Mondays at 8:00 pm
Weekly, full-length concerts live from WFMT’s Levin Studio
WFMT’s flagship full-length recital series presents music and conversation performed live from the state-of-the-art Fay and Daniel Levin Performance Studio. The program draws on the rich community of Chicago-based musicians as well as a roster of renowned international artists visiting the city.
Black Oak Ensemble and Students from Bienen School of Music
May 19, 2025
Praised for its “insightful, committed and masterful performances” (Classics Today) and “fierce eloquence” (London Times), the Black Oak Ensemble is a Chicago-based treasure with an international following. On this edition of Live From WFMT, ensemble members violinist Desirée Ruhstrat, cellist David Cunliffe, and violist Aurélien Fort Pederzoli will perform music for string trio. They will also play a Brahms sextet with some ...
Rachel Barton Pine, violin and Sylvia Pine, violin with Matthew Hagle, piano
May 12, 2025
On May 12, the day following Mother’s Day, violinist Rachel Barton Pine, and her daughter, composer and violinist Sylvia Pine, are Kerry Frumkin’s guests on Live From WFMT. Rachel tells us that she and Sylvia will play duets with pianist Matthew Hagle, including Navarra by Sarasate and Five Pieces by Shostakovich.
Kontras Quartet
May 5, 2025
Formed in 2009, the “superb Chicago-based ensemble” (Gramophone Magazine) Kontras Quartet has become known for its vibrant and nuanced performances, and for its explorations of the evolving role of chamber music in the new millennium. Equally committed to time-honored classics, contemporary compositions, and genre-bending collaborations, Kontras strives to continually enrich the string quartet art form, expand audiences, and champion diverse voices. ...
WindSync
April 28, 2025
WindSync is a vibrant wind quintet with a fresh take on traditional wind music. Their selection of repertoire covers classical, familiar, and newly commissioned pieces. The ensemble has won some impressive awards, like top prizes at the Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition and the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition. They’re also known for their international touring projects and coaching at ...
Oriana Singers
April 21, 2025
The Chicago Tribune called the Oriana Singers “Chicago’s precious jewel of a vocal ensemble.” Led by noted founder and artistic director William Chin, the Oriana Singers have concertized in Chicago and around the world since 1979. Now in their 45th year, Oriana’s eight-voice ensemble returns to WFMT’s Levin Studio to perform works both accompanied and a cappella. Repertoire will feature music ...
Time for Three
April 14, 2025
On this edition of Live From WFMT, Kerry Frumkin’s guests are violinists and vocalists Nicolas “Nick” Kendall and Charles Yang, and bassist Ranaan Meyer – the members of the charismatic, Grammy and Emmy-winning ensemble, Time For Three (TF3). With a signature sound that merges classical, Americana, and singer-songwriter styles, the trio has collaborated with esteemed composers and artists. Their recent commission, ...
Marc-André Hamelin, piano
April 7, 2025
Tonight, Live From WFMT presents a treasured favorite from July 1, 2024. That’s when pianist Marc-André Hamelin performed the Second Piano Sonata of Charles Ives, Forest Scenes by Robert Schumann, and Gaspard de la nuit by Maurice Ravel. (Rebroadcast)
Jaeden Izik-Dzurko, piano
March 31, 2025
Canadian pianist Jaeden Izik-Dzurko is the first prize laureate of the 2024 Concours musical international de Montréal, and the winner of the 2024 Leeds International Piano Competition. This extraordinary young artist makes his Chicago debut with his performance on Live From WFMT.
Paul Huang, violin & Helen Huang, piano
March 24, 2025
Violinist Paul Huang and pianist Helen Huang are two extraordinarily virtuosic collaborators who happen to share the same last name. For this Live From WFMT recital, the duo will perform repertoire from their soon-to-be-released album on Naïve Records, “Mirrors,” which features selected works Francis Poulenc and Sergei Prokofiev, and Spiegel im Spiegel by Arvo Pârt. (PRETAPED)
Juliani Ensemble
March 17, 2025
Host Kerry Frumkin welcomes the Chicago-based Juliani Ensemble back to the Levin studio for this episode of Live From WFMT. Varied repertoire for this broadcast will include the Beethoven String Quartet No. 11 In F minor, Impresiones de la Puna for flute and string quartet by Alberto Ginastera, a Concertino by Erwin Schulhoff, and the String Quartet No. 8 in ...
