Join Russell Gant for Classical WSMR’s final full-length broadcast from the Sarasota Opera! This week it’s Giuseppe Verdi’s Nabucco from a production from March of 2018.

Join Russell Gant for live music from Sarasota Opera as he welcomes cast members from their production of Cimarosa’s opera “The Secret Marriage.”

Join Russell Gant for Our next Tuesday Concert with the Florida Orchestra. Michael Francis conducts the Piano Concerto No. 3 by Prokofiev with guest pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, and the Symphony No. 5 by Tchaikovsky. Originally broadcast Tuesday, October 4, 2022 at 8:00 PM on Classical WSMR 89.1 & 103.9, online at wsmr.org.

Join host Russell Gant for Our Tuesday Concert with the Florida Orchestra.  Michael Francis conducts Robert Levin’s completion of the Mozart Requiem featuring the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. Originally broadcast on September 27th at 8:00 PM.

Our Tuesday Concert with The Florida Orchestra Concert Broadcast - Shchedrin & Rodrigo for September 20, 2022 Listen as host Russell Gant presents Our Tuesday Concert with the Florida Orchestra. Michael Francis conducts the Carmen Suite by Shchedrin, and the Concierto de Aranjuez by Rodrigo with guest guitarist Milos. That’s Tuesday night at 8:00 on Classical WSMR 89.1 & 103.9, online at wsmr.org.

Taylor Irelan is a flutist based in Tampa, Florida and has collaborated with award winning composers to commission, premiere, and record new works for the flute, as well as write his own works and transcriptions for flute and various ensembles. He joins Tyler Kline to discuss his debut album, out now, called “The Journey.” The album features brand new works by LGBTQIA+ composers. You can listen and get your copy on his website, taylorirelan.com.

Listen as host Russell Gant presents Our Tuesday Concert with the Florida Orchestra, as Michael Francis conducts the Piano Concerto No. 1 by Tchaikovsky with guest pianist Conrad Tao, followed by a performance of the complete ballet, the Firebird by Stravinsky. Originally broadcast September 13 at 8:00 PM on Classical WSMR 89.1 & 103.9, online at wsmr.org.

Join host Susan Giles Wantuck for the next Tuesday concert with The Florida Orchestra. Michael Francis conducts "A Silence Haunts Me" by Jake Runestad.  And Beethoven’s Symphony Number nine, with soloists and the Master Chorale of Tampa Bay. Originally broadcast September 6th at 8:00 on Classical WSMR 89.1 & 103.9, online at wsmr.org.

Listen as host Russell Gant presents our Tuesday Concert with the Florida Orchestra.  Michael Francis conducts the Piano Concerto No. 23 by Mozart with guest pianist Anne-Marie McDermott, followed by a performance of the Symphony No. 5 by Gustav Mahler. Originally broadcast August 30th at 8:00 on Classical WSMR 89.1 & 103.9, online at wsmr.org.

On the 7/3/2022 edition of Modern Notebook, Tyler Kline shares a pair of pieces for Independence Day inspired by the National Anthem: Jessie Montgomery’s “Banner,” and Kile Smith’s “The Dawn’s Early Light.” Plus, Tyler will be joined by pianist Ann DuHamel to discuss her project “Prayers for a Feverish Planet.”  Enjoy this audio, an interview with Ann DuHamel. Listen to Modern Notebook, Sunday nights from 8 to 10 on Classical WSMR 89.1 and 103.9.

Live Performance – Pianists from the Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival – June 30th, 2022 Celebrating its 10th season, the Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival returned to the USF School of Music on Thursday, June 30th. The festival welcomed piano students from all over the world to work with acclaimed faculty artists. Hear some of the festival’s best students from this Thursday afternoon as Bethany Cagle welcomes them for a live performance.  Originally broadcast on June 30, 2022 at 1:00 PM.

Live Performance – Pianists from the Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival – July 7th, 2022 Celebrating its 10th season, the Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival returned to the USF School of Music on Thursday, July 7th. The festival welcomed piano students from all over the world to work with acclaimed faculty artists. Hear some of the festival’s best students from this Thursday afternoon as Bethany Cagle welcomes them for a live performance.  Originally broadcast on July 7th, 2022 at 1:00 PM.

