Studio A

Pianist Kara Huber and violinist Ara Sarkissian are taking their duo recital on a tour around northern Michigan this month. The K/Ara Duo visited IPR's Studio A to perform the Nocturne by Lili Boulanger and discuss the mutual admiration that brought them together as musical collaborators.

Ty Chiko is a baritone, a baker, a visual artist and a social justice advocate. Originally from the Bahamas, he joined Interlochen's faculty last fall as the director of vocal music. Chiko visited IPR's Studio A to perform music of Gustav Mahler and Betty Jackson King.

Interlochen Arts Academy piano students Olivia Sexton, Kieran Alston and Oliver Wang took the stage in IPR's Studio A, previewing their upcoming tour performance. Music performed in Studio A Missy Mazzoli: "A Map of Laughter" performed by Olivia Sexton from Frankfort, IL Sam Post: "O'Carolan's Dream" performed by Kieran Alston from Makawao, HI George Gershwin: Prelude no. 1 performed by Oliver Wang from Meadville, PA

This weekend, Interlochen collaborative pianist Hyemin Kim presents the first recital in a yearlong series at the Music House Museum. It's called "Women's Life and Love," and Kim will perform with soprano Yeseul Choi. Kim and Choi visited IPR's Studio A to give a musical preview of this weekend's recital. They performed two songs from Robert Schumann's cycle "Women's Life and Love," or "Frauenliebe und Leben." The series is called "Classical Voyage: Intimate Musical Storytelling at the Museum" and will include at least three more recitals in 2024.

Interlochen Arts Academy students have a unique challenge ahead of them. During the 2025-26 Academy year, they will learn one of the most challenging pieces in the orchestral repertoire: the Symphony no. 4 by Charles Ives. Scholar Jan Swafford visited Interlochen to give the Academy students and faculty an introduction to composer Charles Ives. Regarded as one of the most important of American composers, Ives has been called everything from "iconoclast" to "maverick" with his unique approach to music composition. Ives' music often features complex orchestrations, references to American transcendentalism and a strong sense of the composer's spirituality. The music of Charles Ives is also characterized by his frequent use of musical borrowing, with melodies of hymns, patriotic songs, band music and popular tunes woven into each piece. Pieces by Charles Ives excerpted in this presentation Holiday Quickstep Psalm 67 Symphony no. 1 Symphony no. 1 Decoration Day Symphony no. 4 Ragtime Dance Fourth of July

Trio Voci visited Studio A to perform music of Beethoven and Shostakovich. The three members of the trio are currently students at Interlochen Arts Academy. Music performed in Studio A Ludwig van Beethoven, Piano Trio "Ghost": I. Allegro vivace e con brio Dmitri Shostakovich, Piano Trio no. 2: IV. Allegretto - Adagio Trio Voci members Jad Ibrahim, violin, Latakia, Syria Caleb Ryu, cello, Manlius, N.Y. Hailey Culp, piano, Cumming, Ga.

Viridian Strings members Kyle Stachnik, Karisa Chiu and Joseph Skerik discuss their upcoming concert, “Interwoven Voices,” featuring Beethoven and new chamber music highlights in Traverse City.

Detroit Opera Resident Artists Brianna J. Robinson, Kendra Faith Beasley, Cole Bellamy and Cameron J. Rolling visited IPR's Studio A with Nathalie Doucet, Resident Artist Program Director. Music performed in Studio A Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, "Se vuol ballare" from The Marriage of Figaro (Cole Bellamy, baritone) Giacomo Puccini, "Donde lieta" from La bohème (Brianna J. Robinson) Giuseppe Verdi, “Il lacerato spirito” from Simon Boccanegra (Cameron J. Rolling, baritone) Francesco Cilèa, “Acerba voluttà … O vagabonda stella” from Adriana Lecouvreur (Kendra Faith Beasley, mezzo-soprano) Resident Artist Program Director Nathalie Doucet was the collaborative pianist.

