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.
Stephen Kim and Ilya Friedberg
January 15, 2020
Violinist Stephen Kim, 3rd Prize winner at the 2019 Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition, 3rd Prize at the 2018 Premio Paganini International Violin Competition, and 2nd Prize at the 2016 Sendai International Violin Competition Stephen Kim joins us with collaborative pianist Ilya Friedberg with works of Chausson and Brahms. Violinist Stephen Kim has presented in venues across North America, Europe, and Asia, ...
Natalie Vargas Nedvetsky
January 8, 2020
Violinist Stephen Kim, 3rd Prize winner at the 2019 Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition, 3rd Prize at the 2018 Premio Paganini International Violin Competition, and 2nd Prize at the 2016 Sendai International Violin Competition Stephen Kim joins us with collaborative pianist Ilya Friedberg with works of Chausson and Brahms. Violinist Stephen Kim has presented in venues across North America, Europe, and Asia, ...
Véronique Mathieu and Jasmin Arakawa
December 18, 2019
Canadian born violinist Véronique Mathieu and collaborative pianist Jasmin Arakawa present a program of French music by Lili Boulanger, Claude Debussy, and Francis Poulenc. Described as a violinist with ‘chops to burn, and rock solid musicianship’ (The Whole Note, TORONTO), Canadian violinist Véronique Mathieu enjoys an exciting career as a soloist, chamber musician, and music educator. Her CD ARGOT was recently featured ...
Inga Kashakashvili
December 11, 2019
Georgian born pianist Inga Kashakashvili presents a recital of contemporary classical music along with quintessential pieces of the piano repertory including Clementi and Chopin, as well as Danielpour and Carlson. Georgian born pianist Inga Kashakashvili has performed at major venues around the world, among them Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Le Poisson Rouge, Steinway Hall, Merkin Hall at Kaufman ...
Sheng Cai
December 4, 2019
Violinist Stephen Kim, 3rd Prize winner at the 2019 Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition, 3rd Prize at the 2018 Premio Paganini International Violin Competition, and 2nd Prize at the 2016 Sendai International Violin Competition Stephen Kim joins us with collaborative pianist Ilya Friedberg with works of Chausson and Brahms. Violinist Stephen Kim has presented in venues across North America, Europe, and Asia, ...
Alexander Hersh and Evan Wong
November 27, 2019
Violinist Stephen Kim, 3rd Prize winner at the 2019 Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition, 3rd Prize at the 2018 Premio Paganini International Violin Competition, and 2nd Prize at the 2016 Sendai International Violin Competition Stephen Kim joins us with collaborative pianist Ilya Friedberg with works of Chausson and Brahms. Violinist Stephen Kim has presented in venues across North America, Europe, and Asia, ...
Timothy Hagen and Ben Corbin
November 20, 2019
Flutist Timothy Hagan and pianist Ben Corbin present a program of live music with works of Francis Poulenc, Valerie Coleman, Georg Philipp Telemann, Alexander Rosenblatt, and by today’s performer Timothy Hagen. Praised for his “technical virtuosity and musical sensitivity” (NewMusicBox) and “real flair” (The Well-Tempered Ear), Timothy Hagen is a laureate of multiple national and international competitions, including the Myrna ...
Kamil Tokarski
November 13, 2019
Violinist Stephen Kim, 3rd Prize winner at the 2019 Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition, 3rd Prize at the 2018 Premio Paganini International Violin Competition, and 2nd Prize at the 2016 Sendai International Violin Competition Stephen Kim joins us with collaborative pianist Ilya Friedberg with works of Chausson and Brahms. Violinist Stephen Kim has presented in venues across North America, Europe, and Asia, ...
Hilda Huang
November 6, 2019
Violinist Stephen Kim, 3rd Prize winner at the 2019 Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition, 3rd Prize at the 2018 Premio Paganini International Violin Competition, and 2nd Prize at the 2016 Sendai International Violin Competition Stephen Kim joins us with collaborative pianist Ilya Friedberg with works of Chausson and Brahms. Violinist Stephen Kim has presented in venues across North America, Europe, and Asia, ...
