.brightshiny.ninja/ellen-wesVisit Ricky Ian Gordon's website at https://www.rickyiangordon.com/
In this virtual edition of Live from FM 91, we welcome two members of The Sylvan Trio: flutist (and Sunday Baroque host) Suzanne Bona, and pianist (and former WGTE host) Greg Kostraba. Suzanne and Greg talk about and share tracks from their latest album, Music for Flute, Cello & Piano by Women Composers, which you can find here: https://www.amazon.com/Music-Flute-Cello-Piano-Composers/dp/B08L22XY5C. The Sylvan Trio Website: http://www.sylvantrio.com/Sylvan_Trio/Home.htmlSunday Baroque's "Beautiful Music in Difficult Times" blog: https://sundaybaroque.org/category/blog/ Please note: due to copyright restrictions, some musical selections have been truncated for this podcast.
Just in time for Halloween, composer/conductor Michael Shapiro joins Haley Taylor to talk about his movie score for the classic film Frankenstein (1931) directed by James Whale and starring Colin Clive and Boris Karloff. Shapiro's music (written in 2001) brings the classic monster movie into even sharper focus – and makes up for the fact that the original was actually produced without a score. https://michaelshapiro.com/frankenstein/
Baritone Stephen Powell is a revered veteran of the world's opera stages, but in his debut solo album American Composers At Play, he brings his powerful voice to the intimate medium of art song – performing works by four living American composers (William Bolcom, Ricky Ian Gordon, Lori Laitman, and John Musto, all of whom accompany Stephen on the piano). Joining Stephen and his eminent roster of composer/pianists are an equally eminent group of collaborators: guitarist Jason Vieaux, clarinetist Charles Neidich, and the Attacca Quartet. In this conversation with WGTE's Brad Cresswell, Stephen gives us a behind-the-scenes tour of this distinctly American album, and makes a compelling case for why art song remains such an important part of the musical literature. Photo credit: Sue Reno. Please note: due to copyright, musical selections have been truncated in this podcast version. You can find more info about the album and its music here: https://stephenpowell.us/recordings
Composer Osvaldo Golijov joins us for a conversation about his compelling song cycle Falling Out of Time, based on the novel of the same name by David Grossman. Written for (and recorded by) The Silk Road Ensemble, Falling Out of Time addresses the powerful themes set forth in Grossman's book, namely, finding one's path in the wake of indescribable loss. Learn more about Falling Out of Time: https://www.silkroad.org/timeListen to samples of the music: https://www.silkroad.org/listen
Born in London and now residing mainly in the US, Grammy-nominated composer Anna Clyne has been championed by many prominent conductors and orchestras around the world. The most recent album to feature Anna’s music is called Mythologies – five different orchestral works, all performed by the BBC Symphony Orchestra. As Anna relates in this conversation, each of these remarkable pieces has a story to tell. http://www.annaclyne.com/www.avie-records.com/releases/anna-clyne-mythologies/ photo credit: Jennifer Taylor
The young American soprano Elyse Anne Kakacek joins us to discuss her new album Formless: The Biblical Songs of Antonin Dvořák. Inspirational in both interpretation and content, Formless offers a peaceful meditation on spirituality – and a salve for the soul in troubled times such as these. Dvořák's Biblical Songs are simple yet powerful settings of ten famous Psalms (in the composer's own English translation), written while he was living in New York (not far from where Elyse herself lives now). As Elyse tells us in this conversation, Dvořák's music not only resonates with her own Czech heritage, but has deeply personal connections as well. https://www.elysekakacek.com
For this episode of Live From FM 91, we connect virtually with composers Evan Ziporyn and Christine Southworth as they introduce their own music. On the program: Christine's Sharktooth Frenzy (from pianist Yevgeny Yontov) and Evan's Tunggal (from New Music Detroit and vibraphonist Ian Ding). Both performances come from last year's New Music Festival at Bowling Green State University, when Evan was the featured composer. https://www.ziporyn.com/ http://www.christinesouthworth.com/ https://www.bgsu.edu/festival
Composer Sarah Kirkland Snider joins us to talk about her new release, Mass for the Endangered. With an evocative libretto by poet Nathaniel Bellows, Mass for the Endangered is a new take on the traditional Catholic Mass – this time directing its call to nature, rather than God. With soulful music masterfully performed by the vocal ensemble Gallicantus (under conductor Gabriel Crouch), Sarah's Mass is "a celebration of, and an elegy for, the natural world – animals, plants, insects, the planet itself – an appeal for greater awareness, urgency, and action." https://www.sarahkirklandsnider.com/ https://sarahkirklandsnider.bandcamp.com/album/mass-for-the-endangered
We're joined by composer Augusta Read Thomas, featured guest for this year's New Music Festival at Bowling Green State University and a longtime force behind the scenes of contemporary music. Along with celebrated oboist Andrew Nogal, Thomas discusses the debut album from the Grossman Ensemble (founded by Thomas and housed at the University of Chicago). Called Fountain of Time, the album features a wide variety of works written for the ensemble, including David Dzubay's PHO (Potentially Hazardous Objects) and Shulamit Ran's Grand Rounds. http://www.augustareadthomas.com/http://www.andrewnogal.com/https://arts.uchicago.edu/content/fountain-time-album
This is part two of a two-part podcast. For part one, visit this link: https://www.wgte.org/radio/podcasts/classical-conversations/celebrating-willis-patterson-part-one We hold a listening party in honor of Dr. Willis Patterson's upcoming 90th birthday, with performances from throughout his legendary career as both a singer and an educator. Joining us are Dr. Louise Toppin, Instructor of Voice at the University of Michigan, and Dr. Patterson himself, former Associate Dean and Professor Emeritus at UM. Dr. Toppin has organized and curated this year's African American Music Conference at UM (Sept. 18-20), and tells us about the many virtual offerings centered around Dr. Patterson, who is the conference's featured guest. Dr. Patterson helps introduce his recordings on our program, and talks about his life in music – much of which involved advocating for African American composers and performers. In 1963, Dr. Patterson famously wrote to NBC television complaining about their practice of using a white singer in blackface for the role of King Balthazar in the televised opera Amahl and the Night Visitors (Menotti). To his surprise, NBC invited Dr. Patterson to audition, and he was selected to play the role himself. While some musical selections have been truncated due to copyright (for purposes of this downloadable podcast), we hear a modern arrangement of Three African-American Spirituals composed by Matthew Rose (and posted here by permission). Dr. Patterson draws a direct correlation between the three spirituals and the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. Link to the conference online: https://smtd.umich.edu/performances-events/african-american-music-conference-2020/More about Louise Toppin: https://smtd.umich.edu/about/faculty-profiles/louise-toppin/More about Willis Patterson: https://smtd.umich.edu/willis-patterson-artist-and-advocate/Isabel Wilkerson's book Caste (referenced in our conversation): https://www.amazon.com/Caste-Origins-Discontents-Isabel-Wilkerson/dp/0593230256
This is part one of a two-part podcast. For part two, visit this link: https://www.wgte.org/radio/podcasts/classical-conversations/celebrating-willis-patterson-part-two We hold a listening party in honor of Dr. Willis Patterson's upcoming 90th birthday, with performances from throughout his legendary career as both a singer and an educator. Joining us are Dr. Louise Toppin, Instructor of Voice at the University of Michigan, and Dr. Patterson himself, former Associate Dean and Professor Emeritus at UM. Dr. Toppin has organized and curated this year's African American Music Conference at UM (Sept. 18-20), and tells us about the many virtual offerings centered around Dr. Patterson, who is the conference's featured guest. Dr. Patterson helps introduce his recordings on our program, and talks about his life in music – much of which involved advocating for African American composers and performers. In 1963, Dr. Patterson famously wrote to NBC television complaining about their practice of using a white singer in blackface for the role of King Balthazar in the televised opera Amahl and the Night Visitors (Menotti). To his surprise, NBC invited Dr. Patterson to audition, and he was selected to play the role himself. While some musical selections have been truncated due to copyright (for purposes of this downloadable podcast), we hear a modern arrangement of Three African-American Spirituals composed by Matthew Rose (and posted here by permission). Dr. Patterson draws a direct correlation between the three spirituals and the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. Link to the conference online: https://smtd.umich.edu/performances-events/african-american-music-conference-2020/More about Louise Toppin: https://smtd.umich.edu/about/faculty-profiles/louise-toppin/More about Willis Patterson: https://smtd.umich.edu/willis-patterson-artist-and-advocate/Isabel Wilkerson's book Caste (referenced in our conversation): https://www.amazon.com/Caste-Origins-Discontents-Isabel-Wilkerson/dp/0593230256
Pianist Simone Dinnerstein first came to prominence in 2007, when she self-produced a landmark recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations. Now she joins us to talk about her latest album A Character of Quiet, which pairs etudes by Philip Glass with the final piano sonata of Franz Schubert. Born of the pandemic, A Character of Quiet (recorded at Simone's home in Brooklyn) explores the nature of solitude – and reflects on the struggle between hope and hopelessness felt by so many people, especially in the age of Covid-19. www.simonedinnerstein.com
The young dynamic cellist Anita Graef joins us virtually from her home in Chicago for conversation about her career and music by J.S. Bach and Giuseppe dall'Abaco. Described as "a world class musician" who plays with "high energy and polish", cellist Anita Graef has earned recognition for her music making as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral performer. Recent appearances include Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert series, and "Concerts from the Library of Congress." She has also performed in recital as a guest of various radio programs, including "Young Artists Showcase" on WQXR, NPR, WFMT, and others. She performs frequently with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, originally as a CCM-CSO Fellow, as well as the Louisville Orchestra, Dayton Philharmonic among others. https://www.anitagraef.com/
Composer Christopher Cerrone and flutist Tim Munro join Brad Cresswell for a chat about their new album Liminal Highway, inspired by the poetry of the Canadian indie rock musician John K. Samson.