Sapphire Woodwind Trio
March 10, 2025
Cultivated right here in Chicago, the Sapphire Woodwind Trio brings together three members of the Sapphire Quintet: Kim Fleuchaus, flute and piccolo; Allison Baker-Wherle, oboe and english horn; and Anna Najoom, clarinet and bass clarinet. As Kerry Frumkin’s guests on Live From WFMT, they will share a varied collection of international repertoire, including a Divertimento by Malcolm Arnold, an instrumental ...
Danbi Um, violin & Juho Pohjonen, piano
March 3, 2025
Praised by The Strad as an “utterly dazzling” artist with “a marvelous show of superb technique,” violinist Danbi Um visits WFMT’s Levin Studio for this Live From WFMT performance. Her collaborator is the highly acclaimed Finnish pianist Juho Pohjonen. The duo will share repertoire from their new album, Poème Mystique, which was released on the Avie label in February 2025.
Axiom Brass
February 24, 2025
Trumpeters Dorival Puccini, Jr. and Bethany Vaughan, horn player Alex Laskey, trombonist Corey Sansolo, and tuba player Serena Voltz form the virtuosic Chicago-based ensemble Axiom Brass. They will be Kerry Frumkin’s guests on this edition of Live From WFMT.
Audire Quartet
February 17, 2025
Kerry Frumkin’s guests on this edition of Live From WFMT are the members of the Audire Quartet: violinists Rong-Yan Tang and Ni Mei, violist Youming Chen, and cellist Ken Olsen. Tune in to hear these members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra perform the “Lark” Quartet, Op. 64, No. 5 by Haydn, and the String Quartet No. 13 in Bb major, ...
Avanti Guitar Trio
February 10, 2025
Formed in 2010, the Avanti Guitar Trio brings together Amy Brucksch, Julie Goldberg and Christopher Teves. These three virtuoso guitarists will share a program of varied repertoire, including works by Luigi Boccherini, Georges Bizet, and the Beatles.
Kuang-Hao Huang, piano
February 3, 2025
Commended for “playing that is sensitive and wonderfully warm” (American Record Guide), Chicagoan Kuang-Hao Huang is a highly sought-after collaborative pianist whose performances have taken him throughout North America, Europe and Asia. During this rare solo performance, he’ll share 21st century piano works by composers with a Chicago connection. This includes a world premiere by Kyong Mee Choi who composed ...
Laura Strickling, soprano and Daniel Schlosberg, piano
January 27, 2025
2024 Grammy® nominees for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album, soprano Laura Strickling and pianist Daniel Schlosberg, are Kerry Frumkin’s guests on this edition of Live From WFMT.
Dover Quartet (PRETAPED)
January 20, 2025
Chicago’s vibrant music scene recently gained a new concert series dedicated to contemporary chamber music. Located in the intimate setting of Guarneri Hall, Nova Linea Musica launched in October 2024 with a performance by the highly acclaimed Dover Quartet. Live From WFMT was there, and tonight we bring you the Dover Quartet in repertoire by Jessie Montgomery, George Walker, and ...
Lincoln Trio
January 13, 2025
Tonight Live from WFMT presents The Lincoln Trio. Described by STRAD Magazine as “Sensational” “Bewitching” and “Models of vibrancy and control” (GRAMOPHONE Magazine), the celebrated GRAMMY nominated Chicago-based Lincoln Trio formed in 2003 and have been praised for their polished presentations of well-known chamber works and their ability to forge new paths with contemporary repertoire. The group’s reputation as a ...
Alexander Hersh, cello & Victor Santiago Asuncion, piano
January 6, 2025
In this Live From WFMT archive broadcast from 2022, cellist Alexander Hersh and pianist Victor Santiago Asuncion play music by Debussy, Britten, Schumann, and Fazıl Say.
There are no upcoming broadcasts at the moment.
