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.
Encore broadcast | Kené Obiaya, 17, piano
Chicago-raised pianist Kené Obiaya presents music of Chopin, Bach, Still and Brahms in this re-broadcast. He is now in his first year studying Piano Performance at Oberlin College and Conservatory.
Encore broadcast | Hayden Joyce, 17, horn & Fabrizio Milcent, 18, bassoon
Two seniors and principal players from Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras, playing instruments that aren't often featured on Introductions.
Encore broadcast | Zarin Mehta, 16, piano and composer
Return guest Zarin Mehta presents premieres of his own music and Augusta Read Thomas's, plus pieces by Bach, Beethoven, and Lyapunov.
Encore broadcast | Esme Arias-Kim, 18, violin
We welcome a return guest, Esme Arias-Kim, who grew up in the Chicago area but is now at the Colburn School in Los Angeles. She's joined by Milana Pavchinskaya in music of Bach, Brahms, Debussy, Price, Wieniawski, and Tchaikovsky.
