Now is the Time

Final show was in June, 2017
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Contemporary American music is being recorded all the time, and Now is the Time to take a listen and explore the music of American composers today with host and composer Kile Smith.

Meet Oscar and Tony Winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul!

By David Patrick Stearns • Jun 12, 2017
Credit: Matthew Murphy

Benj Pasek (an Ardmore native) and Justin Paul—best friends from their days at the University of Michigan—won a 2017 Academy Award for writing the lyrics to the song "City of Stars" from the hit film La La Land. They're also Golden Globe winners! And now... they can add Tony awards to the mantle, including the 2017 Tony for Best Musical.

Composer Angelo Badalamenti, Master Of Mood, Returns To 'Twin Peaks'

By editor • May 18, 2017

The "magical" music during the opening credits of Twin Peaks, originally broadcast in 1990, sets the tone for the cult classic.
CBS Photo Archi

Bubbling Up on Now Is the Time

By Kile Smith • May 5, 2017

It’s the spirit of jazz on Now Is the Time, Saturday, May 6th at 9 pm on WRTI.org and WRTI-HD2. We wanted to call #three “Pound Three” but our (increasingly numerous, as the years go by) younger colleagues said, "Hashtag. Duh." Unperturbed, we contacted the composer Juri Seo (younger than some of our young colleagues), who assured us that saying “Three” was just fine. So there, colleagues.

Looking For Women's Music At The Symphony? Good Luck!

By • May 5, 2017

Although more women have been winning Pulitzer Prizes for music lately, it's still next to impossible to hear works by female composers performed by America's symphony orchestras.

This year's Pulitzer winner, Du Yun, has a lot to say about the situation.

Lounge Lizards on Now Is the Time

By Kile Smith • Apr 26, 2017

All varieties of vernacular show up this week on Now Is the Time, Saturday, April 29th at 9 pm on WRTI.org and WRTI-HD2. With movements like Sip ’N Stir (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) and Ramada Inn (Exit 1, New Jersey Turnpike), it sure sounds like Michael Daugherty, and those are two of the movements from his Lounge Lizards for two pianos and two percussion.

Passover and Remembering on Now Is the Time: April 8th at 9 PM on WRTI HD-2

By Kile Smith • Apr 6, 2017

Passover passes, and remembrance continues on Now Is the Time, Saturday, April 8th at 9 pm. The composer and guitarist David Leisner tells the story, in Acrobats, of circus performers on a concentration camp-bound train who mistakenly end up at a circus.

From Pi to Prime on Now Is the Time

By Kile Smith • Mar 17, 2017

Another Pi Day, 3/14, just slipped by, so let’s hear the magic of numbers on Now Is the Time on WRTI this Saturday, March 18th at 9 pm. Reginald Bain based his Pi Day on... well, you'll hear as much of the 3.1415926... sequence that can fit into four minutes and 50 seconds, read aloud over his inventively pulsing music. You can check here to see if he got it right.

Overture, Fanfares, and Brass on Now Is the Time, Saturday at 9 pm on HD2

By Kile Smith • Feb 17, 2017

On Saturday, February 18th at 9 pm, Now Is the Time presents a taste of the upcoming Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia "Sounds of America" concert. We hope you can join us for a different look at some of the composers who will be represented on those February 26th and 27th concerts.

Pop Culture's Influence on Composer Michael Daugherty

By • Feb 13, 2017

Classical composer Michael Daugherty, who won two 2017 Grammy Awards, writes music about ideas, people, and places from popular culture. As WRTI’s Susan Lewis reports, his works invite listeners to engage with the music through their own experiences.


The Barnes Asks: Can We Listen to Music the Way We Look at Art?

By David Patrick Stearns • Jan 16, 2017

Dr. Albert Barnes was often keen to mix music with his legendary art collection. So in that spirit, the Barnes Foundation will be adding some 16 concerts to Philadelphia’s classical music community. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s David Patrick Stearns reports they will be serious.

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