Category Archives: Contemporary
Six Composers We’re Celebrating for National Hispanic Heritage Month
At All Classical Radio, we celebrate the musical contributions of Hispanic and Latino composers—both past and present—every day on the air. In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we’d love to share about the lives of six extraordinary Hispanic composers you will hear as part of our daily programming. José White Lafitte (1836-1918) Born in …
Access Recording Project 2025 Participants
We are thrilled to announce the inaugural participants of All Classical Radio’s Access Recording Project. The first-of-its-kind initiative will invite Pacific Northwest artists to make use of the station’s Irving Levin Performance Hall and James DePreist Recording Studio to develop creative projects and advance their careers, at no cost. “Through the Access Recording Project, All …
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 …
Six Black Composers You Need to Know
At All Classical Radio, we’re proud to continually expand our playlist with diverse musical offerings. In celebration of Black History Month, we’re highlighting six Black composers you need to know, whose music we love to play on air all year round. In this post, you’ll also find recommended recordings for the music of each composer if you’re hoping to expand your collection at home!
Five Composers You Need to Know for National Hispanic Heritage Month
National Hispanic Heritage Month is a celebration of the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose families originate from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. The timing of the 30-day period beginning September 15th is significant for several reasons: September 15th is the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, …
Five Contemporary LGBTQI+ Artists We Love to Play On Air
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Intersex (LGBTQI+) Pride Month is observed each year in commemoration of the June 1969 Stonewall Uprising in New York, a tipping point for the Gay Liberation Movement in the United States. Nationally, Pride Month is observed in June. Locally, the city of Portland celebrates its queer community in July. In …
Jimmie Herrod & Cédric Hanriot: A New Foray Into Fauré
In May, All Classical Radio’s Christa Wessel hosted a special program performed by acclaimed vocalist Jimmie Herrod and celebrated pianist and composer Cédric Hanriot. A New Foray Into Fauré featured exclusive performances of works by Gabriel Fauré, as well as music by the “Dean of American Balladeers” John Jacob Niles, and composer Ned Rorem, in …
Meet Seven Black Contemporary Composers
At All Classical Radio, we’re proud to continually expand our playlist with diverse musical offerings. As we continue to celebrate and honor Black History Month, we are shining a special spotlight on Black classical composers whose works grace our airwaves all year round. In this post, you’ll get to know some living composers whose works …
Five LGBTQI+ Artists You Need to Know
In honor of Pride Month, and all year round, join All Classical in celebrating LGBTQI+ musical artists who provide so much joy, talent, and beauty to our collective soundscape. As we come together to enjoy the station’s catalog of diverse programming, let’s get to know a few of the LGBTQI+ artists who regularly grace our …
Christa Wessel Meets Thomas Lauderdale & The Pilgrims
Host Christa Wessel spoke with Pink Martini bandleader and Portland pianist Thomas Lauderdale about his new collaboration album with legendary Portland surf rockers Satan’s Pilgrims. Over 25 years in the making, the new album, Thomas Lauderdale Meets The Pilgrims, features new takes on beloved standards such as Night and Day, Malagueña, and George Gershwin’s Rhapsody …
