News

WCPE Education Fund Event

WCPE Education Fund

Every year the WCPE Education Fund distributes funds to charitable organizations in North Carolina that further our goal of bringing music and musical education to every child in the state. This mission, now in its 52nd year, is the driving force behind WCPE, TheClassicalStation.org, and the Educational Information Corporation. We love our home in Wake Forest, North Carolina and the Education Fund makes us possible to recognize exemplary organizations and partners within that community.

The Summer 2025 disbursement of the Education Fund saw many qualified applicants, each of whom served the North Carolina musical community. However, only six organizations could be chosen by the selection committee and invited to our studio to accept their funds, meet with the committee, be interviewed on air, and attend an informal concert by the WCPE String Quartet.


Musical Empowerment logo

“Musical Empowerment pairs children with college mentors and lends instruments to create equitable access to music education—building confidence, resilience, and removing financial barriers.”
 – musical-empowerment.org


SKJAJA Fund logo

“The SKJAJA Fund’s Play it Forward program ensures students have the instruments they need to enroll, partnering with band directors to collect, refurbish, and distribute donated instruments.”
 – skjajafund.org


Wake Forest Community Youth Orchestra logo

“Wake Forest Community Youth Orchestra delivers expert string instruction and free instrument access to K–12 students in rural and under-resourced communities, empowering them to grow as artists and leaders.”
 – wfcyo.org


Community Music School logo

“Community Music School offers weekly $1 lessons—no prior experience needed—with one-on-one instruction and group classes across piano, guitar, percussion, strings, woodwinds, harp, voice, and more.”
 – cmsraleigh.org


North Carolina Chamber Music Institute logo

“The North Carolina Chamber Music Institute provides a rigorous small-ensemble program with abundant performance opportunities—proven to build leadership and musicianship while engaging the wider community.”
 – nccmi.org


Triangle Youth Brass Band logo

“Founded in 1997, the Triangle Youth Brass Band serves more than 100 top young musicians through multiple ensembles, offering engaging, transformative experiences in the British brass band tradition.”
 – trianglebrass.org

The event itself was a huge success and everyone was grateful for the opportunity to connect with other nonprofits involved in musical education. The most memorable moment, by far, was a private performance of Beethoven’s String Quartet Op. 18 No. 6 in B flat by the WCPE String Quartet of the North Carolina Chamber Music Institute:

Our thanks to everyone that made this event possible, WCPE staff, the selection committee, the wonderful musician, our very deserving grantees and, of course, our listeners and members without whom none of the work we do would be possible!

Now Playing

String Quartet in E flat (w/o opus number)

Composed by

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Performed by

Talich Quartet

Label

Calliope

Catalog Number

9313

Today's Playlist

1:25am Partita No. 4 in D, BWV 828

Composed by

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Performed by

Igor Levit

2:00am Clarinet Concerto No. 2 in E flat, Op. 74

Composed by

Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826)

Performed by

Cohler/Liszt Chamber Orchestra

2:22am The Lark Ascending

Composed by

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)

Performed by

Garcia/English Chamber Orchestra/Menuhin

2:37am Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor, Op. 22

Composed by

Henryk Wieniawski (1835-1880)

Performed by

Perlman/Paris Orchestra/Barenboim

3:01am Serenade No. 6 in D for Flute, Violin and Viola, Op. 25

Composed by

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Performed by

Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center

3:26am Etudes, Op. 25

Composed by

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

Performed by

Vladimir Ashkenazy

4:00am Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13

Composed by

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

Performed by

Murray Perahia

4:33am Symphony in C

Composed by

Johann Christian Bach (1735-1782)

Performed by

Hanover Band/Halstead

4:41am Piano Sonata No. 60 in C

Composed by

Josef Haydn (1732-1809)

Performed by

Nadia Reisenberg

5:00am Asturias (Leyenda) from Suite Espanola, Op. 47

Composed by

Isaac Albeniz (1860-1909)

Performed by

David Russell

5:07am Selections from Amaryllis Suite

Composed by

George Frideric Handel, arr. by Thomas Beecham

Performed by

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Menuhin

5:19am Peter and the Wolf, Op. 67

Composed by

Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953)

Performed by

Kingsley/London Symphony/Mackerras

5:48am Music selected by the announcer

6:01am Danse Macabre, Op. 40

Composed by

Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921)

Performed by

Philadelphia Orchestra/Ormandy

6:09am Spring from Four Seasons

Composed by

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

Performed by

Podger/Brecon Baroque

6:20am Capriccio espagnol, Op. 34

Composed by

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844-1908)