The St. Louis-based composer, arranger, jazz pianist and educator Kim Portnoy joins us by phone to chat about his versatile new album Caprice. The recording features performances from some of the city's finest ensembles and performers, in music inspired by a wide range of subjects – from the golden Age of Hollywood musicals to legendary Cajun chef and comedian Justin Wilson.
Haley Taylor welcomes conductor James Blachly (pictured) to preview his new album of British composer Dame Ethel Smyth’s 1930 masterwork, The Prison. In this world premiere recording, Blachly leads his Experiential Orchestra and Chorus, with vocal soloists Sarah Brailey and Dashon Burton. Smyth was an important figure in the global suffragette movement, and this recording coincides with the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment which gave women the right to vote in the United States. Part oratorio and part symphony, The Prison is Smyth's last large-scale composition – precipitated by her growing deafness. Read more about the recording here: https://experientialorchestra.com/smyth.
Musical America’s 2018 "Instrumentalist of the Year," Augustin Hadelich is easily one of the premier violinists of our time. In this conversation with WGTE's Brad Cresswell, Hadelich previews his new album Bohemian Tales (Warner Classics), which includes the rousing concerto by Dvorák (a work he performed with the Toledo Symphony in 2017). Also on the disc: works for piano (Charles Owen) and violin from two other Czech masters, Leos Janácek and Josef Suk.Augustin Hadelich's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/AugustinHadelichViolin Photo Credit: Augustin Hadelich by Paul Glickman
Celebrated author, commentator, and Metropolitan Opera radio producer William Berger returns to talk about his follow up seminar to The Epic of Opera, entitled Opera and Film. In this new two week, eight part webinar series, Will takes us far beneath the surface to look at how the narrative techniques of some of Europe's greatest storytellers became building blocks for the great modern storytellers of the world – how, in essence, the Opera House became the Movie Theater. Once again, the series includes a diverse panel of voices, pairing formidable opera stars with composers, screenwriters, actors, producers, directors, and writers. The live webcast series runs from August 2nd through August 15th, but will also be archived for subscribers. You can learn more and sign up at this link: WilliamBergerPresents.com.
In 2013 Caroline Shaw became the youngest person ever to win the Pulitzer Prize in music, which established her as one of America's foremost living composers. Now she has a new album release which represents a team-up with the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra and opera star Anne Sofie von Otter, among others. Caroline joins us to talk about her music on the disc, which has ties not only to the far-flung past, but also to modern events: namely, the so-called "Golden Record" that was launched into deep space on the Voyager spacecraft in the 1970s.Photo Credit: Caroline Shaw by Bonica Ayala
World-renowned guitarist Sharon Isbin takes us on a personal tour of her two latest albums: Affinity and Strings for Peace. Affinity is loaded with works written for Isbin, including the title track – a new guitar concerto by Chris Brubeck which contains a musical nod to his late father, legendary jazz musician Dave Brubeck (whose centenary is in 2020). Also on that disc: works that span the global palette from Tan Dun, Leo Brouwer, Antonio Lauro, and Richard Danielpour (whose song settings of Rumi poems also feature the wonderful mezzo-soprano Isabel Leonard). Sharon also introduces us to Strings for Peace, her collaboration with Sarod master Amjad Ali Khan that presents four Ragas masterfully arranged for Sharon with sarods and tabla, thus drawing compelling connections between Western and Indian classical music. Social Media Links:Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SharonIsbinTwitter: https://twitter.com/SharonIsbinYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SharonIsbin Photo credit: J. Henry Fair
The wonderful and always engaging cellist Inbal Segev joins us to talk about her latest album, which pairs one of the most famous concertos in the cello repertoire (Edward Elgar) with a new work (Dance) by Anna Clyne, inspired by the poet Rumi. Just as the Elgar concerto served as an elegy for the First World War, Anna Clyne's Dance provides inspiration at a time of global conflict due to the covid-19 pandemic. Joined by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and maverick conductor Marin Alsop, Segev turns in a thoughtful, measured reading of both works.Inbal Segev's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/Inbalsegev
Composer Jacob Cooper joins us to preview his new album from Amsterdam Records, called Terrain. In this three-part song collection (which features vocalists Theo Bleckmann and Jodie Landau, as well as cellist Ashley Bathgate), Jacob sets poems which evoke everything from the madness of Robert Schumann and his parallels to Shakespeare's Ophelia, to the casual killing of animals and the all-too-human nature of violence. The final (title) song unites the first two in a series of "fleeting images," that the composer says are "trying to find a sense of the infinite."
Composer, pianist, and conductor Michael Shapiro joins us to talk about the music on his latest disc, including his John Milton-inspired piano concerto entitled Archangel. In this action-packed work, Shapiro lays out the epic Biblical battle between good and evil as a metaphor for the challenges we all face in our daily lives (which includes the current coronavirus pandemic – something Michael recently fell victim to himself). Also on the disc: orchestral excerpts from an opera based on Federico Garcia Lorca, and a full-throttle realization for orchestra of the famous organ Toccata by French composer Charles-Marie Widor.
In this special edition of WGTE in Concert, we feature the University of Toledo Chamber Singers under the direction Dr. Bradley Pierson. Composer Joshua Shank introduces us to his Color Madrigals, setting the poetry of English Romantic poet John Keats. Part one of two. (Music posted by permission)
In this special edition of WGTE in Concert, we feature the vocal project Whateverandeveramen, under the direction Dr. Bradley Pierson. Composer David V. Montoya introduces us to Songs of Fatherhood, his setting of poems by William Wallis. Part two of two. (Music posted by permission)
Pianist Shai Wosner has garnered a reputation for digging beneath the surface of his musical subjects to reveal hidden treasures and insightful connections. In his latest recording of Piano Sonatas by Franz Schubert, Shai explores the melancholy nature of the famously elusive composer – and how the music reveals the vast depth of Schubert's artistry found in his keyboard works, especially the final sonatas. In this conversation, Shai reflects on the sonatas found in this album and how they connect to the current situation, as the performing arts community struggles with the isolation imposed by the global coronavirus pandemic.
Chicago-based composer, electronics performer, and sound artist Sam Pluta takes us through his new album with the Wet Ink Ensemble, Glossolalia/Lines on Black. Written as a "love letter" to the performer/improvisers of the Wet Ink Ensemble, each movement from Lines on Black is tailor-made to the virtuosic talents of each the group's musicians. (Photo credit: Wet Ink Ensemble by Alexander Perrelli)
Violin virtuoso Niv Ashkenazi joins us to talk about Violins of Hope, an artistic and educational project composed of instruments that were owned by Jewish musicians before and during the Holocaust. With his fellow Juilliard graduate, pianist Matthew Graybil, Niv has released the first solo album to be recorded on one of these instruments.
Celebrated author, commentator, and Metropolitan Opera radio producer William Berger is presenting a two week, eight part webinar series on the wonderful wide world of Opera – from its beginnings with the Florentine Camerata in Renaissance Italy to the current scene and beyond. Author of books such as Verdi with a Vengeance, Wagner Without Fear, and Puccini Without Excuses, Berger brings his unique and insightful approach to bear in this immersive experience (complete with themed cocktails!) that includes guest appearances by some of the greatest singers of our day. In this classical conversation, Berger talks about his role as an "arts activist" and what we can expect from the webinar series.The live webcast series begins on June 7th (but will also be archived for subscribers). You can learn more and sign up at this link: WilliamBergerPresents.com
Emmy® award-winning composer Michael Whalen is a veteran of more than 800 TV and film scores, thousands of commercials and numerous TV themes and video games. In his latest album, he turns his attention to electronic and ambient music with spiritual overtones. Sacred Spaces is a collection of uplifting, deeply layered anthems that was released just as the conronavirus pandemic hit – and as Michael tells us, provides a glimpse of meditation and comfort in the midst of crisis.
Conductor Donald Nally joins us to talk about two new albums from his Grammy-winning chamber choir The Crossing: composer Michael Gordon's Anonymous Man, and composer James Primosch's Carthage. Written for The Crossing, Anonymous Man is a choral reflection on history, home, and homelessness, and a memoir about Gordon's block on Desbrosses Street in Manhattan. Carthage is a collection of works (three commissioned by The Crossing) which displays an astounding range of composing prowess – from intimate works in just two parts, to virtuosic, extended anthems of great power.
WGTE's Haley Taylor checks in with violinist Lara St. John (a "high-powered soloist" according to the New York Times). Lara's new album is Key of A - a collaboration with pianist Matt Herskowitz which pairs Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 9, “Kreutzer,” in A Major with César Franck’s Sonata in A major for Violin and Piano.
Founded in Brooklyn in 2008, the yMusic Ensemble has collaborated with the likes of Paul Simon, Bon Iver, and Ben Folds. They've also commissioned numerous works for their unique combination of trumpet, flute, clarinet, violin, viola, and cello. Two members of the group, violinist Rob Moose and cellist Gabriel Cabezas, take us on a tour of their new album Ecstatic Science - which features compelling new tracks from Missy Mazzolli, Caroline Shaw, Gabriella Smith and more.
Norwegian-born, New York-based composer Ola Gjeilo is well-known for his many beautiful choral works. In his new album Night, Ola turns his attention to the piano, with a series of musical vignettes indpired by the twilight hours at home in New York City. Ola joins WGTE's Haley Taylor for a preview of the disc, just released by Decca Classics.
Fresh off her Grammy Award win for Best Classical Compendium, pianist Nadia Shpachenko joins us to showcase the winning album, called The Poetry of Places. Featuring several world premieres, the disc has a fascinating premise: composers writing music inspired by the diverse architectural landmarks that have played a role in their lives. In addition to the piano, there are works that include percussion, electronics, voice, and toy piano with contributions from L.A. Phil principal keyboardist Joanne Pearce Martin, and Los Angeles Percussion Quartet members Nick Terry and Cory Hills.
The internationally-acclaimed Miró Quartet have finally released their entire cycle of Beethoven String Quartets (all 8 1/2 hours!) on the Pentatone record label. Fifteen years in the making, the new box set contains dynamic and thoughtful interpretations of these remarkable works - which not only trace the musical lifespan of Beethoven, but document the growth and development of the Miró Quartet itself. Cellist Joshua Gindele and violist John Largess join us to offer a preview.
The String Orchestra of Brooklyn has released their debut album, called afterimage. It features two exquisitely soulful works written for the orchestra by Christopher Cerrone and Jacob Cooper, both of which are in response to classic works by Niccolò Paganini and Giovanni Battista Pergolesi (also included on the disc). Conductor Eli Spindel and composer Cerrone join us to preview the recording, which also features contributions from the Argus Quartet and vocal soloists Mellissa Hughes and Kate Maroney.
Trumpet virtuoso (and principal of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra) Paul Merkelo has a new recording out on Sony Classical, which features stand-out performances of four popular concertos – all composed during The Age of Enlightenment in Europe (as Paul explains in this interview, the trumpet and its music was itself going through some changes during this period). Paul brings three different trumpets (including one of them custom made) for fresh and fantastic performances of works by Haydn, Telemann, Leopold Mozart, and Hummel.
The Carr-Petrova Duo (violist Molly Carr and pianist Anna Petrova) discuss their debut album from Melos Records, Novel Voices. Inspired by their Novel Voices Refugee Aid Project, the disc includes a world premiere by composer Fernando Arroyo Lascurain alongside beautifully rendered performances of viola/piano works and arrangements by composers Aram Khachaturian, Mieczysław Weinberg, and Rebecca Clarke.
Star violinist Rachel Barton Pine joins Haley Taylor for a conversation about her Music by Black Composers project, and her new album from Avie Records, which contains the folk music-infused violin concertos of Antonin Dvořák and Aram Khachaturian.
Two members of the Chicago-based Black Oak Ensemble, cellist David Cunliffe and violist Aurélien Fort Pederzoli, joins us for a conversation about their debut album from Cedille Records, Silenced Voices. The CD contains extraordinary works by six promising, early 20th century Jewish composers originally from Austria-Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and the Netherlands. One survived World War II as a member of the Dutch resistance, the others perished in concentration camps and elsewhere in Nazi-occupied Europe.
Percussionist/composer David Skidmore, co-founder of the Grammy Award-winning, Chicago-based percussion quartet Third Coast Percussion, discusses their genre-defying collaboration with record producer and composer Devonté Hynes for their new album Fields.
Haley Taylor talks with Grammy nominated composer and clarinetist Derek Bermel about his new album Migrations. The album includes his Migration Series for Jazz Ensemble and Orchestra (2006); the song cycle Mar de Setembro (2011), with texts by Eugénio de Andrade; and the three-movement orchestral A Shout, a Whisper, and a Trace (2009), in performances by the Juilliard Jazz Orchestra, saxophonist Ted Nash, clarinetist Bermel, Brazilian jazz vocalist Luciana Souza, and the Albany Symphony under its music director, David Alan Miller.
Listeners are well acquainted with the violinist Angèle Dubeau and her ensemble La Pieta through their many recordings. The latest entry in her discography is called Pulsations – a collection of short works by composers with their own unique musical pulse. Angèle joins Haley Taylor for a conversation about the new disc, which contains music by Ludovico Einaudi, Yann Tiersen, Johan Johannsson, and Max Richter among many others.
Violinist/concertmaster Margaret Batjer celebrates 20 years with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra by releasing a new album of violin works, including a piece she helped premiere: the violin concerto by composer Pierre Jalbert. Also on the disc: soulful, beautiful works for violin and orchestra by Baltic composers Arvo Pärt and Peteris Vasks, balanced with a lovely rendition of J.S. Bach's Concerto in A Minor, BWV 1041.
The Boston-based Neave Trio (violinist Anna Williams; cellist Mikhail Veselov; pianist Eri Nakamura) have released a wonderful new album of music by three female composers (Amy Beach; Louise Farrenc; Rebecca Clarke) – each of them unique and absolutely essential. The trio's members join us for a conversation about the composers and music heard on the critically-acclaimed disc.
Baroque cellist Juliana Soltis stops by the studio for a conversation about (and performances from) her new album Going Off Script: The Ornamented Suites for Cello. Juliana brings a fresh approach to the solo cello suites of Johann Sebastian Bach by looking to the past for inspiration: specifically, the ornamental, improvisatory performance style of the baroque era. Photo by Teresa Tam Studio.
The Grammy-nominated early music vocal quartet New York Polyphony has released an album of remarkable sacred works from the Spanish renaissance. Entitled Lamentatione (Lamentations), the recording shines light on four composers, including Francisco de Peñalosa and Pedro de Escobar – both of whom helped spark the flowering of polyphony in the 16th century. New York Polyphony's Craig Philips joins us to preview the disc.
Star pianist Jeffrey Biegel is in town to channel the spirit of the late, great Liberace with the Toledo Symphony this weekend! Listen to his extended interview from Afternoon Classics with Brad Cresswell, including selections from his digital album A Pianist's Journey, plus a preview of his TSO debut in Michael Daugherty's Le Tombeau de Liberace (The Tomb of Liberace). Note: musical selections from A Pianist's Journey included with permission; other recordings have been truncated due to copyright. Photo credit: Jerry LoFaro.
Irish composer Donnacha Dennehy takes us on a deep dive into his docu-oratorio The Hunger, inspired by Ireland's Great Famine (1845-52). At once devastating and hauntingly beautiful, The Hunger draws on the letters of American humanitarian Asenath Nicholson, who traveled to Ireland to bear witness to the horrible events. The new album (from Nonesuch Records) features contemporary music ensemble Alarm Will Sound with soprano Katherine Manley, and legendary sean nós singer Iarla Ó Lionáird.
Grammy-winning guitarist (and Musical America's 2020 Instrumentalist of the Year) Sharon Isbin joins us to preview her new album Souvenirs of Spain and Italy. A collaboration with the Pacifica Quartet, the disc uncovers delightful surprises and recasts old favorites in a new light.
John Lunn has scored a number of British TV dramas, none of them more famous than the BBC/PBS hit Downton Abbey. Now, as the film version is released in theaters, the Emmy Award-winning composer joins us to talk about his music for the show, including how he came up with that icon theme.
Becky and David Starobin, librettists for The Thirteenth Child, join us for the backstory on the latest opera from Danish composer Poul Ruders (pictured). Based on a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, The Thirteenth Child tells the story of a mad king who wants to kill his twelve sons – so that if his thirteenth child is a girl, she alone can inherit his kingdom. We hear about the process of bringing the opera to life, as illustrated by Rouders' other-wordly music, and sample the world premiere recording from the Starobin's label, Bridge Records.
Drostan Hall, music director of Camerata Chicago, joins us to talk about the ensemble's latest release: an"educational" version of Antonio Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Featuring the wonderful young violinist Amelia Piscitelli, this special two-CD set also includes Vivaldi's sonnets paired with enlightening and entertaining commentary read by radio veteran Steve Robinson.
Augustin Hadelich has released a masterful new album which pairs the concertos of two unlikely bedfellows: Johannes Brahms and György Ligeti. The powerhouse violinist joins us to talk about the project – and why these two seemingly disparate composers might be more alike than you think.
John Schneider, radio personality and music director of the Los Angeles-based Partch Ensemble introduces us to the wild and wooly world of American maverick composer Harry Partch (1901-1974). The ensemble's latest album includes some of Partch's greatest hits (including a heretofore unheard recording of Partch himself performing his hobo song cycle Barstow). Also heard: some lesser-known gems including the title track, Partch's Sonata Dementia (a fascinating musical romp through psychoanalysis).
The latest album from Anna Shelest is an inspired compendium of solo piano selections by female composers spanning the 19th through the 21st centuries. Donna Voce (Woman's Voice) includes spirited works by Fanny Mendelssohn, Amy Beach, Lili Boulanger and more. The international award-winning pianist joins us to preview the disc.
Anthony McGill (principal clarinet of the New York Philharmonic) and his brother Demarre McGill (principal flute of the Seattle Symphony) have released a new joint album entitled Winged Creatures on the Chicago-based Cedille record label. Anthony joins us to talk about growing up in Chicago, playing in the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra (which joins them on the disc), and to preview the music on the album, including two world premieres by Michael Abels (Winged Creatures) and Joel Puckett (Concerto Duo). Also heard are two classic pieces that have long been a part of the talented McGill brothers' repertoire, including Camille Saint-Saëns's Tarantelle – which they performed together on Mr. Roger's Neighborhood during their teen years.
Grammy Award-winning classical guitarist Jason Vieaux joins us to preview his new (world premiere!) recording of American composer Jonathan Leshnoff’s Guitar Concerto. Leshnoff calls the work, “an exploration of worlds, from its mysterious beginnings to its fiery, dance-inspired finale.” Jason calls it a worthy addition to the repertoire and shares his own take on this virtuosic work, originally written for master guitarist Manuel Barrueco. .
Harpist extraordinaire Yolanda Kondonassis and Rochester Philharmonic Music Director Ward Stare join us to preview their new album, American Rapture from Azica Records. Included on the disc are the Symphony No. 1 by Samuel Barber; a cave-diving inspired tone poem by the young composer Patrick Harlin (Rapture), and the world premiere centerpiece of the recording: the Harp Concerto by Grammy Award and Pulitzer prize-winning composer Jennifer Higdon.
Polish-born, Canadian based pianist Katarzyna Musial joins us to talk about her latest album, My Spanish Heart. Including works by Manuel de Falla, Isaac Albéniz, and Enrique Granados, the disc takes the listener on a delightful tour of Spain. Katarzyna also tells us about her annual Stella Musica Festival, which takes place in Montreal and promotes the role of women in music.
Pianist Roman Rabinovich has been garnering praise all over the globe for his Haydn Project, in which he plans to perform and record all 62 of Joseph Haydn's rarely heard (but nonetheless brilliant) piano sonatas. He joins us to talk about the first volume in the set, now available at all the usual outlets.
Grammy-nominated composer Gernot Wolfgang talks about his new album Vienna and the West – a jazz-influenced collection of chamber music performed by some of the Los Angeles area's finest musicians.
Pianist/composer Craig Swanson joins us to talk about his fascinating project The French Suite Kit, which presents the music of Bach in a unique fashion – "played on the piano with variety enough to suit every taste." Swanson's version of Bach's so-called "French" suite includes several different interpretations of each movement, handing control over to the listener to assemble their own "definitive" version of the work.
Pianist Lara Downes joins Haley Taylor for a discussion of her new album, Holes in the Sky - a star-studded collection of female artists which pays tribute to the remarkable women of American music, past, present and future. Photo of Lara Downes by Shervin Lainez
Artistic Director of Ballet Theatre of Toledo Nigel Burgoine joins us to talk about his work with the great Rudolf Nureyev - who is the subject of a new film by Ralph Fiennes called The White Crow. We also hear from the film's composer, Elan Eshkeri.
Mandolin virtuoso Avi Avital and jazz bassist Omer Avital join Haley Taylor for a conversation about their high-powered collaborative album Avital Meets Avital, which brings together their two musical worlds with an emphasis on Middle Eastern folk traditions.
British film composer Ilan Eshkeri joins us to talk about his third collaboration with actor/director Ralph Feinnes, The White Crow. The film tells the story of famed Soviet ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev and his defection to France in 1961. Eshkeri's soundtrack, which features violinist Lisa Batiashvili, is meant to mingle with and compliment the ballet music of Tchaikovsky, which bore an important presence in Nureyev's career.
Graduate and undergrad winners of the annual Conrad Art Song Competition at BGSU perform live in our Dana Performance Studio.Nick Kottman, baritone | Emily Morin, piano"In the silence of the secret night" by Sergei Rachmaninoff Mickey Miller, soprano | Humay Gasimzade, piano“Dans un bois solitaire” by Mozart“La petite servant” by Poulenc (from Cinq poemes du Max Jacob) Nick Kottman, baritone | Emily Morin, piano"Nude at the Piano" by John Musto"Mattinata" by Ruggero Leoncavallo Mickey Miller, soprano | Humay Gasimzade, piano“Skogen Sover” by Hugo Alfven“Canto di Primavera” by Pietro Cimara
The young, American violist Matthew Lipman joins us to preview his new album Ascent – which features a wide variety of works for viola, including the world premiere recording of a recently unearthed piece by Dmitri Shostakovich.
Legendary conductor, pianist, and Toledo native Dennis Russell Davies joins Brad Cresswell for a wide-ranging discussion about growing up in Toledo, how his career took shape, his championing of new music and living composers and his plans to celebrate his 75th birthday on April 16.
At more than 70 minutes, Ferruccio Busoni's wildly inventive Piano Concerto stands as a holy grail of the repertoire – a tour-de-force of virtuousity and stamina that has rarely been set down on disc. With his latest album, powerhouse pianist Kirill Gerstein adds to the collection his own formidable interpretation, which has been years in the making. Kirill joins us for a conversation about the work, and his long-time fascination with Busoni's music.
Violinist Philippe Quint and pianist Marta Aznavoorian team up (with guest Joshua Bell) for a rich compendium of tunes by the legendary filmmaker Charlie Chaplin, in original arrangements by the composer Charles Colman. Philippe and Marta join us to preview the album and talk about its genesis and the process of bringing it to disc.
One of contemporary music's brightest lights, pianist Sarah Cahill is presenting her provocative program "The Future is Female" at the Detroit Institute of Arts and also at Bowling Green State University. Sarah joins us for a conversation about the program and her longtime championship of music by living composers.
Cellist Hee-Young Lim was (at age 15) the youngest student ever accepted to Korean National University. Afterward, she attended Boston's New England Conservatory and the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique of Paris. In 2016, at the age of 28, she was appointed Principal Solo Cello of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra under Yannick Nézet-Séguin – making her one of the first female Asian cellists ever to lead a section in a major European orchestra. Hee-Young Lim joins us to discuss her latest release, a dynamic album of French Cello Concertos with the London Symphony Orchestra.
German-born composer Reiko Füting writes highly unique music with a social conscience, that maintains an awareness of the past while looking to the future. Füting's musical voice is on full display in his second recording for New Focus Recordings, called Distant Song. The composer joins WGTE's Brad Cresswell for a detailed conversation about the works on the disc, and his musical process in general.
You know her from the NPR News Quiz Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! The one and only Paula Poundstone returns to Toledo on March 15 for an appearance at the Stranahan Theater (details and tickets here). Listen to Brad Cresswell's entire interview with the comedy legend, which covers a wide range of topics: from how she hates her name, to fake karate belts, to – of course – her many years on one of NPR's highest-rated programs. Added bonus: still in classical music mode, Brad decides to pronounce her name in Italian. Not the best way to start an interview, but it worked out!
Opera star Joyce DiDonato joins us to talk about and sample her new album Songplay, which delightfully mixes jazz, Latin, and tango rhythms into arrangements of Italian Baroque arias, jazz standards, and picks from the Great American Songbook.
Violinist Rachel Barton Pine surveys her groundbreaking album of blues-influenced classical works for solo violin and violin and piano by 20th and 21st century composers of African descent, Blues Dialogues from Cedille Records.
Morten Lauridsen is the country's most-performed choral composer and with over 200 albums containing his work, one of the most recorded. He joins us to talk about the latest album made up entirely of his music: Light Eternal, from Deutsche Grammophone records.
Since 2012, Israeli-born cellist Amit Peled has famously played the 1733 Matteo Goffriller cello formerly owned by the great cellist Pablo Casals. For the first time, Peled has recorded the solo cello suites of Johann Sebastian Bach, which were made world-famous in the 1930s through Casals' recording of them, with that same instrument. Amit joins us to discuss the disc and Casals' legacy with these suites.
The last time we spoke with the Neave Trio (violinist Anna Williams, cellist Mikhail Veselov and pianist Eri Nakamura), it was French Moments, which provided a showcase for some wonderful trios by Roussel, Debussy, and Fauré. This time Neave is Celebrating Piazzolla, with a wonderful and wide-ranging collection of works by the Argentine master Astor Piazzolla and other musicians that came within his orbit.
Emerging star baritone Benjamin Appl, fresh off his U.S. recital debut, introduces his new album of arias and songs by his countryman Johann Sebastian Bach.
Now going on their 48th year, the Fischer Duo (Norman Fischer and Jeanne Kierman Fischer) are celebrated around the world for their rich and thoughtful performances. In their latest album from Centaur Records, the duo turn their attention to the music of Johannes Brahms, with the two cello sonatas. They also welcome their daughter, acclaimed mezzo Abigail Fischer, for two beautiful songs by Brahms. Norman and Jeanne join Brad Cresswell for a conversation about the wonderful music on this disc.
Looking for a last minute stocking stuffer? Cally Banham, solo English Horn for the Saint Louis Symphony, has released a new album of Christmas favorites in wonderful arrangements featuring a variety of styles – from Tango to Jazz. Joining Cally are the Adam Maness Trio, the Trombones of the Saint Louis Symphony and her group Cortango (pictured).
Two members of the ever-popular DePue Brothers Band (Alex and Zachary DePue) along with special guest Aria Curzon preview their upcoming Christmas Spectacular concert at Bowling Green State University.
Reigning Chopin Competition winner and piano superstar Seong-Jin Cho joins us for a preview of his latest album on Deutsche Grammophon, dedicated to the music of Mozart. On the disk is soulful and expressive renderings of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20, alongside two very different piano sonatas: No. 12 in F Major, and No.3 in Bb Major. Joining Seong-Jin for the concerto is Metropolitan Opera Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin and the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.
In his debut solo album, star countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo pairs two iconic composers: George Frederic Handel and Philip Glass. While the two may seem at opposite ends of the musical spectrum, Costanzo draws fascinating parallels between Handel and Glass and ties it all together in this wonderful disc – which he joins us to preview.
Renowned pianist (and Toledo favorite) Kirill Gerstein chats up his new album The Gershwin Moment – which features classics like Rhapsody in Blue alongside piano tributes by Earl Wild and Oscar Levant.
You may know Alain Trudel as the newly-minted Music Director of the Toledo Symphony, but he is also one of the world's most acclaimed trombonists. Alain joins us in WGTE's Dana Performance Studio with pianist Valrie Kantorski for a musical menu of Eugène Bozza, Arthur Pryor, and Gabriel Fauré.
On Saturday, November 3, 2018 at 8 PM at the Stranahan Theater, protégé of Ray Charles and former lead singer of Tower of Power, Ellis Hall joins the Toledo Symphony Orchestra to perform Motown favorites like Heard It Through the Grapevine and Ray Charles greatest hits, including Hit the Road Jack, and Georgia On My Mind. The "Ambassador of Soul" joins Brad Cresswell and the TSO's Merwin Siu by phone for a conversation about his life, career, and what we can expect when he brings it to the Stranahan.
Violinist Hilary Hahn made a big splash with her first recording at age 17: an album of the first three sonatas and partitas by J.S. Bach – some of the most difficult solo works for the instrument. Now, some twenty years later, she revisits Bach and offers a new recording which completes the set. Hilary joins us for a preview and discussion of her work.
Genre-defying artist and composer Harold Budd joins us in the studio to preview his weekend of performances and appearances at the Toledo Museum of Art and Bowling Green State University. Also on the panel: the TMA's Manager of Programs Scott Boberg, and Kurt Doles, director of BGSU's MidAmerican Center for Contemporary Music. Please note: due to copyright, musical excerpts have been truncated. Photo of Harold Budd by Terrence Budd.
Welsh pianist Llŷr Williams joins us to preview his 12-CD box set Beethoven Unbound. Recorded live during his three-year Beethoven cycle of concerts at London's Wigmore Hall, the collection contains remarkable performances of the complete piano sonatas and other works – including the 32 Variations in C minor, Eroica Variations, Opus 126 Bagatelles and the Diabelli Variations (a total of almost 14 hours of music).
Formed at The Juilliard School in 2008, the Tesla Quartet quickly established itself as one of the most promising young ensembles in New York. Some ten years later, they've not only gained international recognition, but they've released their debut album (on Orchid Classics). The group's four members: Ross Snyder and Michelle Lie (violins), Edwin Kaplan (viola), and Serafim Smigelskiy (cello) join us for a preview of that recording, entitled Haydn, Ravel, Stravinsky.
Toledo Symphony President Zak Vassar, Toledo Ballet Artistic Director Lisa Meyer-Lang, and Toledo Symphony Music Director Alain Trudel join us for a discussion about their newly announced umbrella organization: The Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA).
Duo Noire (classical guitarists Thomas Flippin and Christopher Mallett) offer a preview of their debut album, Night Triptych – which contains works by living women composers written just for them.
Conductor Donald Nally joins us for a conversation about his choral group The Crossing, and their recent project Zealot Canticles – which pairs the provocative writings of Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka with the explosive music of American composer Lansing McLoskey.
The young and vibrant Neave Trio – violinist Anna Williams, cellist Mikhail Veselov, and pianist Eri Nakamura – preview their new album "French Moments" from Chandos Records. The disc contains masterful performances of trios by Albert Roussel, Claude Debussy, and Gabriel Fauré – each remarkable in its own way.
Cellist Inbal Segev and pianist Juho Pohjonen join us for a preview of their new album from Avie Records, which includes three chamber music masterpieces: the cello sonatas of Chopin and Grieg, plus Schumann's Fantasy Pieces, Op. 73.
In his new album "The Golden Age" for Decca Classics, violinist Ray Chen pays tribute to the great violinists of the past while looking to the future.Ray joins us to preview the disc, which includes classic arrangements of standards by Gershwin, Kreisler, and Debussy alongside energetic new arrangements of well-known works, created for Ray's virtuoso string quartet Made in Berlin.
Soprano Patrice Michaels, along with her husband James Ginsberg, founder of Cedille Records in Chicago, join us for a conversation about their ambitious musical project which profiles James's mother, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg (a.k.a. "Notorious RBG").The album, Notorious RBG in Song, includes musical settings of various texts, ranging from personal, intimate letters to hilarious recipes and scathing dissents, all sung by Patrice Michaels with pianist Kuang-Hao Huang.In addition to Patrice Michaels' own song cycle "The Long View: A Portrait of Ruth Bader Ginsberg in Nine Songs," the disc includes songs by Lori Laitman, Vivian Fung, Stacy Garrop, and an aria from Derrick Wang's 2013 opera "Scalia/Ginsberg."
Cellist Amit Peled carries on the formidable legacy of the great Pablo Casals, both as the custodian of Casals' own cello and through his long-running project of recreating Casals' concerts. In his latest album, Peled and pianist Noreen Polera take on the two cello sonatas of Johannes Brahms – who also had a connection to Casals.
Opera luminary Joyce DiDonato joins us for a conversation about the star-studded album Hopes and Dreams: The Lullaby Project. An outgrowth of Carnegie Hall's Lullaby Project – which pairs pregnant women and new mothers with professional artists to write and sing personal lullabies for their babies – the recording includes contributions from Fiona Apple, the Brentano String Quartet, Lawrence Brownlee, Rosanne Cash, Joyce DiDonato, Janice Freeman, Rhiannon Giddens, Angélique Kidjo, Patti LuPone, Natalie Merchant, Dianne Reeves, Gilberto Santa Rosa, Pretty Yende, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Violin superstar Joshua Bell joins us to preview his new album, which features his first recording ever of the virtuosic Scottish Fantasy by Max Bruch. Also on the disc, a thrilling new take on Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor – a piece Joshua first recorded over thirty years ago with the orchestra that joins him for this recording, the Academy of St Martin in the Fields.
Pianist Simone Dinnerstein's latest recording from the Orange Mountain Music label is called Circles, and features the Boston-based, Grammy-nominated chamber orchestra A Far Cry. It also features two piano treasures, one old and one new: J.S. Bach's Keyboard Concerto No. 7 in G Minor, BWV 1058, and a brand new concerto by Philip Glass (Piano Concerto No. 3), written especially for her. Simone joins WGTE's Brad Cresswell for a discussion about her new album and to preview some of the music on the disc. (photo by Lisa Marie Mazzucco)
The young and dynamic American conductor Kazem Abdullah joins us for a conversation about his new recording of Maurice Ravel's masterful ballet Daphnis & Chloe.
Pianist Robert Prester has received wide acclaim for his jazz recordings over the years. Now he turns his attention to the classical genre with a new album called Rapsodya, which includes works by Beethoven, Debussy, Chopin, and Bach – as well as his own composition, the Sonata in F Minor.
Pianist Norman Krieger talks Johannes Brahms and samples his new album, which features both Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 2 (with the London Symphony Orchestra) and the Piano Sonata No.1.
Formed in Israel nearly twenty years ago, the Ariel Quartet is currently Faculty Quartet-in-Residence at the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. We're joined by three members of the group to preview their debut album, which essays the String Quartet No. 2 of Johannes Brahms alongside Bela Bartok's String Quartet No. 1.
Two members of the celebrated Miró Quartet talk about the group's history and the latest entry in their Beethoven cycle: the String Quartet Opus 131 in C sharp minor, one of the composer's most profound and enigmatic works.
Stage director/vocal coach Kathy Kelly and soprano Jennifer Cresswell join us for a preview of Kerrytown Concert House's upcoming production of Laura Kaminsky's As One, an opera about the transgender experience. (Note: due to copyright, musical selections have been edited out of the podcast version of this episode)
The University of Toledo Opera Ensemble's director Dr. Denise Ritter Bernardini joins us along with coach/accompanist Wayne Anthony and four cast members to preview their production of Benjamin Britten's opera A Midsummer Night's Dream, based on the Shakespeare play. Please note: due to copyright, musical selections have been edited out of this interview.
The Masterworks Chorale of Toledo's director Timothy Cloeter joins us to preview their spring classics concert, From Darkness Into Light, which pairs music of Johann Sebastian Bach with that of John Rutter. (Note: due to copyright issues, music selections have been edited out of this podcast).
Celebrated composer, conductor, teacher, and author Samuel Adler turns 90 this month. Sam joins us for an extended conversation about his life, career, and music – with a focus on the recent album One Lives but Once: A 90th Birthday Celebration from Linn Records, and Sam's recent autobiography Building Bridges With Music: Stories from a Composer's Life from Pendragon Press. Note: due to copyright, musical selections have been edited out of this podcast audio.
