Classical Conversations

Ballet Theater of Toledo's Artistic Director Nigel Burgoine and composer David Jex talk about their collaboration "The Great Pancake Escape" - which features BTT dancers, magician Andrew Martin and narrator Tony Geftos reading from the book by Toledo-area author Paul Many. https://ballettheatreoftoledo.org/performances/

Composers Jamie Leigh Sampson and Andrew Martin Smith stop by the studio to talk about their composer collective ADJ•ective New Music and their project with the Toledo Symphony celebrating the full solar eclipse. Several of the composers represented by the group have composed a new suite of Planets, to be performed alongside Gustav Holst's famous Planets suite.

Pianist and composer Marina Arsenijevic (arson-nee-vitch) offers a Valentine tribute to Frédéric Chopin with her album Chopin Obsession, and she speaks with Mary Claire Murphy on how, as someone who has lived through the turmoil of war, she deeply resonates with the music. Through Chopin Obsession, she gives us a window into the nuanced emotions of Chopin's waltzes, his Ballade No. 1, and more.

Violinist Curtis Stewart, conductor James Blachly, and the Experiential Orchestra invite us into a musical dialogue with Julia Perry and Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson. Both Curtis and James join Mary Claire Murphy in a discussion of the works on this new album, American Counterpoints, and they introduce us to Curtis' own composition "We Who Seek."

Composer Peter Boyer speaks with Mary Claire Murphy on his celebratory "Rhapsody in Red, White, and Blue," commissioned by pianist Jeffrey Biegel for the centennial of George Gershwin's iconic "Rhapsody in Blue." He and Jeffrey are pursuing an ambitious "Rhapsody National Initiative" to perform the work in each of the 50 US states, and they're already on track for performances with more than 50 orchestras throughout the nation. They've also taken the rhapsody onto the international stage with a new recording by the London Symphony Orchestra.

American born, Scotland based conductor Kellen Gray chats about the second album in his African American Voices series from Linn Records. Re-teaming with the Scottish National Orchestra, Kellen leads the first commercial recordings of landmark works by Margaret Bonds, Ulysses Kay, and Coleridge Taylor Perkinson.

In his latest album, William Susman performs selections from his monumental piano series, Quiet Rhythms. The acclaimed pianist/composer speaks with Mary Claire Murphy about the recording, which was captured live at the music venue Spectrum in New York City.

Toledo Ballet's Artistic Director Eric Otto and Wardrobe Supervisor Heather Pooley talk about the 83rd annual Nutcracker happening December 9th and 10th at the Stranahan Theatre. We hear what's new for this year with costumes, choreography, and music, and we even include a little throwback to Toledo SymphonyLAB with a Nutcracker Quiz (minus the special sound effects).

Superstar Classical Guitarist Miloš Karadaglić talks about his new album Baroque, and how the music on the album is intimately intertwined with his musical and personal philosophy.

Nigel Burgoine and David Jex discuss their new ballet (scenario by Nigel, music by David) which receives its world premiere from Ballet Theatre of Toledo on November 10th and 11th at the Valentine Theatre. Inspired by artworks in the Toledo Museum of Art, the ballet follows the adventures of a young girl as follows: It’s the holiday season and Florence and her mother are visiting the museum. Florence discovers a gift bag on a bench with a statue of Degas’ "Little Dancer Aged Fourteen.” She tries to find the owner when suddenly something magical happens; the statue comes to life and dances for her! The Degas Dancer takes Florence on a fantasy journey throughout the museum as she is entertained by masterpieces from around the world. One by one the sculptures and paintings fade away and Florence finds herself alone, holding the Degas statue. A little girl appears and is searching for the treasured gift she lost. Florence kindly returns the statue, and she begins dreaming of her next adventure in the museum!