Special: Ryan Opera Center Rising Stars in Concert
May 12, 2024, 6:00 pm
A showcase performance by The Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Opera Center 2023/24 Ensemble with the Lyric Opera Orchestra conducted by Stefano Sarzani.
Civic Orchestra of Chicago: Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2
May 13, 2020, 8:00 pm
Under the baton of former Solti Conducting Apprentice Erina Yashima, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago — the nation’s leading training orchestra — performs Rachmaninoff’s timeless Symphony No. 2.
Norman Corwin: ‘On a Note of Triumph’
May 8, 2020, 11:00 pm
To mark the 75th anniversary of V-E Day, WFMT brings you Norman Corwin’s poetic masterpiece On a Note of Triumph, described by Carl Sandburg as “one of the all-time great American poems.” This acclaimed drama program aired live to an audience of 60 million Americans on the night of May 8, 1945, to mark the end of World War II ...
Civic Orchestra Centennial with Yo-Yo Ma & Ken-David Masur (Rebroadcast)
May 4, 2020, 8:00 pm
WFMT brings you a rebroadcast of a live concert from Symphony Center as the Civic Orchestra of Chicago marks its 100th anniversary season with a Centennial Celebration Benefit Concert featuring Yo-Yo Ma and Civic Orchestra Principal Conductor Ken-David Masur. Hosted by WFMT’s Kerry Frumkin, the broadcast will feature music by Berlioz, Ravel, and Dvořák. Tune in at 98.7 FM, wfmt.com, ...
Earth Day 2020: Stacy Garrop’s ‘Terra Nostra’
April 22, 2020, 8:00 pm
This past February, Stephen Alltop led the Northwestern University Symphony, the Alice Millar Chapel Choir, the Evanston Children’s Choir, and soloists in Terra Nostra – Our Earth – by the acclaimed Chicago-based composer Stacy Garrop. This large-scale celebration of our planet, and the relationship between humankind and the natural world, uses poetry by Byron, Shelley, Wordsworth, Tennyson, Walt Whitman, and ...
A Musical Feast for Passover with Itzhak Perlman
April 13, 2020, 10:00 pm
The springtime Jewish holiday of Passover is about liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt. In this one-hour special, superstar violinist Itzhak Perlman shares Passover music from many traditions, plus songs and memories from his childhood in Israel. The program draws its shape from the Passover seder and, like that ancient family ritual, the music gets progressively giddier as the show ...
A Musical Feast for Passover with Itzhak Perlman
April 9, 2020, 8:00 pm
The springtime Jewish holiday of Passover is about liberation from slavery in ancient Egypt. In this one-hour special, superstar violinist Itzhak Perlman shares Passover music from many traditions, plus songs and memories from his childhood in Israel. The program draws its shape from the Passover seder and, like that ancient family ritual, the music gets progressively giddier as the show ...
LIVE: Civic Orchestra Centennial with Yo-Yo Ma & Ken-David Masur
March 1, 2020, 7:00 pm
WFMT brings you a live broadcast from Symphony Center as the Civic Orchestra of Chicago marks its 100th anniversary season with a Centennial Celebration Benefit Concert featuring Yo-Yo Ma and Civic Orchestra Principal Conductor Ken-David Masur. Hosted by WFMT’s Kerry Frumkin, the broadcast will feature music by Berlioz, Ravel, and Dvořák. Tune in at 98.7 FM, wfmt.com, or the WFMT ...
New Year’s in Vienna
January 1, 2020, 10:00 am
An almost-live presentation of the annual Strauss concert by the Vienna Philharmonic in its venerable Musikverein. Andris Nelsons conducts.
New Year’s Eve Midnight Special
December 31, 2019, 8:00 pm
Rich Warren plays listener requests and welcomes a live audience to Levin Studio to hear four stellar folk performers. An annual WFMT tradition.
Eastern Orthodox Christmas Music with Andrew Patner
December 30, 2019, 10:00 pm
A rebroadcast from WFMT’s late critic-at-large, in which he explores this lesser-known holiday repertory.
Pierné’s Les Enfants à Bethléem
December 30, 2019, 8:00 pm
Gabriel Pierné’s charming Christmas choral work performed by musicians of the French Radio.
Itzhak Perlman’s Hanukkah Radio Party
December 29, 2019, 7:00 pm
The illustrious violinist samples a great variety of music for the Jewish Festival of Lights.
Winter Holidays Around the World with Bill McGlaughlin
December 24, 2019, 9:00 pm
Winter holidays are celebrated around the world, and their music is wonderful to hear, regardless of which tradition you observe. Bill’s spirited selections hail from the British Isles, Paris, Mexico, Polynesia, and more. Turn on your radio, pour a cup of tea, cozy up to a warm fire, and enjoy the music!
A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
December 24, 2019, 9:00 am
The annual service broadcast live from King’s College Chapel of Cambridge University.
Itzhak Perlman’s Hanukkah Radio Party
December 23, 2019, 10:00 pm
The illustrious violinist samples a great variety of music for the Jewish Festival of Lights. Program will be repeated Sunday, December 29, at 7:00 pm.
Music of the Baroque’s Brass and Choral Holiday Concert
December 23, 2019, 8:00 pm
William Jon Gray conducts choristers and brass players in seasonal music from the Renaissance and Baroque. Candice Agree hosts.
With Heart and Voice | A Christmas Celebration
December 22, 2019, 6:00 am
As we approach Christmas Eve, we’ll begin the festivities with music to celebrate the arrival of the Christ Child on this edition of With Heart and Voice. Tune in as Peter DuBois shares sacred choral and organ treasures of the season.
Christmas Around the World
December 20, 2019, 6:30 pm
Candice Agree scours performances from the European Broadcasting Union and from commercial recordings to find seasonal music from far and wide. More information
Handel’s Messiah, Part I
December 19, 2019, 2:00 pm
The Christmas section of Handel’s great oratorio is performed by the Baroque-specialist musicians of Tafelmusik.
Whole Notes: Music of Healing and Peace
December 13, 2019, 8:00 pm
On December 13, WFMT premieres Whole Notes: Music of Healing and Peace, a special program hosted by Kerry Frumkin that looks at the gun violence epidemic in America through the lens of classical music. This response to violence in our world – notably, gun violence – will include performances by cellist Yo-Yo Ma, a look at the Notes for Peace ...