We continue the conversation with composer, conductor, teacher, and author Samuel Adler on the occasion of his 90th birthday, featuring his recent album One Lives but Once: A 90th Birthday Celebration from Linn Records, and his recent autobiography Building Bridges With Music: Stories from a Composer's Life from Pendragon Press. Note: due to copyright, musical selections have been edited out of this podcast audio.
Pianist Lara Downes talks about her intimate tribute to Leonard Bernstein and his American legacy in her new album from Sony Classical, entitled For Lenny. This 28-track recording features world premieres, new arrangements, and inspired collaborations between Lara and artists such as Rhiannon Giddens, Thomas Hampson, and Kevin Olusola.
The vocal ensemble Hudson Shad is in town to perform the work they know best: Kurt Weill & Bertolt Brecht's Seven Deadly Sins, with Storm Large and the Toledo Symphony (they've performed it more than any other group in history, in fact!). Hudson Shad (Tim Evans, Mark Bleeke, Wilbur Pauley, Peter Becker, Eric Edlund) joins us in the studio to sing some of their favorite songs and share in conversation.
Star violinist Rachel Barton Pine introduces us to her latest album, which pairs the equally romantic violin concertos of Max Bruch and Sir Edward Elgar.
Christina Farrell, founder of Opera Ignite, is in town to bring her Opera is a Story program to pre-schoolers throughout the area under the auspices of Toledo Opera. She joins us for a conversation about the rewards and challenges of bringing opera to the youngest generation, and music education in general.
Pianist Liza Stepanova discusses her latest release, Tones & Colors - which pairs evocative pieces of music with rich examples of visual art.
Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo joins us to preview his lovely holiday album Winter Songs, from Decca Classics.
We welcome two cast members of Toledo Opera's upcoming production of Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto, soprano Magali Simard Galdès and baritone Anooshah Golesorkhi, along with conductor James Meena and stage director Jordan Braun. Included: performances in our studio from Ms. Simard Galdès and tenor Raffaele Abete, with pianist Kevin Bylsma. Hosted by Brad Cresswell.
Conductor, pianist, clarinetist, composer, and Music Director of the Louisville Orchestra Teddy Abrams tells us all about his album All In from the Louisville Orchestra, which features his music as well as his clarinet stylings (and a few other treats to boot!).
Grammy-nominated cellist, conductor, and pedagogue Amit Peled joins us to talk about his first recording with the Peabody Peled Cello Gang, composed of students from his studio at the Peabody Institute in Baltimore, Maryland.
Brad Pierson, director of the University of Toledo Concert Chorale, joins us for a preview of their season, including an in-studio performance from members of the ensemble.
Opera conductor, coach and University of Michigan faculty member Kathy Kelly joins us for a tribute to the late Russian baritone Dmitri Hvorostovsky, and to preview the upcoming SongSLAM event at Kerrytown Concert House in Ann Arbor, where she is Artistic Director.
In advance of her Toledo Symphony debut this weekend, star violinist Rachel Barton Pine tells us about her magnificent Guarnieri violin, the "ex-Bazzini, ex-Soldat" which was personally selected by Johannes Brahms for one of his protégés. Rachel also discusses American music in general, tying in to our Toledo SymphonyLab podcast episode "Dvořák's New World."
Violinist Anne Akiko Meyers previews her 35th album, entitled Fantasia – the centerpiece of which is a work she commissioned from the revered Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara, which turned out to be his final masterpiece completed before his death last year at age 87.
Pianist (and From The Top host) Christopher O'Riley joins forces with cellist Matt Haimovitz for their latest collaboration: TROIKA – a portrait of artistic rebellion in the face of political suppression. The two sat down with WGTE's Brad Cresswell to talk about the album, which pairs works by Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev and Shostakovich with modern protest songs by Viktor Tsoi, Pussy Riot, and the Beatles.
In advance of her appearance with the Toledo Symphony Nov. 4, star of stage and screen Audra McDonald joins WGTE's Brad Cresswell to talk about her career path, what makes a voice great, and – wait for it – her favorite Halloween candy. (photo credit: ©Autumn de Wilde)
We offer a tribute to longtime WGTE FM 91 radio personality and Music Director Bill Engelke, who passed away in September. Joining FM 91's Brad Cresswell are Bill's guardian and former wife Mary Natvig and his WGTE colleague Roger Greive, who offer their recollections and stories. Note: musical selections are truncated due to copyright. Photo: Plaque outside the newly dedicated William W. Engelke Radio Master Control Room at WGTE.
GRAMMY Award-winning guitar star Sharon Isbin joins us to talk about her new album, a collaboration with GRAMMY Award-winning opera star Isabel Leonard called Alma Española, which is the first of its kind in 40 years: an all-Spanish recording for voice and guitar.
In 1736, composer Salvatore Lanzetti created a bit of a scandal when he brought the heretofore lowly and unsophisticated cello to the Concert Spirituel, France's most exclusive concert series. Other composers quickly jumped on the cello bandwagon, writing virtuoso showpieces for the instrument. The rise of the cello as a solo instrument, however, threatened to overtake the traditional bass viol, leading one respected viol player (and lawyer) to publish a treatise decrying the cello as "...a miserable canker, wretch, and poor Devil..." Enter Baroque cellist Juliana Soltis, whose debut album Entrez, le Diable! (Enter, the Devil!) takes us on a deep dive into the music that gave rise to the virtuoso cello in pre-Revolutionary France. Photo credit: Teresa Tam Studio
The Toledo Symphony's Merwin Siu and the Toledo Museum of Art's Scott Boberg (both pictured) join us to talk about the fascinating music of American composer Lou Harrison, who is the focus of a marathon event at the TMA this weekend.Please note: due to copyright, audio samples have been truncated in this episode.
Hollywood composer and Ann Arbor native Stephen Edwards has more than 60 film scores to his credit, but his most personal project to date is a Requiem mass, dedicated to his late mother Rosalie Edwards. Stephen joins us to talk about "Requiem for my Mother," which is not only on CD, but is available as a documentary film which has aired on PBS stations nationwide.
Composer Jack Gallagher celebrates his 70th birthday this summer, and we celebrate some of his recent recordings in this conversation recorded a few days before his birthday on June 27, 2017.
Pianist Jose Federico Osorio joins us to sample his latest album Final Thoughts, which documents the last piano works of Franz Schubert and Johannes Brahms.
Violinist Rachel Barton Pine has a new album out which explores both the virtuosity and the lyricism of the legendary violinist/composer, Nicolò Paganini. In Bel Canto Paganini, Rachel takes on the daunting 24 caprices for solo violin, plus some rarely heard Paganini gems. Rachel even offers a composition of her own in tribute: a set of variations on the New Zealand national anthem. The Billboard chart-topping violinist joins us for a conversation about Paganini, his life, and his music.
It was announced today that after a two-year search, the Toledo Symphony has found a new Music Director: Alain Trudel. Alain (don't call him "Maestro"!) will be Music Director Designate until June 2018, after which he will serve out a three-year contract. The celebrated conductor and trombonist sits down with WGTE's Brad Cresswell for a conversation about all things Toledo Symphony: what he loves about the orchestra, his overall musical philosophy, and his plans for the future.
Two members of The Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, Fr. Zachary Akers and Fr. Garrick Huang, join us to preview their new album "Requiem," available from Demontfort Music & Sony Classical.
Timothy Cloeter, artistic director and conductor of Toledo's own Masterworks Chorale joins Brad Cresswell for a conversation about their upcoming Collage Concert, "What a Wonderful World," happening this weekend at the Valentine Theatre.
