Category Archives: Famous visitors

Behind the scenes of KMFA’s Birthday Drive

What if I told you that you could give a loved one the perfect birthday gift, and that it would last all year long? It’s true! Your gift to KMFA during our Birthday Membership Drive is not just a gift to yourself… you are giving the gift of diverse classical music to your neighbors, your community, and the whole of Central Texas.

We’ve had a fun three days, with lots of wonderful visitors! In case you didn’t make it in to visit us this time, here are some behind-the-scenes photos:

 

 

Thanks again to one and all who have helped us make it to year 44!  Happy Birthday, KMFA!

~ posted by Alison @ KMFA 🙂

“The Italian Girl” visits the KMFA Studio

~posted by Dianne Donovan, host of Classical Austin

It’s always a lot of fun when I have guests in from Austin Lyric Opera on the Classical Austin show. This time, we previewed the Austin Lyric Opera’s production of Rossini’s Italian Girl In Algiers. We discussed the opera, Rossini, and the challenges of singing/conducting. The show aired on Wednesday, January 26th, 8pm. There was more to our interview than we could fit into one hour on Classical Austin, so if you missed any of the show, or you would like to hear more of the interview, check out the archived version on our website.

GUESTS: Sandra Piques Eddy is a dazzling mezzo who will be starring as Isabella (The “Italian Girl”). Austin audiences got to see and hear this dynamo in recent productions of The Barber of Seville and Cenerentola. Bass-baritone, Peter Strummer (Taddeo) has impressed Austin audiences with his warm voice and characterizations, in Don Pasquale, The Barber of Seville and other productions. Maestro Richard Buckley (ALO Conductor) continues to help bring richly inspired performances from both the singers and the orchestra.

Performance Dates: Jan. 29, Feb. 2, 4, & 6, 2011

More Info: austinlyricopera.org, sandrapiqueseddy.com, peterstrummer.com

~posted by Dianne Donovan, mid-day host, and producer of Classical Austin

American Boychoir visits Austin

A wonderful guest stopped by the studio today — Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, the Director of the American Boychoir, whose home is based in Princeton, New Jersey.

The American Boychoir is regarded as the United States’ premier concert boys’ choir. Under the leadership of Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, The American Boychoir offers audiences a unique blend of musical sophistication, effervescent spirit, and ensemble virtuosity. Boys in grades 4 through 8, reflecting the ethnic, religious and cultural diversity of the United States, come from across the country and around the world to pursue a rigorous musical and academic curriculum at the school. And they’re in town right now, for an event  *tonight* in collaboration with The Austin Girl’s Choir, led by Sara Burden-McClure.

You may have heard Fernando Malvar-Ruiz’s on-air conversation with Rich Upton this afternoon… he had some great insights on the quality and types of music that they perform and record, as well as a modern perspective on teaching young boys the choral arts. If you missed the interview, you can hear it again on our website: click here.

~posted by Alison @ KMFA 🙂

Preview of Austin Lyric Opera’s “La Traviata”

~posted by Dianne Donovan, KMFA’s mid-day host

On Wednesday’s episode of Classical Austin, we featured a spotlight on Austin Lyric Opera’s Production of “La Traviata,” by Giuseppe Verdi.

I had some special guests in the studio! Namely, the stars of the opera: “Violetta,” Pamela Armstrong (soprano),  “Alfredo,” Texas-born Chad Shelton (tenor), and the Principal Conductor of Austin Lyric Opera, Maestro Richard Buckley. We learned about some of the challenges and thrills of performing this stunning masterpiece. 

There was more to the interview than we could fit into the show, so if you would like to hear more, or if you missed the show,  click here for your listening pleasure.

(If you heard the show, the music I played was from a recording that featured Cheryl Studer, Lucian Pavarotti, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus, under the direction of James Levine. Deutsche Grammaphon 435 797.)

Austin Lyric Opera performances will be November 6th, 10th, 12th & 14th, at the Long Center for the Performing Arts.

KMFA will broadcast the opening-night event, Saturday, November 6th, with a “pre-game” show starting at 5:30pm.

More information about the performance can be found at www.austinlyricopera.org

~Dianne Donovan is KMFA’s midday announcer and host/producer of Classical Austin.


In the KMFA Studios: Sara Hessel interviews Ryland Angel!

Keith, Sara, and Ryland in Studio 2000

~posted by Sara Hessel, KMFA Music Director

Last week, I had the pleasure of interviewing internationally renowned countertenor Ryland Angel, along with Keith Womer, artistic director of La Follia Austin Baroque. The subject matter of our interview was La Follia’s next concert, “Sacred Music of the Early German Baroque,” which will feature Ryland’s vocal talents, as well as several other exceptional guest performers.

The concerts are happening this weekend (Nov. 6 and 7) at two different venues in Austin. I’ll be giving a preconcert lecture about one of the stars of the early Baroque, Dieterich Buxtehude, starting 30 minutes before before each performance. For more information, please visit www.lafollia.org.

Click here for an extended excerpt of my interview with Keith and Ryland.

Sara Hessel is KMFA’s Music Director, as well as producer and host of Ancient Voices. Tune in on Sundays, 9am and 4pm, to enjoy Ancient Voices, right here on KMFA, 89.5.


Photos from the Fall Pledge Drive!

We’re in the midst of our Fall Pledge Drive, and of course it’s hectic fun here at the radio station… but we can still share our behind-the-scenes perspectives with photos!

So far, we’ve had visits from Bob Buckalew (of Buckalew Media, and also an esteemed KMFA Board member), as well as Ann Hume Wilson, Executive Director of Conspirare. (Ann brought tickets with her and offered them as pledge incentives while she was on the air… score!)

We’re expecting more visits from Austin Arts leaders…. I’ve overheard the Kevin Patterson (Executive Director of the Austin Lyric Opera) might stop by, as well as Maestro Peter Bay (Conductor and Artisitc Director of the Austin Symphonic Orchestra).  You can bet they will probably bring tickets with them to offer as incentives to pledge, so stay tuned to KMFA, 89.5!

 

 

 

 

~posted by Alison @ KMFA 🙂

In the KMFA studios: Sara Hessel interviews Michael Nyman

In conjunction with Austin Lyric Opera’s production of the chamber opera, “The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat,” Sara Hessel interviewed the composer, Michael Nyman. She produced a special program on Nyman’s life and works, called Motion and Emotion (original airdate on July 9th). In this one-hour special, Sara Hessel presented highlights from Nyman’s many film scores and concert works, as well as segments of her exclusive interview with him.

If you missed the original program, you can listen to the interview portion by clicking here.

Also, you can read Sara’s related blog post about her impressions of this sold-out performance last weekend.

Enjoy! 🙂

~posted by Alison @ KMFA  🙂

Christopher O’Riley visits the KMFA studios

On any given day, if you ask a KMFA member “Which radio show is your favorite?” — many will respond, “You know, that show with the kids… From the Top!”

Well, this morning,  Christopher O’Riley, renowned concert pianist as well as host of From the Top, visited the KMFA studios. He’s actually in town to perform with the Austin Symphony Orchestra on Friday and Saturday night (you can read more about the ASO program on their website).

Mr. O’Riley chatted on the air with Dianne Donovan, touching on so many topics that each one could fill its own interview: the relevance of classical music to the newest generations of musicians, classical crossovers with pop music, and how Austin in particular benefits from such a diverse musical overlap. It was a great conversation about the present and future of classical music… if you missed it, we’ve got it posted on our website: www.kmfa.org/Christopher-ORiley-interview.htm

We really enjoyed Mr. O’Riley’s visit. You can hear From the Top on KMFA, Saturdays at 11am.

~ posted by Alison @ KMFA 🙂

Miró Quartet visits the KMFA studios

Today we welcomed Austin’s own Miró Quartet into our recording studio in preparation for this Wednesday’s airing of Classical Austin (with host Dianne Donovan). They are just the nicest! Here are a few photos I took as they were warming up their instruments.

Tune in this Wednesday, May 5th , at 8pm to hear these talented musicians chat about their upcoming performance on May 9th at the Texas Performing Arts Center (with guest cellist, the famous Lynn Harrell).

~ posted by Alison @ KMFA 🙂