Wednesdays at 12:15 pm
From the Chicago Cultural Center, hear weekly live concerts.
Each week WFMT goes live to the Chicago Cultural Center for concerts with emerging artists from around the world, produced by the International Music Foundation. Some shows offer solo recitals while others feature ensembles. The concerts take place beneath the world’s largest Tiffany-domed ceiling, part of a landmark building that originally housed the Chicago Public Library. The Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts are named for British pianist Myra Hess who organized some 1,700 free lunchtime concerts for Londoners during World War II, in the years of nightly air raids.
Lucas Krupinski
October 9, 2019
Polish-born pianist performs works by Schubert, Chopin, and Ravel for this Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert broadcast. Polish pianist Lucas Krupinski is the winner of the 7th International Piano Competition in San Marino and all of the contest prizes – the Audience Award, the Music Critics Award and the Orchestra Award in 2016. A finalist of the International Competition of ...
Hélène Tysman
October 2, 2019
2010 Darmstadt International Chopin Competition First Prize winner Hélène Tysman performs a program of works by Bach, Debussy, Chopin, and Ravel for this Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert broadcast. Hailed by The New York Times as a pianist of “warm touch and dreamy sensibility”, praised by The Daily Telegraph as “poetic” and qualified by the Süddeutsche Zeitung as a “pianistic ...
Aruna Quartet
September 25, 2019
Texas Tech University’s award winning Aruna Saxophone Quartet joins us live for this Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert broadcast with works by Grieg and Glazunov and contemporary works by David Maslanka and Marcelo Zarvos. Aruna Quartet William Pyle, soprano saxophone Tony Guzman, alto saxophone Ryan Hill, tenor saxophone Andrew Schoen, baritone saxophone Comprised of undergraduate and graduate students at Texas ...
Sara Domjanić and Tanya Gabrielian
September 11, 2019
Violinist Sara Domjanić is joined by collaborative pianist Tanya Gabrielian for the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert broadcast. On this program they will perform works by Sergei Prokofiev, Claude Debussy, and the virtuosic Gypsy Caprice by Fritz Kreisler. Sara Domjanić started playing the violin at the age of just four and won her first competition when she was five. By the ...
Ginevra Petrucci and Jory Vinikour
September 4, 2019
Flutist Ginevra Petrucci and pianist Jory Vinikour present a program of Hindemith, Hummel, and Vaughan Williams live under the Tiffany glass dome of the Chicago Cultural Center. Described by The Flutist Quarterly as having “a beautiful phrasing, brilliant virtuosity and a legato worthy of a great singer”, Ginevra Petrucci has an active performing schedule that has seen her appear, in recent ...
George X. Fu
August 28, 2019
Acclaimed pianist George X. Fu performs five Debussy Études and Piano Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109 by Beethoven for this Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert broadcast. Hailed by the Boston Music Intelligencer as a “heroic piano soloist” with “stunning virtuosity”, Chinese-American pianist George X. Fu has performed as a soloist with orchestras such as the National Symphony ...
Kimberly Han
August 14, 2019
Young Steinway Artist award winning pianist Kimberly Han performs works by Bach, Haydn, and Chopin live under the Tiffany glass dome of the Chicago Cultural Center for this Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert broadcast. Kimberly Han, 18-year-old pianist and violinist, is from Lake Forest, Illinois of USA. She was recently awarded the revered “Young Steinway Artist” title (ages 16-35 years ...
Hessler Duo
August 7, 2019
Violinist Yun-Ting Lee and collaborative pianist Younjung Cha who form the Hessler Duo perform a live recital from the Chicago Cultural Center for this Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert broadcast featuring works of Brahms, Debussy, and Joachim. The Hessler Duo was formed by pianist Youn-Jung Cha and violinist Yun-Ting Lee. The name of the duo originated from the street the two lived on as housemates ...
Huiping Cai
July 31, 2019
Twenty-one-year-old Chinese pianist Huiping Cai presents a live recital with works by Ravel, Paderewski, and Chopin for this Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert broadcast. Twenty-one-year-old Huiping Cai is one of the most exciting young talents coming from China today. Winner of numerous national and international competitions, she captured First Prize at the 2019 Chopin International Piano Competition in Hartford, CT. ...
Tara Lynn Ramsey and Daniel Pesca
July 24, 2019
Violinist Tara Ramsey is joined by collaborative pianist Daniel Pesca for this live Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert broadcast with works by Mozart, Brahms, and Gershwin. Tara Lynn Ramsey enjoys a varied career as a chamber musician, new music interpreter, orchestral musician, and teacher. She performs as violinist and violist of the Chicago-based contemporary music ensemble Dal Niente and is a ...
Tom Zalmanov
July 17, 2019
Israeli-born pianist Tom Zalmanov joins us live under the Tiffany glass dome of the Chicago Cultural Center with a program of Mozart, Chopin, and Scriabin for this Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert broadcast. Israeli-born pianist Tom Zalmanov (b. 1999) is a student at the Buchman-Mehta School of Music in Tel Aviv, class of Prof. Emanuel Krasovsky. He previously studied in ...
