Irish pianist John O’Conor has performed around the world to great acclaim, known particularly for his interpretation of the music of Beethoven.  He has made significant contributions to the arts in his native country and has been a key figure in the development of young artists through his role as Director of the Royal Irish Academy of Music. His latest CD is a collection of famous Irish tunes performed with the Irish Chamber Orchestra, called Irish Classics. We spoke with him about his new recording and about his time studying with another legendary Beethoven interpreter, Wilhelm Kempff. You can hear our interview with him below.

The York Symphony Orchestra highlights some of its own principal players in a concert that includes chamber music groups performing music inspired by gypsy themes and styles. Concertmaster John Eaken is also the violinist with the Eaken Piano Trio, and the whole group will take the stage in the upcoming concert on March  20 at 8 p.m. at the Strand Capitol.  Principal clarinetist Beverly Butts is also a member of the Eric Fung Trio, who will be performing as well. They joined us live in the WITF Performance Studio to play some selections from the concert. You can hear the performance/interview below.

For decades Art Rosenbaum has been collecting the songs of American folk musicians, organically recording their back porch performances and sharing the tradition for folk music. On March 21st, the Friends of the Hershey Public Library present "An Afternoon with Art Rosenbaum: Traditional Folk Music" at 2pm in the Hershey Public Library. Rosenbaum's program is an artful combination of live music, art, photography, and his famous recordings. The program will begin with a slide and music presentation, with slides of Art Rosenbaum’s paintings and drawings and Margo Newmark Rosenbaum’s photographs, along with audio selections relating to their two volume Dust-to-Digital compilation Art of Field Recording: 50 Years of Traditional American Folk Music Documented by Art Rosenbaum. Following this will be some live playing and singing by Art, with banjo, guitar, fiddle, and harmonica. Art Rosenbaum is a Grammy Award-winning painter, muralist, illustrator and performer. He wrote and illustrated two books: Folk Visions and Voices: Traditional Music and Song in North Georgia and Shout Because You’re Free: The African American Ring Shout Tradition on the Coast of Georgia. He currently serves as Wheatley Professor Emeritus in Fine Arts at the University of Georgia.

The event is free, but those wanting to attend should contact the Circulation desk at the Hershey Public Library, by calling 717-533-6655 or by visiting them online.  Hear our interview with Art Rosenbaum below, complete with some samples of his recordings.

In between lessons playing Bartok, Brahms and Stravinsky at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, violinists Zachary De Pue and Nicolas Kendall discovered they shared a mutual love of fiddling in the country western and bluegrass styles. Later, fellow student Ranaan Meyer introduced them to his deep roots in jazz and improvisation. They brought all of their musical influences together to create their trio, Time for Three. The Group joined the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra for a concert March 13 and 14.  

Sir Simon Rattle of the Berlin Philharmonic said of them, “Three benevolent monsters, monsters of ability and technique surely. But also conveyers of an infectious joy that I find both touching and moving.”  Time for Three dropped by the WITF Performance Studio to play some samples of their infectious music, and you can hear the  interview/performance below.

On March 20, The Harrisburg Singers and Trinity Lutheran Church, Camp Hill, will launch the inaugural American Composer’s Festival. The goal of the festival is to bring in a noted American composer to conduct a celebration of his or her music.This year, composer K. Lee Scott has been chosen. He is known as one of America’s foremost composers of music for the church. Six local church choirs will join the Harrisburg Singers in the performance: Trinity Lutheran Church in Camp Hill; Mechanicsburg Presbyterian Church; Camp Hill United Methodist Church; Camp Hill Presbyterian Church; Messiah Lutheran Church, Harrisburg; and Zion Lutheran Church, Hummelstown.  The concert begins Saturday evening at 7:30. You can hear our feature on the choral festival below.