Classical Conversations

Through the album Take Me To The Water, harpist Ashley Jackson fuses traditional classical music with the rich heritage of Black spirituality. She celebrates, in this Classical Conversation with Mary Claire Murphy, music's ability to connect cultures. Watch Ashley in performance here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSdECFLQ2fc

Lima Symphony Music Director Andrew Crust talks about the last LSO concert of the season, "Gershwin and The American Sound."

Ballet Theatre of Toledo presents "Alice in Wonderland." Artistic Director Nigel Burgoine and composer David Jex preview the timeless story which comes to life this weekend on The Valentine Theatre stage.

Cellist Peter Gregson showcases his signature cello and synthesizer sound in his self-titled portrait album of nine modern songs without words. Learn more in this Classical Conversation, hosted by Mary Claire Murphy.

Composer and scholar Lei Liang speaks with Mary Claire Murphy on his album Dui, which he describes as “the ultimate tribute to the past and present bonds that have shaped [his] life.”

Supertrain Records has released Erich Wolfgang Korngold's Symphony in F# in an archival piano recording by the composer himself and in a 1997 live concert performance by the Italian Swiss Radio Orchestra and Conductor John Mauceri. Maestro Mauceri and Leslie Korngold, the composer's grandson, join Mary Claire Murphy for the backstory in this Classical Conversation.

Baritone Theo Hoffman implements a “pop bel canto” approach to his program of songs by Schubert and The Beatles, underscoring core similarities between the two in this Classical Conversation with Mary Claire Murphy.

Violinist María Dueñas explores capricious works by Nicolo Paganini and his successors, including Fritz Kreisler, Henryk Wieniawski, Jordi Cervello, and others. She surveys the album here in this Classical Conversation with Mary Claire Murphy.

In this Classical Conversation, Mary Claire Murphy asks composer Cliff Eidelman about the behind-the-scenes of his creative process for film scoring. Mr. Eidelman also comments on his concert discography, including a recent reinterpretation of his symphonic poem The Tempest.

WGTE's Mary Claire Murphy and Logan Cooney sit down with Rick Steves as he visits Toledo, Ohio on his "A Symphonic Journey" tour.

Dr. Chaerin Kim returns to FM 91 to talk about the European premiere of her signature work as a composer, Rendezvous, which she conducts in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=31DEEYbgvdw. Dr. Kim shares her passion for music and answers questions about her musical philosophy and background. https://www.chaerinkim.com/blog/

The emerging Fourth Wall Ensemble, founded in 2023, has made a splash in its first year with a double album release, including Awake, with music by Samuel Siskind; and Ad Manus, with vocal selections by Caroline Shaw, Dietrich Buxtehude, Jeff Beal, Eric Whitacre, Morten Lauridsen, and Reena Esmail. Christopher Allen, the ensemble's artistic and creative director, speaks with Mary Claire Murphy and highlights some of Fourth Wall Ensemble's recent live performances, especially their appearance on the Death of Classical series that's held in crypts and cemeteries in New York City.

Percussion guru Rob Desmond and Development guru (and percussionist) Dave Gierke talk with WGTE's Mary Claire Murphy and Brad Cresswell about the Steel Pan Band at Toledo School for the Arts, and the November 5th concert by "Paganini of the Steel Pan" Liam Teague.

Violinist Ray Chen collaborated with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Cristian Macelaru to release Player 1, an album replete with nostalgia for fans of video game, television, and film music. His conversation with Mary Claire Murphy is an invitation to reminisce and delight in cinematic orchestral arrangements as Ray performs on the ‘Dolphin' Stradivarius.

In this conversation with WGTE's Mary Claire Murphy, Stathis Karapanos speaks on the often-misunderstood musical language of Paul Hindemith and introduces his album of complete Hindemith flute works.

Lima Symphony Orchestra Music Director Andrew Crust joins us for a chat about the LSO's new season and their October 19th season opener. Explore the Lima Symphony Season: https://www.limasymphony.com/2024-2025-season

Organist Gail Archer discusses her research on equity in the workplace for women organists and introduces us to the variety of programs scheduled for her fall 2024 performance season.

Soprano Karen Slack and pianist Michelle Cann have collaborated with ONEcomposer to present the album Beyond the Years, featuring 19 unpublished art songs by Florence Price. Learn more in this Classical Conversation with Mary Claire Murphy.

Conductor Gil Rose founded the Boston Modern Orchestra Project (BMOP) over 100 albums ago; he joins us for a conversation about the orchestra and their two recent albums, John Alden Carpenter: Complete Ballets, and Paul Dooley: Masks & Machines. Please note: The first part of our chat was lost due to technical concerns; Gill starts off by telling us about BMOP (also, the music excerpts have been truncated for the online posting due to copyright concerns). Hear "Point Blank" at Paul Dooley's website: https://www.pauldooley.net/works/pointblankband Photo Credit: Kevin Condon

Trumpet virtuoso Mary Elizabeth Bowden furthers her mission to build the contemporary trumpet repertoire with an album of story-telling concertos, and she gives voices to some of those stories in this conversation with Mary Claire Murphy.

