Two returning guests are featured on Crossover this week. Maestro Valentin Radu of the Philadelphia musical performance organization Vox Ama Deus is with us, as is the stellar British pianist Peter Donohoe.
The last time we spoke with Mr. Donohoe, he was in town performing with Dr. Radu and his Ama Deus Ensemble in January 2013, when he performed a program of Gershwin and Ellington. Since then, his appearance with the ensemble here in Philly has been an annual occurrence.
For this concert appearance, on Friday January, 16th at 8 pm at the Kimmel Center, Peter and Valentin have constructed a program of Awesome Americans. On the program, music of Gershwin and John Williams will be performed. But, the centerpiece will be the Philadelphia premiere of Aaron Copland's Piano Concerto.
Written in 1926, it was first performed (with Copland at the piano) on January 28 and 29, 1927, by the Boston Symphony Orchestra under the baton of its famed maestro Serge Koussevitzky, who had inspired Copland to compose the concerto.
There is a Philadelphia connection to this concerto, but because our space here is limited, you can find out more by listening to the show at the audio link above, or by reading here.
Suffice it to say, audiences have been wowed by the combination of Peter Donohoe and the Ama Deus Ensemble before, and this time should be no different.
On this Crossover, WRTI's Jill Pasternak speaks with both Maestro Radu and Mr. Donohoe, catching up with both since their last visits. They discuss the program of the upcoming concert and more. We'll also listen to recordings of Peter and the ensemble from that January 2013 concert.
Crossover, Saturday morning at 11:30 on WRTI-FM, with an encore the following Friday evening at 7 pm on WRTI-HD2. Both airings can be heard on the All-Classical web stream at wrti.org.