Join Raymond Jones this Wednesday at 9 p.m. for “A Local Touch – Music with A Virginia Connection.” You don’t have to go far to find outstanding musicians, brilliant composers, esteemed record labels, and captivating classical music festivals – we have them all right here in Virginia, and also on WHRO-FM.
This week’s program begins with the first of Sergei Rachmaninoff’s piano concertos, performed by the renowned pianist Olga Kern alongside the Virginia Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Eric Jacobsen. The Virginia Arts Festival celebrated the 150th anniversary of Rachmaninoff’s birth with an unforgettable weekend of performances, including all four piano concertos and the “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini”. Now, we’re bringing you those live concert recordings each Wednesday evening in April, in a special presentation made possible by The Goode Family Foundation. So, if you’re a fan of Rachmaninoff, the VSO, or the Van Cliburn Gold Medal-winning pianist, don’t miss this concert—or any of the upcoming ones! You’ll have the chance to experience Rachmaninoff’s musical evolution through his piano works, performed by a world-class artist.
And in just two weeks, the members of the Los Angeles Guitar Quartet will be here in Hampton Roads as well, as part of the Virginia Arts Festival. For a preview, Raymond Jones has selected “Music from the Time of Cervantes,” a suite of Spanish Renaissance pieces arranged by William Kanengiser. This interpretation stands out for its unique blend of folk, popular, and classical styles, incorporating energetic strumming and percussive techniques on the guitar.
Staying in the realm of strings, we move from guitar to cello with a tribute to the legendary cellist Alberto Lysy. From Staunton, our friends at “Heifetz On Air” have curated several recordings of Lysy, both as a soloist and in chamber music performances, alongside students and faculty from the Heifetz Institute.
From Staunton, we travel to Richmond. Virginia’s capital is home to Raven Records, a record label with a remarkable vision: recording Peter Sykes’ organ transcription of Gustav Holst’s orchestral suite “The Planets.” This adaptation has been widely praised for its complexity and its fidelity to the original orchestration.
Hear it all Wednesday evening at 9 on WHRO-FM 90.3, or online, and delve into the best classical music with “A Local Touch.”
