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.

Host Brandi Parisi Interviews poets Dao Strom & Alicia Jo Rabins

April is National Poetry Month. All Classical Radio host Brandi Parisi recently spoke with with Portland-based songwriters, composers, and poets Dao Strom and Alicia Jo Rabins about their new collaborative project/album, Wild Nights.

Hear their interview, including details about the multi-year project, their music choices of folk and Americana, and the poetry of Emily Dickinson below:

John Pitman Reviews: Les Korngold’s Korngold Symphony

Imagine if we could hear, decades after a composer has passed, a note-for-note set of instructions of what how they intended their music to be heard? It’s rarer than you might think. In this Arts Blog, program director John Pitman has a conversation with the grandson of the Austrian born composer Erich Wolfgang Korngold – Leslie or “Les” Korngold – and John Mauceri, a conductor who has devoted his career to elevating the importance of music by Korngold and other 20th century European composers who were effectively saved by Hollywood studios, who needed the rich traditions for their new art form.

The new recording shares a rediscovered record made by Korngold himself, at the piano, of his Symphony in f-sharp minor, from the 1950s. This is a fascinating story that takes us from pre-war Vienna, to Hollywood California, and ultimately back here to Portland, Oregon, where the Korngold legacy continues.

Hear John Pitman’s conversation with Les Korngold and John Mauceri below:

Photo of the Korngolds and John Mauceri at the Hollywood Bowl – by Donald Dietz in 1993 (Leslie Korngold is seen behind John’s left shoulder):

Front of LP, back of LP, and LP in sleeve photos – courtesy of the Special Collections and Photograph Archive, Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences:

The Korngold Symphony is available now through Supertrain Records.

Deadline Extended: Access Recording Project

Featured image for All Classical Radio's Access Recording Project, close up of a microphone

All Classical Radio is excited to announce its Access Recording Project, a unique opportunity for Pacific Northwest musicians and artists to enjoy access to the station’s state-of-the-art performance hall and recording studio to further creative projects, expand portfolios, and advance careers.

“All Classical Radio’s Media Arts Center was built to gather community around the arts, and uplift and document the creatives of our time,” says Kristina Becker, the station’s Communications and Operations Manager who is leading the project. “As we activate the performance hall and recording studios, the Access Recording Project will help even more artists and musicians leverage this space built for the community.”

Artists and creatives selected to participate in the Access Recording Project will be offered up to 10 hours of use of performance hall and recording studio at no cost. Applications will be accepted through 12:00 PM PT on Wednesday, April 30, 2025* for the inaugural Access Recording Project opportunity. To learn more about the project, eligibility, and review criteria, or submit an application, visit allclassical.org/access-recording-project.

The 2025 Access Recording Project is made possible in part by a generous grant from the Oregon Cultural Trust.

*The deadline to apply has been extended.

Host Brandi Parisi Interviews Eugene Symphony’s Alex Prior

Alex Prior, the newly appointed Music Director of the Eugene Symphony, speaks with All Classical Radio host Brandi Parisi. In this wide-ranging discussion, they talked about Alex’s phenomenal career (he was Assistant Conductor of the Seattle Symphony at age 17!), universality in music, the importance of outreach and community, his love of the Pacific Northwest, and his interest in geographic elevation facts.

Conductor and Composer Alex Prior (b. 1992) brings over 19 years of international and critically acclaimed experience to his appointment as Music Director-designate of the Eugene Symphony. His tenure with the Eugene Symphony will begin in fall, 2025. Alex has earned a reputation since early childhood for his profound and visionary music making which he has had the opportunity to share with some of the world’s greatest soloists, orchestras, and opera companies.

Alex began his post-secondary studies at the St. Petersburg Conservatory at the age of 13 with a dual major in conducting with Alexander Alexeev and composition with Boris Tishchenko. He made his professional conducting debut at 14, conducting Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Tsar’s Bride and graduated with top honors at the age of 17 – a feat only matched by Sergei Prokofiev. Immediately thereafter he was appointed by the Seattle Symphony as an Assistant Conductor.

He will take the artistic helm at the Eugene Symphony for their 60th anniversary 2025/26 season.

Learn more at eugenesymphony.org

Women We Love to Play On Air: 2025 Edition

At All Classical Radio, women composers have long been an essential part of our daily playlist. We’re proud to shine a spotlight on underrepresented composers, both living and passed, and introduce listeners to the wealth of music written by them. In celebration of Women’s History Month 2025, we’re exploring the lives and careers of eight women composers whose music we love to play on air all year round. Keep reading to learn more!

Teresa Carreño (1853-1917)

Known as the “valkyrie of the piano,” Teresa Carreño was a Venezuelan concert pianist, singer, and composer. Born in Caracas, Carreño and her family moved to New York when the musician was still a child in response to growing political instability. Spending time in both New York and Paris during her upbringing, Carreño was able to pursue an international musical career. She became one of the first female pianists to tour the United States, quickly becoming a role model for subsequent generations of American woman musicians. As a composer, Carreño wrote around 80 works, many of which were for the piano and performed herself in concert.

Fun fact: In 1863, when Carreño was still a child, she performed for Abraham Lincoln at the White House. Decades later, in 1916, she returned to the White House to perform for Woodrow Wilson.

Fernande Decruck (1896-1954)

French composer and organist Fernande Decruck made her gift for music known early on in life. Having won several prestigious accolades by her teens, Decruck entered the Paris Conservatory, where she excelled in composition and piano studies. As she began to make her mark as a working professional, Decruck spent a period of time touring throughout the United States, giving impressive concerts on the organ where she would improvise for the audience. This period in the U.S. also proved fruitful for composing, resulting in many new works for piano and organ, as well as her first works for saxophone—Decruck’s husband, Maurice, played the instrument and successfully earned a position playing with the New York Philharmonic.

After returning to France, Decruck continued to devote her life to music: composing, performing, and teaching. Despite her successful career, her legacy fell into obscurity following her death and has only recently begun gaining attention once more.

Black and white image of Fernande Decruck

Grażyna Bacewicz (1909-1969)

Grażyna Bacewicz was a Polish-Lithuanian violinist, pianist, and composer who created a unique path for herself (at least for a woman at the time) by pursuing performance and composition on relatively equal terms. Having studied with Nadia Boulanger in Paris, Bacewicz would go on to premiere many of her own works in concert. The bulk of her catalog consisted of chamber music works, particularly music written for strings. She became well-known and appreciated in her native Poland but had a harder time breaking down barriers on the international stage. Unfortunately, for the last 15 years of her life, Bacewicz was forced to retire from performing and focus exclusively on composition because of injuries suffered from a car accident.

Fun fact: In addition to writing music, Bacewicz also wrote novels and short stories.

black and white photo of Grażyna Bacewicz

Joan Tower (b. 1938)

Trailblazing American composer Joan Tower’s career has spanned more than sixty years, making a significant mark on the world of classical music in the States and beyond. When asked about her musical voice, Tower has responded, “My music is about rhythm, predominantly, the rhythm of ideas. And it’s also organic, and it has a large-scale narrative… It’s also very important for me to be clear: I don’t think my music ever gets complicated enough that you don’t hear everything.”

In 2020, Tower was chosen as “Composer of the Year” by Musical America, and in 2019, the League of American Orchestras awarded her its highest honor, the Gold Baton. She currently serves as the Asher B. Edelman Professor in the Arts at Bard College, where she has taught since 1972. All Classical Radio listeners likely know Tower best for Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman, which is dedicated to women who take risks and who are adventurous.

Joan Tower standing in front of a red wall — Image source: Boston Symphony Orchestra

Victoria Yagling (1946-2011)

Born into a family of artists and intellectuals, Victoria Yagling was a Russian cellist and composer who made a name for herself as a major force in the USSR. Unfortunately, she would have to wait until 1990 to break beyond her native barriers when she was able to emigrate to Finland. While continuing to compose, Yagling also taught cello at the Jean Sibelius Academy in Helsinki. Unsurprisingly, her works for the string instrument have become the most prominent part of Yagling’s compositional legacy. Stylistically, her music embodies a Romantic essence unmistakably born out of the influence of her fellow Russian predecessors, Prokofiev and Shostakovich.