Performed by

Mexico City Philharmonic/Batiz

6:37am Waltz from Act I, Swan Lake, Op. 20

Composed by

Peter I. Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Performed by

Slovak Philharmonic/Halasz

6:44am On the Heights

Composed by

Frederick Delius (1862-1934)

Performed by

Slovak Philharmonic/Hopkins

7:01am Overture to Hansel and Gretel

Composed by

Engelburt Humperdinck (1854-1921)

Performed by

Berlin Philharmonic/Karajan

7:11am Bouree fantastique

Composed by

Emmanuel Chabrier (1841-1894)

Performed by

French National Orchestra/Jordan

7:19am Flute Concerto in D

Composed by

Michael Haydn (1737-1806)

Performed by

Pahud/Haydn-Ensemble Berlin/Schellenberger

7:37am The First Day of Happiness

Composed by

Johann Strauss Jr. (1825-1899)

Performed by

Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic/Walter

7:44am Piano Sonata No. 14 in C sharp minor, Op. 27 No. 2 ‘Moonlight'

Composed by

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Performed by

Alice Sarah Ott

8:01am Symphony No. 31 in D, K. 297 "Paris"

Composed by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Performed by

Berlin Philharmonic/Abbado

8:19am Two Arabesques

Composed by

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Performed by

Stoltzman/Allen

8:30am Agnus Dei from Requiem

Composed by

Gabriel Faure (1845-1924)

Performed by

Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra/Giulini

8:38am Concerto No. 6 in A

Composed by

Francesco Geminiani (1687-1762)

Performed by

I Musici

8:49am Music selected by the announcer

9:01am Concerto Grosso in B flat, Op. 6 No. 7

Composed by

George Frideric Handel (1685–1759)

Performed by

English Concert/Pinnock

9:17am Symphony No. 085 in B flat, "The Queen"

Composed by

Josef Haydn (1732-1809)

Performed by

Berlin Philharmonic/Karajan

9:42am Norwegian Dances, Op. 35

Composed by

Edvard Grieg (1843–1907)

Performed by

Gothenburg Symphony/Jarvi

10:01am Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D. 759 "Unfinished"

Composed by

Franz Schubert (1797-1828)

Performed by

Royal Concertgebouw/Harnoncourt

10:29am Piano Trio No. 2 in C minor, Op. 66

Composed by

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)

Performed by

Stern/Rose/Istomin

11:00am Orchestral Suite No. 2 in B minor, BWV 1067

Composed by

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Performed by

Concentus Musicus Vienna/Harnoncourt

11:25am 13 Pieces for Piano, Op. 76 No. 3 Carillon

Composed by

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)

Performed by

Harvard Gimse

11:28am Nonetto in E flat, Op. 38

Composed by

Louise Farrenc (1804–1875)

Performed by

Minerva Chamber Ensemble/Geraldi

12:01pm The Sunken Cathedral from Preludes, Book I

Composed by

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Performed by

Cecile Ousset

12:08pm Flute Concerto No. 2 in D, K. 314

Composed by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Performed by

Pahud/Berlin Philharmonic/Abbado

12:28pm Guitar Concerto in A, Op. 8a

Composed by

Ferdinando Carulli (1770-1841)

Performed by

Romero/Academy SMF/Brown

12:46pm Music selected by the announcer

1:01pm Romanza from Czech Suite in D, Op. 39

Composed by

Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904)

Performed by

Scottish Chamber Orchestra/Swensen

1:07pm Suite Antique

Composed by

John Rutter (1945-)

Performed by

Dobing/Marshall/City of London Sinfonia/Rutter

1:25pm Symphony No. 19 in C

Composed by

Michael Haydn (1737-1806)

Performed by

Bournemouth Sinfonietta/Farberman

1:53pm Three Paraguayan Dances

Composed by

Agustin Barrios (1885-1944)

Performed by

David Russell

2:00pm Selections from Romeo and Juliet: Suites No. 1 and 2

Composed by

Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953)

Performed by

Cleveland Orchestra/Levi

2:43pm Etude in C sharp minor, Op. 25 No. 7

Composed by

Frederic Chopin (1810-1849)

Performed by

Vladimir Horowitz

2:50pm Forest Murmurs from Siegfried

Composed by

Richard Wagner (1813-1883)

Performed by

Vienna Philharmonic/Solti

3:00pm Lute Suite in E minor, BWV 996

Composed by

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Performed by

Julian Bream

3:20pm Concerto for Clarinet and Strings in C minor, Op. 31

Composed by

Gerald Finzi (1901-1956)

