Amanda Sewell

Music Director
  • Amanda Sewell
    Amanda Sewell
    Photo by Daniel Wanschura

Amanda Sewell is a musicologist who holds a Ph.D. in musicology from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. Her research about music has appeared in textbooks, academic journals, and music encyclopedias.  Her first book, a biography of the American composer Wendy Carlos, is forthcoming from Oxford University Press. Amanda frequently contributes program notes for performances of classical music, including performances at Interlochen Center for the Arts.

Ways to Connect

Classical IPR in conversation with Riad Abdel-Gawad

By • Jul 9, 2019

Riad Abdel-Gawad is a composer and violinist. He also attended Interlochen Arts Camp in the early 1980s and was a member of the World Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Interlochen performance on Performance Today: July 10, 2019

By • Jul 9, 2019

On Wednesday, July 10, the nationally syndicated classical music program Performance Today will feature music performed and recorded at Interlochen.

Join Classical IPR at about 11:15 a.m. Wednesday to hear violinist Stefan Jackiw and pianist Conrad Tao perform Witold Lutoslawski's Partita.  This performance took place in the Dendrinos Chapel and Recital Hall .

Michael Culler engineered the recording.

Great Lakes Concerts: July 8, 2019

By • Jul 7, 2019
NOAA Great Lakes CoastWatch

This Monday at 6 p.m., join Classical IPR for Great Lakes Concerts, a program produced by WKAR Public Media at Michigan State in partnership with WRCJ Detroit and Interlochen Public Radio.

This week's program

The Star-Spangled Banner
Lansing Symphony Orchestra/Timothy Muffitt, conductor 
Recorded Oct. 1, 2017 at Wharton Center for Performing Arts, East Lansing

Jonathan Bruce Brown: "Sound in Body, Mind and Spirit"
Jackson Symphony Orchestra/Matthew Aubin, conductor
Recorded Sept. 29, 2018 at Potter Center Music Hall, Jackson 

The Interlochen Collection: Variations on Themes

By • Jul 5, 2019
Interlochen Center for the Arts

On this edition of The Interlochen Collection, it’s variations based on original melodies, variations based on medieval music and variations a composer wrote in tribute to a friend. Listen to the entire episode below.

Saturday afternoon programming changes on Classical IPR

By • Jul 4, 2019

Two new programs are coming to Saturday afternoons on Classical IPR.

Starting Saturday, July 6, listen to Concierto with Frank Dominguez at 1 p.m., followed by What's New with John Clare at 3 p.m. From the Top will remain unchanged at 5 p.m.

Interlochen performance on Performance Today: July 5, 2019

By • Jul 4, 2019

On Friday, July 5, the nationally syndicated classical music program Performance Today will feature music performed and recorded at Interlochen.

Join Classical IPR at about 11:30 a.m. Friday to hear "Paranoid Android" by Radiohead, arranged by Sybarite5.  This performance took place in the Dendrinos Chapel and Recital Hall .

Michael Culler engineered the recording.

Classical IPR in Concert: Interlochen Arts Camp Faculty Chamber Music I

By • Jul 3, 2019

Join Classical IPR this Friday at 8 p.m. for a program of chamber music recently performed by faculty members at Interlochen Arts Camp.

In Studio A with trumpeter Aleksandar Vitanov

By • Jul 3, 2019

Aleksandar Vitanov just finished his junior year at Interlochen Arts Academy, and he is currently attending Interlochen Arts Camp. He is from Kavadarci, Macedonia and studies trumpet with Ken Larson.

Aleksandar visited IPR’s Studio A to perform the Hora Staccato by Grigoras Dinicu. He was joined by collaborative pianist Susan Snyder.

Interlochen performance on Performance Today: July 3, 2019

By • Jul 1, 2019

On Wednesday, July 3, the nationally syndicated classical music program Performance Today will feature music performed and recorded at Interlochen.

Join Classical IPR at about 10:06 a.m. Wednesday to hear music of Antonio Vivaldi performed by violinist Martin Chalifour and guitarist Mak Grgic during a recent recital in the Dendrinos Chapel and Recital Hall.

The recordings were engineered by Duncan LeMay with Michael Culler.

The Interlochen Collection: Music from the United States

By • Jun 30, 2019

On this edition of The Interlochen Collection, we’ll look at American dances, folk songs, hymns, and music for an American president. Listen to the episode below.

Great Lakes Concerts: July 1, 2019

By • Jun 30, 2019

Great Lakes Concerts is a co-production of Interlochen Public Radio, WKAR and WRCJ. Listen every Monday at 6 p.m. on Classical IPR.

This week's playlist

Manuel de Falla: Suite from "The Three-Cornered Hat"
Lansing Symphony Orchestra
Timothy Muffitt, cond
(Recorded in Cobb Great Hall, October 18, 2018)

Francis Poulenc: Sonata for 2 Pianos (1953)
Anthony Patterson, piano
Casey Robards, piano
(Recorded October 11, 2018 - Urban beat, Old Town as part of the Absolute Music Chamber Series)

Classical IPR in Concert: Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Russian Mastery Tour

By • Jun 26, 2019

The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center recently visited Interlochen Center for the Arts during their Russian Mastery tour.

This week, Classical IPR in Concert presents that recent performance, featuring music of Rachmaninoff, Tchaikovsky, Scriabin and Taneyev.

See the entire concert program below. Click the image for a larger view.

Listen Friday at 8 p.m. on Classical IPR or on demand any time below. 

