WRCJ In-Studio Guests

90.9 WRCJ's Peter Whorf speaks with DSO music director Jader Bignamini about the orchestra's final concerts this season, including beloved concertos, hidden gems and thrilling tone poems...

90.9 WRCJ's Haley Taylor speaks with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Music Director & Conductor Jader Bignamini. The Orchestra performs a 150th birthday celebration for Ravel which includes Le Tombeau de Couperin, Bolero and the Piano Concerto in G. Listen to them discuss the concert in this excerpt.

In this excerpt from "Live with C#" Cecelia speaks with Conductor and Bassoonist Anthony Parnther who conducts Detroit Opera's production of "Central Park Five". He speaks a bit about how he got started in scoring, why he got involved with Detroit Opera's production and what he hopes the audience takes away from the production.

Dr. Dave speaks with Professor Jeffrey S. Sposato, Chair and Professor of the Department of Music at Wayne State University. He will be doing the Pre-Talk for Fort Street Chorale's Concert on May 4, 2025. The concert will feature Haydn's Lord Nelson Mass performed by the Chorale as well as the Nardin Park Church Choir and the Michigan Sinfonietta Orchestra under the baton of Ann Marie Koukios.

Cecelia Sharpe talks with Edward Quick, Director of the Ferndale Community Concert Band. The band celebrates their 10 year anniversary with a concert on March 30, 2025 at Orchestra Hall in Detroit.

Cecelia Sharpe talks with pianist and composer Charlie Albright who is performing March 23, 2025 at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial presented by ProMusica Detroit.

Linda Yohn speaks with jazz vocalist Catherine Russell who is releasing her new album "Send For Me" and performing at The Cube in Detroit March 22, 2025.

90.9 WRCJ's Peter Whorf talks with Jader Bignamini and Wynton Marsalis about the new Detroit Symphony Orchestra release of "Blues Symphony".

90.9 WRCJ's Christa Grix talks a little about Maurice Ravel as he celebrates his 150th birthday this year.

Cecelia Sharpe talks with award-winning Detroit trumpeter, composer, and educator Kris Johnson who premieres his work Marlowe's Wings: Detroit's Champion of Change at the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's 2025 Classical Roots concert.

In this excerpt from "Live with C#" Cecelia helps get you ready for Detroit Opera's "Rinaldo" with special guest, the dynamic, soprano Nicole Heaston. Mrs. Heaston brings the role of bad girl to life as Armida in Handel's opera.

90.9 WRCJ's Haley Taylor talks with Louisa Proske, Director of Detroit Opera's production "Rinaldo" as well as Roberto Kalb the Opera's Music Director and Conductor.

Randall Goosby returns to Detroit to play Florence Price with the DSO this weekend. It's a reunion with 90.9 WRCJ's Peter Whorf who heard Goosby play the Price Violin Concerto No. 2 in Amsterdam last spring.

In this excerpt from the January 2025 episode of "Live with C#" Cecelia speaks with Kymm Clark who is both keeping the art of upholstery alive and giving back to the community.

This weekend the DSO performs Gustav Mahler's monumental Symphony No. 5. Joseph Haydn's 100th Symphony opens the program. DSO concertmaster Robyn Bollinger joins 90.9 WRCJ's Peter Whorf to talk about Mahler, Haydn and Beethoven.

Dave Wagner talks with Christopher Ward, Director of the award winning Five Lakes Silver Band and their tribute to the students of Oxford High School in a special work written to honor those who lost their lives during that tragic day.

Assistant Principle Flutist of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra Sharon Sparrow has a new holiday album "Flutes Joyeux!" She stops by our studios before DSO practice to tell us a bit more about it.

Cecelia Sharpe speaks with members of the Akropolis Reed Quintet and composer/pianist Pascal Le Boeuf about their latest album "Are we Dreaming the Same Dream?" They will perform at the Carr Center in Detroit on October 11 2024.

