All Classical’s Federal Funding has been canceled

On July 18, 2025, Congress officially passed a budget rescission package which included a catastrophic provision: the complete elimination of federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). This decision cancels $500,000 in critical annual support previously approved by Congress for All Classical Radio. That’s 10% of our operating budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year; previously allocated funding for the 2026-2027 fiscal year was also rescinded.

We’ve promised to keep you informed about developments around federal funding, and maintain transparency around our operations and sustainability.

The impact of this funding loss is severe, and the need is urgent.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

DONATE NOW: contribute at allclassical.org/donate. Your gift will help All Classical Radio continue operations during this challenging transitional time, as we fortify and implement a new plan for the future.

Give now at allclassiscal.org/donate or call 888-899-5722.

Read on to learn more about All Classical Radio, our funding model, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

DONATE NOW

About Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), is a private, nonprofit corporation authorized by Congress in the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. CPB is the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting and the largest single source of funding for public radio, television, and related online and mobile services. In addition to distributing federal funds (which have historically been approved, in advance, in two-year cycles), the CPB also negotiates music licenses for public radio stations across the United States of America. CPB’s grants and operational/licensing support are essential for public media organizations like All Classical Radio, which offers accessible, enriching, and educational content. In addition, All Classical Radio provides critical emergency alerts and public service announcements.

CPB Funding Eliminated: 10% of All Classical’s Budget

In July 2025 congress voted to approve a budget rescission package which eliminated ~$1.1 billion in previously allocated funds to be granted to public media organizations, including All Classical Radio. Through this rescission, roughly 10% of All Classical Radio’s operating revenue for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 fiscal years has been taken away.

This is not just a number. That funding sustains the music, voices, and stories you rely on every day. It helps us broadcast performances from local artists, bring music education to children, and keep classical music freely accessible to all—regardless of income, location, or background. The loss of this federal support places everything we do at risk, immediately.

Independent Radio: Donate Directly

All Classical Radio does not share funds or infrastructure with national public media networks, radio stations, television stations, news networks, arts organizations, universities, or other nonprofits or businesses have. Money that is donated or paid to other entities and organizations will not benefit All Classical Radio. To support this music and radio station, donations must be made to All Classical Radio directly.

DONATE NOW

How All Classical is funded

While All Classical Radio’s revenue varies somewhat year to year, the overall makeup of our funding remains largely consistent. Annually, up to 90% of our revenue is contributed by the community. This includes 70% to 80% from individual donors and listeners, with the rest contributed by arts partners, corporate sponsors, and local, regional, and national foundations. Historically, 5%-10% of All Classical Radio’s annual budgeted revenue is contributed by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Other funding sources include space rental revenue and nationally syndicated program revenue.

Independent, but not invulnerable

As an independent public media nonprofit organization, All Classical Radio is not part of any national network, educational institution, or other radio or television station. We rely on direct community support to operate All Classical and the International Children’s Arts Network. Our independence, however, does not make us invulnerable.

This is an urgent and catastrophic loss. Put simply, the abrupt cancelation of this federal funding puts everything we do at risk.

The most impactful and essential source of support for All Classical is donations from individual listeners who believe in this service. The path forward will be paved by the generosity of community members, whose continued and increasing support could offset the loss of federal funding within one to three years—especially through increasing numbers of Sustaining donors and increased monthly amounts from those already Sustaining this service.

You can help

All Classical Radio’s commitment to this mission, and our long-proven and essential impact on the arts community of our region, relies on you. This service was born in Portland’s Benson Polytechnic High School in 1983 fueled by the vision and enthusiasm of youth and community members who believed in music and public radio. It simply would not exist without you, and now is not a time to pull back on arts, culture, and lifelong learning.

Now is the time to redouble our commitment to access to music, arts education, opportunities for youth arts engagement, and cultural experiences for all. The arts have lasting impacts on literacy, creativity, cultural understanding, sharing of knowledge, and curiosity. To ensure that future shocks and shifts will not hinder All Classical Radio’s ability to provide access to the arts for all community members, your action and commitment is absolutely essential.

DONATE NOW

INVEST IN THE MUSIC

Donate now
A gift right now will help All Classical Radio continue operations as we fortify and plan for the future. Give at allclassiscal.org/donate or call 888-899-5722

Become a Sustainer
Reliably monthly income has a profound impact on All Classical Radio’s ability to adapt and plan. There is no amount too large or too small. Become a Sustainer at allclassical.org/donate.

Increase your Sustaining gift
If every Sustaining donor—a group of over 6,000 generous individuals—could increase their monthly gift amount by 10%, we could immediately bridge the budget shortfall gap during this critical time of transition. Make a meaningful difference by increasing your gift amount today at allclassical.org/donor-portal.

Invest in the future
Including All Classical in your will or estate plans will protect this service for future generations. Learn more at allclassical.org/support.

TURN UP THE VOLUME

Chances are there’s someone in your life who could benefit from All Classical Radio—whose life would be enriched, uplifted, and brightened by tuning in for music, connection and beauty. However you listen, please grow this community, and turn up the volume by sharing this service with your friends, colleagues, neighbors, and loved ones. You can help broaden the awareness of what All Classical Radio brings to the community, and what it means to you.

Emily Cole Reflects on The Lark Ascending

Featured image for blog post: Emily Coles Reflects on The Lark Ascending — *Emily Cole.* *Photo by Frankie Tresser*.

One half of All Classical Radio’s 2025/26 Artists in Residence, Emily Cole, takes us on a thrilling journey about the history and various interpretations of one of her favorite pieces of classical music.

He rises and begins to round, 
He drops the silver chain of sound, 
Of many links without a break, 
In chirrup, whistle, slur and shake. 
For singing till his heaven fills, 
‘Tis love of earth that he instils, 
And ever winging up and up, 
Our valley is his golden cup
And he the wine which overflows 
to lift us with him as he goes.
Till lost on his aerial rings
In light, and then the fancy sings

These lines from George Meredith’s 1881 poem “The Lark Ascending” appear at the top of Ralph Vaughan Williams’ draft score for his work of the same name. Written just before the outbreak of the First World War, The Lark Ascending features a solo violin evoking a lark’s flight over a vast pastoral landscape. Vaughan Williams began composing the piece in 1914 and completed it when he returned from serving in the military. The work received its premiere performance in 1920.

Here’s one of my favorite renditions by pianist Benjamin Grosvenor and violinist Hyeyoon Park, recorded in 2022 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Vaughan Williams’ birth.

The following year, Vaughan Williams reworked the accompaniment into the orchestration most commonly known by listeners today. In this version, the music colorfully comes alive; the lush string harmonies propel the violin along like a gentle breeze and wind instrument solos pop out like other creatures greeting the lark.

Here’s another one of my favorite recordings, featuring soloist Iona Brown with the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields.

The Lark has enjoyed tremendous popularity over the last century. It’s often performed in concerts or played on the radio. Other composers and instrumentalists have also been inspired to create their own arrangements. The lyrical violin writing of the original lends itself especially well to wind instruments, particularly the flute. The wind band (of which Vaughan Williams was very fond) also provides the perfect palette for reworking the music.

The piece has also served as inspiration for classical dance, as seen here in beautiful choreography by the great Alvin Ailey.

My favorite reimagining is an arrangement for violin and chamber choir by British composer Paul Drayton, performed here by VOCES8 and soloist Jack Liebeck. With the solo violin part intact, Drayton fills out the accompaniment with both wordless lines and text from Meredith’s original poem. The effect is both unexpected and breathtakingly beautiful.

As ubiquitous as The Lark is to many, it’s being discovered all the time by new listeners, as evidenced by the many delightful “reaction” videos to be found on YouTube! “Classical Music Reactions” feature a split screen so the viewer can follow along with the performance as the YouTuber listens in real time; occasionally these listeners are seasoned experts offering insights and critique, but usually they’re folks who are fairly new to classical music, making their unfiltered responses especially touching.

Here’s my favorite first-time reaction.

As YouTuber GIDI observes, the piece evokes freedom; in the lark’s flight over a pastoral scene, all seems at ease. For many British listeners, however, The Lark has taken on historic significance. Its countryside serenity is a stark contrast to the wartime agony just on the horizon. Whether or not Vaughan Williams intended such symbolism, the dichotomy of peace and strife held fast in the national imagination, and it’s become a significant part of Britain’s cultural history.

