Dr. Jay Pierson

Dr. Jay Pierson is the host of the Thursday Night Opera House. He is a graduate of Olivet College and the Eastman School of Music from which he earned his Masters and Doctorate degrees. Jay has enjoyed a career as a professional singer, teacher, pianist, conductor, composer, and harpist for over three decades. He has served on the faculties of Bucknell University, East Carolina University, and Santa Clara University and is presently a professor of voice at UNC. He has performed as a soloist with numerous orchestras, including our own North Carolina Symphony, and opera companies in the United States and abroad.

“I truly enjoy announcing for WCPE, as I have the opportunity to send out Great Classical Music, which is my life’s passion. It all started when my parents set me down in front of our stereo, at a very young age, and played Grofé’s Grand Canyon Suite. The thunder scared me and the donkeys made me laugh, but I loved all of it.”

Now Playing

Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor, Op. 61

Composed by

Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921)

Performed by

Chee-Yun/London Phil./Lopez-Cobos

Label

Denon

Catalog Number

18017

Today's Playlist

4:02pm Suite No. 1 from Ancient Airs & Dances

Composed by

Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936)

Performed by

L.A. Chamber Orch/Marriner

4:18pm Recorder Concerto in C, RV 443

Composed by

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

Performed by

Copley/Camerata Bern/Copley

4:29pm Deep River

Composed by

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, arr. by Maud Powell

Performed by

Pine/Hagle

4:34pm Danzon No. 2

Composed by

Arturo Marquez (b.1950)

Performed by

Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra/Dudamel

4:45pm Overture from Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D, BWV 1068

Composed by

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Performed by

Stuttgart Chamber Orch/Munchinger

4:53pm Dance of the Blessed Spirits from Orpheus and Eurydice

Composed by

Christoph Willibald von Gluck (1714-1787)

Performed by

Zoeller/Berlin Philharmonic/Karajan

5:01pm Finale (Allegro molto) from Symphony No. 5 in E flat, Op. 82

Composed by

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)

Performed by

Philharmonia/Ashkenazy

5:11pm Selection of solo piano works: Lilacs, Elegie, Liebeslied, Melodie,

Composed by

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)

Performed by

Sergei Rachmaninoff

5:27pm Country Gardens

Composed by

Percy Grainger (1882-1961)

Performed by

Eastman-Rochester Pops/Fennell

5:31pm Kettenbrucke Waltz

Composed by

Johann Strauss Sr. (1804-1849)

Performed by

Boskovsky Ensemble

5:36pm Elegy for Strings, Op. 58

Composed by

Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

Performed by

New Philharmonia/Barbirolli

5:41pm Guitar Quintet No. 4 in D, "Fandango"

Composed by

Luigi Boccherini (1743-1805)

Performed by

Romero/Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble

6:00pm Light Cavalry Overture

Composed by

Franz von Suppe (1819-1895)

Performed by

NY Philharmonic/Bernstein

6:08pm Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54

Composed by

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

Performed by

Brendel/London Symphony/Abbado

6:41pm Prelude from Suite Bergamasque

Composed by

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Performed by

Empire Brass

6:46pm Music selected by the announcer

7:01pm Symphony No. 094 in G, "Surprise"

Composed by

Josef Haydn (1732-1809)

Performed by

Vienna Philharmonic/Bernstein

7:27pm String Quintet in C, K. 515

Composed by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Performed by

Berthaud/Quatuor Voce

8:00pm Symphony No. 5 in E flat, Op. 82

Composed by

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)

Performed by

Berlin Philharmonic/Karajan

8:32pm Symphony No. 8 in F, Op. 93

Composed by

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Performed by

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra/Haitink

9:00pm Overture to The Italian Girl in Algiers

Composed by

Gioachino Rossini (1792-1868)

Performed by

National Academy of St. Cecilia/Chung

9:09pm Concerto in A flat for Two Pianos

Composed by

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Performed by

A. & J. Paratore/R.I.A.S. Symphony/Lajovic

9:45pm Ballet des Plaisirs

Composed by

Jean-Baptiste Lully (1632-1687)

Performed by

Aradia Baroque Ensemble/Mallon

10:00pm Reverie

Composed by

Claude Debussy, trans. Allen

Performed by

Nancy Allen

10:06pm Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, Op. 30

Composed by

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)

Performed by

Argerich/Berlin RSO/Chailly

10:47pm In Bohemia

Composed by

Mily Balakirev (1837-1910)

Performed by

USSR Symphony/Svetlanov

11:00pm Piano Sonata No. 10 in C, K. 330

Composed by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Performed by

Yundi Li

11:20pm Serenade in D minor for Winds, Op. 44

Composed by

Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904)

Performed by

Orchestra of Beethoven Hall, Bonn/Davies

11:47pm Music selected by the announcer