Violinists Ilmar Gavilán and Melissa White, violist Jaime Amador and cellist Felix Umansky visited IPR's Studio A to perform and talk about their current projects. Music performed in Studio A Fanny Mendelssohn, String Quartet in E-flat major: III. Romanze Guido López-Gavilán, Cuarteto en Guaguancó The Harlem Quartet is in northern Michigan to work with Interlochen Arts Academy students and perform at City Opera House in Traverse City.

Meet the MJ Brass quintet - all five musicians are Interlochen Arts Academy students, and they called themselves "MJ" because all five of their first names start with one of those two letters. Musicians Mauricio García de Jesús, trumpet, San Felipe Otlaltepec, Mexico Madi Turrentine, trumpet, Groveton, Texas Jaksen Vargas, horn, Cedar Park, Texas Juan Beltran, trombone, Spring, Texas June Eickholt, tuba, Colleyville, Texas The MJ Quintet performed the first movement of the Brass Quintet no. 3 in D-flat major by Victor Ewald.

Trio Azura performs in IPR's Studio A while on their Gold Medal tour after winning this year's Fischoff National Chamber Competition. Their members are Duncan McDougall, violin, Yejin Hong, cello, and Yanfeng (Tony) Bai, piano.

New Interlochen faculty member Christopher Goodpasture on his love for the L.A. Lakers, why young musicians should play more chamber music and the "extraterrestrial" nature of Scriabin.

Interlochen faculty pianist Hyemin Kim is presenting a recital of music by composers from the 18th century to the present day. The composers represented on her program include Franz Joseph Haydn, Robert Schumann, Claude Debussy, R. Nathaniel Dett and John Corigliano. She recently visited IPR's Studio A to give a preview of some of the music she'll be presenting Friday night in Manistee.

Double bassist Paul Erhard and pianist Alejandro Cremaschi are presenting a unique recital of tango-inspired music in northern Michigan this week. All of the music on their recital was composed by Luis Jorge González (1936-2016), an Argentine-born American composer who was a friend and colleague of Erhard's and Cremaschi's for many years. All three served on the music faculty of the University of Colorado, Boulder. Erhard and Cremaschi visited IPR's Studio A to give a preview of some of the music they'll be presenting on this week's recitals and to discuss González's musical and personal legacy. Music performed in Studio A Luis Jorge González, Wanderer's Songs Luis Jorge González, Chacona Tangante (theme and variations 1-3)

Founders Joe Skerik and Kyle Stachnik have assembled a quintet version of Viridian Strings for a late summer concert tour of northern Michigan. Music performed in Studio A Ralph Vaughan Williams, Phantasy Quintet (mvts. 3 & 4) Musicians heard in Studio A Cherry Yeung, violin Matthew Hakkarainen, violin Brian Isaacs, viola Joe Skerik, viola Kyle Stachnik, cello

The Argentine chamber tango ensemble "QuinTango" performed in Classical IPR's Studio A ahead of their 6-concert tour around northern Michigan. They performed an arrangement by bassist Ali Cook of Leonard Cohen's "Dance me to the end of love" as well as "Luna roja," an original composition by bandoneonist Emmanuel Trifolio. QuinTango's members are: Regino Madrid (violin), Joan Singer (founder/violin), Ali Cook (bass), Agustin Muriago (piano) and Emmanuel Trifilio (bandoneon). They are joined this weekend by QuinTango's dance master, Victor Rua Espada of Buenos Aires.

The 2024 Advanced String Quartets from Interlochen Arts Camp visited Studio A to record Felix Mendelssohn's String Quartet no. 4 in E minor. Movement 1 Tarquin Bennion, violin, Sidney, MT Alex Workman, violin, Greenville, NC Steven Zhang, viola, Mesa, AZ Charlie Pabst, cello, Tempe, AZ Movement 2 Guillem Baviera Fuste, violin, Torrent, Spain Hannah Schewiger, violin, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Dana Wang, viola, New York, NY Aiden Ko, cello, Seongnam-si, South Korea Movement 3 Momica Lu, violin, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada Anthony Kim, violin, San Diego, CA Natalie Coleman, viola, Liberty, MO Juliet Diaz Onderwyzer, cello, West Nyack, NY Movement 4 Jonathan Milgram, violin, San José, Costa Rica Kaylee Nah, violin, Portland, OR Cristian Yohannes, viola, Frisco, TX Evelyn Yang, cello, London, England

JoAnn Falletta leads Interlochen's World Youth Symphony Orchestra in their final concert of the 2024 season and the 97th annual performance of “Les Préludes.” Classical IPR presents the live broadcast this Sunday, August 4 at 7:30 PM ET.

Three high school student students from Interlochen Arts Camp recently visited Studio A to perform music by Giuseppe Verdi, Claude Debussy and Stefano Donaudy. "Il lacerato spirito" from "Simon Boccanegra" by Giuseppi Verdi David Gigauri, bass-baritone; Tbilisi, Georgia Hao Zhang, piano "Nuit d'etoiles" by Claude Debussy Valentina Gomez, soprano; Miami, FL Xiaoping Wang, piano "Vaghissima sembianza" by Stefano Donaudy Modestina Call, soprano; Oxford, MI Amelia Arguelles, piano

Two high school student brass quintets from Interlochen Arts Camp recently visited Studio A to perform music by Alexander Arutiunian, Eric Ewazen and Samuel Scheidt. The Fire Five Eric Ewazen, Frost Fire (first movement) Ben Mitchell, trumpet, Charlotte, NC Gabe Luza, trumpet, Charlotte, NC Connor Powers, horn, Houson, TX Will Cranston, trombone, Houston, TX Barrett Hoover, tuba, Wann, OK The Maple Brass Quintet Samuel Scheidt, Canzona Bergamasca Alexander Arutiunian, Armenian Scenes (third movement) Taylor Hopps, trumpet, Olympia, WA Jakob Burnham, trumpet, Brighton, MI Ben Shugart, horn, Grand Prairie, Texas Demitri Resto, tenor trombone, Trumbull, CT Caden Wolfe, bass trombone, Tampa, FL

"Condense Eternity" by composer Alex Berko is inspired by iconic Michigan and New York bridges. The piece gets its Interlochen premiere this weekend with the World Youth Symphony Orchestra and conductor Rebecca Tong.

Conductor Rebecca Tong conducts Interlochen's World Youth Symphony Orchestra this weekend in a program highlighting the "Enigma Variations" by Edward Elgar and new music by Alex Berko.

Two high school student wind quintets from Interlochen Arts Camp visited IPR's Studio A to perform music by Carl Nielsen and Maurice Ravel. Apollo V Mariana Perez-Alvarez, flute, Katy, Texas Kate Roberts, oboe, Wylie, Texas Tom Wang, clarinet, Sammamish, Wash. Paul Wittmer, bassoon, Buffalo, N.Y. Ben Shugart, horn, Grand Prairie, Texas Coach: Sharon Sparrow Carl Nielsen, Quintet: I. Allegro ben moderato Couperin Quintet Marko Sretenovic, flute, Belgrade, Serbia Leo Egen, oboe, Kalamazoo, Mich. Chris Cui, clarinet, Apex, N.C. Damian Carrasco, bassoon, Cedar Park, Texas Connor Powers, horn, Houston, Texas Coach: Robert Walker Maurice Ravel, Le Tombeau de Couperin: I. Prelude (arr. Mason Jones)

Jader Bignamini has conducted the Detroit Symphony Orchestra (DSO) since their 2020-2021 season. He and DSO musicians are at Interlochen this weekend for two concerts, including a side-by-side concert with the World Youth Symphony Orchestra. Saturday's program opens with "Don Juan" by Richard Strauss and includes Ludwig van Beeethoven's "Eroica" Symphony. Sunday's program features Dvorak's "New World" Symphony and the overture to "Nabucco" by Giuseppe Verdi.

The members of the Beaver Combo are high school jazz students studying at Interlochen Arts Camp this summer. Sam Crespino, Josiah Dean-Ware, Connor Dively, Emi Greenfield, Aiden Ledbetter and Armin Schulz-Baldes visited IPR's Studio A to perform the Errol Garner jazz standard "Misty."

This Sunday, Cristian Macelaru leads the World Youth Symphony Orchestra (WYSO) in their second concert of its 2024 season at Interlochen Center for the Arts. Joining Macelaru is violin sensation Ray Chen performing Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto.

Composer Bobby Ge talks with Interlochen Public Radio about "Sighting the Swallow," a piece that gets its Interlochen premiere with the World Youth Symphony Orchestra this weekend. Co-commissioned by Interlochen Center for the Arts and the New York Youth Symphony, "Sighting the Swallow" had its world premiere at Carnegie Hall in March 2023.

Anna Snecinski and Santiago Ramirez are high school pianists at Interlochen Arts Camp who recently visited IPR's Studio A. Anna Snecinski is 16 years old. She is from Tampa, FL. Anna performed the Intermezzo in A major (op. 118, no. 2) by Johannes Brahms. Santiago Ramirez is 16 years old. He is from Medellín, Colombia. Santiago performed an original composition entitled "Pasillo no. 1." A pasillo is a traditional Colombian dance with a distinctive rhythm in 3/4 time.

This Sunday, Cristian Macelaru leads the World Youth Symphony Orchestra (WYSO) in their second concert of its 2024 season at Interlochen Center for the Arts. Joining Macelaru is violin sensation Ray Chen performing Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto.

Kotoha Inoue and Olivia Sexton have each just finished their first week at this summer's Interlochen Arts Camp (2024). They visited IPR's Studio A to perform and talk about their experiences at camp so far. Kotoha Inoue is 15 years old. She performed the "June: Barcarolle" movement from Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's "The Seasons." Olivia Sexton is 17 years old. She performed the Prelude and Allemande movements from Johann Sebastian Bach's Partita no. 1 in B-flat major. Michael Culler engineered this recording session with support from Carolyn Dzul.

This Sunday, Lazarova launches the World Youth Symphony Orchestra (WYSO) into their first concert at Interlochen Center for the Arts with a program that includes Johannes Brahms's "Academic Festival Overture," Benjamin Britten's "The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra" and "Abstractions" by Anna Clyne.

Edgar Donati, Martin Noh, Daniel Spink and Blake Kitayama of the Kodak Quartet are in residence as part of IPR's Sound Garden Project.

Darren Liou, Matthew Rasmussen, Alex Lee, Thacher Schreiber and Kristine Llanderal of Fivemind Reeds are in residence in Glen Arbor, part of IPR's Sound Garden Project.

Sarah Huebsch Schilling and Kelsey Schilling are spouses, early musicians and faculty members at the annual Renaissance Music Retreat from Interlochen's College of Creative Arts. The Schillings visited Studio A with pairs of recorders and crumhorns to demonstrate some of the music they're teaching and performing this week.

They're back! Cuna Kim, Kyle Stachnik, Oliver Leitner and Joseph Skerik of Viridian Strings brought music of Dvorak to IPR's Studio A ahead of a pair of performances in northern Michigan this weekend.

Two TCAPS seniors visited IPR's Studio A ahead of the 2024 Traverse City Music Boosters Benefit Concert. Oboist Amelia Lawens is a senior at Traverse City West. She performed Robert Schumann's Romance, Op. 94 no 1 Bassoonist Jack Dwyer is a senior at Traverse City Central. He performed Eugene Bordeau's "Premier Solo." Their collaborative pianist was David Husser. They and other TCAPS students will be featured in a benefit concert on Thursday, May 23. All donations support the Traverse City Music Boosters' student scholarships and music classroom mini-grants.

Violinist Tina Chang Qu, cellist Patrick Owen and pianist TJ Lymenstull take the stage of the Alluvion in Traverse City Friday night. They'll perform the Piano Trio no. 1 by Felix Mendelssohn and Café Music by Paul Schoenfield (also spelled Schoenfeld). The trio gave a preview of Friday's recital, performing the second movement of Café Music. Michael Culler engineered the music recording.