Tuesday Concert with Sarasota Orchestra 2022 Concert Broadcasts - Prokofiev and Mendelssohn for July 5, 2022Enjoy Russell Gant hosting Our Tuesday Concert with Sarasota Orchestra from this year’s Sarasota Music Festival featuring guest artist Francesca Anderegg playing the Violin Concerto No. 2 by Prokofiev, and Jeffrey Kahane conducting the Symphony No. 4 by Mendelssohn.  Originally broadcast Tuesday, July 5th at 8:00 PM on Florida’s Classical Music Station…WSMR 89.1 and 103.9.

Enjoy this LIVE performance as host Russell Gant welcomed 2003 Sarasota Music Festival alumni, and as of this year, faculty member, violinist Francesca Anderegg. They talked about how the Festival as impacted her successful career, and she performed for us live on the radio.Originally broadcast Tuesday morning, June 21st, 2022, at 11:00 AM on WSMR 89.1 & 103.9 and online at WSMR.org. Stream us on the WUSF and NPR One apps. Ask your smart speaker to "Play Classical WSMR."

Listen to Classical WSMR as host Russell Gant welcomed the principal cellist from the Houston Symphony; Brinton Avril Smith to our Sarasota Performance and Broadcast Studio. Brinton played Bach for solo cello, and talked about this year’s exciting Sarasota Music Festival. Originally broadcast June 16th, 2022 at 11:00 AM on Florida’s Classical Music Station, WSMR 89.1 & 103.9.

Classical WSMR thanks Sarasota Orchestra for sharing this music and giving us the chance to broadcast it for everyone to enjoy. At a time when it matters most – we are working together to keep the music playing! Stay up to date with Sarasota Orchestra on their website at sarasotaorchestra.org. And listen every Tuesday for a Masterwork with Sarasota Orchestra. You can listen live at 89.1 or 103.9, on wsmr.org, and from your smartphone with the WUSF Public Media App. Also, you can ask your Smart Speaker to play Classical WSMR. If you miss a broadcast, you can listen to it on-demand at WSMR.org for 30 days after the airdate.

Modern Notebook Interview: CAMP for September 26, 2021On this edition of Modern Notebook,  Tyler Kline is joined by the founders of the Contemporary Art Music Project, or CAMP, a new contemporary music initiative set to present concerts in the Tampa Bay region and across Central Florida. They’ve got two in-person concerts coming up in early October in Tampa and Orlando.

On this edition of Modern Notebook, Tyler Kline is joined by Juhi Bansal and Julia Mermelstein, the two winning composers of the USF New-Music Consortium’s International Call for Scores. They’ll discuss their work and give a preview of the music that will be featured on the New-Music Consortium’s upcoming virtual concert (April 2021).

White Dust is a string quartet by composer Bradley Mikesell. The quartet uses several motifs and ideas which come from Mikesell's solos for the constituent instruments. The entire quartet expresses very exciting ideas, and uses the string medium in a unique and innovative way.

This is the third movement of Sappho Fragments, an art song for Soprano by composer G. Blake Harrison-Lane. The songs are settings of text by the Greek lyric poet Sappho, who was born between 630 and 612 BCE. This suite of songs is an ongoing song cycle that uses translations of what remains of Sappho’s poetry in short songs reflecting on the nearly twenty-seven century journey that the words took to reach us here today. This recording is the third movement, "Death," which uses the text below: Death is an evil, for the gods choose breath; Had Death been good the gods had chosen Death.

embalmed, enshrined, or cast out among is a cello solo written by composer Michael Standard, which addresses themes of mortality, personal decision-making, and drama through metaphor and performance techniques. It was originally written for Josh Thornton, and is performed here by Eduard Teregulov.

Judith Lang Zaimont is internationally recognized for her music’s distinctive style, characterized by expressive strength and dynamism. She’s the recipient of numerous awards, including the 2015 The American Prize in Chamber Music Composition and a 2003 Aaron Copland Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship, composer grant from the National Endowment for the arts, and much more; and her music is widely performed throughout the United States and Europe. Zaimont is in virtual residency at the University of South Florida this coming week, hosted by the USF New-Music Consortium. This residency includes a composer talk, which will be held on February 15th at 7:00pm EST. Additionally, the NMC will be presenting a concert of Zaimont’s music on February 19th at 7:00pm EST, featuring three world premieres. All events are virtually streamed, and free to attend.

A 1-hour broadcast of our Christmas with The Master Chorale concert on December 7, 2018 has been edited to include narration by WSMR's Classical Music Director, Russell Gant, featuring a special interview with Brett Karlin, Artistic Director. The concert features Timothy Brumfield, organ, Teresa Ancaya, piano, and Stele from Lumina Youth Choirs.