Piano powerhouse Simone Dinnerstein chats about her latest album, which brings two Mozart piano concertos to Cuba and the wonderful Havana Lyceum Orchestra.
Croatian-born international concert pianist Martina Filjak is in town for concerts with the Toledo Symphony which also bid farewell to the TSO's longtime Principal Conductor Stefan Sanderling. The dynamic young pianist joins us in the studio to sample a few of her recordings and preview the concert, which includes Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 13.
Conductor and trombonist Alain Trudel joins us in the studio to preview his concerts with the Toledo Symphony this weekend at the Peristyle.
Actor Paul Causman and composer Burton Beerman preview An Iliad, a one-man show which is a modern-day retelling of Homer's classic about the waning weeks of the Trojan War. An Iliad plays April 6-9 in Studio A at the Valentine Theatre.
We're joined for performance and conversation by Metropolitan Opera soprano Jennifer Rowley, mezzo Christine Amon, stage director Kristine McIntyre, and pianist Kevin Bylsma from Toledo Opera's upcoming production of Samuel Barber's Vanessa.
This weekend, Bowling Green State University's Opera Theatre and Department of Theatre and Film are staging Kurt Weill's opera Street Scene. Director Nicholas Wuehrmann and pianist/vocal director Kevin Bylsma join us for a preview, with members of the cast performing in the WGTE studios: soprano Kate Pomrenke, tenor Mark Tenorio, and baritone Ben Ganger.
Coloratura soprano Rachele Gilmore drops by the WGTE studios in advance of her appearances with the Toledo Symphony in Mahler's Symphony No. 4, to talk about her life and career, her return to Toledo and her distinction as having sung the highest note ever on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera (the "new" Met, that is!). Please note: due to copyright, the musical recordings in this interview have been truncated.
In his latest album, Russian-American violinist Yevgeny Kutik essays a collection of works that exemplify the famous quote by Hans Christian Anderson: "Where words fail, music speaks." The highly-acclaimed young artist joins us to talk Mendelssohn, Mahler, and two works that he commissioned himself: Timo Andres' "Words Fail" and "Arioso Doloroso/Estatico" by Michael Gandolfi.
After an illustrious 20 year career, the members of the San Francisco-based Cypress String Quartet decided to disband for good this past June. They still had one recording in the queue, however, and it's just been released on the Avie record label: The Brahms String Sextets Op.18 and Op.36, which were recorded in front of a live studio audience at Skywalker Sound. The group's cellist Jennifer Kloetzel joins us to preview that final album, which also features guest artists Barry Shiffman (viola) and Zuill Bailey (cello).
Leading British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor joins us to preview his latest album Homages, a collection of works by Busoni, Mendelssohn, Chopin and others which pay tribute to others.
This weekend, conductor Ignat Solzhenitsyn leads the Toledo Symphony Orchestra in Shostakovich's complex and revolutionary Symphony No. 5, and solos in Beethoven's Third Piano Concerto. The reknowned conductor (and son of legendary Soviet dissident author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn) joins us in the studio for a conversation about these two remarkable composers and their music.
The Nashville Symphony's latest recording of music by composer Michael Daugherty is up for three Grammy Awards next month. One of the works on that disc, the organ concerto "Once Upon A Castle," is coming to the Toledo Museum of Art Peristyle with virtuoso organist Paul Jacobs and the Toledo Symphony as part of The Citizen Kane Experience. Michael Daugherty sits down with WGTE's Brad Cresswell for a conversation about the concerto - inspired by the life and times of William Randolph Hearst, Jr.
Eminent conductor Semyon Bychkov has recently embarked on a multi-year series of performances and recordings of the music of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The Russian-born Maestro joins us to talk about the first recording in the project, which includes Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6, The Pathétique.
In his latest recording, pianist Kirill Gerstein turns his attention to Franz Liszt and the Transcendental Études - considered to be among the most difficult pieces in the solo piano repertoire.
Star harpist Yolanda Kondonassis celebrates the centennial of Argentine composer Alberto Ginastera's birth with a new album, Ginastera: One Hundred. The recording features guest appearances by the violin/piano duo of Gil and Orli Shaham plus guitarist Jason Vieaux, as well as a centerpiece of Yolanda's repertoire over the years, Ginastera's Harp Concerto.
Superstar violinist Joshua Bell teams up with colleagues Steven Isserlis and Jeremy Denk for his latest album, entitled For the Love of Brahms.
Mark Kosower, principal cello of The Cleveland Orchestra, stops by the FM 91 studio with the Toledo Symphony's Merwin Siu to preview Mark's appearance with the TSO in one of the most passionately expressive works in the cello/orchestra repertoire, Ernest Bloch's Hebraic Rhapsody, Schelomo.
Violin powerhouse Jennifer Koh discusses her new Tchaikovsky album; modern vs. classic works and the secret that her first violin teacher kept from her for 25 years.
Following up on their 2014 album Brahms by Heart, the Chiara String Quartet has just released Béla Bartók’s six string quartets on Azica records, played entirely from memory. Three members of the group, violinist Hyeyung Julie Yoon, violist Jonah Sirota, and cellist Gregory Beaver join us for a preview.
After two decades of spectacular music-making, the San Francisco-based Cypress String Quartet has decided to disband. They leave behind a rich discography, including their latest recording - the last in their series of Beethoven String Quartets. Violinist Tom Stone and cellist Jennifer Kloetzel join us to talk about the reasons behind their decision, and to preview their new Beethoven recording, now available from Avie Records.
Rachel Barton Pine’s relationship with the music of Johann Sebastian Bach runs deep. The best-selling violinist joins us to preview her latest album, Testament, which features a cornerstone of the repertoire: Bach’s Six Sonatas and Partitas for solo violin.
Fifteen years ago, cellist Matt Haimovitz famously brought the Bach Cello Suites to folk clubs and rock venues. Now, he brings us a completely new intepretation of these classics works,informed by the manuscript copy made by Bach's wife, Anna Magdalena.
Welsh harpist Claire Jones became a household name in Britain when she performed at the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Buckingham Palace in April 2011. Now she brings her formidable talents to the US in the form of Royal Harp Strings, a new album from Silva Classics released in conjunction with her 2016 American tour.
The Quartetto di Cremona (Cremona Quartet) has released another volume in their acclaimed series of Beethoven string quartets. Violist Simone Gramalia spoke with us about the new album, which includes a bonus: Beethoven's Quintet, Op. 29, featuring Emerson String Quartet violist Lawrence Dutton. Related Content: The Cremona Quartet in Conversation & Performance at the WGTE Studios
In advance of her appearance with the Toledo Symphony, singer/songwriter China Forbes joins WGTE-FM's Brad Cresswell for a chat about her band Pink Martini, her opera obsession and more.
Anthony de Mare's latest release is the culmination of a four-year recording project that features 36 "re-imaginings" of Stephen Sondheim tunes by modern composers. The enterprising pianist joins us with the backstory of The Liaisons Project and a preview of some of the music.
Venezuelan-born Gabriela Montero is not only a world-famous pianist, she's also a human rights activist who has been an outspoken opponent of her homeland's Chavist government. That activism has expressed itself in Gabriela's first composition, Ex Patria - a powerful tour-de-force for piano and orchestra which portrays the violence and corruption that has overtaken her native country.
Grammy-nominated mandolinist Avi Avital joins us to preview his album Between Worlds - a genre-defying tour of the globe exploring the nexus between classical, popular and traditional music.
Composer Max Richter introduces us to his eight-hour project SLEEP, designed to be listened to while sleeping.
Superstar tenor Jonas Kaufmann takes us on a tour of Franz Schubert's final song cycle Die Winterreise (The Winter Journey) - a profoundly moving and psychologically penetrating set of songs with texts by the poet Wilhelm Müller.