The Common Ground Village of Kitale

Philadelphia, PA –

WRTI News Director Windsor Johnston presents an in-depth look at life in a small village nestled in the outskirts of Kitale, Kenya. The village in western Kenya, run by the Common Ground Program (an NGO) provides a school for orphans and also houses a special bio-intensive gardening project where students learn natural methods of growing fruits, vegetables, and plants.

This week Jill Pasternak welcomes tenor Stephen Costello to the WRTI studios. The Philadelphia native is a graduate of the University of the Arts and the Academy of Vocal Arts. He was awarded a 2007 Career Grant from the Richard Tucker Music Foundation. He won First Prize in the 2006 George London Foundation for Singers Competition as well as First Prize and Audience Prize in the Giargiari Competition and First Prize in the Licia Albanese Foundation Competition.

Jim Cotter speaks with Alan Gilbert, the Music Director-Designate of the New York Philharmonic.

Susan Lewis looks at the music and life of Beethoven, and in particular at Mahler's transcription of his Opus 95. Alan Gilbert will conduct The Curtis Institute of Music in performances of this work next week.

And we'll hear from composer David DiChiera. The Opera Company of Philadelphia presents the east coast premiere of his new work Cyrano this weekend.

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Jill Pasternak welcomes the vocal duo "Les Tourterelles" (The Turtledoves). Coco Soleil and Christina (Kiki) Gallagher met in 2002 at the French International School of Philadelphia and instantly were drawn to each other both musically and culturally. Together they create programs from the music of the Renaissance to the cabaret, as well as some of their own original material.

Jason Peifer takes us to the InterAct Theatre Company as it stages Black Gold - a world premiere that takes a satirical look at America's dependence on foreign oil.

Susan Lewis looks at Opera North's upcoming concert version of Vanqui, an opera by award winning composer Leslie Burrs and writer John A. Williams. The multimedia presentation takes place on Saturday, February 9th, at the Annenberg Center's Zellerbach Theater, in West Philadelphia.

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Jill Pasternak welcomes world famous flamenco guitarist Paco Pena. This dazzling virtuoso has been honored by Guitar magazine for the last five years consecutively as Best Flamenco Guitarist of the Year. He appears frequently in concert with his Dance Troupe and guitarists, The Losadas.

More about Paco Pena

As The Philadelphia Museum of Art opens a retrospective of the iconic 20th century fine art photographer Lee Miller, Jim Cotter speaks with her son Antony Penrose.

David Patrick Stearns speaks with and profiles the legendary composer and conductor Pierre Boulez; Orchestra 2001 performs his Le Marteau Sans Maitre in concerts this weekend.

As preparations heighten for Philadelphia's annual Academy Ball, Susan Lewis takes a look at the "Grand Old Lady of Locust Street." 

Jim Cotter speaks with Settlement Music School Executive Director Robert Capanna. The school celebrates its 100th anniversary this year.

Jason Peifer visits the Walnut Street Theater as it stages Arthur Miller's play, The Price. The show features renowned film actor Robert Prosky, a Philadelphia native.

Susan Lewis explores the Reading Public Museum, which over the course of its 100+ years has grown from a science collection into a multi-disciplinary museum with galleries for art and artifacts from all over the world.

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Jill welcomes the crossover trio Time for Three and composer Jennifer Higdon. Time for Three recently performed the premier of Higdon's Concerto 4-3 with the Philadelphia Orchestra. The orchestra is also slated to perform another of Higdon's works, The Singing Rooms, for violin, chorus, and orchestra with violinist Jennifer Koh.

Jill's guest is this week is Terence Blanchard. His most recent album,"A Tale of God's Will - Requiem for Katrina" was the film score for Spike Lee's documentary recounting the horrors that befell the people of New Orleans. Blanchard is a Grammy award winner and five-time Grammy nominee, and continues his musical efforts as an internationally recognized performer, composer, band leader, and arranger. He is also currently Artistic Director of the Thelonius Monk Institute of Jazz at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles.