A Far Cry chamber orchestra
This week’s SymphonyCast episode features two concerts in one! First, we’ll hear a celebration of the strength of women. Then A Far Cry chamber orchestra performs its signature work, Tchaikovsky’s ‘Serenade for Strings.’
Steve Seel
MPR
SymphonyCast®
With Steve Seel
Minnesota Orchestra
The Minnesota Orchestra welcomes Nathalie Stutzmann back to the podium for a program that is rich with heart and soul. First, we’ll hear George Walker’s ‘Lyric for Strings.’ Then, violinist Tobias Feldmann joins the orchestra to play Prokofiev’s imaginative and exciting Second Violin Concerto, followed by Tchaikovsky’s tender and beautiful Sixth Symphony.
The Orchestra Now
The Orchestra Now (TŌN) begins its seventh season with William L. Dawson’s distinctive and emotionally charged ‘Negro Folk Symphony.’ The composer said he wanted listeners to know that it was "unmistakably not the work of a white man." Also on the program is Shostakovich’s enormous and patriotic ‘Leningrad Symphony,’ written largely after he had fled the city (now known as St. Petersburg) following the German invasion during World War II.
Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra
The Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra welcomes violinist Leila Josefiwicz to the stage for the world-premiere performance of Matthias Pintscher’s third violin concerto, ‘Assonanza.’ Plus, the orchestra shares a perennial favorite – Sergei Rachmaninoff’s ‘Symphonic Dances.’
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor JoAnn Falletta leads the Buffalo Philharmonic and violinists Tessa Lark and Nikki Chooi in two show-stoppers for violin: Vivaldi's The Four Seasons and Piazzolla's The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires.
From the 2022 BBC Proms
The Chineke! Orchestra, Europe’s first majority Black and ethnically diverse orchestra, celebrates the unity of humankind with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9.
From the 2022 BBC Proms
Sir Simon Rattle pairs Gustav Mahler's ambitious 'Resurrection' Symphony with a short tribute from the late Harrison Birtwistle in this emotional Proms concert.
From the 2022 BBC Proms
Benjamin Grosvenor joins Marin Alsop and the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra to perform Prokofiev's Third Piano Concerto live at the BBC Proms.
From the 2022 BBC Proms
It’s all about Austro-German Romanticism at the BBC Proms with the Ulster Orchestra. You’ll hear Schumann’s poetic Fourth Symphony, and British soprano Louise Alder is the soloist in Strauss’s Four Last Songs.
From the 2022 BBC Proms
The National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain’s annual Prom is always a highlight of the season, and in this concert, its 150-plus players are working on a cinematic scale: Simone Dinnerstein performs Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue, and there’s a spectacular, specially commissioned opener from Hollywood legend Danny Elfman.
About SymphonyCast®
The Show
SymphonyCast®, with host Steve Seel, is a two-hour weekly radio program featuring a full-length concert by a major orchestra. Material is drawn from Europe’s premier symphony orchestras, along with U.S. orchestras such as the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Nashville Symphony and the Cleveland Orchestra.
Our Host
Steve Seel
Steve Seel possesses a broad knowledge of many musical genres, having hosted radio programs ranging from classical to jazz and even avant-garde music at radio stations around the country. Steve began his love affair with public radio at 24 working whatever shifts he could at his hometown station of WUSF-FM in Tampa, Florida, and from there worked his way to snowy Buffalo, New York, and its renowned classical station WNED-FM, where he hosted middays and the weekly experimental-music show Present Tense. In 2005, Steve became one of the founding voices on Minnesota Public Radio's eclectic station, the Current. While there, he hosted afternoons and mornings, and conducted in-depth interviews with pop music luminaries ranging from Brian Eno to David Byrne to Tori Amos. Steve is a basement composer obsessed with all things both minimalist and slow, and might actually be incapable of writing anything that exceeds 75 beats-per-minute.
The Team
Daniel Nass, Producer
Daniel Nass is the producer of SymphonyCast®. He is responsible for creating the sound of the show, including choosing music programming and conducting artist interviews. In his nonproducer life, he is an avid runner and an award-winning composer.
Michael Osborne, Technical Director
Michael "Ozzie" Osborne is the Technical Director for SymphonyCast®. He masters the live and recorded music recordings that are programmed for each SymphonyCast® show. He also enjoys photography, listening to music and bicycling.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the name of the composer, performer or piece I heard on the show?
Complete playlist information is available for each show. Click on a specific episode to access a detailed playlist.
What is the theme music at the beginning of every SymphonyCast® episode?
It’s the opening trumpet fanfare from Steve Heitzeg’s Nobel Symphony.
Can I buy a recording of music I heard on your show?
It’s possible, but not likely. Many of the performances that you hear on SymphonyCast® are not available for purchase because they were played at a live concert. In some cases, the musicians have recorded that same music for a commercial CD. If so, album title and recording label information will be available in the episode playlist.
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