News & Reviews

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John Williams is known for some of the most recognizable music ever written. But behind the familiar image are stranger, funnier, and more human stories.

WCPE recently welcomed members, near and far, to our North Carolina campus for the second annual WCPE Vinyl Giveaway! Click here to read about what they found and meet some of your fellow listeners!

Jake Runestad tells The Classical Station how major choral works can grow out of real human crises, not just abstract ideas. It is a strong entry point for anyone curious about what contemporary composers are trying to say now.

Francis Pott tells The Classical Station how personal memory, commission work, and hard-earned craft come together in serious composition. This one will appeal to anyone who wants to hear a composer think out loud about where music really comes from.

Daniel Powers tells The Classical Station what a working composer and arranger actually has to know beyond inspiration alone. Mr. Power's digs into the overlooked mechanics of the profession, from licensing to software to employable versatility.

Christine Weidinger tells The Classical Station a blunt, funny, and deeply experienced story about surviving the opera world at the highest level.

Chaerin Kim tells The Classical Station how passion, not just talent, drove her from piano study into an international life with both piano and harp. Anyone interested in how musicians actually build durable careers will find this one worth hearing.

Andrew Litton tells The Classical Station how a child who first wanted to be a fireman became one of today’s leading conductors. It is a sharp, experience-rich look at what it actually takes to build a life on the podium.

Paul O’Dette tells The Classical Station how an obscure instrument becomes the center of a major performing and teaching life. Anyone curious about historically informed performance should hear this one.

Nicholas Hersh tells The Classical Station what happens when preparation suddenly meets opportunity in front of a major orchestra. It is a strong listen for anyone who wants the modern version of the conductor’s career path, not the mythologized dream.

William Henry Curry tells The Classical Station how a conductor’s life can expand into teaching, composing, and cultural leadership without losing musical fire. It is a forceful, generous account of what it means to be more than just a specialist.

Libby Larsen tells The Classical Station how a composer sustains imagination across hundreds of works without getting trapped by old formulas. It is a smart, invigorating listen for anyone wondering what a serious composing life looks like over decades.