KUSC’s Alan Chapman has a lot to say about music, but can he say it in 60 seconds? That’s the Chapman Challenge. We ask a question and Alan has a minute to answer it. Today’s question comes from Stephen Willson who asks: Is there some underlying relationship among the movements in a symphony?

LA Times and KUSC film Ken Turan critic talks about a screening series featuring the best director you’ve never heard of.

It’s the 50th anniversary season of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra and the festivities include premieres, stellar soloists, including 94 year-old pianist Menahem Pressler later this month, and two major new initiatives. This ensemble our own Jim Svejda has dubbed “America’s finest chamber orchestra” has launched an ambitious plan to help diversify its ranks: the West Coast’s first fellowship program for gifted musicians from under-represented communities. It’s a partnership with the Inner City Youth Orchestra of LA and the USC Thornton School of Music. And next month concertmaster Margaret Batjer unveils LACO’s new chamber series, “Mozart and Brahms In Focus”. Batjer tells me the choice of Mozart is a no-brainer: his music represents the peak of the repertoire. Oh, and Margaret Batjer says, Beethoven and Schubert fans? Don’t panic! Their music will pop up on the series, too.

John Lofton has been playing trombone ever since in 3rd grade in his hometown of Philadelphia. But his journey wasn’t always easy. Several years and a couple of orchestras later, Lofton is now a trombonist with the LA Phil. But one of only two black musicians in the orchestra. And that’s a fact that Lofton and the LA Phil are working to change with the new Resident Fellows program.

KUSC’s Alan Chapman has a lot to say about music, but can he say it in 60 seconds? That’s the Chapman Challenge. We ask a question and Alan has a minute to answer it. Today’s question is especially appropriate this week since New Year’s Day in Vienna means lots of waltzes. And the question is: Why is Vienna so famous for the waltz?

The Nutcracker is as familiar at Christmastime as Ol Saint Nick, but why did Tchaikovsky write this classic ballet and how did it get to the US?

Authenticity can be a tricky issue for classical musicians who can’t time travel to the era when a piece of music was composed. Violinist Hilary Hahn explained how she understands authenticity during a recent visit to the KUSC studios.

The Broadway sensation Hamilton has inspired a parody by a writer who has decades of experience doing such things. Alessandrini talked with KUSC’s Alan Chapman about the art of parody, the glories of Hamilton, and musical theatre in general.

Look closely when you visit Taking Shape: Degas as Sculptor at the Norton Simon. On display is the Museum’s entire collection of modèles, bronzes cast from Degas’ original wax and plaster statuettes, plus pastels, drawings and paintings from the artist.

Lean in and you can see Degas’ own fingerprints in a dancer’s tutu, or an out-of-place shape in the base of a statue where the cork Degas stuffed inside wire armatures to give them shape had poked out and was captured in bronze. We spoke to exhibition curator Emily Talbot about why this exhibition rewards close attention.

LA Times and KUSC film critic Kenneth Turan tells KUSC’s Gail Eichenthal why “The Shape of Water” is one of his favorite films of the year.