Classical WSMR's Bethany Cagle is joined by members of the ensemble Sybarite5 as they prepare for their first-ever collaboration with Sarasota’s Key Chorale. They perform together on a concert featuring the divine “Solemn Vespers” along with newly commissioned arrangements inspired by the popular band Radiohead. Learn more about that concert, and hear Sybarite5 play live.

Premiered in 1846, “Elijah” is based on the first and second book of Kings in the Old Testament, in which the prophet Elijah deals with drought, vengeance and idolatry before ascending to heaven on a chariot of flames. If it sounds like the makings of an opera, you’re right, but church prohibitions on performances of opera during the season of Lent turned Mendelssohn toward the oratorical form.

Premiered in 1846, “Elijah” is based on the first and second book of Kings in the Old Testament, in which the prophet Elijah deals with drought, vengeance and idolatry before ascending to heaven on a chariot of flames. If it sounds like the makings of an opera, you’re right, but church prohibitions on performances of opera during the season of Lent turned Mendelssohn toward the oratorical form.

Premiered in 1846, “Elijah” is based on the first and second book of Kings in the Old Testament, in which the prophet Elijah deals with drought, vengeance and idolatry before ascending to heaven on a chariot of flames. If it sounds like the makings of an opera, you’re right, but church prohibitions on performances of opera during the season of Lent turned Mendelssohn toward the oratorical form.

Premiered in 1846, “Elijah” is based on the first and second book of Kings in the Old Testament, in which the prophet Elijah deals with drought, vengeance and idolatry before ascending to heaven on a chariot of flames. If it sounds like the makings of an opera, you’re right, but church prohibitions on performances of opera during the season of Lent turned Mendelssohn toward the oratorical form.

Premiered in 1846, “Elijah” is based on the first and second book of Kings in the Old Testament, in which the prophet Elijah deals with drought, vengeance and idolatry before ascending to heaven on a chariot of flames. If it sounds like the makings of an opera, you’re right, but church prohibitions on performances of opera during the season of Lent turned Mendelssohn toward the oratorical form.

Premiered in 1846, “Elijah” is based on the first and second book of Kings in the Old Testament, in which the prophet Elijah deals with drought, vengeance and idolatry before ascending to heaven on a chariot of flames. If it sounds like the makings of an opera, you’re right, but church prohibitions on performances of opera during the season of Lent turned Mendelssohn toward the oratorical form.

Josh Mallard and Jamie Koller are both composers at the University of South Florida and both are part of the New-Music Consortium at USF: Josh is president of the student-led organization, and Jamie is the Public Relations representative. Earlier this year, the USF New Music Consortium was set to host their fourth bi-annual New Music Festival on the USF campus, welcoming 36 composers from all over the world to participate. That in-person festival was postponed, and now the Consortium is set to present a virtual version of the festival over the course of the next six months or so, and will present the work of the selected composers. The first virtual event is this coming Saturday, November 7th.

The St. Petersburg Opera Company will start its 11th season performing Verdi next month. Bethany Cagle got a preview of what’s to come when Maestro Mark Sforzini and singers from the St. Petersburg Opera perform highlights of Verdi’s Il Trovatore.

St. Petersburg Opera Company continues its Holiday Tradition with Seasonal Sparkle, and you can get a little preview on Classical WSMR. Mark Sforzini will lead the St. Pete Opera orchestra and chorus with special guests; Elizabeth Futral from the Metropolitan Opera, and baritone Galen Scott Bower. Hear these two singers perform for you live on the radio, and learn more about Seasonal Sparkle from Maestro Sforzini as they join Russell Gant on Classical WSMR 89.1 in Sarasota, 103.9 in Tampa, and online at wsmr.org.

by Sergei Rachmaninov In memory of Ginger Meidel Recorded live, March 31, 2012 at the University of South Florida School of Music Concert Hall, Tampa

by Kim André Arnesen Sponsored by Larry & Betsy Clement Recorded May, 2016 at the University of South Florida School of Music Concert Hall, Tampa

Traditional/arr. Craig Courtney Featuring Sharon Scott, vocalist Sponsored by James B. & Jo Ann Heck Recorded live, March 31, 2012 at the University of South Florida School of Music Concert Hall, Tampa

Former students from The Perlman Music Program return to the Sarasota area. Violinist Areta Zhulla, violist Molly Carr, and cellist Brook Speltz are playing in our local schools, but they stopped by our Sarasota Performance and Broadcast Studio first to play for you live! Join Russell Gant and his guests for some Dvorak, Beethoven, and good conversation, on Classical WSMR 89.1 & 103.9. Original airdate May 12, 2015.

