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Who Got Next? Vol. II: Asian Composers of the 21st Century

December 15, 2023, 8:00 pm

Pictured Composers: Vijay Iyer, Reena Esmail, and Viet Cuong

In this episode of Sounds Classical, LaRob and Kristina showcase the composers “who got next!” Showcasing a playlist of their favorite composers who have been active in the last 20 years, evolving the genre as we know it, including Reena Esmail, Chen Yi, Vijay Iyer, and Viet Cuong!

Playlist

Yasunori Mitsuda: Chrono Trigger
Presentiment; Chrono Trigger
Tokyo Phil Orch/Shimpei Sasaki
Square Enix
SQEX-10724

Yasunori Mitsuda: Chrono Trigger
Brink of Time
Tokyo Phil Orch/Shimpei Sasaki
Square Enix
SQEX-10724

Reena Esmail: When the Guitar
Conspirare; Los Angeles Guitar Quartet/Craig Hella Johnson
Delos
DE-3595

Chen Yi: Romance and Dance
I. Romance of Hsiao and Ch’in
Helen Kim, v; Robert Henry, p
Centaur
CRC-3440

Viet Cuong: Moth
Brooklyn Wind Symphony/Jeff W. Ball
Mark Records
51874-MCD

Asako Hirabayashi: Street Music
Gina DiBello, v; Asako Hirabayashi, hc
Albany
TROY-1180

Vivian Fung: Miniatures for clarinet and string quartet
IV. A piacere
John Bruce Yeh, cl; Maia Quartet
Cedille
CDR-90000100

Christopher Tin: The Lost Birds
IV. A Hundred Thousand Birds
Voces8, Royal Phil Orch/Christopher Tin
Decca
4858030

Vijay Iyer: Dig the Sky
PUBLIQuartet
Bright Shiny Things
BSTD-0171

Meet the Hosts

LaRob K. Rafael joined the WFMT announcing staff in 2020 as a fill-in host and became WFMT’s full-time weekend morning host and producer in Fall of 2021. A Bass-Baritone from the DMV area (Maryland), LaRob has been involved with music since childhood and is a graduate of DePaul University, where he studied Vocal Performance. He has since gone on to work with arts organizations including Lyric Opera of Chicago, La Caccina (a professional women’s ensemble), Black Opera Alliance, Black Administrators of Opera, and Sphinx Organization to name a few. He is the Founder and Artistic Director of Hearing in Color and combines his experience and research to change the predominantly white, European, male classical canon.

Kristina Lynn is a producer and host at WFMT, presenting both Sounds Classical with LaRob K. Rafael, and Evening Music on Friday nights. She has hosted live performances and artist interviews with the Rush Hour Concerts and has done voiceover work for the WFMT Radio Network. With an easygoing approach, Kristina aims to welcome all types of listeners to classical music and explore the art form from a 21st-century perspective. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree specializing in Trumpet Performance from DePaul University. Before announcing at WFMT, she has previously worked in radio production at both WFMT and at WQXR in New York.

Midday with Lisa Flynn

Midday with Lisa Flynn

Who Got Next? Vol. II: Asian Composers of the 21st Century

Playlist