Peter Whorf

The Emerson Quartet's newest release Journeys is featured on this week's show - with incredible recordings of music by Tchaikovsky and Schoenberg.  And MSU pianist Minsoo Sohn plays Kreisler/Rachmaninoff from his late 2012 joint concert with cellist Suren Bagratuni - plus Beethoven and Gershwin...

Beethoven/Piano Sonata #28/Masi/Consezio

Schoenberg/Verklartenacht/Emerson, Neubauer, Carr/Sony

Gershwin/Three Preludes/Cockrell/Troy

Tchaikovsky/Souvenir de Florence/Emerson, Neubauer, Carr/Sony

Plymouth's Mark Oppat is an avid vintage radio collector, restorer and owner of the on-line company Radio Parts...a supplier of replacement components for other antique radio enthusiasts.

Mark is also active in the Michigan Antique Radio Club. It's an organization dedicated to preserving the history and knowledge of radio, television, and related disciplines...with a special emphasis on contributions originating in the state of Michigan.

On Monday, WKAR Radio is holding a one-day pledge drive to support the classical music you love. Your pledge will be dedicated to WKAR's commitment to classical music and will become part of the WKAR Classical Music Endowment.

You enjoy and depend on classical music here on WKAR. Give Now Online or call 517 353-5000  to donate to the Classical Music Endowment -- where your donation can be used only to support classical music in mid-Michigan from WKAR.

Rachmaninoff

/Piano Concerto #1/Lansing Sym/O'Reilly/Muffitt/MSU recording

Respighi/Berceuse/Pine, Hagle/Cedille

Chopin/Piano Sonata #3/Kolesnikov/Honens

Thompson/Alleluia/Ying Quartet/Sonos Luminus

Hanson/Concerto Da Camera/Ying Quartet, Neiman/Sonos Luminas

Barber/Adagio/Ying Quartet/Sonos Luminus

Barber/Souvenirs/Zofo/Sonos Luminus

This week brings new releases of solo piano, chamber and orchestral music.  The brilliant young pianist Conrad Tao plays Rachmaninov and Ravel from his latest disc...and fellow Illinois musicians of the Chicago Sinfonietta perform an exciting new arrangement of Bernstein's beloved West Side Story.  Plus, more Beethoven from the latest cycle by Quartetto Di Cremona.

Join 90.5 Classical this Thursday at 2pm when Lansing Symphony music director Timothy Muffitt joins us as guest host on WKAR. Timothy will share several of his favorite classical recordings and preview some of the 2013-14 LSO season. You... can also join in on the Mid-Michigan classical conversation on WKAR's Facebook page - or email. That's guest host Timothy Muffitt along with WKAR radio station manager Peter Whorf, Thursday at 2pm on 90.5 classical...

Two Midwestern groups figure in this edition of What's New.  The Jackson Symphony plays a suite from Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet from their May 4th concert at Potter Center Music Hall.  We'll also sample some of the Winnetka Illinois-raised Ying Quartet's new all-American release entitled American Anthem.  Plus, chamber music from the 2012 Honens International Piano Competition and a Dvorak Trio from Trio Solisti.

Dvorak/Piano Trio No. 3/Trio Solisti/Brideg

Mendelssohn/Sonata for Cello and Piano/Kolesnokov, Moser/Honens

We explore the world of new classical recordings outside of Michigan on this edition of What's New.  The Midwest is represented by both the Indianapolis Symphony with Antonin Dvorak's tone poem The Water Goblin and Illinois native Conrad Tao's new disc of music by California composer Gordon Getty.  Also, Portugal's Dryads Duo and pianist Edward Auer and the Shanghai Quartet play Chopin.

Chopin/Piano Concerto #1/Auer, Shanghai Quartet/Culture Demain

Janacek/Sonata for Violin and Piano/Dryads Duo/Fundacao

Join us at the East Lansing Art Festival tomorrow as Current State broadcasts live from in front of City Hall from 11a-1p. 90.5FM will be there live with music, interviews and arts coverage all day...

Hector Berlioz's monumental Symphonie Fantastique dominates our 23rd edition of the show - Kevin Noe conducts a November 2012 performance from the Wharton Center.  Also, more of Pavel Kolesnikov's new release of his performances fom the 2012 Honens International Piano Competition....and the Moscow Quartet with Beethoven.

Berlioz/Symphonie Fantastique/MSU Sym, Noe/MSU recording

Beethoven/String Qt No.11/Moscow Quartet/Finer Arts

Beethoven/Piano Sonata #14 "Moonlight"/Kolesnikov/Honens

Telemann/Sonata in A minor/Field and Franz Duo/Yellow Tail

We venture outside of Mid-Michigan for much of this edition.  First, NYC-based pianist Steven Masi plays Beethoven's 15th Sonata - Steven is recording the complete piano sonatas.  We'll also have Beethoven's early Quartet op18.#6 from the Quartet of Cremona.  These fellas are also recording a Beethoven complete cycle.  From home, the MSU Symphony and Kevin Noe play Debussy's La Mer, and we fill out What's New with Corelli and Krommer....

Beethoven/Piano Son #15/Masi/Concezio Prod.

Corelli/Sonata #3 in C/Trio Corelli/Bridge

Al Martin and the Current Sports crew has been preparing for the debut week of Mid-Michigan's newest daily sports talk show...starting Monday, May 13 at 1pm on 870AM.  Al will also be a special guest and regular sports contributor for the daily news/arts radio magazine, Current State.  Be sure to tune in to 870AM next week for special guests including a few Spartan legends, Fox Sports Southwest executive and MSU grad Jeff Genthner...and a special familiar friend to kick of Al's premiere!

Come see Current State's Mark Bashore and Emanuele Berry at our City Hall location during this year's East Lansing Art Festival on May 18th.  Watch Mark and Emanuele create your show in this 2-hour special edition of Current State from 11a-1p...then stay with us for classical music live from the festival from 1-5.

Hope you can be there with us - or listen in between 11 and 5 on 90.5, WKAR-FM...

Hope you enjoy program 21 - dominated by local recordings from Lansing and Jackson.

Mozart/Fantasy in d minor/Sergei Kvitko/Blue Griffin

Mussorgsky/Trepak/Kvitko/Blue Griffin

Chopin/Piano Concerto #2/Auer, Shanghai Qt/Culture/Demain

Barber/First Essay for Orchestra/Lansing, Muffitt/MSU recording

Dvorak/Sym #7/Jackson, Osmond/Jackson Sym recording

The Lansing Symphony and Timothy Muffitt headline our latest What's New with Antonin Dvorak's beloved Symphony #9 "From the New World"...and two selections from Russian pianist Pavel Kolesnikov feature piano music of Robert Schumann and another crowd-pleaser...Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto #1.

Schumann/Kinderszenen excerpts/Kolesnikov/Honens

Dvorak/Sym #9/Lansing, Muffitt/MSU recording

Tchaikovsky/Piano Concerto #1/Calgary Philharmonic, Kolesnikov, Minczuk/Honens

Dvorak/Cypresses excerpts/Cypress String Qt/Avie