Extra Eclectic

Philip Glass said that after he heard pianist Simone Dinnerstein play, he knew he had to write a new piano concerto for her. His Piano Concerto No. 3 was the result, and it's one of the main works featured on this week's show with Steve Seel.

Host Steve Seel pays tribute to the closure of Mills College in Oakland, California, after 163 years, with Lou Harrison's music on this week's Extra Eclectic. He also showcases Aaron Dessner's new Concerto for Two Pianos, written for sisters Katia and Marielle Labeque.

Stephen Scott's Bowed Piano Ensemble jumps to the fore in this week's episode of Extra Eclectic. Our music director, Joe Goetz, joins host Steve Seel to share his memories of performing in the group and to play some adventurous music.

It's a contemplative two hours of spiritual and reverential selections this week, featuring works by Arvo Part, Normal Dello Joio, John Tavener, Jennifer Higdon, Tonu Korvits, and more.

We're capping off our celebration of Women's History Month this week with a sampling of contemporary women composers from all over the world, including Brazil, Armenia, Mexico, Lithuania, and more.

We continue our celebration of Women's History Month this week with another program showcasing contemporary women composers, including Gabriela Lena Frank, Jennifer Higdon, Jessie Montgomery, Angelica Negron, Chen Yi, and many others.

She's one of the most accomplished and beloved classical singers of the last several decades, but many listeners first heard Dawn Upshaw's voice in a recording that may have also been their first encounter with classical music in general -- the 1992 recording of Henryk Gorecki's "Symphony of Sorrowful Songs." Steve Seel features a selection from it on this week's show.

New Amsterdam is an adventurous record label that's been showcasing some of today's most interesting and groundbreaking young composers since 2008. Steve Seel showcases a number of new releases from the label this week, including the brand new work from one of the label's founders, Sarah Kirkland Snider.

Caroline Shaw is at the forefront of a new generation of women composers who are writing some of the most innovative and exciting works in contemporary classical music. This week's show highlights Shaw's music, as well as works by Dobrinka Tabakova, Gabriela Montero, and many more.

As composer Jessie Montgomery spent time thinking about 'The Star-Spangled Banner,' she wondered, 'What does an anthem for the 21st century sound like in today's multicultural environment?' Find out about the resulting work on Extra Eclectic, with Steve Seel.