Classical WETA Audio

Christopher Zimmerman

The Fairfax Symphony's next concert will be played twice--at George Mason's Center for the Arts in Fairfax on Saturday, January 14, 2012, and at the Hylton Performing Arts Center in Manassas on Sunday afternoon, the 15th. Music Director Christopher Zimmerman conducts the emotionally-charged 11th Symphony by Dmitri Shostakovich, Haydn's 1st Cello Concerto, and Glazunov's Minstrel's Song. The cellist in the Haydn and Glazunov pieces is Sergey Antonov. Classical WETA's David Ginder chats with Mo. Zimmerman about his soloist for these concerts, and about the challenges and satisfactions of playing Shostakovich.

Zuill Bailey

Cellist Zuill Bailey is in town to perform Bach and Haydn on Saturday, January 7. At Strathmore, he’ll join the National Philharmonic for Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 1 (in a concert that also includes Mozart’s “Jupiter” Symphony and Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge). At 3:30 that same afternoon, also at the Music Center at Strathmore, he will play the complete solo cello music by J.S. Bach. Hear him tell Marilyn Cooley about the meaning of this music for him, and for the world, as well as the challenge of such a demanding program. And we’ll hear a bit about his new recordings.

Jehshua Karunakaran

17 year-old violinist Jehshua Karunakaran from Reston, Virginia is featured on From The Top, Sunday evening, December 18th at 6:00 pm in a program co-sponsored by the National Gallery of Art and Washington Performing Arts Society.  Having already earned his associate's degree in community college, Jehshua is currently applying to universities as a double major in music and neuroscience.  He's also an award-winning pianist.  Jehshua spoke with Deb Lamberton about lilfe in Juilliard's Pre-College program, and about what suprised him the most as a guest on From The Top.

Shai Wosner

Pianist Shai Wosner is making a name for himself as a musician with exceptional artistry, musical integrity and creative insight.  You can hear why Monday night, December 12th at 9:00, as Front Row Washington broadcasts his recital of Beethoven piano sonatas presented by Downtown Pianoworks in historic Frederick, MD.  Classical WETA's Deb Lamberton spoke with Mr. Wosner about Beethoven, and particularly about why the slow movement in the Opus 7 E-flat Major sonata is so significant.

Julian Wachner

The Washington Chorus opens its 51st season Friday evening, November 18 at 8:00 PM at the Kennedy Center Concert Hall with the Washington premiere of a major new work by Music Director Julian Wachner.  Titled "Come, My Dark Eyed One," the piece for chorus, orchestra and soloists combines passionate and dramatic music with poetry by Emily Dickinson, Alfred Lord Tennyson, e.e. cummings, and the famed 15th century Turkik poet Ali-Shir Nava'i.  The concert also includes Mozart's Great Mass in C minor.

Classical WETA's Deb Lamberton spoke with Julian Wachner about his new work.