Arts Blog | All Classical Radio

The Songs of Lili‘uokalani, Queen of Hawai‘i

May 26, 2021

Lili‘uokalani (1838-1917) was the Queen Regnant of Hawai‘i from 1891-1893, and was the nation’s last monarch. During her reign, she resisted the annexation of Hawai‘i by the United States, and after the coup that deposed her, she remained dedicated to the interests of the Hawaiian people. A trained singer, choir director and organist, Lili‘uokalani composed more than 150 mele, Hawaiian songs and chants. Her legacy of music remains greatly loved: she is one of the most-performed composers among Hawaiian …

Simone Dinnerstein’s “An American Mosaic”

May 17, 2021

John’s latest conversation with American pianist Simone Dinnerstein on her second recording made at home during the pandemic: An American Mosaic. The title is for the multi-movement piece written for her by Richard Danielpour who, finding himself isolated during lockdown, found solace in Ms. Dinnerstein’s recordings. Each movement is a portrait of groups of people …

A Playlist of Music by Jewish-American Women

May 12, 2021

Composers, teachers, performers, conductors, singers, and cantors: the outstanding contributions of Jewish women to American music are ubiquitous. May is Jewish-American Heritage Month, and as part of our celebration at All Classical Portland, we hope you enjoy this playlist of music by remarkable Jewish-American women. Check out our Spotify Playlist, which features these composers in a slightly different lineup of …

woman in grey dress sitting for a portrait

An Emily Dickinson Playlist

April 26, 2021

Music is a natural complement to the poetry of Emily Dickinson (1830-1886). Her lyrical voice is often cast in the singable meters of American hymnody: for example, just try singing this Dickinson text to the tune of “Amazing Grace:” The Bee is not afraid of me.I know the Butterfly.The pretty people in the WoodsReceive me …

Songbirds of Oregon

April 21, 2021

From the Gorge to Mt. Hood, the Alvord Desert to Crater Lake, Oregon provides unique geological and ecological sites with incredible diversity in flora and fauna. Even with nature all around us, we can sometimes forget to appreciate it in urban spaces or in our own backyards. For Earth Day, we’d like to show appreciation …

Samuel Coleridge-Taylor is “Uncovered”

April 19, 2021

Program Director John Pitman talks with violinist Karla Donehew Perez, of Catalyst Quartet, about the exciting new project they launched in January called “Uncovered”, focusing on underrepresented composers in classical music. Volume 1 sheds light on three beautiful works by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor (1875-1912), a British composer who was greatly admired by contemporary audiences, as well …

Kassiani: The Enduring Works of a Trailblazing Female Composer

April 8, 2021

Kassiani, sometimes called Kassia, was an abbess, a poet, and a composer in 9th century Byzantium, and she is the earliest female composer whose music has survived to the present day. In this article, we’ll explore Kassia and her music, the enduring works of a trailblazing female composer. Kassia was born between 805-810 CE to …

four people standing in front of a black background

John Pitman Review: “Babel” Speaks Clearly Through the Language of Music

April 6, 2021

Program Director John Pitman discusses the second release by the Calidore String Quartet, which contemplates the intersection of music and language. Violinist Estelle Choi, one of the four founding members of Calidore, shares how “the desire to explore the innate human drive for communication,” became the focus of their new recording. Choi describes the inspiration …

A Playlist of Chamber Music by Women

March 9, 2021

This playlist will take you on a whirlwind tour of chamber music by women, with appearances from a few of the brilliant composers who have contributed to the genre. We’ll start with some of the earliest chamber music by women, then travel toward the present day! Along the way, we’ll meet composers from many cultures …

John Pitman Review: Osvaldo Golijov on “Falling Out of Time”

February 22, 2021

John interviews composer Osvaldo Golijov about the new album that features the Silkroad Ensemble. Falling Out of Time, which was written for the ensemble by longtime collaborator/composer Osvaldo Golijov, is an 80-minute tone poem based on David Grossman’s novel about parental grief and loss. In John’s interview with the composer, Mr. Golijov likened it to …

Older posts

Newer posts

Give today: 888-899-5722

The Arts Blog