Sam Boutris and Hilda Huang
October 30, 2019
Violinist Stephen Kim, 3rd Prize winner at the 2019 Queen Elisabeth International Violin Competition, 3rd Prize at the 2018 Premio Paganini International Violin Competition, and 2nd Prize at the 2016 Sendai International Violin Competition Stephen Kim joins us with collaborative pianist Ilya Friedberg with works of Chausson and Brahms. Violinist Stephen Kim has presented in venues across North America, Europe, and Asia, ...
Facebook Exclusive: Soprano Kristina Bachrach & pianist Daniel Anastasio
October 23, 2019
Join us on WFMT's Facebook page for this web-exclusive vocal Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert featuring soprano Kristina Bachrach and pianist Daniel Anastasio. Under the Tiffany Dome of the Chicago Cultural Center, the duo will perform a selection of songs by composers who were killed or suppressed during the Holocaust, as well as works by Debussy and Schubert.
Merz Trio
October 16, 2019
Canadian born violinist Véronique Mathieu and collaborative pianist Jasmin Arakawa present a program of French music by Lili Boulanger, Claude Debussy, and Francis Poulenc. Described as a violinist with ‘chops to burn, and rock solid musicianship’ (The Whole Note, TORONTO), Canadian violinist Véronique Mathieu enjoys an exciting career as a soloist, chamber musician, and music educator. Her CD ARGOT was recently featured ...
Lucas Krupinski
October 9, 2019
Georgian born pianist Inga Kashakashvili presents a recital of contemporary classical music along with quintessential pieces of the piano repertory including Clementi and Chopin, as well as Danielpour and Carlson. Georgian born pianist Inga Kashakashvili has performed at major venues around the world, among them Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, Le Poisson Rouge, Steinway Hall, Merkin Hall at Kaufman ...
Hélène Tysman
October 2, 2019
A top prize winner in multiple competitions pianist Sheng Cai will present a program of Grieg, Chopin, and Lecuona for this live Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert broadcast. Pianist Sheng Cai has concertized throughout North America, South America, Asia and Europe. Since his debut with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra at just fifteen years old, he has been invited to perform ...
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
Pianist Hilda Huang joins us on this week’s Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert broadcast with works of Bach, Mozart, and Beethoven. Pianist Hilda Huang has been recognized for her “alluring extroversion” (New York Concert Review) and “philosophical depths” (West-Allgemeine Zeitung) in her interpretations of the music of J.S. Bach and more recently, L.V. Beethoven. By the age of 18 she ...
Kimberly Han
August 14, 2019
Clarinetist Sam Boutris and pianist Hild Huang present a program of Mozart, Ravel, Pierné, Cahuzac, Bassi, and Schumann.
Hessler Duo
August 7, 2019
Join us on WFMT's Facebook page for this web-exclusive vocal Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert featuring soprano Kristina Bachrach and pianist Daniel Anastasio. Under the Tiffany Dome of the Chicago Cultural Center, the duo will perform a selection of songs by composers who were killed or suppressed during the Holocaust, as well as works by Debussy and Schubert.
Christopher Goodpasture
January 22, 2020
Pianist Christopher Goodpasture presents of program of Beethoven, Liszt, and Debussy. Praised by the Dallas Morning News for his “rhetorical grandeur, romantic warmth, and surefire technique”, Christopher Goodpasture has established himself as a musician of refined style. The Toronto Concert Review described his playing as a “rare combination of strength, energy and sublime musical sensitivity…matched by a heavenly sense of ...
Danbi Um and Kuang-Hao Huang
January 29, 2020
Violinist Danbi Um and collaborative pianist Kuang-Hao Huang present a program of Korngold, Block, Saint-Saëns, and Ravel for this Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concert broadcast. Praised by The Strad as an “utterly dazzling” artist, with “a marvelous show of superb technique” and “mesmerizing grace” (New York Classical Review), violinist Danbi Um captivates audiences with her virtuosity, individual sound, and interpretive ...