The annual Rosalyn Tureck Memorial Concert features Interlochen Arts Academy students performing Bach's music in honor of the late scholar and pianist. This recital takes place because Interlochen is home to the Rosalyn Tureck Bach Research Institute. Tureck was an important scholar of Bach's music in the 20th century, and everyone from Glenn Gould to William F. Buckley to Sharon Isbin sought her opinions. In 2022, Interlochen became the home of the Tureck Bach Research Institute, which includes Rosalyn Tureck's essays, books, writings and recordings. Another part of the Tureck Bach Research Institute is this annual recital in her honor featuring the music of Bach. IPR met two of the pianists who will be playing Bach's music on this recital and got a preview in Studio A. Kené Obiaya is a senior from Chicago, IL. He performed the Prelude and Fugue in D major Book 1 of Bach's Well-Tempered Clavier. Viviane Kim is a senior from Port Jefferson, NY. She performed Bach's Partita in C Minor (BWV 826). Kim is also this year's recipient of the Rosalyn Tureck scholarship, which is awarded to a female Interlochen Arts Academy piano student.

Frank Slaughter recently spoke with Classical IPR about the history of "Repose," the show that he been hosting for Interlochen Public Radio since 1987. In the earliest days of the program, he broadcast a lot of music by George Winston and the Paul Winter Consort. With the success of musicians like Yanni in the early 1990s, Slaughter changed the focus of the program's music to more new age instrumental sounds. In this conversation with IPR's music director Amanda Sewell, Slaughter explains why he chose Danny Wright's cover of "Softly as I Leave You" for the "Repose" theme music, and why he signs off each program by asking his wife Maurine to "turn on the side light."

Soprano Amber Cierra Merritt will portray sculptor Edmonia Lewis in the world premiere of opera "Edmonia" by composer Bill Banfield. Lewis was the first sculptor of African American and Native American ancestry to achieve international recognition. Banfield's opera "Edmonia" celebrates Lewis's life, and it's getting its premiere at Interlochen in May. The production will feature student musicians from Interlochen Arts Academy in many of the roles, but the title character will be portrayed by soprano Amber Cierra Merritt. Merritt recently visited IPR's Studio A when she was on campus for "Edmonia" rehearsals. With collaborative pianist Susan Snyder, she performed the aria "Dreams" from Banfield's "Edmonia," as well as the art song "Why Fades a Dream" by Irene Britton Smith (text of Paul Laurence Dunbar). Merritt spoke with IPR about bringing a figure like Edmonia Lewis to life and how her relationship with composer Banfield has helped both of them shape the music and the character. She also talked about her newest role - that of being a mom.

Pianist and From the Top host Peter Dugan visited IPR's Studio A to discuss being a musical omnivore and how he works with young musicians for the show. Music performed in Studio A Frederic Chopin, Nocturne op. 27, no. 2 John Lennon & Paul McCartney, "Yesterday" (arr. Peter Dugan) Alberto Ginastera, Danza del gaucho matrero

Violinist and Interlochen Arts Academy violin instructor Tina Qu visited IPR's Studio A to perform a movement from a Bach Partita. Qu will be featured with the Traverse Symphony Orchestra in their Bach Brandenburg Concertos concert on March 17, 2024.

Members of the Sandy Bottom Boys bluegrass ensemble visited Studio A to perform music from "Whither Thou Goest? The Story of Ruth" alongside Artistic Director of Northwest Michigan Ballet Theatre and choreographer Tom Morrell. Set in 1930s Appalachia and featuring live bluegrass musicians, the Northwest Michigan Ballet Theatre presents "Whither Thou Goest? The Story of Ruth" at the Milliken Auditorium at the Dennos Museum Center in Traverse City, MI the weekend of March 9-10, 2024. Music performed in Studio A: "Pass Me Not Old Gentle Savior" performed by the Sandy Bottom Boys, Jonah Powell on mandolin and fiddle, Crispin Campbell on cello and Angelo Meli on guitar.

Pocket Winds members Rylan Collins, William Simpfendorfer, Elise TeKolste, Audrey Bray performed the music of Jacques Ibert in IPR's Studio A. They will join other Interlochen Arts Academy students going on tour in New York later this month.

