Classical Conversations
Classical WETA's Classical Conversations are interviews with today's leading classical music performers, composers and artists. These interviews explore the artists' backgrounds and musical influences.
Hilary Hahn
Violinist Hilary Hahn joins the National Symphony Orchestra this weekend for Paganini's 1st Violin Concerto. Music Director Leonard Slatkin conducts the program which also includes Del Tredici's Final Alice and the Overture to Verdi's vespri siciliani. Weekday morning host David Ginder spoke with Ms. Hahn about her violin, the fun of playing "chamber music" with an orchestra, and Paganini, the tunesmith as well as virtuoso wild man.
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Stephen Hough
Pianist, composer, poet, and MacArthur Fellow Stephen Hough joins the National Symphony Orchestra and conductor Hugh Wolff April 24-26 for an all-French program that includes Saint-Saens' Piano Concerto No. 5 in F major, Op. 103 ("Egyptian"). Classical WETA evening host Nicole LaCroix caught up with Mr. Hough backstage at the Kennedy Center, where they discussed the "Egyptian" concerto, the internet, and Mr. Hough's work as a composer.
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Joseph Holt, Choral Arts Society of Washington
Lovers of a cappella choral music can attend "Pure A Cappella: Spiritual Reflections" Sunday afternoon, April 27th at National Presbyterian Church. Joseph Holt leads a chamber choir of 63 voices from the Choral Arts Society of Washington in a program spanning six centuries, including the world premier of Missa Pro Pace by Kentaro Sato. Classical WETA's Deb Lamberton spoke with Choral Arts' Associate Director Joe Holt, who brought along examples of the music.
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Julian Wachner
Music Director designate Julian Wachner leads The Washington Chorus in "Songs of the Soul" at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall, Sunday, April 27th at 3 PM. In addition to the full-orchestral scoring of Gabriel Fauré's Requiem, the program includes the Washington premiere of Carlyle Sharp's Proud Music of the Storm, and Brahms' seldom-heard Gesang der Parzen. Op. 89. Classical WETA's Deb Lamberton spoke with Julian Wachner about the program.
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Kurt Masur
On Monday, April 28 at 8:00 PM, WPAS brings conductor Kurt Masur and the Orchestre National de France to the Kennedy Center Concert Hall after a 17-year hiatus. The program includes Anton Bruckner's 7th Symphony and Beethoven's 2nd piano concerto, featuring the gifted young French pianist David Fray. Maestro Masur spoke with Classical WETA's Deb Lamberton about his life in music.
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Robert Eisenstein, Folger Consort
For its final program of the season, Folger Consort, the early music ensemble in residence at Folger Shakespeare Library, presents Highland Ayres, a selection of Scottish and Continental music associated with Scotland from the 13th to the late 18th centuries. The program is on stage April 18-20, and will include a number of works for traditional Scottish instruments—harp, fiddle, and bagpipes—as well as other period instruments in styles ranging from traditional to courtly. Classical WETA's Midday Music Host Marilyn Cooley spoke with the Folger Consort's Robert Eisenstein about the program.
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City Choir of Washington, Robert Shafer Artistic Director
Thursday evening, April 17th at 8 p.m., The City Choir of Washington, Robert Shafer Artistic Director, performs Monteverdi's Vespers of 1610 at Strathmore. Nearly 250 musicians-including 4 choirs (The City Choir of Washington will be joined by the Shenandoah Conservatory choir, the children's Chorus of Washington, and the Blue Ridge Choristers) plus soloists and a Baroque orchestra-will take the stage in this monumental high Renaissance masterpiece. Classical WETA's Nicole Lacroix, spoke with Bob Shafer about the City Choir of Washington' inaugural season, and his very personal relationship with this music.
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Violinist Julian Rachlin
The brilliant violinist Julian Rachlin joins the National Symphony Orchestra and guest conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin for an all-Russian program, April 10-12, featuring Shostakovich's Violin Concerto in A minor, Op. 77/99. The concerts also include works by Mussorgski and Rachmaninoff. Classical WETA's Deb Lamberton spoke with Mr. Rachlin about the concerto, and about his new CD of Shostakovich chamber music recorded live in concert at Vienna's Musikverein for the Onyx label.
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Conductor Thomas Dausgaard
Tuesday evening, April 1st at 8 PM, Washington Performing Arts Society brings the Swedish Chamber Orchestra and pianist Piotr Anderszewski to the Music Center at Strathmore. On the program: Beethoven's First Piano Concerto and Coriolan Overture, and Schumann's 2nd symphony. Conductor Thomas Dausgaard spoke with Classical WETA's Deb Lamberton from the studios of Swedish Radio Orebro.
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Joshua Bell
Monday evening, March 3rd, Washington Performing Arts Society presents violinist Joshua Bell and pianist Jeremy Denk in a nearly sold-out recital at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Classical WETA's Deb Lamberton spoke with Mr. Bell about his music-making, and about his world-wide reputation as an "anonymous" busker in the L'Enfant Plaza Metro station last April, 2007.
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Composer Dominick Argento and Cathedral Choral Society Music Director J. Reilly Lewis
Sunday afternoon, March 2nd at 4:00, the Cathedral Choral Society presents the world premiere of a commission by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Dominick Argento. Scored for symphonic chorus, soprano, treble, narrator and orchestra, Sunday's performance at the Washington National Cathedral features soprano Elizabeth Futral. Created as a tribute to his late wife and in honor of the Cathedral's Centennial, Evensong: Of Love and Angels movingly portrays the transcendent power of the heavenly hosts to heal the suffering of mortals. Classical WETA's Deb Lamberton invited composer Dominick Argento and Cathedral Choral Society Music Director J. Reilly Lewis into our studios to discuss the work, and its genesis.
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Sir James Galway, "The Man with the Golden Flute"
"The Man with the Golden Flute", Sir James Galway, along with wife Lady Jeanne Galway and their longtime accompanist Phillip Moll perform at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall Monday night, February 25th as part of Washington Performing Arts Society. Classical WETA's Deb Lamberton spoke with Sir James about the art of his music-making.
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