Musical Events for Black History Month

Honor Black artistry with an entire month of exciting musical events — operas, chamber concerts, jazz orchestras, broadcasts, and more!

In Their Own Words: Remembering Those Who Died in 2023

Recognizing the Chicagoans, musicians, artists, and friends of WFMT who died this past year.

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

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

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.

Classical Music Aerial Adventure: Winter in Chicago

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

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.

Stream a Documentary About Superstar Conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin

Yannick Nézet-Séguin is one of classical music’s most exciting and intriguing figures. Get to know him through a streaming documentary.

Playlist: Classical Fire and Flames

The Great Chicago Fire began on October 8, 1871. Here’s some music that takes inspiration from flames.

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!

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.

Watch WFMT Classical Conversations: Benjamin Franklin and Music

In connection with Ken Burns’ newest documentary, WFMT interviews Ellen Cohn, editor-in-chief of The Papers of Benjamin Franklin and actor and historian Mitchell Kramer, who has been portraying Franklin for more than a decade.

In Their Own Words: Inspiring Quotes From Classical Artists, Members of the Arts Community, and Colleagues Who Died in 2021

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

Stream 10 Hilarious Studs Conversations With Top Comedians & Humorists

Never were Studs Terkel’s legendary gregariousness, curiosity, and generosity more evident on-air than when a comedian, comic actor, or humorist stopped by the studio.

Beats & Boxing: How Music Adds Power to Ken Burns’s ‘Muhammad Ali’

Jennifer Dunnington creates emotions for a living. For Ken Burns’ latest film, Muhammad Ali, Dunnington, an Emmy-winning music producer and music editor, used music to convey emotions, introduce momentum, and ratchet up drama in the rink.

Watch WFMT’s Classical Conversation With ‘Approaching Ali’ Composer D. J. Sparr and Star Soloman Howard

Ali was among the most important, most charismatic, most unique figures in American (not just sports) history. So how do you adapt the monumental life of the People’s Champion into an opera?

Met’s 9/11 Anniversary: Music Can Help Mend Wounds of 20 Years Ago and Today

Matthew Polenzani, one of the artists performing at the Met’s Verdi Requiem commemorative concerts on the 20th anniversary of September 11, 2001, reflects on why music can help us heal.

Wells’ World: Corey Wilkes Melds Chicago Music Past, Present In Documentary Score

“I had to think about the Roaring Twenties and music like Louis Armstrong, King Oliver, and so on, that Ida B. Wells [would have been] hearing.”

Jim Mabie, Longtime WTTW-WFMT Trustee and Board Chair, Dies at 85

A noted Chicago businessman, philanthropist and civic leader who served as a WTTW and WFMT trustee for more than 20 years, Jim Mabie died Saturday surrounded by his family.

Playlist: The Sounds of Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway was, by his own account, “absolutely without talent” when it came to music, but his influential writing and extraordinary life have inspired many film and TV composers.

Playlist: Black and Latino Voices On Stage

To coincide with exciting new additions to the WTTW slate, WFMT has compiled a playlist celebrating the pinnacles of Black and Latino artistry in vocal music.

Bernstein MASS: Join Marin Alsop, Paolo Szot, and WFMT’s George Preston for a Live Panel Discussion

In the hour leading up to the premiere of the Ravinia Festival recording of Bernstein‘s MASS on PBS‘s Great Performances, we invite you to join us for this free panel.

Ravinia Cancels 2020 Season

The summer season was to feature more than 120 events, including concerts featuring the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, which takes its summer residency at the venerable, Chicago-area music festival.