Here, at the opening of a Westminster Abbey service commemorating the one hundredth anniversary of WWI, the piece provided a moment for reflection and solace.

Peacetime and war, nature and humankind, innocence and world-weariness….Whatever the interpretation, Vaughan Williams’ The Lark Ascending continues to resonate with modern listeners in its expansive and soulful expression of limitless wonder.

ABOUT

Violinist Emily Cole is one half of All Classical Radio’s 2025/26 Artists in Residence, along with her husband James Shields.

Emily has been a member of the Oregon Symphony since 2011. An avid chamber musician, Emily has performed with several Portland-area ensembles including 45th Parallel Universe, Third Angle, fEARnoMUSIC, and Northwest New Music, as well as with Chatter ABQ in New Mexico.

She received her B.M. from the University of Texas at Austin as a student of Brian Lewis and her M.M. from the University of North Texas as a student of Emanuel Borok.

Learn more about Emily and James on the All Classical Arts Blog.

John Pitman Reviews: Benjamin Appl’s ‘For Dieter’

Pitman Reviews: Appl with Fischer-Dieskau in 2009 — *Appl with Fischer-Dieskau in 2009*

German-British baritone Benjamin Appl’s past recordings and recitals have explored subjects such as the idea of home (Heimat), the consequences of making choices (Forbidden Fruit), and the works of composers such as György Kurtág. Now on his latest album, For Dieter: The Past and the Future, Appl marks the centenary of the birth of arguably the greatest interpreter of Art song, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, born in Berlin on May 28, 1925.

This new release is of personal significance for Appl, who in his mid-twenties was invited to study with the great baritone, during what became the final weeks of the elder singer’s life. The experience had a profound impact on Appl, who has felt his mentor’s presence and influence over the years. For Dieter contains Appl’s personal playlist, inspired by Fischer-Dieskau’s teenage experiences in World War II, through an extraordinary career spanning six decades, dozens of recordings, and a life well-lived.

Below is John Pitman’s recent conversation with Appl, along with musical excerpts from his new album.

Benjamin Appl’s For Dieter: The Past and the Future is available now as an album as well as a 140 page CD-Book, featuring personal text written by Appl with previously unpublished photos and letters offering a glimpse into Fischer-Dieskau’s life and legacy. Learn more.

James Shields: Deep Dive Into Baroque Music

Featured image for blog post: Artist in Residence James Shields Takes A Deep Dive Into Baroque Music — *James Shields. Photo by Frankie Tresser*.

One half of All Classical Radio’s 2025/26 Artists in Residence, James Shields, takes a deep dive into the history of Baroque music.

As a clarinet player and a lover of Baroque music, it pains me that my instrument was not fully established during the era of Bach and Vivaldi. The clarinet is generally considered to have come into existence roughly around 1700 and evolved from a wonderful little Baroque instrument called the chalumeau. Composers such as Vivaldi, Telemann, and Graupner wrote for that instrument, which somewhat resembles a recorder with a reed. Both the clarinet and the chalumeau have similar bore designs, and the clarinet’s predecessor makes a remarkably similar sound to the modern clarinet when handled by a skilled musician.

You can learn more about the chalumeau in this YouTube video:

The true clarinet existed during the height of the Baroque Era, but the most well-known composers of the time left us no music for the instrument. So, what’s a Baroque-loving clarinetist to do? First, let’s look at the music of JS Bach, beginning with some unaccompanied music that I have played almost daily for the past 20 years: the six Cello Suites and the six Violin Sonatas and Partitas. These works can be immensely rewarding and powerful educational tools for clarinetists of intermediate and advanced levels, giving both budding and seasoned performers a perfect vehicle to practice tone, legato, articulation, phrasing, rubato, intonation, and more. While many of these movements contain extensive chord writing, most can be readily adapted to the clarinet.

I’ve performed all six Cello Suites on the bass clarinet (gasp!), and I think with a thoughtful approach these masterpieces can come off quite well on the instrument. Suites 1, 2, and 3 are technically more straightforward, in easier keys, and include fewer double and triple stops than the later suites. All three of these earlier suites can provide a great challenge for high school and college aged enthusiasts and are great life-long refresher works for professionals and dedicated amateurs looking to maintain and refine their skills. The final three suites are more challenging. They contain more leaps, more complicated passage work, are longer, and perhaps most challengingly contain much more extensive use of chords. The 6th suite was written for a 5 string “piccolo cello” and as a result has a wider range than the other suites. This presents a unique challenge that will push even many accomplished bass clarinetists to work on refining their high-register finesse.

Hear my rendition of Bach’s Suite No. 1, Mvts 1-3 on YouTube:

Compared to the Cello Suites, the six Violin Sonatas and Partitas are more of a challenge to translate to the clarinet. Of these works, I’ve only publicly performed the Partita in B minor, and it was one of the more difficult challenges I’ve taken on. All six of these works have extensive use of double, triple, and quadruple stops and are generally more virtuosic than the Suites for Cello. Many movements from the Sonatas in G minor and C major, and the Partitas in B minor and D minor, are in my weekly etude rotation. I use these works as the best music to practice evenness of tone, legato, intonation, and the never-ending challenge of creating an inherently engaging performance style that is both clear and subtle. Bach is the best!

While there are many wonderful editions out there prepared specifically for clarinet, I encourage students to use the original scores for cello and violin, rather than adaptations. We can make our own choices on how to roll or break chords that are not possible on the clarinet by looking directly at the source material, rather than assuming the choices of an editor. Many Baroque specialists chose to roll chords even on violin, so I have learned not to lose sleep over it. As far as transposition – who cares? We are playing violin and cello works on the clarinet and bass clarinet, so I think it’s too late for authenticity in certain respects. Clarinetists do need to be able to transpose on sight, so if you really want to play the same sounding pitches as your violinist friends, go ahead and read from the original versions as though you were performing a part for Clarinet in C and you can get some transposition practice while you are at it.

As far as performing other Baroque works on the clarinet, Telemann’s works for chalumeau translate fairly well to the modern clarinet. The Concerto in D minor for 2 chalumeau, strings, and basso continuo can work well on modern instruments. I’ve performed this Concerto several times in what I’d describe as a “middle path” stylistic approach adopting aspects of historically informed performance practice with a mixture of modern and Baroque equipment.

Recently, the acclaimed Swedish Clarinet Soloist Martin Fröst worked with arranger Andreas Tarkmann and Concerto Köln to release a wonderful album of Imaginary Concertos inspired by the question, “What if Vivaldi had written concertos for the clarinet?” The three concertos often draw on Vivaldi’s operatic works, using vocal arias as source material. This approach works fantastically in my opinion, and Tarkmann has created three satisfying and dramatic works that show off the clarinet’s blend of virtuosic and vocal qualities.

My general feeling about Baroque music, or music in general, is that it’s all fair game! Whether you’re looking for a tool to push yourself in the practice room or some new music for the concert stage, I think the clarinet can mix with Baroque Era music brilliantly. With a little care and attention to style, audiences will appreciate your adventures with adapting the music from the pre-clarinet era for this versatile instrument.

ABOUT

Clarinetist James Shields is one half of All Classical Radio’s 2025/26 Artists in Residence, along with his wife, violinist Emily Cole.

James joined the Oregon Symphony in 2016 after holding similar positions in the Canadian Opera Company and the New Mexico Philharmonic. A Juilliard graduate, he has appeared as soloist with the Oregon Symphony, New Mexico Philharmonic, and Music in the Mountains (CO), and has performed as guest principal clarinet of the Philadelphia Orchestra and the Malaysian Philharmonic.

In addition to his performing activities, James holds a master’s degree in Composition and Music Theory from the University of New Mexico and composes regularly.

Learn more about Emily and James on the All Classical Arts Blog.

Brandi Parisi Interviews Opera in the Park’s Ashley Clark

Opera in the Park has featured free world-class opera performances for the Portland community for over two decades. They recently announced the appointment of their first-ever Executive Director, Ashley Clark.

Ashley has a very special relationship with the organization. All Classical host Brand Parisi spoke with Ashley about her new role, and Opera in the Park’s upcoming production of Bizet’s Carmen on Sunday, July 27, 2025, at Portland’s Peninsula Park. Learn more at operaintheparkportland.org.

All Classical Radio is the Official Media Sponsor for Opera in the Park.

Hear Brandi’s conversation with Ashley below.

John Pitman Reviews: Huang Ruo’s ‘An American Soldier’

All Classical Radio’s Director of Programming John Pitman’s latest Arts Blog interview is a timely one, in conjunction with Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Memorial Day.

Composer, pianist, and vocalist Huang Ruo’s latest recording An American Soldier is a powerful and moving opera based on the true story of a young Chinese American Army solider named Pvt. Danny Chen, who was found dead at his base in Afghanistan in 2011, and the ensuing courts-martial of Chen’s fellow soldiers.

John’s interview is with composer Huang Ruo and his longtime creative partner librettist David Hwang (M. Butterfly, Yellow Face, and the Broadway production of Tarzan among others), who share their interactions with Danny’s mother and father in the musical telling of this tragic but also important American story.

Hear their conversation below:

An American Soldier is now available digitally in collaboration with the American Composers Orchestra and Platoon. For more, visit platoon.lnk.to/anamericansoldier.

LIVE BROADCAST: “Celilo Falls” by Nancy Ives on All Classical Radio and next RII album

On June 9, 2025, All Classical Radio proudly presented a very special live broadcast from downtown Portland, inviting listeners locally and around the world to experience a historic broadcast of Nancy Ives’ Celilo Falls, performed by the Oregon Symphony under the direction of David Danzmayr. The program included a brand-new arrangement for full orchestra of Ives’ captivating and moving work, paired with Rimsky-Korsakov’s beloved Scheherazade. Ives, a composer and cellist who has been called “one of Oregon’s most prominent and accomplished classical musicians,” (The Oregonian) is the principal cello for the Oregon Symphony.

Photographer Joe Cantrell shared a collection of images to accompany the broadcast. See the Scenes of Celilo.

Celilo Falls, which was premiered in its original arrangement in June 2022, is a multimedia musical experience composed in collaboration with Indigenous storyteller Ed Edmo and Native American photographer Joe Cantrell. This live broadcast will expand access to this powerful piece for listeners in the Pacific Northwest, across the United States, and globally through All Classical’s online stream. The piece will then be syndicated to radio stations across the United States at no cost.

Hosted by All Classical Radio’s Brandi Parisi and Christa Wessel, and produced by veteran journalist Tess Vigeland and President & CEO Suzanne Nance, the live broadcast aired at 7:15 PM PT on Monday, June 9, 2025, on 89.9 FM in Portland/Vancouver, and worldwide at allclassical.org.

After the live broadcast and national syndication, the recording of Celilo Falls will be included in All Classical Radio’s third Recording Inclusivity Initiative album:

“It’s an honor to amplify Celilo Falls for our community and the world. Thanks to our partnership with the Oregon Symphony and Navona Records, Celilo Falls will be featured on All Classical Radio’s third Recording Inclusivity Initiative album, in 2026, highlighting three women composers.” – Suzanne Nance

Learn more about All Classical Radio’s award-winning Recording Inclusivity Initiative at recordinginclusivity.allclassical.org.

ABOUT CELILO FALLS

A photo by Native American photographer Joe Cantrell — *Photo by Joe Cantrell*

Celilo, Oregon, was likely the oldest continuously inhabited community on the North American continent until 1957, when the completion of the Dalles Dam submerged the falls and nearby settlements. Native Americans lost not only their livelihoods but their cultural home for millennia.

This multimedia work depicts the history of Celilo Falls and the Native communities who have lived there for millennia – from the Missoula floods that formed the gorge, to the inundation of the Falls in 1957 and the present day experience of those who’ve lost so much. View a stunning collection of images by Joe Cantrell to enhance your listening experience.

Many Oregonians are unaware of what was there, its significance for Native peoples, and what was lost; Ives’ piece shines a light on writer/storyteller Ed Edmo and those who still suffer from that loss, using a compelling combination of music, text, and imagery to bring a wide audience together in a shared experience.

