Stories

See Photo Highlights from WFMT’s 70th Anniversary Day of Celebration

We’re still soaring from our big day last week, when we welcomed some of Chicago’s leading artists to take part in a daylong celebration of WFMT and the music we’ve been presenting for the last 70 years!

Associated Press | November 16, 2018

Composer Lalo Schifrin says Oscar is an ‘amazing honor’

Violinist Rachel Barton Pine (Photo: Lisa-Marie Mazzucco)

Michael San Gabino | November 15, 2018

How Violinist Rachel Barton Pine Is Working To #ExpandTheCanon

Ignacy Jan Paderewski addresses a crowd (Source: Library of Congress)

Keegan Morris | November 14, 2018

Meet the pianist and statesman who helped secure Poland’s independence

Australian composer Brett Dean hospitalized with coronavirus

Associated Press | March 6, 2020

ADELAIDE, Australia (AP) — Musician and composer Brett Dean has been hospitalized in Australia with the new coronavirus. British agent Intermusica says the violist and conductor is in isolation in an Adelaide hospital with the COVID-19 illness. He was to perform with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra at the Adelaide Festival on Saturday. Festival executive director Rob Brookman says Dean canceled ...

Harris Theater President and CEO Patricia Barretto Has Died at Age 45

WFMT | March 5, 2020

Patricia Barretto, president and CEO of Chicago’s Harris Theater for Music and Dance, has died following a 4-year battle with breast cancer. She was 45. She passed away Tuesday, March 3, 2020, with her husband, Sheldon, their son, David, her parents, William and Fatima Mcrae, and close friends at her side. Barretto was born in Mumbai and completed a BA in ...

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brahms tchaikovsky -- classical music feuds

6 of the Most Famous Classical Music Feuds Between Composers

Hannah Edgar | November 7, 2018

The history of music is full of friendships and feuds. These composers certainly had complicated relationships. What are your favorite composer clashes?

Playlist: Classical Saxophone Music You Need to Hear

Michael San Gabino | November 6, 2018

hough it seems like we can only count on our hands the number of times we see the saxophone in the concert hall, the instrument does have a robust and diverse classical repertoire.

Nico Muhly scores with second commission from Met

Associated Press | November 6, 2018

NEW YORK (AP) — Ten years ago at age 27, Nico Muhly became the youngest composer ever to have a piece commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera. “It was completely terrifying,” Muhly said of the offer from Met general manager Peter Gelb to write “Two Boys” for America’s leading opera house. As with any commission he gets, he said, “It’s not ...

Through the Night with Peter van de Graaff