Performed by

Johnson/Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/Groves

3:48pm Invitation to the Dance, Op. 65

Composed by

Carl Maria von Weber, orch. by Hector Berlioz

Performed by

National Philharmonic/Bonynge

4:00pm Finale from Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78 "Organ"

Composed by

Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921)

Performed by

Cochereau/Berlin Philharmonic/Karajan

4:09pm Overture to The Abduction from the Seraglio, K. 384

Composed by

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Performed by

Calgary Philharmonic/Bernardi

4:15pm The Bells of St. Genevieve

Composed by

Marin Marais (1656-1728)

Performed by

Harnoncourt Trio

4:25pm Three Dances from The Bartered Bride

Composed by

Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884)

Performed by

Festive Sympho

4:40pm Cello Concerto in G, RV 414

Composed by

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)

Performed by

Harnoy/Toronto Chamber Orch/Robinson

4:55pm Cossack Dance from Mazeppa

Composed by

Peter I. Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Performed by

Cincinnati Symphony/Kunzel

5:00pm Csardas from Die Fledermaus

Composed by

Johann Strauss Jr. (1825-1899)

Performed by

Vienna Philharmonic/Maazel

5:06pm Overture to The Ruins of Athens, Op. 113

Composed by

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Performed by

Hanover Band/Goodman

5:11pm The Birth of Venus from Three Botticelli Pictures

Composed by

Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936)

Performed by

Philharmonia Orchestra/Simon

5:16pm Harp Concerto in G

Composed by

Georg Christoph Wagenseil (1715-1777)

Performed by

Zabaleta/Paul Kuentz Chamber Orchestra

5:30pm Chantilly Waltz, Op. 171

Composed by

Emile Waldteufel (1837-1915)

Performed by

Czecho-Slovak State Philharmonic/Walter

5:38pm Allegro from Lute Concerto in C

Composed by

Sylvius Leopold Weiss (1687-1750)

Performed by

Harris/Tafelmusik/Lamon

5:44pm Polovtsian Dances from Prince Igor

Composed by

Alexander Borodin (1833-1887)

Performed by

State Symphony of Mexico/Batiz

5:59pm Fantasy in C, Op. 17

Composed by

Robert Schumann (1810-1856)

Performed by

Alfred Brendel

6:31pm My Robin is to the Greenwood Gone

Composed by

Percy Grainger (1882-1961)

Performed by

Smirnoff/Moerschel/Drury

6:38pm Spring Idyll

Composed by

Frederick Delius (1862-1934)

Performed by

English Northern Philharmonia/Lloyd-Jones

6:47pm Music selected by the announcer

7:01pm Concierto Como un Divertimento

Composed by

Joaquin Rodrigo (1901-1999)

Performed by

Lloyd Webber/London Philharmonic/Lopez-Cobos

7:26pm Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G, BWV 1049

Composed by

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Performed by

Academy of Ancient Music/Hogwood

7:42pm Noble and Sentimental Waltzes

Composed by

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

Performed by

Minnesota Orchestra/Skrowaczewski

8:02pm Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78 "Organ"

Composed by

Camille Saint-Saens (1835-1921)

Performed by

Cochereau/Berlin Philharmonic/Karajan

8:41pm Harp Concerto in A

Composed by

Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf, Arr. Karl Hermann Pillney

Performed by

Zabaleta/Paul Kuentz Chamber Orchestra/Kuentz

9:01pm Pictures at an Exhibition

Composed by

Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881), orch. Maurice Ravel

Performed by

Les Siècles/Roth

9:35pm Variations on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33

Composed by

Peter I. Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

Performed by

Maisky/Orpheus Chamber Orchestra

9:55pm Clair de lune from Suite Bergamasque

Composed by

Claude Debussy (1862-1918)

Performed by

Stern/Columbia Symphony/Katims

10:01pm Berceuse, Op. 16

Composed by

Gabriel Faure (1845-1924)

Performed by

Chang/Abramovic

10:06pm Quintet in C for Winds, Op. 79

Composed by

August Klughardt (1847-1902)

Performed by

Les Vents Francais

10:31pm String Quartet in E minor, Op. 83

Composed by

Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

Performed by

Medici Quartet

11:01pm Piano Sonata No. 7 In D, Op. 10 No. 3

Composed by

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)

Performed by

Alfred Brendel

11:27pm Notturno No. 4 in C

Composed by

Josef Haydn (1732-1809)

Performed by

The Music Party/Hacker

11:41pm Aria variata in A minor (Italian Variations), BWV 989

Composed by

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)

Performed by

Balsom/Ross

11:51pm Music selected by the announcer