Thanksgiving Programming on 90.9 WGUC

Thanksgiving is this Thursday and WGUC is offering a few special programs filled with beautiful music to accompany the holiday. Turn your radios to 90.9 while cooking dinner or visiting with family and friends. You can also listen online at wguc.org, via the WGUC app or your smart speaker. Here’s a list of what to expect:

Wednesday, November 27, 7 p.m.

Every Good Thing: This Thanksgiving, host Andrea Blain and classical music fans from around the country take time to give thanks and celebrate one of life's most meaningful gifts: music. Audiences will hear listeners from across the U.S. share stories about their favorite classical music pieces.

Thursday, November 28, 10 a.m.

Feast for the Ears: Traditional music and American composers take center stage as host Mark Perzel presents a warm, heartfelt celebration of the Thanksgiving holiday. It’s the perfect accompaniment for your Thanksgiving morning activities.

Thursday, November 28, 6 p.m.

Giving Thanks: Great American writers will grace us this Thanksgiving, 2019. Giving Thanks remembers poet Mary Oliver as she reads poems of gratitude and nature. Walt Whitman stops by to celebrate Thanksgiving and his 200th birthday, and we'll set a place at the table for New Yorker writer, best-selling author, humorist, and turkey aficionado Adam Gopnik. Hosted by John Birge.

What’s your favorite music for this season? Do you prefer something folksy like Stephen Foster’s Old Folks at Home or perhaps a jubilant march like John Philip Sousa’s  Stars and Stripes Forever. Maybe you’re an Aaron Copland fan or perhaps Cole Porter or Duke Ellington. Whatever your taste, we hope you’ll join us in counting blessings and sharing in our country’s rich musical history.

A Lovely Chat with JoAnn Falletta

JoAnn Falletta has quite the discography, between her work conducting both the Virginia Symphony and the Buffalo Philharmonic. That’s why you’ve likely heard many recordings with Ms. Falletta at the podium on 90.9. If you haven’t yet checked out her new recording with the Buffalo Philharmonic featuring Fabio Bidini as soloist for Brahms’ Second Piano Concerto along with selections from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, then you’re missing out! Not long after the album’s release, I had the privilege of chatting with Ms. Falletta, who just happens to be one of today’s finest conductors. She told me the story behind how this album came about:
 

She went on to explain how they selected the repertoire.
 

She has had some amazing opportunities to conduct the world’s leading orchestras. I asked if she has a favorite memory or a certain moment in her career that stands out.

She has been with the Buffalo Philharmonic for 20 years! When she became their Music Director back in 1999, she was the first woman to lead a major American Orchestra!

I asked if she’s ever run into and challenges being a woman in her field. She has a great attitude that I’m sure has contributed to her success.
 

She told me how she decided she wanted to become a conductor.

When not on the podium, she has quite a few hobbies.
 

Be sure to check out more from JoAnn Falletta when you listen to 90.9 WGUC! You can also listen online at wguc.org, via the free WGUC app, or your smart speaker.

90.9 WGUC Presents Cincinnati Opera!

This November 90.9 WGUC presents the 2019 Cincinnati Opera broadcast series. Here’s a listing of what you can expect to hear Sunday evenings at 8 p.m.:

Sunday, November 3, 8:00 p.m. (Performance Dates: June 13 & 15)

MOZART: The Marriage of Figaro

Sunday, November 10, 8:00 p.m. (Performance Dates: June 27 & 29)

GOUNOD: Romeo and Juliet

Sunday, November 17, 8:00 p.m. (Performance Dates: July 6, 11, 13 & 14)

R. STRAUSS: Ariadne auf Naxos

Sunday, November 24, 8:00 p.m. (Performance Dates: July 22, 23, 24, 26 & 27)

SCOTT DAVENPORT RICHARDS & DAVID COTE: Blind Injustice

Cincinnati Opera was founded in 1920, making it the second oldest opera company in the United States. They celebrate their centennial in 2020 and are already gearing up for it with a special weekly radio feature for the 100 weeks leading up to their anniversary. During this segment on 90.9, Evans Mirageas, the Harry T. Wilks Artistic Director, spotlights some of his favorite operatic moments from the past 100 years. He includes recordings of many of the great artists who have sung with Cincinnati Opera over the years along with memories from both Music Hall performances and appearances at their first home – the Cincinnati Zoo. Tune to 90.9 or wguc.org Friday evenings just after the 6 o’clock symphony for more! And be sure not to miss the 2019 Cincinnati Opera broadcasts on WGUC. Please note that we do not have the rights to broadcast Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess.