9 Studs Terkel Conversations for Hispanic Heritage Month

Hear from Hispanic artists, writers, activists, and more from Chicago and beyond.

Video: Pianist Jiao Sun Plays Liszt, Debussy, Chopin, and More

Jiao Sun, a US-based pianist originally from Harbin, China, visited Chicago for a captivating recital.

Playlist: WFMT Listeners’ First Favorites

We all came to love classical music in different ways. Here are some of the musical first loves of our WFMT listeners, in their own words.

Take a Liszt Deep Dive with Pianist Kyle Orth

Orth samples standout works from the whole of Liszt’s compositional career, including selections from the Romantic virtuoso’s signature Années de pèlerinage (Years of Pilgrimage).

Marin Alsop, Jude Kelly Reflect on Leadership and Purpose in Panel Led by WFMT-WTTW CEO Sandra Cordova Micek

Marin Alsop reflects that “courage is important in leadership, but accountability is, too.”

Key WFMT Producer, Host, Programmer Lois Baum Has Died, 87

Lois Baum’s long and illustrious time with WFMT began in 1964.

Chicago Pride Concerts & Events for 2023

From concerts to screenings to festivals to parades, there’s always something happening in and around Chicago for LGBTQ+ Pride Month.

Carlos Kalmar and the Grant Park Music Festival

With principal conductor and artistic director Carlos Kalmar, we look forward to the Grant Park Music Festival’s 2023 season and also relive a July 2022 concert featuring Rachel Barton Pine playing Billy Childs as well as music by Ludwig van Beethoven and Victor Agudelo.

Video Premiere: Exciting Brass Ensemble The Westerlies Plays ‘This is Water’

How a speech by David Foster Wallace inspired a new triptych for brass quartet.

Classical Music Aerial Adventure: Winter in Chicago

With spellbinding aerial footage of Chicago, you’ll hear acclaimed artists playing wonderful, wintry classical music.

Watch Star Trumpeter Mary Elizabeth Bowden Play Beach & Debussy

Beautiful renditions of works inspired by poetry.

11 Studs Terkel Conversations for Black History Month

Just a few of the Black voices from the Studs Terkel Radio Archive.

In Their Own Words: Inspiring Quotes From Classical Artists and Friends Who Died in 2022

As we reflect on the year gone by, WFMT salutes the contributions of members of the arts community who died this past year.

Listening Party: WFMT’s New Show Prizes Fresh Perspectives on Classical Music Sounds

“It’s just something you don’t often hear in classical settings. The music ends and we’re laughing. The music ends and we’re singing.”

6 Studs Terkel Conversations With Native American Artists, Scholars, and Activists

Studs Terkel was committed to evolving, expanding, and interrogating our conception of who made up the US.

The Rich Warren Connection

“Rarely do I pick up a CD from an artist who doesn’t pay homage to Rich Warren,” says Wanda Fischer, award-winning host of The Hudson River Sampler.

John Brennan, 18-year WTTW-WFMT Trustee, Has Died, Age 60

Brennan was an active and engaged leader, serving on nearly every committee of the WTTW-WFMT board.

WFMT’s Classical Conversations: ‘Becoming Frederick Douglass’ & ‘Harriet Tubman Visions of Freedom’

Grammy-winning conductor, pianist, and composer Charles Floyd and award-winning baritone Robert Sims reflect on the importance that Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass placed on spirituals as a beacon for freedom.

Video: James Conlon & Johnny Gandelsman Reflect on Music of the Holocaust

WFMT interviews conductor James Conlon, a tireless advocate for composers silenced by the Nazi regime, and musician Johnny Gandelsman, who produced the soundtrack to ‘The US and the Holocaust.’

A Classical Music Aerial Adventure: Summer in Chicago

Get a new view of summertime in Chicago… complete with some great classical music!

How To Choose the Best Speakers to Listen to WFMT (and All Your Favorite Music!)

Finding the best speakers for classical music can be a serious proposition. Don’t spend your money without answering these questions!

Pianist Stewart Goodyear on the Magic of Music

“Every time I play a piece of music, I train my mind to look at a score fresh.”

Now Announcing: WFMT’s 2022 Grant Park Music Festival Live Broadcasts

Without the Grant Park Music Festival, summer in Chicago simply wouldn’t be … summer in Chicago.

Video: WFMT’s Bach to School Virtual Assembly with the Ryan Opera Center

On May 10, 2022, WFMT General Manager George Preston welcomed Ryan Opera Center performers Lunga Eric Hallam, tenor, and Chris Reynolds, pianist; along with ROC director Dan Novak, for an hour of conversation and music.

WFMT Classical Conversations: Dr. C. Charles Clency

WFMT presenter LaRob K. Rafael interviews Dr. C. Charles Clency, music educator, author, and the last accompanist of Mahalia Jackson.

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