While we practice important social distancing to keep everyone healthy and safe, we don’t have to be isolated. We can share in the experience of listening to great music, much of it created by musicians in our own region. We always like to play music by local artists; during this "stay-at-home" period, we’re giving the music of local artists and ensembles a special boost in our regular programming.
The passion of a piano, the boldness of brass, the quiet intimacy of a string quartet, the soulful groove of a jazz band, and the majesty of a symphony orchestra. Music that uplifts our spirits and soothes us in time of need. We have it all here in our region.
We’ve been proud to host so many local artists live in our WRTI Performance Studio, to play their music on the air, and to let you know about their concerts. Now that live performances here and elsewhere must be cancelled or postponed, we want to keep supporting them and our vibrant classical and jazz musical community.
So take your favorite seat in your house, or dance in your hallway! Join the WRTI audience for performances from our local artists.
Listen for great orchestral favorites from The Philadelphia Orchestra, the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, the Lansdowne Symphony Orchestra, and more.
Band music from the Allentown Band, and Berk's County's Ringgold Band.
Music highlighting the stars of tomorrow who are emerging from our conservatories, music schools, and youth orchestras: The Curtis Symphony Orchestra, Curtis 20/21 Ensemble, Temple University Wind Symphony, and Philadelphia Youth Orchestra.
Early music groups, including Piffaro, the Renaissance Band, Tempesta di Mare, Brandywine Baroque, and Kleine Kammermusik.
Vocal ensembles such as Opera Philadelphia, the Academy of Vocal Arts, the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, TheCrossing, Craftworks, Pennsylvania Girlchoir, Susquehanna Chorale, St. Clement's Choir and more.
Experience the wealth of chamber music we have in our region, from Philadelphia Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, Philadelphia Brass, Philadelphia Flute Quartet, Philadelphia Woodwind Quintet, and Philadelphia Guitar Trio. We’re also playing music by Dolce Suono Ensemble, founded by flutist Mimi Stillman, Daedalus Quartet, in residence at the University of Pennsylvania, and the Dali Quartet, with its distinctive take on Latin American, classical and romantic repertoire.
Recordings by many renowned individual artists with local connections are on tap, including conductor Yannick Nezet-Seguin, pianists Abbey Simon, Robert Koenig, Matthew Graybill, Andre Watts, Charles Abramovic, Hugh Sung, Natalie Zhu, Jonathan Biss, Ching-Yun Hu, Sara Davis Buechner, and Barbara Nissman; violinists Sarah Chang, Bella Hristova, and Elena Urioste; violist Roberto Diaz; flutist Jasmine Choi; guitarist Jason Vieaux, and organists Joan Lippincott and Matthew Glandorf.
Philadelphia Orchestra members playing beyond the orchestra stage include violinists Juliette Kang and David Kim, violists Burchard Tang and Che-Hung Chen, as well as cellist Ohad Bar-David, and harpist Elizabeth Hainen. Oboist Jonathan Blumenfeld, flutist Jeffrey Khaner, and clarinetist Ricardo Morales will be featured as well as brass players Jennifer Montone (horn), David Bilger (trumpet), Nitzan Haroz (trombone) and Carol Jantsch (tuba).
On the jazz side, we're also featuring local artists, including those whose regular gigs in the area have been cancelled: singer and bandleader Chelsea Reed, who normally co-hosts Wednesday Jazz Jam at South with saxophonist Henry Tirfe; guitarist Larry Tamanini, who hosts Wednesday Night Jazz Session at Maxwell's on Main in Doylestown; and bassist Mike Boone, who hosts the jam session at Heritage.
We're also programming national jazz artists who had been booked to perform at local venues, including singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, who was to sing at Montgomery County Community College, teenage jazz piano sensation Joey Alexander, whose appearance at Exit Zero Jazz Festival has been postponed, and bass guitarist Marcus Miller, who was set to perform at the Berks Jazz Fest.
And we’re just getting started.
Tune in, and stay connected to the incredibly talented artists we have in our midst! #WRTILOVESLOCAL