Gabriel Martins and Joseph Liccardo
July 10, 2019
Gabriel Martins and Joseph Liccardo present music for cello and piano by both Clara and Robert Schumann as well as a Beethoven sonata live from the Chicago Cultural Center for this Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert broadcast. American cellist Gabriel Martins (b. 1998) is a prize-winner of the David Popper International Cello Competition, Orford Music Award, Prague Spring International Music Competition, Sphinx ...
YinJia Lin
July 3, 2019
Chinese pianist YinJia Lin makes her appearance on the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert Broadcasts with works of Scarlatti, Chopin, and Ginastera live from the Chicago Cultural Center. Chinese pianist YinJia Lin has drawn international attention since her concerto debut at the age of 15 with the Hong Kong Sinfonietta, conducted by Wing-Sie Yip. Recognized by critics, colleagues and the ...
Trio Appassionata
June 26, 2019
Praised by the International Record Review for its “complete dedication and assurance… [and for] music-making as impressive and dangerous as a granite cliff, ” Trio Appassionata is known for its communicative power, engaging performances, and the ability to bring audiences from different cultures together through music. Trio Appassionata’s recent engagements include extensive tours of both China and Brazil. The trio toured China under the ...
Brian Lam, piano
June 19, 2019
Pianist Brian Lam performs works by Chopin, Schubert, and Liszt live from the Chicago Cultural Center in this week’s Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert broadcast. Hailed by pianist Claude Frank as “a superbly talented young pianist,” Brian Lam has performed at numerous concert venues around the globe. He has recently claimed the First Prize at the Hong Kong International Concerto ...
Tatiana Chulochnikova and Martin Labazevitch
June 5, 2019
Violinist Tatiana Chulochnikova and pianist Martin Labazevitch perform rare works by Polish composers including Karol Lipinski, Karol Szymanowski, and Chopin’s first music teacher Josef Elsner. Praised for her “fine performances” (The Washington Post), “dark plush romantic violin sound’ (New York Concert Review) and ‘thrilling technique and bravura style” (San Francisco Classical Voice) violinist Tatiana Chulochnikova is pursuing an active career as a ...
Esther Lee and Sung Chang
May 29, 2019
The husband and wife duo Sung Chang and Esther Lee presents music for piano four hands by Bach, Liszt, and Piazzolla for this live Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert broadcast. Husband and wife duo team, Sung Chang and Esther Lee have been playing together since 2010 while studying at Hochschule fuer Musik Theater und Medien Hannover in Germany. After only six months as a ...
Kelsey Lauritano, mezzo-soprano & Andrew Sun, piano — Facebook Exclusive
May 22, 2019
Mezzo-soprano Kelsey Lauritano and pianist Andrew Sun share a program featuring works by Schubert, Ravel, Falla, and Ricky Ian Gordon in this Facebook Live-exclusive Dame Myra Hess recital. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Japanese-American mezzo Kelsey Lauritano has been hailed by Opera News for her “wondrous power”, by the Boston Globe for her “rippling wine-dark voice with a low ...
Bryan Cheng and Silvie Cheng
May 15, 2019
The Cheng² Duo — Bryan Cheng, cello, and Silvie Cheng, piano — present works by Tchaikovsky, Poulenc, and Sarasate under the Tiffany glass dome at the Chicago Cultural Center. Captivating audiences and critics alike, the Cheng² Duo distinguishes itself with its uncompromising musical integrity, undeniable chemistry, and unparalleled communication with its listeners. The brother-and-sister duo is formed by 21-year-old cellist Bryan Cheng, top ...
Graeme Steele Johnson and Yevgeny Yontov
May 8, 2019
Clarinetist Graeme Steele Johnson and pianist Yevgeny Yontov present a program of Brahms and Debussy for this live broadcast of the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert. Winner of the Hellam Young Artists’ Competition and the Yamaha Young Performing Artists Competition, Graeme Steele Johnson has established a multifaceted career as a clarinetist, writer and artistic producer. As a soloist and chamber musician, he ...
Merz Trio
October 16, 2019
The Merz Trio presents two works for this program Piano Trio No. 1 Op.8 by Johannes Brahms and Widmung by Robert Schumann arranged by the trio for this Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert. Brigid Coleridge, violin Julia Yang, cello Lee Dionne, piano Composed of players hailed as “impressive” (NYTimes), “impeccable” (Fanfare Magazine), and praised for “a sense of joyful virtuosity” ...
Sam Boutris and Hilda Huang
October 30, 2019
Clarinetist Sam Boutris and pianist Hild Huang present a program of Mozart, Ravel, Pierné, Cahuzac, Bassi, and Schumann. Clarinetist Sam Boutris’ nuanced and genuine performances balance artistic originality with elegant interpretations that engage both audiences and critics alike. He regularly performs as a concerto soloist, recitalist and chamber musician, collaborating with an eminent array of renowned conductors and colleagues. Boutris’ current ...