Violist Molly Carr and pianist Yannick Rafalimanana are back in town to perform for The Perlman Music Program/Suncoast’s concert at the Sarasota Opera House. We give you a little preview of this concert as Bethany Cagle welcomes these two fine young musicians to our Sarasota studio to play for you live! Good conversation and live music on Classical WSMR 89.1 and 103.9. Original airdate October 8, 2015.

The Perlman Music Program alumni visit Sarasota to perform for local schools as part of The Perlman Music Program Suncoast's Education Outreach Program. They stopped by our Sarasota Broadcast and Performance Studio for a live performance! Join Bethany Cagle with her guests violinist Areta Zhulla and pianist Michael Bukhman as they play music by Ravel, Elgar, and Bartok on Classical WSMR 89.1 & 103.9. Original air date October 21, 2014.

The complete concerto lasts about 21 minutes and is composed in Fuchs' mature musical style, incorporating hallmarks of the American symphonic school, rigorous counterpoint, and aspects of minimalism. The first movement, Spiritualist, cast in modified sonata-allegro form, is optimistic and playful in spirit. The woodwinds introduce a jocular rhythmic motive emphasizing the intervals of the third and sixth. This performance features award-winning pianist Jeffrey Biegel. He is considered one of the great pianists of our time, and he has created a multi-faceted career as performer, recording artist, composer and arranger. “He is a splendid musician and a brilliant performer” Leonard Bernstein remarked in 1985, and helped to launch his New York recital debut; he has since been heard in recitals around the U.S. and around the world.

Violin Concerto in E minor, Opus 64, one of the most frequently performed of all violin concerti. The work premiered in Leipzig on March 13, 1845 and, although the composer used standard classical structures for the piece, Mendelssohn made adaptations to suit his personal tastes and changing times, which included an almost instant introduction of the solo instrument and a written solo cadenza which, at that time, were typically improvised by the soloist. This performance features violinist David Kim, who has appeared as a soloist with The Philadelphia Orchestra where he has been Concertmaster since 1999, and teaching/performance residencies and master classes in the US and around the world.

The Marriage of Figaro is one of the most frequently performed operas in the world. It was based on a stage play by French author Pierre Beaumarchais which had been banned in Vienna by the Emperor Joseph II, claiming “the piece contains much that is objectionable” and encouraging the Austrian Censor to forbid its performance.

Sarasota Orchestra performed the Gliere Harp Concerto with acclaimed harpist Xavier de Maistre, and we bring you a little preview of that concert on Classical WSMR! Join Russell Gant as he welcomes his guest Xavier de Maistre to our Sarasota Performance and Broadcast Studio for live music and conversation.

The Ying Quartet and Sarasota Orchestra principal clarinetist Bharat Chandra stopped by our Sarasota Performance and Broadcast Studio to play for you live on the radio! Hear the music of Mozart and Brahms, as well as conversation with Bethany Cagle.

The Bridge Trio presented a concert at the Neel Performing Arts Center in Bradenton called "Coming to America," featuring the Dvořák Piano Trio in F Minor as well as music by John Adams and Ernest Bloch. Bethany Cagle welcomes the trio, led by Sarasota Orchestra violinist Felicia Brunelle, to our Sarasota Performance and Broadcast Studio. They engage in conversation and live performance to commemorate the passing of Paul Wolfe, former Music Director of Sarasota Orchestra.

Sarasota Orchestra presented a program of Russian masterworks including Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3, played by Estonian pianist Mihkel Poll. He joined Bethany Cagle to play a few selections in our Sarasota studio.

Join Classical WSMR's Bethany Cagle for live music as she welcomes famed American pianist William Wolfram to our Sarasota Broadcast and Performance Studio. William Wolfram was a silver medalist at both the William Kapell and the Naumburg International Piano Competitions, a bronze medalist at the prestigious Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in Moscow, and finalist in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. He’s appeared with many of the greatest orchestras of the world and made a stop in Sarasota to play Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F with Sarasota Orchestra.

Pianist and conductor David Greilsammer paid a visit to Classical WSMR’s Sarasota Broadcast and Performance Studio while guest conducting for Sarasota Orchestra! Greilsammer has a passion for exploring contrasting musical worlds, and his programs frequently juxtapose works from the past and present. His Sarasota Orchestra concert featured composers from four musical eras who stretched the boundaries of classical tradition. Greilsammer discusses the concert with host Russell Gant and also plays piano for you live.