Kids Commute receives international radio award

By • Jun 25, 2019
New York Festivals

Classical IPR's Kids Commute has won a Bronze Award in the Best Children/Young Adult Program category of the New York Festivals Radio Awards 2019. 

The New York Festivals Radio Awards honor radio content from around the world. The awards promote exceptional and innovative content on all continents. 

Great Lakes Concerts: June 24, 2019

By • Jun 23, 2019

Great Lakes Concerts is a co-production of Interlochen Public Radio, WRCJ and WKAR. Listen every Monday at 6 p.m. on Classical IPR for great performances from the Great Lakes Region.

This week's program

George Gershwin: "Summertime and A Woman is a Sometime Thing" from "Porgy and Bess" (arr. Jascha Heifetz)
Ilya Kaler, violin
Genadi Zagor, piano
(Recorded Nov. 16, 2017- Urban beat, Old Town as part of the Absolute Music Chamber Series)

The Interlochen Collection: Fantasias

By • Jun 22, 2019
Interlochen Center for the Arts

On this edition of the Interlochen Collection, it's a program featuring a variety of musical fantasias. Listen to the entire episode below.


In Studio A with pianists Graham Fawson and Erin Yu

By • Jun 19, 2019
Amanda Sewell

Every summer, Interlochen holds Institutes. These are week-long intensive studies that take place the week before camp begins. High school students come from around the world to study music, dance, theater and visual arts.

Two students from Interlochen's Piano Institute visited IPR's Studio A to perform. At Institute, they are studying with Michael Coonrod, Spencer Myer, Jerome Lowenthal and TJ Lymenstull.

Great Lakes Concerts: June 17, 2019

By • Jun 16, 2019

Every week, Great Lakes Concerts presents recent great performances from the Great Lakes region. Listen every Monday at 6 p.m. on Classical IPR.

This week's program

Giacomo Puccini: Aria, "O mio babbino caro" ("O dearest daddy") from "Gianni Schicchi"
Emily Douglass, soprano
Jackson Symphony Orchestra
Matthew Aubin, conductor
(Recorded at Potter Center, November 11, 2017)                                                                                                   

The Interlochen Collection: The Titan

By • Jun 13, 2019
Interlochen Center for the Arts

This week on the Interlochen Collection, it’s a “titan” of an episode. We devote the entire hour to a performance of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony no. 1, the Titan, from 1987. Listen to the episode below.

 


Great Lakes Concerts: June 10, 2019

By • Jun 9, 2019

Great Lakes Concerts is a co-production of Classical IPR, WKAR and WRCJ. Listen every Monday at 6 p.m. on Classical IPR.

This week's program

Aaron Copland: Concerto for Clarinet & Strings, with Harp & Piano (1948)
Jeanmarie Riccobono, clarinet
Traverse Symphony Orchestra
Kevin Rhodes, conductor
(Recorded Oct. 14, 2018, Corson Auditorium, Interlochen)

The Interlochen Collection: At the Ballet

By • Jun 7, 2019
Interlochen Center for the Arts

On this edition of The Interlochen Collection, it’s a trip to the ballet. We’ll hear Russian, French and American ballet excerpts and suites. Listen to the entire episode below.

 

 


Classical IPR in conversation with Yolanda Kondonassis and Ward Stare

By • Jun 6, 2019

Yolanda Kondonassis is one of the leading harpists in the world today. Ward Stare is the music director of the Rochester (NY) Philharmonic Orchestra.

Kondonassis and Stare recently collaborated on the world premiere performance and recording of a new harp concerto by Pulitzer Prize- and Grammy Award-winning composer Jennifer Higdon. 

Interlochen performance on Performance Today: June 5, 2019

By • Jun 3, 2019

On Wednesday, June 5, the nationally syndicated classical music program Performance Today will feature music performed and recorded at Interlochen.

Great Lakes Concerts: June 3, 2019

By • Jun 2, 2019

Interlochen Public Radio presents Great Lakes Concerts in partnership with WKAR and WRCJ. Listen every Monday at 6 p.m. on Classical IPR for great performances from the Great Lakes region.

This week's program

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 4 in G
Kisma Jordan, soprano
Jackson Sym Orch
Matthew Aubin, conductor
(recorded Sept. 29, 2018, Potter Center Music Hall)

Thomas Tallis: Canon, "God Grant with Grace"
Voces8
(Recorded November 3, 2018 at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Ann Arbor as part of the Academy of Early Music concert series) 

The Interlochen Collection: Brad Warnaar

By • May 31, 2019

On this edition of The Interlochen Collection, we take a look at the career of hornist, composer and orchestrator Brad Warnaar. His playing and orchestrations have appeared in hundreds of films.

We'll hear his performance from 1967 when he won the Interlochen Arts Academy student concerto competition. We'll also hear his daughter Clara's performance from when she won the Interlochen Arts Academy student concerto competition in 2008.

Listen to the entire episode below.


Classical open mic event with IPR and Horizon Books: June 23, 2019

By • May 30, 2019

Classical IPR and Horizon Books are co-hosting another classical music open mic event! Join us Sunday, June 23 at 2 p.m. on the River Level (downstairs) of the Traverse City Horizon Books location.

Classical IPR’s Amanda Sewell will emcee the event, and other IPR staff will be on hand, too. It’s a great opportunity to hear some classical music performed by your friends and neighbors in a relaxed atmosphere.

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