Latest in Classical Music

The Vacant Chair was a Civil War poem written by Henry S. Washburn and set to music by George Root in 1862.  The song mourns the loss of a son during the Battle of Bull Run. The image of ‘the vacant chair’ signifies the empty space Grout’s absence left as the family gathered for Thanksgiving.

1.     Antonin Dvorak, Symphony No. 9, “The New World”, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Sir George Solti

2.     John Barry, Somewhere in Time, Royal Philharmonia, John Barry

Grammy Award-winning conductor Cristian Măcelaru and the WDR Sinfonieorchester will join Interlochen Online this summer as part of the virtual camp offerings.

Multi-instrumentalist Kevin LaRose is also an Interlochen Center for the Arts campus safety officer. 

Every Thursday at 3 a.m. during his rounds,  Kevin makes a video of himself playing a different instrument in a variety of locations on the Interlochen campus. 

Check out Kevin's newest video each week here on the IPR website.

Can you correctly identify (1) what instrument he's playing, and/or (2) where on the Interlochen campus he is?

This Memorial Day weekend, renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma will perform Bach's six cello suites in memory of those lost during the pandemic and in honor of those serving on the front lines of the battle against coronavirus. 

"A Musical Memorial and Tribute: Yo-Yo Ma Plays Bach's Cello Suites Live" will take place live in the studios of WGBH (Boston).

Listen on Classical IPR Sunday starting at 3 p.m. as Ma performs all six of J. S. Bach's cello suites live.

Starting May 23, Saturdays on Classical IPR are going to have a new sound. 

Favorite programs like Music by Request, The Thistle and Shamrock and Afterglow will remain, but several new shows are joining the lineup.

See the new Saturday schedule below.

9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Music by Request

Every spring, as the school year draws to a close, Interlochen Arts Academy students share their work in recitals, concerts and other showcases.

They can't be on campus this year, but the Interlochen Arts Academy Festival will still happen - just from a distance.

Join Classical IPR on Friday, May 22 starting at 8 a.m. as we help celebrate this year's Arts Academy students. Their musical performances from this past academic year will be broadcast throughout the day.

On Thursday, May 21, the nationally syndicated program Performance Today will feature music performed and recorded at Interlochen Center for the Arts.

Listen during the 11 a.m. hour of the program for an excerpt of a recent recital given by Russian Renaissance at Interlochen's Dendrinos Chapel and Recital Hall.

Michael Culler engineered the recording.

On Wednesday, May 20, the nationally syndicated program Performance Today will feature music performed and recorded at Interlochen Center for the Arts.

Tune in during the 10 a.m. hour to hear the Pacifica Quartet in a recent recital from Interlochen's Dendrinos Chapel and Recital Hall. The featured music is Beethoven's Razumovsky Quartet no. 3 (op. 59, no. 3). 

Brett Weisenborn engineered the recording with support from Michael Culler.

Repose has been a listener favorite since the 1980s. Tune in every weeknight at 10 p.m. on Classical IPR. See all of this week's playlists below.

Enjoy great performances from the Great Lakes Region every Monday at 6 p.m. on Classical IPR.

Great Lakes Concerts is a co-production of WRCJ, WKAR and Interlochen Public Radio.

This week's program

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Overture to "The Impresario," K. 486
Lansing Symphony Orchestra
Timothy Muffitt, conductor
(Recorded live at Wharton Center on October 11, 2019)

Today's program featured film music from The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.   Thank you to listeners from Holland, Cadillac, Buckley, Bear Lake, Frankfort, Petoskey, Cheyboygan, Torch River, Lake City, Honor, Old Mission, Manistee, Lexington KY, Oklahoma City, OK, and Baltimore MD. 

1.      Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony No. 9, Multinational Orchestra and Chorus, Leonard Bernstein

2.     Greg McCallum, Hymn Quilt, Greg McCallum

3.     Edward Elgar, Pomp and Circumstance: March in D major, London Philharmonic, Daniel Barenboim

Musicians from the Detroit Symphony Orchestra will work with Interlochen students this summer as part of the Interlochen Online virtual Arts Camp program.

Multi-instrumentalist Kevin LaRose is also an Interlochen Center for the Arts campus safety officer. 

Every Thursday at 3 a.m. during his rounds,  Kevin makes a video of himself playing a different instrument in a variety of locations on the Interlochen campus. 

Check out Kevin's newest video each week here on the IPR website.

Can you correctly identify (1) what instrument he's playing, and/or (2) where on the Interlochen campus he is?

GAMEPLAY is a new show that celebrates the vast worlds of videogame music. Each episode will bring the music, composers and performers to life.  

Join host Keith Brown for a weekly adventure through one of today’s most exciting art forms.

Tune in every Saturday at 1 p.m. starting May 23 for an exploration of everything from new releases and beloved classics to rarely-heard gems.

After a months-long series of competitions at the district, regional, and national levels, a panel of expert judges named five singers as the winners of the 2020 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.

Each winner receives a $20,000 cash prize—up from $15,000, the first increase since 1998—and the prestige and exposure that come with winning the competition that launched the careers of many of opera’s biggest stars.

The 2020 winners, the regions they represent in the competition, and their hometowns are:

Repose has been a listener favorite since the 1980s. Tune in every weeknight at 10 p.m. on Classical IPR.

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

Ludwig van Beethoven: Finale, "Theme with variations" from the Trio No. 4 in B-Flat for Violin, Cello & Piano, Op. 11

Beth Weston, violin
Patrick Owen, cello
Kevin Rhodes, piano
(Recorded January 26, 2020, Corson Auditorium, Interlochen) (The Intimate Beethoven Chamber Concert)
Traverse Symphony Orchestra

Thank you to listeners from Petoskey and Grayling who requested two songs featuring Dame Vera Lynn, a British singer, songwriter and actress who was widely popular during World War II.  At the age of 103, she recently led a rousing rendition of We'll Meet Again outside her home in West Sussex in honor of of the 75th Anniversary of VE Day.   She is quoted in recently saying "I hope today serves as a reminder that no matter how hard things get, we will meet again." 

1.     Aaron Copland, Quiet City, New York Philharmonic, Leonard Berstein