One year after his Carnegie Hall debut, violinist Ray Chen made his first guest appearance with Sarasota Orchestra. While in town, Chen and his 1702 “Lord Newlands” Stradivarius stopped by our Sarasota Performance and Broadcast Studio to talk with Bethany Cagle and play a bit of Bach and Mozart for you live.

Charismatic trumpeter and singer Byron Stripling gained acclaim portraying Louis Armstrong in the musical Satchmo and has been featured with many top big bands. He’s performed with more than 50 symphonies and came to town to play with Sarasota Orchestra in a show titled “Satchmo, Fats, and the Duke.” Stripling and pianist Kenny Drew, Jr. joined Bob Seymour for conversation and an exciting live studio performance.

Between rehearsals for a concert featuring the Mozart Violin Concerto No. 2, Sarasota Orchestra concertmaster Daniel Jordan stopped by our Sarasota Performance and Broadcast studio to play for you live.

Sarasota Orchestra (previously the Florida West Coast Symphony) opened its 60th season with a new name and a new look, changes prompted by months of community research by Sarasota’s regional orchestra. Music Director and conductor Leif Bjaland talked with WUSF classical music host Coleen Cook about a growing arts community, reasons behind Sarasota Orchestra’s name change, and the innovative “Journeys to Genius” concert concept.

Coleen Cook welcomes Chloe Hanslip, whom some critics have called the most exciting violinist to come out of England. Hanslip performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto with Sarasota Orchestra and stopped by our Sarasota studio to play works for solo violin, including music by Paganini and Peteris Plakadis.

Russell Gant is joined by conductor Leif Bjaland and pianist Orion Weiss in our Sarasota studio for live music and conversation. In this session, Maestro Bjaland, was preparing for the farewell concert of 15-year tenure as Music Director of Sarasota Orchestra, and you’ll hear his reflections about his time in Sarasota. Plus Orion Weiss plays for you, too.

On a late-night drive towards what might be a deadly encounter, a liberal writer grapples with his paradoxical interest in guns. Conceal and Carry delves into the psyche of a mass shooting victim's father, the cryptic history of the NRA, and how we go about giving up the gun.

Russell Gant is joined in the WUSF Sarasota Studio by the Sara Quartet, all alumni of the Perlman Music Program, for live music and conversation. The quartet consists of violinists KJ McDonald and Rinat Erlichman, violist Hannah Geisinger, and cellist Derek Louie. They talk about recent outreach concerts they’ve been presenting throughout Sarasota, and play a couple movements from Dvorak’s “American Quartet.” Original airdate November 14, 2019.

Russell Gant welcomes Doori Na, violin, Jeremiah Blacklow, violin, Chlo​​é Thominet, viola and Bryan Park, cello to the Sarasota Performance and Broadcast Studio who’ve all studied with the Perlman Music Program. They perform music by Beethoven and Ravel and talk about their experiences with working with one of the world’s greatest violinist, Itzhak Perlman. Original airdate November 14, 2018.

Join Classical WSMR’s Russell Gant for a live performance from our Sarasota Broadcast and Performance Studio as he welcomes musicians from the 2013 La Musica International Music Festival. Each year the festival brings outstanding European and American chamber musicians to Sarasota to present exciting programs of familiar and seldom-heard chamber music. Russell welcomes pianist Derek Han, violinist Laura Zarina, and cellist Dmitri Atapine to talk about this year’s festival and play live!

La Musica International Chamber Music Festival is underway and three of the festivals very well-known musicians stop by our Sarasota Broadcast and Performance Studio for a live performance on Classical WSMR 89.1 & 103.9! Bethany Cagle speaks with acclaimed violinist Federico Agostini, the great violist Bruno Giuranna, and new to the festival this year; cellist Antonio Menesses. They also play selections from the Beethoven String Trio in c minor, a work that Bruno Giuranna recorded in the early ‘90’s and received a GRAMMY nomination

Acclaimed Israeli cellist Matt Haimovitz is coming to town to play a series of concerts featuring Bach’s Cello Suites paired with overtures created by leading contemporary composers from around the world. You can get a preview of these concerts as Russell welcomes Matt to our Sarasota Performance and Broadcast Studio for live music and conversation.

