News & Reviews

Meet the Kennedy Center Honorees. Photo of Kennedy Center by Tom, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

Carlos Miguel Prieto, the Music Director Designate of the North Carolina Symphony, will be The Classical Station's guest for Preview!, airing on Sunday, December 4th. Born in Mexico City, Maestro Prieto has served as the Music Director of the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2019, he was named Conductor of the Year by Musical America. The Classical Station's Music Director Caleb Gardner spoke with Mr. Prieto about his life in music.

The Classical Station presents the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra on ‘Monday Night at the Symphony’ tonight, November 28. Eva Kozma, Assistant Principal Second Violin, has performed with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra for 18 years, making her the perfect person to talk about what has set this orchestra apart for over a century. Ms. Kozma received a Tanglewood Music Center Fellowship in 2003 and, more recently, performed with the Missouri Chamber Music Festival in 2019. She answered a few of our questions about performing with the St. Louis Symphony.

At only 19 years old, Sheku Kanneh-Mason performed pieces by Fauré, Maria Theresia von Paradis, and Schubert at the wedding of Prince Harry and Megan Markle; by this time, the cellist was well-known in England, but this opportunity put him in the eyes of the world. Recently, he spoke with Music Director Caleb Gardner about his background in music and what he enjoys about the cello as a solo instrument.

Classical guitarist and multi- GRAMMY Award-winner Sharon Isbin will be featured today in our ‘Para la Guitar’ program! ‘Para la Guitar’ will celebrate the last few centuries’ best classical guitar pieces with recordings by Sharon Isbin and Jason Vieaux. Isbin participated in a short Q&A session and talked about her experiences as a long-time guitarist who dabbles in many genres.

Hilary Hahn is an internationally recognized violin virtuoso, and she’s well-known for both her evocative performances and her dedication to classical music education. She has taken to social media to spread classical music to new audiences in engaging ways, such as starting popular challenges on Instagram to make practicing a collaborative event. On her new album, ‘Eclipse’, Hahn features violin concertos by Dvořák, Ginastera, and Sarasate. She shared a little about the experience of choosing each piece in her interview with Naomi Lambert.

The Associated Press reports on the death of American composer Ned Rorem. Photo: Singers.com

On tonight’s ‘Monday Night at the Symphony’ we will feature the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, an orchestra based in Symphony Hall in Birmingham, England. The orchestra was founded in 1920, and since then has been dedicated to performing the best music for Birmingham residents. From among its 75 members, Principal Second Clarinet Joanna Patton spoke about her 16 years in the orchestra, and what sets the CBSO apart from other orchestras in England.

Guitarist Sean Shibe recently released his new album, ‘Lost and Found’, an experimental ambient album with electric guitar arrangements spanning across centuries. With performances at Wigmore Hall and the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, as well as an upcoming performance with Hallé Orchestra, Sean Shibe is a guitarist to watch. To start off Sean Shibe’s interview with The Classical Station, Music Director Caleb Gardner broke the ice with a discussion of the truly important things in life: the upcoming season of the television show Rick and Morty. Afterward, they launched into a discussion of the difference between performing and recording.

Naomi Lambert interviewed British organist Benjamin Sheen, whose new album, ‘In London Town’ was released in September. Throughout his productive career, Sheen has worked at St. Paul’s Cathedral, St. Thomas Church, and Christ Church Cathedral, and he was recently appointed as the Director of Music at Jesus College, Cambridge.

John Rutter is a household name among musicians, having composed some of the most iconic pieces in the choral repertoire. His works have been performed at some of the world’s largest events, including Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee, and he’s been awarded honors for his many achievements.  In this interview with Rob Kennedy, Rutter discussed some of his musical inspirations and how he ended up becoming the composer he is today.

Monday Night at the Symphony presents the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. We spoke with Coralia Galtier, the orchestra’s Business Development Manager, about the history of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe. "It is important to note that the COE was the very first professional orchestra of its kind when it was created by its own players back in 1981. There is a real sense of ownership from the players, as we still have a number of founding members in our ranks."   Join The Classical Station for Monday Night At The Symphony every week at 7 p.m. eastern. You can listen online at TheClassicalStation.org, on 89.7 FM, or on the App.    

On Good Friday 2021, John Eliot Gardiner led the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists in a live-streamed performance of Bach’s setting of the Passion according to St John from Oxford’s Sheldonian Theatre. The unique setting of Oxford’s historic Sheldonian Theatre provided the backdrop for a performance that marked the Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque Soloists’ return to the concert stage in 2021. The recording of this performance was captured on a CD that can be yours as a Thank You Gift for a Sustaining Membership of $15 per month.

When you support The Classical Station with a gift of $100, ask for a bag of Classical Café Blend from Joe Van Gogh Specialty Coffee Roasters. This local company is offering a limited supply of coffee to help The Classical Station this fundraiser. Become a member or renew your support with a gift of $100 and ask for Classical Café Blend from Joe Van Gogh Specialty Coffee Roasters.