Stories

Daniel Barenboim in a grey hat, stands in front of a stone wall

Citing Health Issues, Daniel Barenboim Will Step Back from Performing, Conducting

“I have lived all my life in and through music, and I will continue to do so as long as my health allows me to.”

Angelica LasalaAugust 22, 2017

Your Guide to Chopin’s Nocturnes

Adela SkowronskiAugust 22, 2017

Playlist: Your Guide to Chopin’s Orchestral Works

Angelica LasalaAugust 22, 2017

This Breakdance Duet to Chopin’s ‘Fantaisie-Impromptu’ Will Send You Spinning

Decade in Review: The 2010s and Classical Music

WFMTJanuary 3, 2020

The 2010s were a tumultuous decade, replete with astounding artistic highlights, superlative new voices, and watershed moments of reckoning. WFMT hosts and staff reflect on what the past decade brought for classical music, and what the new decade may have in store.

Saturday: WFMT to Premiere Two New Programs for Kids and Families

Keegan MorrisJanuary 2, 2020

Saturday Morning Listener's Choice kicks off on January 4 with guests Rachel Barton Pine and daughter Sylvia, who give us their picks in the premiere episode

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After Gathering Dust for 200 Years, How Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 1 Was Rediscovered

Hannah EdgarAugust 14, 2017

Franz Joseph Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 1 collected dust for nearly 200 years in the National Museum in Prague before it became a staple of the cello repertoire. Music historians had always known of the concerto’s existence, thanks to Haydn’s diligent records: the work is included in both of his personal catalogues, dating it circa 1765. Beyond those brief mentions, ...

Check Out the Sights and Sounds of Chicago’s Only Classical Music Street Fest

WFMTAugust 14, 2017

In the summer, Chicago is teeming with block parties and street fests. Over the weekend, the Thirsty Ears Classical Music Street Festival filled the block of Wilson Avenue between Ravenswood and Hermitage with music you won’t likely hear at other Chicago street fests – or at least, not in this format. Thirsty Ears, a two-year-old project of the Chicago organization ...

Hear the Mass Some Believe Saved Church Music

Angelica LasalaAugust 10, 2017

You may not be familiar with his music, but we all benefit from his work. Italian Renaissance composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina is often called the "Savior of Church Music."

Sunday Afternoons with Robbie Ellis