WVIA FM

Sunday concert hall | Sundays @ 2:00pm

April 20.  Van Cliburn: Music and Diplomacy. An unforgettable radio program commemorating the 50th anniversary of Van Cliburn’s triumph in Moscow.  In April 1958, this 6’7”, red head from Texas won the First International Tchaikovsky Piano Competition derailing the Soviet’s attempt to demonstrate cultural superiority during the Cold War, on the heels of their technological victory with the Sputnik launch in October 1957.  Van Cliburn's luminous virtuosity in his competition finale performances of the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 and Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 earned him a standing ovation that lasted eight minutes.  The Soviet judges were compelled to ask Premier Nikita Khrushchev for permission to give the first prize to an American.  "Is he the best?" Khrushchev asked them. "Then give him the prize!" Hosted by Mona Golabek
         
April 27.  A WVIA Special. The Northeastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic.  Music Director Lawrence Loh conducts Le Tombeau de Couperin by Ravel and Variaciones Concertantes by Alberto Ginastera.  Pianist Jon Nakamatsu joins the orchestra for a performance of Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto. The orchestra performs again the weekend of May 2nd and 3rd. The program pairs the Symphony No. 2 of Schumann with Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. Details at www.nepaphil.org.

5/4       Pittsburgh Symphony.  Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos conducts an all-Spanish program including The Three-Cornered Hat of Manuel de Falla and Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez featuring guitarist, Pepe Romero.

5/11     Pittsburgh Symphony.  Music from the 20th century: Pacific 231 of Honegger, Ravel’s Piano Concerto for the Left Hand with pianist Jean-Philippe Collard, Gershwin’s An American in Paris and The Here and Now by Theofanidis featuring the Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh.  Yan Pascal Tortelier conducts.