Image source: The Cello Museum

Errollyn Wallen (b. 1958)

Errollyn Wallen CBE is a Belize-born British composer who recently became the first Black woman to be appointed Master of the King’s Music, an honor that endorses her exceptional musical contributions. Wallen’s works have also been performed at the BBC Proms, the 2012 Paralympic Games, and the late Queen’s Golden and Diamond Jubilees. As an emerging composer in the 1980s, Wallen struggled with breaking down barriers for women in the field, especially women of color. Consequently, she co-founded, along with other female composers, musicians, and administrators, the organization Women in Music, promoting works by underrepresented voices in the field.

As a composer, Wallen has written over 20 operas in addition to a large catalog of works for orchestra and chamber ensemble.

Photo of Errollyn Wallen wearing red shirt — Photo by Azzurra Primavera; Image source: The Guardian

Reena Esmail (b. 1983)

Based in Los Angeles, Indian-American composer Reena Esmail connects the worlds of Indian and Western classical soundscapes in her music. With a focus on works for orchestra, chamber ensemble, and choir, Esmail uses her music to address humanity in art and create a sense of belonging and inclusivity among its listeners. After earning degrees from both The Julliard School and Yale School of Music, she subsequently sought a return to her cultural roots and attained a Fulbright-Nehru grant to study Hindustani music in India.

Esmail is the Los Angeles Master Chorale’s 2020-2025 Swan Family Artist in Residence. She also currently serves as Artistic Director of Shastra, an organization that fosters cross-cultural dialogue between Western music and the music of India. In 2022, Esmail’s life and career were featured on an episode of the PBS Great Performances series, “Now Hear This.”

Reena Esmail wearing colorful scarf — Image source: Composer’s website

Naomi LaViolette

Naomi LaViolette is an American composer, pianist, and singer-songwriter whose music is influenced not only by her classical education but also by her study of jazz, folk songs, soul, pop, and gospel. As a singer, Naomi attributes songwriting in her early 20s as a way to process strong emotions and experiences. With four albums of original music under her belt and many more singles, Naomi writes songs filled “with the stories, emotions, celebrations, and struggles of what it means to be human.”

LaViolette is based in Portland, OR, and has collaborated with several local organizations. Since 2004, she has been the pianist for the Oregon Repertory Singers, in addition to working with the Oregon Symphony as a songwriter and arranger for The Lullaby Project. Her work with Saving His Music, a project preserving the music of a talented pianist suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease, received prominent coverage both locally and across the country.

Photo of Naomi LaViolette standing in grassy field — Image source: Composer’s website

Keep Learning

If you enjoyed this post, check out a few more from the Arts Blog celebrating the lives of women composers:

Elaina Stuppler: Thursdays @ Three Videos

On January 30, 2025, host Christa Wessel welcomed Elaina Stuppler, All Classical Radio’s 2024-2025 Young Artist in Residence, to Thursdays @ Three. Elaina and friends performed several of her original pieces in All Classical’s Irving Levin Performance Hall in downtown Portland.

Enjoy the music below, and tune in to Thursdays @ Three every week at 3:00 PM PT at 89.9 FM in Portland, OR or worldwide at allclassical.org.

Featuring: Sarah Tiedemann, flute; Isaac Beu, clarinet; Samuel Rhoton, bassoon; Chris Whyte, percussion; Kenji Bunch, violin; Valdine Mishkin, cello; Steven Walker, bass

Featuring: Isaac Beu, clarinet; Valdine Mishkin, cello; Jeff Payne, piano

Featuring: Isaac Beu, clarinet; Elaina Stuppler, piano

Featuring: Jeff Payne, piano; Kenji Bunch, violin

Featuring: Elaina Stuppler, piano/vocals; Kenji Bunch, violin; Chris Whyte, drums

Featuring: Elaina Stuppler, piano/vocals

ABOUT

16-year-old Elaina Stuppler is an award-winning composer, trombonist, and vocalist, who has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Sydney Opera House, the Grammy Museum, and the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. All Classical Radio is thrilled to announce that Elaina Stuppler’s position as the station’s Young Artist in Residence has been extended through Summer 2025.