Yuval Sharon and the Detroit Opera are shaking up the opera scene in Detroit. As artistic Director since 2020, Sharon has brought viewers unique performances during the pandemic and beyond. The Opera's upcoming season will continue to push the boundaries of how opera is presented. Contributor Cecelia Sharpe of 90.9 WRCJ talks with Sharon about the 2024-2025 season, his contract extension and more.

The Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra kicks off its 2024-25 season this Friday night at Hill Auditorium. WRCJ's Peter Whorf speaks with A2SO executive director Sarah Calderini about the first few programs of the season, including the opener - with keyboard showcases by Saint-Saens and Rachmaninoff...

Sheku Kanneh-Mason makes his DSO debut this week. He joins Peter to talk about his remarkable musical family, and his thoughts on cooperation and competition...

Cellist Paul Watkins is in his 10th year as Artistic Director of the Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival. He speaks with Peter about the wide-ranging series of concerts, beginning this weekend all around Metro Detroit...

Brian Blade is the Artist in Residence for the 2024 Detroit Jazz Festival. John Penney put together this one hour special featuring his wisdom and his music with the Fellowship Band, Joni Mitchell, Black Dub, Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Kenny Garrett, and Ron Miles.

The A2SO wraps up its 2023/24 season Saturday night at Hill Auditorium with Beethoven's 9th. Executive Director Sarah Calderini talks with Peter about next season - and LVB's mighty Choral Symphony...

Learn more about Leos Janacek and his opera "The Cunning Little Vixen" in this short feature put together by 90.9's Jenna Dell and Adam Hinton. Detroit Opera performs their production May 11-19, 2024.

Juanjo Mena leads the DSO this weekend in a program of Schumann and Elgar favorites. Peter speaks with Mena about being a guest conductor...and some of his favorite composers...

Peter and DSO Assistant Conductor Na'Zir McFadden talk about Classical Roots and upcoming concerts...and reflect on some of the sounds we hear in Shelly Washington's "Both"...

In addition to being a gifted instrumentalist, Detroit saxophonist, composer and educator Dominic Waddles is a member of the music theory staff at Michigan State University's Community Music School-Detroit. He also leads the Civic Jazz Band with the DSO's civic ensemble program. In this feature he shares conductor William Eddins reflecting on composer Florence Price.

Dr. Dave Wagner talks with Ann Marie Koukios, Artistic Director and Conductor of the Fort Street Chorale. On February 25, 2024 the Fort Street Chorale, the Brazeal Dennard Chorale and Wayne State University Choirs present A Black History Month Celebration at Fort Street Presbyterian Church in Detroit. The concert will feature opera legend George Shirley, soprano Frances Brockington and organist Dr. Norah Duncan IV.

Peter's final conversation with DSO musicians during their Florida tour. This time, it's Principal Flutist Hannah Hammel Maser reflecting on this past week's performances and what's ahead...

Peter brings us our daily check-in with DSO musicians on the Florida tour. Today, Principal Bassist Kevin Brown leads off the conversation as he considers playing in different halls every night...

Peter caught up with DSO Principal Clarinetist Ralph Skiano first thing this week to talk about the orchestra's Florida tour. This past weekend was a two-fer in Vero Beach with different programs showcasing Nicolai Rimsky Korsakov's Scheherazade on Saturday, followed by Sunday's Tchaikovsky 6...

WRCJ is your station for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra's 2024 Florida tour this week - taking our ensemble to six cities in the sunshine state. But Principal Trombonist Kenneth Thompkins tells us that the DSO's arrival was anything but sunny...

In addition to being a gifted instrumentalist, Detroit saxophonist, composer and educator Dominic Waddles is a member of the music theory staff at Michigan State University's Community Music School-Detroit. He also leads the Civic Jazz Band with the DSO's civic ensemble program. In this feature he presents a Detroit-made classical music story about Thomas Wilkins.

In addition to being a gifted instrumentalist, Detroit saxophonist, composer and educator Dominic Waddles is a member of the music theory staff at Michigan State University's Community Music School-Detroit. He also leads the Civic Jazz Band with the DSO's civic ensemble program. In this featurette he presents a Detroit-made classical music story about Lara Downes.