With the polarizing political season in full swing, it's important to remember that despite our differences, we're still neighbors and should treat each other as such. Enter Neighbor2Neighbor, a 2024 election year peace initiative, which has taken off in our community. In this radio roundtable, we're joined by four guests: Rev. Gayle Catinella (Rector of St. Michael's in the Hills Episcopal Church), Carol Nichols (who came up with the concept), Dave Caramel (neighbor of Carol's but on the opposite end of the political spectrum), and Brent Cousino (project advisor and community partner). https://www.neighbor2neighbortoledo.com/

Composer Robert Kyr provides an immersive experience of nature through several environmentally themed oratorios and choral dramas, including A Time for Life and Earth Vigil. He speaks with Mary Claire Murphy on his concepts and collaboration with the acclaimed ensemble Conspirare and their artistic director, Craig Hella Johnson. As a supplement to the conversation, see below for nature photography by Robert Kyr (captioned: Illuminated Cloud Beyond Mesas, Bright Mesa Rising from Stillness (High Noon), Bright Mesa Rising from Stillness (Twilight), Mesa with Three Trees, Bright Mesa Face, Illuminated Cathedral Mesa, Premiere of Earth Vigil, Mesa Descending into Twilight, The Tree of Life.

Octavist Glenn Miller speaks to Mary Claire Murphy on Sergei Rachmaninoff's All-Night Vigil, as arranged for men's choir and recorded in Jerusalem by the PaTRAM Institute Male Choir.

Composer Scott Wollschleger talks about his new album from New Focus Recordings called Between Breath. The album contains four works for different duo and solo combinations that are presented here as a multi-movement complete work. Wollschleger's music balances exuberance and intimacy with characteristic sensitivity to timbre and structural proportions.

Celebrate the centennial of the “Rhapsody in Blue” with the album Norman Krieger Plays Gershwin. Norman joins Mary Claire Murphy on Classical Conversations for more details on the Rhapsody, Gershwin's preludes, and his Piano Concerto in F.

In this Classical Conversation with Mary Claire Murphy, pianist/composer Chad Lawson speaks on his meditative approach to music composition and invites us into his album of piano solo music, “Where We Are.”

Violinist Elizabeth Chang speaks to Mary Claire Murphy about her unique album Sonatas and Myths, featuring seminal works by early 20th century composers Bela Bartok, Karol Szymanowski, and Ernst von Dohnanyi.

In her poetic Six Pieces for Solo Violin, composer Sophia Jani unfolds a series of targeted techniques to celebrate the solo violin and its place as a sweetheart of music history and modern times. In collaboration with violinist Teresa Allgaier, she foreshadows the set with an introductory prelude and then proceeds with great intentionality through a variety of musical characters; she shares the details with Mary Claire Murphy.

Through their album, Project Earth: The Blue Chapter, the Iris Trio takes a multi-disciplinary approach to celebrate the environment and the beauty of biodiversity. Anna Petrova, pianist of the Iris Trio, speaks with Mary Claire Murphy on the nuances within the poetry and accompanying compositions, crafted by Don McKay and Florian Hoefner, respectively.

We're joined by two members of the cast and two of the creatives behind Toledo Opera's production of Ragtime. Soprano Raquel Suarez Groen (Mother) and baritone Derrick Davis (Coalhouse Walker, Jr.) sing their big showpieces in the WGTE studios (with pianist Kevin Bylsma). Also, we hear from director James Norman, and the conductor of Ragtime, J. Ernest Green.

Grammy Award-winning organist Paul Jacobs is helping the King of Instruments retake its rightful place in classical music. The acclaimed musician joins Mary Claire Murphy and Brad Cresswell for a conversation about his return appearance at the Peristyle with the Toledo Symphony.

Dr. Chaerin Kim joins us to talk about her substantial career as a multi-instrumentalist, composer, conductor and professor, and gives advice for young musicians hoping to find success in the many competitions she has judged. We also hear her piano version of "Rendezvous" - a piece by Dr. Kim which has 100 versions (including many different languages).

In her sophomore album, "I Long and Seek After," violist and composer Jessica Meyer contemplates the question, "Am I doing all that I am supposed to be doing?" Themes of love, heartbreak, and self-discovery pervade the texts, which she set as intimate art songs. And on this, her 50th birthday year, she shares with Mary Claire Murphy her reflections on how to embrace the passage of time to age with utmost grace.

Ballet Theater of Toledo's Artistic Director Nigel Burgoine and composer David Jex talk about their collaboration "The Great Pancake Escape" - which features BTT dancers, magician Andrew Martin and narrator Tony Geftos reading from the book by Toledo-area author Paul Many. https://ballettheatreoftoledo.org/performances/

Composers Jamie Leigh Sampson and Andrew Martin Smith stop by the studio to talk about their composer collective ADJ•ective New Music and their project with the Toledo Symphony celebrating the full solar eclipse. Several of the composers represented by the group have composed a new suite of Planets, to be performed alongside Gustav Holst's famous Planets suite.

