Jim Cotter

Music Lives at the Woodmere Art Museum in Chestnut Hill, where, as WRTI's Jim Cotter reports, the role of jazz in the history of the United Nations is being celebrated - close to where the UN’s Headquarters might have been.

Take a look at the Promise Of Peace: Violet Oakley's United Nations Portraits at the Woodmere Art Museum.

A United Nations Jazz Jam: Musicians from Around the World, April 26th, 6 to 8 pm at the Woodmere Art Museum. Performers include Yoomi Kwan (Korea, on cello); Rosie Langabeer (New Zealand), on accordion and piano); Atiba (Trinidad, on steel drums); Gloria Galante (Italy, on harp); Qin-Qian (China, on Erhu); Koki Soul (French Canadian, guitar/percussion/vocals); Phyllis Hadad (Brazil, on piano) and Moguane Mahloeoe (South Africa, on percussion).

One of the most recent instrumentalists to be added to the roster of soloists in orchestral performances is the percussionist. As WRTI’s Jim Cotter reports, it’s a role that makes unique demands.

In a program that also features works by Wagner and Tchaikovsky, Colin Currie performs Christopher Rouses' Der gerettete Alberich with The Philadelphia Orchestra here on WRTI on Sunday, April 21 at 2 pm.

Though better known today as a commercial brand, the Rosetta Stone is the artifact that most helped human kind in its understanding of ancient languages. As WRTI's Jim Cotter reports, a local music group is using the term to describe its exploration of great music written in non-native languages. Lyric Fest presents: The Rosetta Stone at the Academy of Vocal Arts on Sunday, May 5th at 3 pm.

Actor, director, producer, novelist, journalist, comedian, broadcaster, technology maven - Stephen Fry has been an international success wearing all of these hats, and more! He's also penned the book for a hugely successful musical, and co-written an authoritative book on the history of classical music. He's the quintessential modern polymath. 

A Dutch-born conductor, who walked away from a pre-eminent position in his homeland to find success abroad, conducts in Philadelphia this week. WRTI’s Jim Cotter says the former instrumentalist made the move against the advice of his compatriots but with the encouragement of a classical-music legend. Information about the concert here.

Jaap Van Sweden; The Man and the Music (Part 1)

Jaap Van Sweden; The Man and the Music (Part 2)

Even before The Philadelphia Orchestra's new music director took up his post, he'd begun reaching out to other arts organizations. As WRTI's Jim Cotter reports, the Orchestra is now set to present an ambitious co-production of a Richard Strauss masterpiece with Opera Philadelphia.

Music lives at Westminster Choir College at Rider University in Princeton, New Jersey. As WRTI's Jim Cotter reports, the college's Westminster Symphonic Choir has, for almost 90 years, been performing with the world's foremost orchestras under some legendary conductors, including Leopold Stokowski, Arturo Toscanini, Bruno Walter, Leonard Bernstein, Herbert von Karajan, Pierre Boulez, Robert Shaw, Kurt Masur and on and on.

Joe Miller is professor of conducting and chair of conducting for organ and sacred music at Westminster Choir College. This week, his Westminster Symphonic Choir performs Bach’s St Mathew Passion with The Philadelphia Orchestra under Yannick Nezet-Seguin, a Westminster Alum.