This sonic and visual tapestry of evocative music, personal recollections, and immersive imagery conveys Native peoples’ depth of presence in this land and the universal power of place.

Courtesy of composer Nancy Ives, nancyives.com

HOSTS & ARTISTS

BRANDI PARISI, HOST

As Radio Network Program Director, Brandi Parisi serves as host and producer of several programs on All Classical Radio. She regularly curates and shares music that brings together a variety of regional performances by local orchestras, chamber groups, choirs, soloists, festivals, and even up and coming new artists. You can hear her most mornings and afternoons during the week, and Sundays at 1:00 PM PT on Played in Oregon.

Brandi is also your regular host of All Classical Radio’s Oregon Symphony radio broadcasts and often hosts the symphony’s pre-concert talks.

CHRISTA WESSEL, HOST

When Christa was younger, she predicted that one day she would become a professional French horn player, but the detour to radio feels somehow fated. Christa loves sharing her enthusiasm for classical music! She’s been with All Classical Radio since 2007 and truly enjoys hosting Thursdays @ Three, co-hosting Friday Happy Hour with Warren Black, and more.

One of her favorite things about All Classical Radio is the diverse array of music and programming. Christa most enjoys sharing handcrafted playlists and programs you’ll hear nowhere else. Plus, she likes spending time with friends – like our community of listeners.

NANCY IVES, COMPOSER

Composer and cellist Nancy Ives is a musical icon, having “built a career of such spectacular diversity that no summation will do her achievements justice.” (Artslandia). She offers both depth and approachability with enduring and eloquent music inspired by the natural world. Many of Ives’ projects involve working with Indigenous communities to authentically capture, amplify, and relay their stories to wider audiences, including the multimedia orchestral work Celilo Falls. With a DMA from the Manhattan School of Music, Ives is the Principal Cellist with the Oregon Symphony and serves on the Board of Directors for All Classical Radio.

Learn more at nancyives.com.

Ed Edmo, Shoshone-Bannock poet, playwright, performer, traditional storyteller

ED EDMO, POET/STORYTELLER

Ed Edmo is a Shoshone-Bannock poet, playwright, performer, traditional storyteller, tour guide, and lecturer on Northwest tribal culture. Edmo offers guided tours to sacred Native sites, conducts workshops, and offers traditional storytelling performances, dramatic monologues, and lectures on issues such as cultural understanding, substance abuse, and mental health. Edmo is a published short story writer, poet, and playwright, and serves as a consultant to the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian.

Joe Martin Cantrell, Cherokee photographer

JOE CANTRELL, PHOTOGRAPHER

Cherokee photographer Joe Martin Cantrell uses his personal depth of perspective in combination with sophisticated techniques to make visible the things that often go unseen. After two tours as a Navy officer in Vietnam, Cantrell worked as a photojournalist for UPI, Black Star, Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and hundreds of other publications worldwide. He has taught at Oregon School of Arts and Crafts, Pacific Northwest College of Art, Mount Hood Community College, and was Artist in Residence at Crow’s Shadow Institute. Cantrell carries the name of an ancestor who died on the Trail of Tears and offers his own meaningful legacy through generous contributions to benefit humanitarian causes and the arts.

Cantrell was one of over 40 creatives of the Pacific Northwest profiles in All Classical Radio’s Artist Anthology. Learn more about Joe Cantrell and the Artist Anthology at anthology.allclassical.org.

OREGON SYMPHONY

The Grammy-nominated Oregon Symphony ranks as one of America’s major orchestras. Led by Music Director David Danzmayr, the OSO presents more than 100 concerts annually, in tandem with award-winning education and community engagement programs. Entering its 128th season in 2025/2026, the Oregon Symphony is the oldest orchestra west of the Mississippi.

Learn more about Oregon Symphony, and this historic performance of Celilo Falls, at orsymphony.org.

All Classical Radio: For Humans, By Humans

When you listen to All Classical Radio, you hear handcrafted radio programming that is locally produced and community focused. In collaboration with students from Portland State University’s Branded Media Course and the PSU School of Film, All Classical invites you to explore what it means to make radio for humans, by humans, with a brief and powerful behind-the-scenes look at the station’s approach to independent classical music public radio.

