Debra Lew Harder

The Martians are coming! Join us the week of October 26th leading up to Halloween for some super scary and extraterrestrial classical and jazz fun on WRTI. It’s Alien Invasion Week, so get set for music that's out of this world.

WRTI's new weekly feature—Friday Choral Connection, spotlights the heavenly voices of three of Philadelphia’s most esteemed choirs. Tune in every Friday at 1:30 PM to hear choral music at its best. You'll hear performances by Choral Arts Philadelphia, The Crossing, and Mendelssohn Chorus of Philadelphia, all recorded live in concert from their recent seasons. Debra Lew Harder is host.

Opera fans, take note! WRTI's Annual Opera Day is coming up on Saturday, November 14th. This year, to make it extra special, we're taking your requests!

It’s a party, and you’re invited! The 3rd Annual WRTI & Astral Block Party has moved from Walnut Street,—where we’ve hosted hundreds of fans for the past two years—to WRTI 90.1 and streaming at wrti.org, where thousands can listen safely.

WRTI's Friday Choral Connection with host Debra Lew Harder presented something different and very special on Friday, October 9th. Choral Arts Philadelphia, the Philadelphia Bach Collegium, and composer/guitar and vocals soloist Andrew Lipke were featured in a performance of  "Hosanna" from Lipke's The Plague. Here's the story behind the music.

September 14, 2020. Sarah Willis, the first female brass player of the Berlin Philharmonic, is a musician after my own heart—she loves to dance. Ms. Willis’s affinity for Latin dance, especially mambo, led her to spend time in Cuba. Mozart y Mambo, her new album for Alpha Classics, grew out of the friendships she made there, and the result? It’s a fresh new salsa for the sound of the French horn and classical music.

August 3, 2020. This is is Beethoven’s 250th anniversary birth year. It’s also the year the coronavirus pandemic has forced the cancellation of countless live concert tributes to Beethoven across the globe. This calamitous turn of events makes the release of important Beethoven recordings especially welcome.