Last Saturday (April 5) marked the premiere of Introductions, a brand-new weekly program on 98.7 WFMT (Saturdays from 11:00am-12:00pm) which features Chicago-area pre-collegiate musicians doing what they love most; playing classical music.
"It's important to reach out specifically to this younger audience which is enthusiastic about classical music, that we hadn't tried to explicitly attract until now," said David Polk, the show's producer. "I'm excited that I get to expand WFMT's reach and pioneer new ways to connect with audiences via the airwaves and also the internet."
Read more about Introductions and Polk in this article in the recent TimeOut! Magazine.
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A good friend of mine who goes by the alias "
Drex Drexler" sent me this article from today's
New York Times, which provides evidence that
Thomas Edison was by no means the first to lay down a track (a recording recently discovered by researchers looks to have beaten Edison to the punch by 20 years).
Check it out: here's the article with audio of the findings.
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Regarding Jim's blog on Dudamel's appearance on 60 Minutes (which agreed is a good piece), I'd like to link to Andrew Patner's
Critical Thinking interview with Dudamel which took place just days before he flew to California (mid-stint with the CSO!) to make his announcement with the LA Philharmonic. Contrary to the last line of the 60 Minutes piece, we in fact heard all about Dudamel on WFMT first.
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From Louise Frank, fellow Producer at WFMT:
Violinist David Juritz wants to bring music education to the poorest children in the developing world. So, he left his home in London this past June and has been concertizing and busking his way around the globe ever since. His goal is to raise awareness for Muse Quality, the charity he created to fund music projects in places which might not otherwise have them.
David is quite an accomplished musician; Since 1991, he has been the leader of the London Mozart Players, the UK’s longest established chamber orchestra. He was a soloist at the 2006 BBC Promenade concerts. He has led orchestras for film soundtracks, including "The Last King of Scotland," and he recently presented “The Asylum Band,” a BBC 4 radio special about the Orchestra of Norfolk Mental Hospital.
Musequality’s first project involves The Tender Talents Magnet School in Kampala, Uganda. The school, founded in 1999, provides children with piano, guitar, percussion, and music theory lessons, as well as choral training and the opportunity to give public performances. “The engagement and self-belief that these kids find through music is incredible,” Juritz said. “What I find most exciting is that, when you speak to them, they are all aiming high for the future. These are kids who want to become lawyers, economists, psychiatrists, and nurses, and I’ve no doubt that the discipline and self-respect they are developing now will help them to achieve their goals. It's wonderful to see.”
David Juritz comes to Chicago next week on the final leg of his 60,000+ mile world tour. He hopes to meet people who will be inspired by his enthusiasm and who might help him with resources including instruments, supplies, and funding, necessary to establish new projects and support those which are already up and running. Here’s where you can see him perform:
Friday October 12 Concert in Elgin, 8pm Unitarian Universalist Church of Elgin 39W830 Highland Ave
Saturday October 13 Chicago Day of Music. David will be playing on Michigan Avenue between 5 and 6 pm, and then in the Symphony Center rotunda after 7p. (If a crowd of children gathers, he will put on a special performance, with narration, of Ferdinand the Bull. Otherwise he will be performing Bach sonatas and partitas.)
This is one of those stories of how one person can do something very worthy on an international scale by combining a creative, altruistic vision with what he does best. I count myself among his many well-wishers.
There’s more here if you’re interested.
-Louise
p.s.
Many thanks to CSO double bassist, Stephen Lester, who called to let us know about David.
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Today is the 10 year anniversary of Sir Georg Solti's death. Yesterday I interviewed CSO president Deborah Card and Martha Gilmer to get their reaction, as well as information on today's tribute to take place at noon.
If you missed the piece on today's morning show, you can
listen here.
(it's about 3-4 items down the list)
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Listener Memories, Recordings and Rare Interviews Pre-empt Regular Music Schedule
98.7WFMT, Chicago's Classical Experience, is paying tribute to Russian musician and human rights activist
Mstislav Rostropovich who died this morning in Moscow. Today, Friday April 27, and tomorrow morning, Saturday April 28, the station is airing recordings from its archives of Rostropovich cello performances and conducting various orchestras around the world. In addition, the station is airing voicemails and reading emails from listeners recounting memories of the world-renowned musician, who visited Chicago many times during his lifetime. Rare interviews have also been posted on wfmt.com.
The special tribute pre-empts previously scheduled musical programming. "Today represents a major loss for the classical music world" said WFMT Program Director
Peter Whorf, "and it's only appropriate that we use our archives to pay tribute." On his blog, Whorf posted a rare audio clip of composer
Dmitri Shostakovich speaking of his friend Rostropovich as well as a recent interview producer
Jon Tolansky conducted with him in 2002. One Internet listener remarked via email that "the great significance of Mstislav Rostropovich to the music world and the world in general is tremendous. As you played his recording of what he played at the [collapse of the] Berlin Wall, I was deeply touched. Your efforts all morning to honor this great person is just one more reason what we love your station. "Thanks so much for all you do daily to enrich our lives." More information about 98.7WFMT and 98.7WFMT Streaming is available at www.wfmt.com .
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