Bethany Cagle welcomes three more musicians from the Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival to our Tampa studio to perform live on WSMR. The performances include: Jean Park, playing the first and third movements from Lowell Liebermann's Gargoyles, Op. 29; Sung-Soo Cho, playing Frederic Chopin's Nocturne in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27 No. 1; and Munkhshur (Shuree) Enkhbold, playing the fourth movement, "Young Juliet," from Sergei Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet, Op. 75. They joined by Student Coordinator, Tabitha Boxerman.

The Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival is in full swing at the USF School of Music in Tampa, and Bethany Cagle welcomes to our Tampa studio two participants. Alexander Bui plays two etudes by Frederic Chopin and Priscila Navarro plays a fugue from Samuel Barber. They're also joined by Student Coordinator, Tabitha Boxerman.

The Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival takes place each July at the USF School of Music in Tampa, and we give you a little sneak peek into the festival as Russell Gant welcomes to our Tampa studio the festival's namesake; Rebecca Penneys, and faculty member Eunmi Ko. They play some Mozart and Dvorak for 4 hands and give us a glimpse into this international festival that takes place right in our own back yard.

The Perlman Music Program Suncoast brings to town two musicians to play at their Art of the Violin event. First, they stop by our Sarasota Performance and Broadcast studio first to play for you live! Join Russell Gant and his guests; violist Molly Carr and pianist Yannick Rafalimanana for good music and conversation on Classical WSMR.

The Perlman Music Program Suncoast brings to town two musicians that were handpicked by the Pearlmans to play at the Sarasota Opera House. First, they stop by our Sarasota Performance and Broadcast studio first to play for you live! Join Bethany Cagle and her guests; violinist Rachel Lee Priday and pianist David Kaplan for good music and conversation on Classical WSMR.

The Ariel Quartet was in Sarasota for part of The Perlman Music Programs Education Outreach Program. In addition to playing at a number of Manatee County Schools, they joined us for a performance and conversation with WSMR's Russell Gant.

Violinist Giora Schmidt’s musical journey has included tutelage with some of the greatest violin pedagogues of our day, including Itzhak Perlman. Schmidt is a graduate of the Perlman Music Program and gained his first teaching experiences here in Sarasota through the PMP. He gave a sneak peek into his performance with Sarasota Orchestra of the tango-influenced “Four Seasons of Buenos Aires,” and performs selections from Bach and Kreisler live on the air.

Join Classical WSMR's Bethany Cagle for live music with violinist Philippe Quint. He performed the Barber Violin Concerto with Sarasota Orchestra and stopped by our Sarasota Performance and Broadcast studio to play live! Quint shares Bach and even some of his own music from a film called Downtown Express … a movie he acted in! Learn more about this GRAMMY-nominated violinist and enjoy his music and conversation.

Enjoy this interview from the WSMR archives. This interview and accompanying performance has not been edited from its original broadcast version. Any conversation regarding upcoming live performances are not applicable.

Robert McCormick joins Tyler Kline on Modern Notebook to talk about his career and newest CD with Strings & Hammers. Bob, as many know him by, recently retired as a Professor of Music in percussion at the University of South Florida after 45 years of teaching. He also served as principal percussionist and assistant timpanist with the Florida Orchestra for 20 seasons; he is a former member of the Harry Partch Ensemble and has performed and recorded with high profile artists across all genres; and he holds numerous teaching and performance awards, including the 2006 Florida Music Educator of the Year, and the 2015 Percussive Arts Society Lifetime Achievement in Education Award. His McCormick Percussion Group has just released a CD in collaboration with the group Strings & Hammers, consisting of all new works commissioned by Bob.

Dr. Eunmi Ko is a champion of contemporary music, and is currently a member of the piano faculty at the University of South Florida where she also serves as co-advisor of the New-Music Consortium at USF. She is also co-founder and co-director of the group Strings & Hammers, and artistic director of the annual new music festival Dot The Line, which takes place in Korea. Eunmi has just released a brand new album of solo piano music titled Unus Mundus: Tributes to Isang Yun. And just a disclosure, Eunmi is a close collaborator and friend of mine, and I served as the audio engineer for this album.

This week’s Modern Notebook is another special edition of the show highlighting artists whose livelihoods have been disrupted by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Tyler Kline will share music from 23 composers, plus ways that you can support them and others at this time.

The following is a list of ongoing artist relief funds accepting donations to distribute to composers and performers affected by the COVID-19 crisis:  https://www.wsmr.org/modern-notebook-for-april-12-special-marathon/