Pianist and composer Marina Arsenijevic (arson-nee-vitch) offers a Valentine tribute to Frédéric Chopin with her album Chopin Obsession, and she speaks with Mary Claire Murphy on how, as someone who has lived through the turmoil of war, she deeply resonates with the music. Through Chopin Obsession, she gives us a window into the nuanced emotions of Chopin's waltzes, his Ballade No. 1, and more.

Violinist Curtis Stewart, conductor James Blachly, and the Experiential Orchestra invite us into a musical dialogue with Julia Perry and Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson. Both Curtis and James join Mary Claire Murphy in a discussion of the works on this new album, American Counterpoints, and they introduce us to Curtis' own composition "We Who Seek."

Composer Peter Boyer speaks with Mary Claire Murphy on his celebratory "Rhapsody in Red, White, and Blue," commissioned by pianist Jeffrey Biegel for the centennial of George Gershwin's iconic "Rhapsody in Blue." He and Jeffrey are pursuing an ambitious "Rhapsody National Initiative" to perform the work in each of the 50 US states, and they're already on track for performances with more than 50 orchestras throughout the nation. They've also taken the rhapsody onto the international stage with a new recording by the London Symphony Orchestra.

American born, Scotland based conductor Kellen Gray chats about the second album in his African American Voices series from Linn Records. Re-teaming with the Scottish National Orchestra, Kellen leads the first commercial recordings of landmark works by Margaret Bonds, Ulysses Kay, and Coleridge Taylor Perkinson.

American born, Scotland based conductor Kellen Gray chats about the second album in his African American Voices series from Linn Records. Re-teaming with the Scottish National Orchestra, Kellen leads the first commercial recordings of landmark works by Margaret Bonds, Ulysses Kay, and Coleridge Taylor Perkinson.

In his latest album, William Susman performs selections from his monumental piano series, Quiet Rhythms. The acclaimed pianist/composer speaks with Mary Claire Murphy about the recording, which was captured live at the music venue Spectrum in New York City.

In his latest album, William Susman performs selections from his monumental piano series, Quiet Rhythms. The acclaimed pianist/composer speaks with Mary Claire Murphy about the recording, which was captured live at the music venue Spectrum in New York City.

Toledo Ballet's Artistic Director Eric Otto and Wardrobe Supervisor Heather Pooley talk about the 83rd annual Nutcracker happening December 9th and 10th at the Stranahan Theatre. We hear what's new for this year with costumes, choreography, and music, and we even include a little throwback to Toledo SymphonyLAB with a Nutcracker Quiz (minus the special sound effects).

Superstar Classical Guitarist Miloš Karadaglić talks about his new album Baroque, and how the music on the album is intimately intertwined with his musical and personal philosophy.

Superstar Classical Guitarist Miloš Karadaglić talks about his new album Baroque, and how the music on the album is intimately intertwined with his musical and personal philosophy.

Nigel Burgoine and David Jex discuss their new ballet (scenario by Nigel, music by David) which receives its world premiere from Ballet Theatre of Toledo on November 10th and 11th at the Valentine Theatre. Inspired by artworks in the Toledo Museum of Art, the ballet follows the adventures of a young girl as follows: It's the holiday season and Florence and her mother are visiting the museum. Florence discovers a gift bag on a bench with a statue of Degas' "Little Dancer Aged Fourteen.” She tries to find the owner when suddenly something magical happens; the statue comes to life and dances for her! The Degas Dancer takes Florence on a fantasy journey throughout the museum as she is entertained by masterpieces from around the world. One by one the sculptures and paintings fade away and Florence finds herself alone, holding the Degas statue. A little girl appears and is searching for the treasured gift she lost. Florence kindly returns the statue, and she begins dreaming of her next adventure in the museum!

In this Zoom conversation with WGTE's Mary Claire Murphy, Grammy®-nominated flutist Brandon Patrick George talks about his new album TWOFOLD from In a Circle Records. A pairing of canonical works for solo flute with new compositions, TWOFOLD represents a fascinating dialogue between composers of the past and composers of the present.

In this Zoom conversation with WGTE's Mary Claire Murphy, Grammy®-nominated flutist Brandon Patrick George talks about his new album TWOFOLD from In a Circle Records. A pairing of canonical works for solo flute with new compositions, TWOFOLD represents a fascinating dialogue between composers of the past and composers of the present.

Plínio Fernandes explores the enduring genius of J.S. Bach in his latest album from Orchid Classics, Bacheando. The Brazilian guitarist joins WGTE's Mary Claire Murphy for a conversation about the recording, which not only contains some Bach favorites, but Brazilian works that are directly influenced by J.S. Bach.

Plínio Fernandes explores the enduring genius of J.S. Bach in his latest album from Orchid Classics, Bacheando. The Brazilian guitarist joins WGTE's Mary Claire Murphy for a conversation about the recording, which not only contains some Bach favorites, but Brazilian works that are directly influenced by J.S. Bach.

Classical violinist Rachel Barton Pine has a secret. Well, not really a secret, especially after her recently-recorded collaboration with heavy metal and hardcore punk composer Earl Maneein. Together, they chat about their album Dependent Arising, which brilliantly pairs the classical/heavy metal violin concerto by Maneein with Dmitri Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No. 1.