This Wednesday evening, November 13, WHRO FM 90.3 invites listeners to join Raymond Jones at 9:00 p.m. for a new episode of “A Local Touch – Music with a Virginia Connection,” celebrating Virginia's vibrant music scene.
The evening opens with a tribute to the Virginia Choral Society’s remarkable 94-year history and their recent October 2024 program, “Silver Screen.” This performance, conducted by Bryson Mortensen, brings a timeless selection of songs from beloved movies, featuring music by film score icon Irving Berlin and other classics from Star Wars, The Lord of the Rings, La La Land, and The Greatest Showman.
Next, we’ll hear an exclusive interview with Daniel W. Boothe, the musical director of Symphonicity, who is preparing a culturally rich concert at the Sandler Center in Virginia Beach. The program will showcase pieces that honor the Filipino-American community, like “Anima Christy” by Filipino composer Jim Bellrock, and a rendition of Grieg’s Piano Concerto in A Minor performed by Filipino pianist Matthew Calderon. While we eagerly await this upcoming concert, we’ll set the stage with a recording of Beethoven's “Wellington’s Victory,” performed by Symphonicity under the direction of Daniel W. Boothe in 2019.
Listeners will also be treated to a new Heifetz on Air episode entitled “Nordic Sounds.” Recorded at the renowned Heifetz International Music Institute in Staunton. This episode showcases works by Jean Sibelius, Edvard Grieg, and Johan Halvorsen, all performed by Heifetz alumni.
Closing out the program, violist Zachary Carrettin performs the Cello Suite No. 2 by J.S. Bach, arranged for viola, offering a soulful finish that reminds us of classical music’s universal resonance across centuries and cultures.
Tune in to WHRO FM 90.3, or listen online, this Wednesday evening and enjoy the sounds that connect Virginia to the world.
