Introductions

Saturdays at 11:00 am

Members of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras perform during a live broadcast of Introductions from Millennium Park. (Photo: Tipping Point Photography)

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.

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Latest Episodes
Upcoming Episodes

Encore broadcast | Clark Snavely, 18, violin

January 24, 2026

We revisit the violin recital of Clark Snavely, formerly a student of Almita Vamos through the Music Institute of Chicago Academy and now a freshman at the New England Conservatory studying with Miriam Fried. He’s joined by pianist Milana Pavchinskaya in Chopin, Chausson, and Corigliano. This episode first aired on August 3, 2024. For more information, visit the original episode ...

Encore broadcast | Anna Huelke, 18, flute

January 17, 2026

Revisiting the recital of former CYSO Principal Flute Anna Huelke, a student of Hideko Amano. She brings music selections highlighting her Czech heritage, joined by pianist Kay Kim and fellow CYSO Principal Flute Destina Sarussi. Anna is imminently starting Flute study at Wheaton College, while Destina is starting a Flute Performance degree at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. This episode ...

Encore broadcast | Jeffery Tong, 16, cello

January 10, 2026

Today we hear from cellist Jeffery Tong of Lisle. He’s joined by pianist Liang-yu Wang in music of Saint-Saëns, Beethoven, Bach, Perkinson, and Nadia Boulanger. This episode first aired on April 27, 2024. More details and a podcast are available at the original episode page.

Encore broadcast | Zarin Mehta, 16, piano and composer

January 3, 2026

We welcome a return guest, pianist and composer Zarin Mehta. In addition to music of Bach, Beethoven, and Lyapunov, Zarin presents a composition and a transcription of his own, plus the North American premiere of Augusta Read Thomas’s Amalgam. This episode was first broadcast on March 30, 2024. More details and the podcast are available at the original episode page.

Encore broadcast | Chamber music for strings: Spizella Quartet, Luscinia Trio, Vermilion String Quartet

December 27, 2025

For this encore broadcast we hear pieces by Haydn, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Debussy, Dohnányi, Shostakovich & Casarrubios, performed by groups from Merit School of Music and the Music Institute of Chicago Academy. This episode first aired live on May 24, 2025. More details and a podcast are available at the original episode page.

Encore broadcast | Angelika Wang, 17, piano

December 20, 2025

Today we feature Angelika Wang, a piano student of Brenda Huang and a senior at Whitney Young High School. She plays music of Beethoven, Messiaen, Rachmaninoff and Bach-Busoni. This episode first aired live on October 12, 2024. More details and a podcast are available at the original episode page.

Encore Broadcast | Tristan Zhu, 18, violin

December 13, 2025

We hear once again from Tristan Zhu, a senior at Walter Payton College Prep and the Music Institute of Chicago Academy. He joins pianist Milana Pavchinskaya as he plays music of Bach, Chaminade, Sibelius, and DBR. This episode first aired live on March 15, 2025. More details and a podcast are at the original episode page.

Encore Broadcast | Caspian Quartet, Minela Trio & Quartetto Speranza

December 6, 2025

We hear once again from three chamber groups who reached the semifinals of this year’s Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition, including the Bronze Medal-winning Quartetto Speranza. This episode first aired live on August 2, 2025. More details and a podcast are at the original episode page.