Cara Lieurance is one of WMUK's regular classical music hosts, and co-host (with volunteer Dave Marlatt) of The Pure Drop. A music and communications graduate of WMU, Cara comes from a musical family and has been with WMUK since 1989.
Music on Beaver Island, Michigan, has always been essential to island life, but it also draws the interest of outsiders such as musicologist Alan Lomax, for its unique color, which draws from a history of Irish American fiddling, songs and ballads of the Great Lakes, and a Grand Ol Opry set list established in the 30s, 40s and 50s.
The Kalamazoo Philharmonia will play works of Americans George Chadwick, Samuel Barber, Walter Piston, and George Walker in a program titled "American Gothic" this Saturday.
Conductor Andrew Koehler describes the character of and frames each work in its place in American music history. He also tells us about the featured soloist, Minghuan Xu, who will appear in the Violin Concerto by Samuel Barber.
She remembers the competition in Kalamazoo last May as a positive experience, and says while she works hard on technique, it's also important to her that she have "something to say" musically. Her program features works of Robert Schumann, J.S. Bach, and Eugene Ysaye.
Rick Phelps, who became conductor of the Kalamazoo Singers two seasons ago, will lead the 37 year-old choir in a program of two sacred masterworks Sunday at Holy Family Chapel at Nazareth.
He talks about the privilege of conducting an experienced adult choir and highlights a number of special features in Vivaldi’s “Gloria” RV 589 and Schubert’s “Mass in G” D. 187.
Violinist Kikuei Ikeda joined the quartet in 1974, five years after it was formed. He says that his acceptance by phone was the most momentous 5 seconds of his life. Along with the opportunity to play at the highest level on world stages, the decision required him to leave Japan to live in the United States for four decades.