Annie Walton, Sophie Choy, Jonathan Miller, Henry Price and Mauricio García de Jesús - or the My Friend quintet - performed the first movement of "Frost Fire" by Eric Ewazen during this session of IPR's Studio A. They and other Interlochen Arts Academy students are going on tour in New York later this month.

Classical guitarist and Interlochen Arts Academy alum Gohar Vardanyan visited Studio A to perform music by Ponce, Tarrega and Calleja and to answer questions from current Interlochen guitar students. She talked about her excitement about being back on the Interlochen campus, which guitarists have been most influential to her, why her fingernails are the bane of her existence and why she doesn't play the guitar for fun (really). Music performed in Studio A Manuel Ponce, Suite in A minor: Prelude (in the style of Weiss) Francisco Tarrega, Recuerdos de la Alhambra Francisco Calleja, Cancion Triste

Detroit Opera Resident Artists Ben Reisinger, Melanie Spector and Rolfe Dauz visited Interlochen Public Radio's Studio A along with Associate Artistic Director Christine Goerke and Resident Artist Program Director Nathalie Doucet. Melanie Spector, soprano: "Quando me'n vo'" from Giacomo Puccini's La bohème (a/k/a "Musetta's Waltz") Ben Reisinger, baritone: "O vin, dissipe la tristesse" from Ambroise Thomas's Hamlet Rolfe Dauz, baritone: "Votre toast" from George Bizet's Carmen (a/k/a "The Toreador Song")

The quintet Calliope Brass is in residence this week at Interlochen Public Radio. Calliope's members Rebecca Steinberg (trumpet), Olivia Pidi (trumpet), Erin Paul (horn), Sara Mayo (trombone) and Samantha Lake (tuba). Calliope is in northern Michigan recording music for a new album, working with Interlochen students and giving public performances. Tubist Samantha Lake and album producer Erik Saras spoke with Classical IPR following a day of recording. Hear their entire conversation, as well as selections from Calliope's recording sessions, in the podcast. This podcast includes excerpts from "Garden Story" by Sara Jacovino and "Pandora's Magic Castle" by Rich Shemaria.

In 1947, a 13-year-old boy from New Rochelle, NY came to Interlochen's National Music Camp because he was entranced by a photo of a young female harpist in the camp's brochure. Jerry Bilik didn't find the harpist that summer, but he did find a love of music that transformed his entire life. He originally enrolled in music composition course because the classroom's windows had a clear view of the girls' tennis courts. After hearing a performance of Mozart's Requiem that summer, Bilik fell in love with the power of music and decided to dedicate himself to it. He stopped looking out the windows during composition class and starting learning how to write music. As a college student, Bilik served as the chief composer and arranger for the University of Michigan Marching Band. Throughout his professional career, Bilik has parlayed his composition and arrangement skills into everything from television to figure skating to magic shows. He worked on music production staff for hit TV shows like "Charlie's Angels" and spent decades as a creative director for Disney on Ice. Now 90, Bilik remains an active composer and researcher. This year, he published a book about his former teacher Tibor Serly and Serly's original compositional method called "Modus Lascivus." He's also still creating arrangements for the University of Michigan Marching Band. Bilik recently spoke to Classical IPR about his life in music so far (he still has a lot of things left to do).

Get insight into what it takes to put on an opera at the Met. Emily Duncan Wilson chats with the director, puppet designer and the singer performing the role of Rosalba in "Florencia en el Amazonas."

Interlochen Arts Academy flute students studying with Nancy Stagnitta came to Studio A to give a preview of an upcoming off-campus recital at the Music House Museum. Interlochen Arts Academy student flutists Rylan Collins, Taltos Fuszfas, Ava Gilbert, Arin Goldstein, Caewithe Miller, Nick Popke and Genevieve Skatoff performed in IPR's Studio A with faculty collaborative pianist Hyemin Kim. They performed "Tambourin" by François-Joseph Gossec and a trio for flute, piccolo, and alto flute by Herman Beeftink.