Tony Bennett, masterful stylist of American musical standards, dies at 96

Bennett’s early career peaked in the 1960s as he topped the charts with “San Francisco” and became the first male pop solo performer to headline at Carnegie Hall, releasing a live album of the 1962 concert.

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Lang Lang Shares His Wisdom with Music Lovers of All Ages

Grammy-nominated pianist Lang Lang is one of the most recognizable classical artists of the century, having performed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2014 World Cup in Rio de Janeiro – not to mention his cross-genre collaborations with Metallica, Pharrell Williams, and Herbie Hancock. As Lang Lang continues to push the boundaries of the piano and perform at some of ...

Judge dismisses some of Levine’s claims against Met Opera

A New York judge on Tuesday dismissed portions of a lawsuit filed by former Metropolitan Opera music director James Levine against the company last year.

Playlist: WFMT Selects Classical Music to Help You Spring into Spring

You made it; the frigid, blustery days of winter have finally passed, and spring is here! Here is some music that captures the season's irrepressible spirit.

VIDEO | Award-winning Russian Renaissance shares music for balalaika, domra, and accordion in a WFMT Facebook Live

On Saturday, March 23, 2019, WFMT hosted Russian Renaissance in a Facebook Live from Wheaton College’s Edman Chapel. The versatile quartet, which won the $100,000 Grand Prize at the 2017 M-Prize competition at the University of Michigan, shared music by Zequinha de Abreu, Monti, and Tchaikovsky arranged for balalaika, domra, and accordion. Enjoy their performance below!

Renée Fleming Celebrates 25 Years With Lyric Opera of Chicago

The “People’s Diva” first delighted Chicago audiences as she performed the title role in Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah in 1993.

Playlist: The Voyager Golden Record — The True Story Behind Earth’s Greatest Hits

If given the task to assemble a collection of music that reflects humanity, what would you choose? This assignment was given to a group of astronomers, science writers, designers, and engineers. Their solution? The Voyager Golden Record: a collection of images, sounds, greetings, and a diverse array of music. Astrophysicist and Cornell University professor Carl Sagan led the Voyager Golden ...

This musical discovery will make you Smile

One of film’s first superstars, Charlie Chaplin was an innovator in virtually every aspect of filmmaking. With his iconic character the Tramp, he created an ‘everyman’ who remains loved by audiences around the world to this day. Chaplin also wrote and directed most of his movies, and, even though he wasn’t always credited, he composed nearly all of the music as well.

On his birthday, Google invites you to compose like Johann Sebastian Bach!

Today’s Google Doodle pays homage to Johann Sebastian Bach, who was born on March 21, 1685. To celebrate the illustrious Baroque composer, Google gives you the opportunity to do your best Bach impression. The interactive doodle invites you to build the soprano line of your own composition, and then the program creates complementary harmonies to emulate Bach’s music. Google says ...

Happy Birthday, Bach!

All day on Thursday, WFMT will be celebrating Johann Sebastian Bach, who was born on March 21, 1685. Tune in throughout the day to hear works composed by Bach, including these highlights that you won’t want to miss: In the 9:00 am hour, hear Bach’s Orchestral Suite in G minor, BWV 1070 In the 11:00 am hour, tune in to ...

Now in its second week, the CSO musicians’ strike continues

Little progress has been made in resolving the work stoppage at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, CSO management said Monday during a conference call. The strike has now endured for a week, since 11:59 p.m. on March 10. Since the strike began, various artists and public figures have appeared on the picket line to voice their support for the CSO musicians. ...

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