Concert pianist and entrepreneur Richard Dowling illuminates some of Chopin's pieces by "ragging" them on the piano. It's a lesson in classical music and ragtime all rolled up in one, topped with live performances, and served with a side of fries.

Music in this episode includes live performances by Richard Dowling of:

• Frederic Chopin, Nocturne in E-flat Major, Op. 9 No. 2
• Ethan Uslan, Chopin's Knocked Urn
• Frederic Chopin, "Revolutionary" Etude in C Minor, Op. 10 No. 12
• Joseph Lamb, Ragtime Nightingale
• Claude Debussy, Golliwogg's Cakewalk (not performed by Mr. Dowling)

Audio production by Todd "Toddry" Hulslander with sarcastic slow claps of approval from Dacia Clay.

Leonard Bernstein, Glenn Gould, Aaron Copland, and Igor Stravinsky join us – from the Afterlife! – for this special Halloween edition of the Classical Classroom. Learn about these giants of classical music in a way never before possible, in this roundtable discussion.

Audio production by Todd "TODD!!!" Hulslander with terrifyingly good assistance from Dacia Clay.

Music in this episode includes:

– Igor Stravinsky, the Rite of Spring (opening sections)

– Purity Ring's "Fineshrine" from the album, Shrines

– Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir 4: Fly to Paradise

Chamber music, performing live as a group, and how movement informs music! In this episode, WindSync wind quintet talk about all of those things and about life as a touring group. Hotel rooms are trashed (okay, not really)! Miley Cyrus is discussed (very probably)! WindSync gets schooled by tango (definitely)!

Audio production by Todd "Ermahgerd" Hulslander with "help" from Dacia Clay.

For more about WindSync, go to www.windsync.org. For more about Classical Classroom, go to www.classical917.org/classroom.

Love our shows? Show us by donating a few bucks here: bit.ly/UQweya. Donations contribute directly to your own continued audio happiness!

Music in this episode includes performances by WindSync!:

• Leonard Bernstein (arr. WindSync), Overture to Candide
• Astor Piazzolla (arr. WindSync), Histoire du Tango Cafe 1930
• Gallo Ciego (w/ Hector Del Curto on bandoneon)

Mozart's death is still so mysterious over two centuries later, that we couldn't help but do a Research Presentation about it. In this short, Dacia explores why his death is an unsolved mystery, and why we're still so fascinated by it. Intweeged? Hit play to find out more!

Music used in this episode includes:

• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's…
  • La clemenza di Tito, K. 621
  • Requiem Mass in D minor K. 626
    • Introitus: Requiem aeternam
    • Sequentia: Lacrimosa dies illa
    • Communio: Lux aeterna

For more information about the Mozart Festival radio series, go to www.themozartfestival.org. Classical 91.7 will be broadcasting the series throughout the month of October. For more information about our broadcast, go to www.classical917.org!

Bach's Invention No. 1 contains an entire universe of music as we learn in this episode with Kurt Stallmann, Associate Professor of Music at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music. It gets metaphysical up in here, you guys.

Audio production by Todd "Birthday Boy" Hulslander, with happy claps of approval by Dacia Clay.

Music in this episode includes:

– Johann Sebastian Bach, Invention No. 1 in C Major (from his Inventions and Sinfonias BWV 772–801, aka the Two- and Three-Part Inventions), played by Kurt Stallmann.

– Recording of same piece by Glen Gould:

Classical music is seriously funny. Iconoclast Emeritus, professor, and former classical announcer Ira J. Black talks all about just how funny serious classical music can be. There are surprises, Dudley Moore, and um…more in our most hilarious episode yet.

Audio production by Todd "Tootsie" Hulslander with reassuring winks and nods from Dacia Clay.

Music in this episode includes:

– Haydn's "Surprise Symphony"

All about the flute!! Joel Luks, CultureMap Houston editorial staffer and columnist, and classically trained flutist, teaches all about the history and surprising range of the dainty, lovely, badass, whale-sound-making, beatboxing flute. He takes us from "Carmen" to Mario Brothers (and a few other places in between).

Audio production by Todd "Big Head Todd" Hulslander with positive affirmations by Dacia Clay.

Warning: This episode contains a few naughty words.

Music used in this episode includes:

• Georges Bizet, Carmen: Entr'acte, Act III – Intermezzo (1875)
• Beastie Boys, "Sure Shot", from Ill Communication (1994)
• Niccolò Paganini, 24 Caprices – No. 5 in A minor, Bonita Boyd flutist
• Andre Jolivet: Chant de Linos (1944) – Emmanuel Pahud from French Flute Music
• George Crumb – Vox Balaenae (1971) (Voice of the Whale) Movements I and II – Vocalise and Sea Theme
• PROJECT Trio's Greg Pattillo, Beatboxing Flute: Super Mario Brothers Theme
• Gheorghe Zamfir, Einsamer Hirte

Hear the second part of our conversation with composer, author, educator, and Executive Director of the American Festival for the Arts, Dr. Michael Remson, about John Adams'minimalist opera, Nixon in China! In this episode: Act 2, wherein we meet the ladies. You don't want to miss Mme. Mao yelling, opera-style.

Audio production by Todd "the Toddler" Hulslander, with management oversight by Mr. Torey Malatia. JK! It was Dacia Clay.

Music used in this episode includes:

– John Adams, Nixon in China, Act 1. Libretto by Alice Goodman, Orchestra of St. Luke's, Edo De Waart conducting. Nonesuch 79177.

All about Act 1 of John Adams' minimalist opera, Nixon in China! In this episode, the first part of our conversation with composer, author, educator, and Executive Director of the American Festival for the Arts, Dr. Michael Remson. World history, music history, and singing politicians?? This episode has pretty much everything you didn't know you'd been waiting for.

Audio production by Todd "Hot Toddy" Hulslander with snarky but - let's face it - spot-on suggestions from Dacia Clay. Music used in this episode includes: - John Adams, Nixon in China, Act 1. Libretto by Alice Goodman, Orchestra of St. Luke's, Edo De Waart conducting. Nonesuch 79177.

Click here to hear all of Act 1!

All things clarinet! In this episode, clarinetist, radio host, and Classical 91.7 MusicLab intern, Alexandra Doyle talks with Dacia. Among many things, we learn that auditioning may or may not make one pee one's pants. If you like reeds and/or David Bowie, you'll like this one.

Audio production by Todd "Toddly Winks" Hulslander with paroxysms of approval from Dacia Clay.

Music used in this episode includes:

– Hector Berlioz, Symphonie fantastique, Op.14: V. Songe d'une nuit du Sabbat

– Sergei Prokofiev, Peter and the Wolf, Philadelphia Orchestra with Eugene Ormandy, narrated by Davide Bowie, RCA

– Ludwig van Beethoven, Symphony No. 6, 1st mvmt., Larry Combs, Orchestral Excerpts for Clarinet

– Pyotr Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 5 in E minor, 1st mvmt.

– Richard Strauss, Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche