Category Archives: In the KMFA Studios

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 🙂

Anton Nel and Bion Tsang visit KMFA during our Spring Pledge Drive!

In the middle of our Spring Pledge Drive, we welcomed two more celebrities from the classical music world: although they would never boast about it themselves, Anton Nel and Bion Tsang are world-renown for their talents on the piano and cello, respectively. (You might remember their musical collaboration referenced in previous blog entries.)

Mr. Tsang visited us on Wednesday morning. He chatted with hosts Jeffrey Blair and Sara Hessel, and while they were all on the air, he told us that he and his wife and children all enjoyed listening to KMFA at home, and emphasized how lucky Austinites are to have a full-time classical music radio station, commercial free. 🙂

Mr. Anton Nel came by on Thursday morning and gave us props for our wonderful library of CDs, many of which are now sadly out of print. Although his distinguished career as a concert pianist takes him all over the world, he loves living in Austin and said that KMFA is one of the assets that makes Austin a great place to live.

Thanks so much, Mr. Tsang and Mr. Nel, for your support of KMFA! 

~posted by Alison @ KMFA  🙂

Kevin Patterson gives a shout out to KMFA supporters (literally)

This afternoon we welcomed another famous Austin Arts personage: Kevin Patterson, General Director of the Austin Lyric Opera!

Kevin visited us during the 9th day of our Spring Membership Drive. He shared several meaningful insights about why he feels it’s important to support and nurture an all-classical community radio station; the one reason that particularly struck me was how Austin’s Opera and KMFA are complementary partners in our wonderful Arts community!  KMFA exposes all varieties of opera to Central Texas, and recently, the partnership that we enjoy allows us to live-broadcast the ALO season premiers. Thank you Kevin for your support of KMFA!

~ posted by Alison @ KMFA 🙂

Matthew Hinsley lends a hand to KMFA

Dr. Matthew Hinsley, Executive Director of Austin Classical Guitar Society, stopped by on Monday to lend us a hand during our Spring Membership Drive. He and Dianne Donovan talked on the air about the importance of preserving a local, member-supported classical music radio station… and from a personal perspective, he reminded listeners that KMFA doesn’t just broadcast classical music, but also promotes the study and practice of performing it. (For example, KMFA is a media sponsor for the McCallum Fine Arts Academy, as well as primary sponsor for the KMFA Young Musicians Competition.) 

Thank you, Dr. Hinsley, for your support of KMFA!

~posted by Alison @ KMFA  🙂

Maestro Peter Bay on the air

On Monday morning, one of our esteemed visitors was Maestro Peter Bay, the Artistic Director and Conductor at the Austin Symphony Orchestra. Maestro Bay is a frequent contributor to KMFA’s program, Classical Austin, often discussing the next ASO performance.

However,  on this visit, Maestro Bay spoke about a slightly different matter: the value of a public-radio classical music station in Austin, Texas!

Of course, it’s not exactly a shocker that a conductor of a symphony would espouse the merits of exposing the Austin area to orchestral delights. But Maestro Bay *did* surprise me when he said that the diversity of our CD library is so extensive that he has actually discovered new works while listening to KMFA… works that are completely new to him, and he has encorporated them into ASO programs.

So there you have it. Our Kent Kennan Library has such a diverse quality that even subject matter experts find new things to like about classical music!

~ posted by Alison at KMFA  🙂