“What [All Classical Radio hosts share] of themselves…is what I think helps to create a narrative and a relationship with our listeners” says Director of Music and Programming John Pitman in the video.

“Connection is hard to come by,” adds Radio Network Program Director Brandi Parisi. “[All Classical] fills these gaps in places that people really need. We get letters from folks who say, ‘I feel like I know you,’ ‘I feel like you’re my friend.’ There’s nothing more human than that.”

Watch below, or on All Classical Radio’s YouTube channel.

Creators and contributors:

Audrey Weller: Editor, Producer
Maddie Kasberger: Producer, Co-Director
Tomas Penner: Cinematographer, Co-Director
James Shasteen: Production Assistant, Co-Director
Michael Stringfield: Adjunct Assistant Professor, Branded Media, PSU School of Film
John Pitman: Director of Music and Programming, All Classical Radio
Brandi Parisi: Radio Network Program Director, All Classical Radio

About All Classical Radio’s Arts Mentorship and Education Initiatives

This project with PSU and the PSU School of Film highlights All Classical Radio’s commitment to community collaboration, arts and media education, and supporting the next generation of creatives and leaders. The station’s robust mentorship and education initiatives include the unique Young Artist in Residence and Youth Ambassadors programs, paid internships, arts journalism and productino mentorships, and more. Its International Children’s Arts Network provides access to music and the arts for children, families, and educators 24/7 at icanradio.org.

Thank you to Michael Stringfield, Portland State University Adjunct Assistant Professor, Branded Media, PSU School of Film, and all of the brilliant PSU students involved in bringing this video to life.

John Pitman Reviews: Yevgeny Sudbin’s ‘Ver La Flamme’

Album cover for Yevgeny Sudbin's 'Ver La Flamme'

Renowned for his interpretations of the music of Russian composer and mystic, Alexander Scriabin, celebrated pianist Yevgeny Sudbin is host John Pitman’s latest guest for this Arts Blog interview.

On Sudbin’s newest album, Ver La Flamme (Toward the Flame), the pianist shares his deep knowledge and appreciation for the music of the early 20th century composer, and his imaginative and thought-provoking piano pieces. The album includes preludes, études, sonatas, and fantasies.

In his conversation with All Classical Radio’s Director of Programming, John Pitman, Sudbin shares some fascinating stories about Alexander Scriabin’s wild ideas about the direction of his music, and his audiences. Listening to these works reminds us why the composer and his music truly feel “outside of time.”

Hear Pitman’s conversation with Sudbin below:

Yevgeny Sudbin’s Ver La Flamme is available May 9, 2025, on BIS Records.

Tune in weekdays for New at Noon

Featured image for blog post announcing New at Noon, hosted by Brandi Parisi

All Classical Radio invites you to tune in for New at Noon, an original feature airing weekdays at 12:00 PM PT. Join host Brandi Parisi for this midday special showcasing new recordings, recent releases from today’s leading artists and composers, and updated interpretations of classical favorites.

Host Brandi Parisi shares, “All Classical Radio’s music library is constantly growing and evolving, and New at Noon is a perfect opportunity to discover and share exciting new recordings as they become part of our playlists. On New at Noon you’ll hear everyone from Lang Lang and Aaron Copland, to Mari Samuelsen and Soyoung Yoon, and more. Each selection is a chance to listen, learn, and explore some of the greatest music of our time, together over the airwaves.”

Brandi Parisi, All Classical Radio’s Radio Network Program Director, brings a lifetime of public media expertise and a passion of music and story-telling to this new original feature. Tune in at 89.9FM in Portland, or worldwide at allclassical.org, and discover something New at Noon.

Learn more about New at Noon.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

About Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB)

CPB Funding Eliminated: 10% of All Classical’s Budget

Independent Radio: Donate Directly

How All Classical is funded

Independent, but not invulnerable

You can help

INVEST IN THE MUSIC

TURN UP THE VOLUME

ABOUT

ABOUT

ABOUT CELILO FALLS

HOSTS & ARTISTS

About All Classical Radio’s Arts Mentorship and Education Initiatives

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