Elaina is Co-Principal Trombonist of the Portland Youth Philharmonic (PYP) and was selected for All-State and All-Northwest Honor Bands for Jazz and Wind Ensemble. Her original compositions have been performed by PYP, Third Angle, Metropolitan Youth Orchestra of New York, Chamber Music Northwest, and Metropolitan Youth Symphony.

Learn more about Elaina and her recent accomplishments on the Arts Blog.

ICAN Radio Wins 2025 Schnitzer Wonder Award

All Classical Radio’s International Children’s Arts Network (ICAN) is honored to be named the recipient the Oregon Symphony’s prestigious 2025 Schnitzer Wonder Award. This accolade comes with a $10,000 award and will be presented to ICAN and All Classical Radio during the Oregon Symphony’s Gala and Celebration Concert on April 26, 2025.

Named in honor of Harold and Arlene Schnitzer, the Wonder Award is presented each year to recognize excellence in youth mentorship and education, collaboration with young artists and students, and contributing to a vibrant music and arts community. Past awardees include Fear No Music’s Young Composers Project, Portland State University Chamber Choir, and more.

ICAN (icanradio.org) is a service of All Classical Radio launched in 2019, which provides free 24-hour access to music, arts, and literature programs designed for children, educators, and families. ICAN Radio has become a vital resource for families and educators alike, serving over 30,000 listeners over the past year. The station complements in-school and at-home learning and helps young people explore creativity and art, learn about other cultures, and build confidence.

ICAN uniquely features youth voices in its programming, welcoming children ages 4 and up to host interviews, perform, and produce radio content. Since moving into the heart of Portland this past summer, young reporters and musicians have spent over 100 hours in ICAN’s Moonflower Studio, helping to amplify the stories of our community.

Listen to ICAN’s streaming or on demand programs and learn more at icanradio.org.

Read the press release for full details.

Young People’s Concert on ICAN Radio

This year, ICAN and All Classical Radio are excited to expand on decades of collaboration with the Oregon Symphony.

In February 2025, ICAN produced and released a special broadcast edition of the Oregon Symphony’s Young People’s Concert: The Nature of Music. In April 2025 ICAN aired an encore broadcast of this program. Youth, families, and educators can listen on demand to ICAN’s Young People’s Concert radio special until May 2, 2025, at icanradio.org.

Hosted by Oregon Symphony’s Associate Conductor Deanna Tham and student co-host Amir Avsker, a former All Classical Young Artist in Residence, this broadcast edition is a perfect way to prepare young people for concert attendance. Plus, teachers and families will enjoy the opportunity to learn more about classical music from anywhere in the world.

Previous Schnitzer Wonder Award Winners

ICAN joins past recipients of the Schnitzer Wonder Award, including:

2024: Young Composers Project of Fear No Music
2023: Outside the Frame
2022: Portland Youth Philharmonic
2021: Portland State University Chamber Choir
2020: David Douglas School District Music Education Fund
2019: Mariachi Una Voz
2018: Metropolitan Youth Symphony
2017: Dance West
2016: Pacific Youth Choir
2015: BRAVO Youth Orchestras

ABOUT

The International Children’s Arts Network (ICAN) is a dedicated radio station for children to listen, learn, and celebrate the joy of being a child. ICAN provides access to the arts for all and nurtures a love for music and literature through educational, multicultural arts and STEAM programming. Powered by All Classical Radio, ICAN is available regionally on HD-2 radio, mobile app, smart speakers, and at icanradio.org 24/7, with select features available on demand.

About All Classical Radio’s Arts Mentorship and Education Initiatives

Teresa Carreño (1853-1917)

Fernande Decruck (1896-1954)

Grażyna Bacewicz (1909-1969)

Joan Tower (b. 1938)

Victoria Yagling (1946-2011)

Errollyn Wallen (b. 1958)

Reena Esmail (b. 1983)

Naomi LaViolette

Keep Learning

ABOUT

Young People’s Concert on ICAN Radio

Previous Schnitzer Wonder Award Winners

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