Saturdays at 11:00 am
Hear talented pre-college classical musicians from the Chicago area
Introductions is WFMT’s weekly Saturday morning program that features talented pre-college classical musicians in the Chicago area. Soloists and chamber ensembles perform live in WFMT’s Levin Performance Studio. Large ensembles, including orchestras, choirs, and bands, are recorded at their home venues and broadcast at later dates. The program also features youth music competition winners. While many Introductions alumni pursue careers outside of music, some have gone on to study at some of the most prestigious music schools around the world and maintain careers as professional musicians.
REBROADCAST: Ifetayo Ali-Landing, 15, cello
On Saturday’s encore broadcast, we feature 15-year-old cellist Ifetayo Ali-Landing of Chicago. To listen to her program again, please click here.
REBROADCAST: Kairos Quartet, Fischoff and M-Prize Winners
On Saturday’s encore broadcast, we feature the Kairos String Quartet of the Academy at the Music Institute of Chicago. The quartet won the junior divisions at the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition and the M-Prize Chamber Arts Competition at the University of Michigan, some of the most prestigious competitions in the country for young musicians. To listen to their program ...
Emily Bear, 16, pianist and composer
On Saturday's broadcast, we welcome back 16-year-old pianist, composer, and songwriter Emily Bear to Introductions. At age 7, she was one of the first artists to appear on Introductions in 2008. Since then, she has performed at many of the world's most well-known venues. Emily will also be the featured pianist at Grant Park Music Festival's annual Independence Day Salute Concert on Wednesday, July 4.
Latin GRAMMY-Nominated Mariachi Herencia de México
On Saturday's broadcast, we welcome back Mariachi Herencia de México to Introductions. The ensemble, made up of pre-college musicians from Chicago, gave their radio premiere on Introductions in 2017 and shared selections from their debut album, Nuestra Herencia (Our Heritage). The album received a Latin GRAMMY nomination and national attention. Mariachi Herencia de México shares tracks from their second album, Herencia De La Tierra ...
REBROADCAST: Music Institute of Chicago Academy Orchestra at Skokie Library
On Saturday’s encore broadcast, we feature the Music Institute of Chicago Academy Orchestra in selections from their performance at Skokie Public Library on Saturday, March 24. To listen to this program again, please click here.
REBROADCAST: Asrai Quartet
On Saturday’s encore broadcast, we feature the Asrai Quartet. To listen to their program again, please click here.
U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts: Julian Rhee, 17, violin
On Saturday’s broadcast, we welcome back 17-year-old violinist Julian Rhee of Brookfield, Wisconsin. Julian appeared on Introductions earlier this year, and we invited him back to the program after being named a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts. This award is perhaps the highest honor for a young artist in the country. In order to be considered for this honor, Julian was selected ...
LIVE: 88Keys to Cure, Young Musicians Organize to Share Power of Music
On Saturday’s live broadcast, we feature 3 pianists from Sueanne Metz’s studio: Derek Chung, Sophia Li, and Colin Choi. These young pianists founded 88Keys to Cure, a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to enhancing the lives of others through music. The students organize performances to benefit local charities of their choice. 88Keys to Cure has raised $11,500.00 for the Neonatal ...
LIVE: Trio Keluvaina
On Saturday’s live broadcast, we present Trio Keluvaina of Midwest Young Artists Conservatory in Highwood, Illinois. Their members include 17-year-old violinist Rebecca Moy of Naperville, 18-year-old cellist Haddon Kay of Lincolnshire, and 16-year-old pianist Kimberly Han of Lake Forest.
LIVE: 2017 Crain-Maling Foundation CSO Young Artists Competition Winner
On Saturday’s live broadcast, we feature 18-year-old violinist Maya Buchanan, the winner of the 2017 Crain-Maling Foundation Chicago Symphony Orchestra Young Artists Competition.
Ifetayo Ali-Landing, 15, cello
On Saturday’s broadcast, we feature 15-year-old cellist Ifetayo Ali-Landing of Chicago. Ifetayo began her musical studies on violin and switched to cello at age four. Her teachers and coaches have included Lucinda Ali-Landing, Megan Lauterbach, and Martine Benmann at the Hyde Park Suzuki Institute in Chicago, as well as Tahirah Whittington, Oleksa Mycyk, and Hans Jørgen Jensen. She has also ...
Music Institute of Chicago Academy Orchestra at Skokie Library
On Saturday’s broadcast, we feature the Music Institute of Chicago Academy Orchestra. The orchestra performed at Skokie Public Library on Saturday, March 24 under the direction of Jim Setapen. The Academy of the Music Institute of Chicago was founded in 2006 as a training center for pre-college classical musicians who intend to pursue performance careers. This program features a variety ...
Asrai Quartet
On Saturday’s broadcast, we feature the Asrai Quartet. Their members include 17-year-old violinist Rabia Brooke, 16-year-old violinist Eva Nicholson, 17-year-old violist Margaret O’Malley, and 16-year-old cellist Camille Toubol. Asrai Quartet won first prize at the 2018 Discover National Chamber Music Competition in Highwood, Illinois. The members of the quartet have won awards from the Musicians Club of Women, Society of ...
REBROADCAST: Daniel Souvigny, 17, piano
We ended our spring membership drive early! We will air an encore broadcast featuring 17-year-old pianist Daniel Souvigny. To listen to this performance again, please click here.
No Introductions: WFMT Spring Pledge Drive
To support original programming on WFMT like Introductions and to continue giving performance opportunities to talented young artists in the Chicago area, please consider making a donation to WFMT by clicking here.
LIVE: Kairos Quartet
On Saturday’s live broadcast, we feature the Kairos Quartet of the Academy at the Music Institute of Chicago. The quartet is coached by Rodolfo Vieira, and their members include Joshua Brown (violin/viola), Julian Rhee (violin/viola), Thompson Wang (violin), and Lydia Rhea (cello). Joshua, Julian, and Thompson all study violin with Almita and Roland Vamos, while Lydia studies cello with Hans ...
CYSO Concerto Competition Winner and Spirito! Singers
On Saturday’s broadcast, we feature the winner of the 2017 Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition: 16-year-old cellist Jack Boettcher. We’ll hear Jack in the second through fourth movements of Dmitri Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, Op. 107 with the CYSO under the direction of Allen Tinkham. On the second half of the program, we feature the ...
REBROADCAST: Xiaoping Wang, 16, piano
On Saturday’s encore broadcast, we feature 16-year-old pianist Xiaoping Wang. To listen to this program again, please click here.
LIVE: Daniel Lopez, 18, flute
On Saturday’s live broadcast, we feature 18-year-old flutist Daniel Lopez. Daniel is a senior at Wheeling High School and studies flute with Hideko Amano. He is a member of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra (CYSO) and participates in the CYSO chamber music program. Daniel has participated in the senior Illinois Music Educators Association (ILMEA) District 7 Band for the past three ...
Daniel Souvigny, 17, piano
Daniel Souvigny is a 17-year-old award-winning pianist from Hampshire, Illinois who enjoys sharing his passion of stride, swing and jazz piano with audiences. He began piano lessons at the age 5, and he was already gaining a following in the ragtime community. He began violin lessons at age 6, and along with classical music, he enjoys the variety and uniqueness ...