DSO Principal Clarinetist Ralph Skiano takes center stage with the orchestra on this weekend's Neighborhood Concert Series. Peter catches up with Skiano to talk about Mozart and more...plus the Gerald Finzi Clarinet Concerto...

Douglas Bianchi conducts the International Symphony Orchestra in their "At the Movies" concert this weekend. The concert consists of 20th and 21st century masterworks and new music by an international array composers. 90.9's Peter Whorf sits down with conductor Bianchi and Executive Director Anthony Wing. Doug begins the discussion by considering Sergie Prokofiev's intense Romeo and Juliet score...

The 20th Anniversary of "Too Hot To Handel" in Detroit at the Detroit Opera is just around the corner. Here's a sneak peek of Cecelia's conversation with tenor Rodrick Dixon and learns how Detroit's "Too Hot To Handel" started 20 years ago, what people can expect to see and hear, and how Handel's Messiah and the mission of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are in perfect harmony.

DSO Principal Oboist Alexander Kinmonth and Associate Concertmaster Kimberly Kaloyanodes Kennedy play Bach's Oboe and Violin Concerto this weekend on the orchestra's Neighborhood Series. Also included are works by Joseph Boulogne and Nicolai Rimsky Korsakov. 90.9's Peter Whorf catches up with Alex to talk about DSO news...and the Bach concerto...

The Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra performs for the first time at Orchestra Hall in Detroit on Friday, January 26. It's part of a music-rich weekend in Midtown, which also brings the Sphinx Competition Finals to Orchestra Hall and DPTV. WRCJ's Peter Whorf speaks with A2SO Executive Director Sarah Calderini about this historic happening...

Cecelia Sharpe speaks with Yolanda Jack, Director of the play TopDog/UnderDog running at the Detroit Repertory Theatre through December 17, 2023.

Cecelia Sharpe speaks with award-winning costume designer Ruth E. Carter who will be at the Charles H. Wright Museum in Detroit on December 16, 2023 to talk about her book "The Art of Ruth E. Carter: Costuming Black History and the Afrofuture, from Do the Right Thing to Black Panther".

Jader conducts the DSO in music by Bonds, Rachmaninoff and Tchaikovsky this weekend. He spoke with Peter about the upcoming Florida tour, and Tchaikovsky's 6th Symphony...

Linda Yohn host of 90.9's Swing Set talks to Kris Johnson, who is the director of the Paradise Theatre Big Band and is having a very special concert on Friday, November 17th.

90.9's Peter Whorf speaks with Detroit Symphony Orchestra guest conductor Kevin John Edusei about this week's program featuring a world premiere, a beloved violin concerto and Alexander Zemlinsky's The Mermaid...

DSO Music Director Jader Bignamini opens the DSO season with violinist Gil Shaham and one of the instrument's most beloved works...

Sarah Calderini, Executive Director of the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra speaks with Peter Whorf about the symphony's 2023/2024 season which begins this weekend, September 23rd at Hill Auditorium.

It's the 78th anniversary season of the Michigan Philharmonic and the 25th anniversary of the appointment of Music Director and Conductor Nan Washburn. Dave Wagner talks with Nan about the orchestra, this coming season, and her love and promotion of new orchestral music.

In this excerpt from "Live with C#" Cecelia speaks with Patty Isacson Sabee who will take the helm as President and CEO of Detroit Opera in 2024.

Cecelia Sharpe speaks with Conductor/Music Director Laureate of the Omaha Symphony Orchestra, Principle Conductor of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra and Family Youth Concerts Conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Maestro Thomas Wilkins. He is preparing for Black Panther in Concert this weekend at Orchestra Hall with the soundtrack provided by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. Learn a bit more about the Maestro in this interview with 90.9.

Peter Whorf joins Paul Watkins, cellist with the Emerson String Quartet and Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival Artistic Director. Watkins reflects on the Emerson's final season and Saturday's final Detroit area concert...