On Saturday's broadcast, we welcome back Mariachi Herencia de México to Introductions. The ensemble, made up of pre-college musicians from Chicago, gave their radio premiere on Introductions in 2017 and shared selections from their debut album, Nuestra Herencia (Our Heritage). The album received a Latin GRAMMY nomination and national attention. Mariachi Herencia de México shares tracks from their second album, Herencia De La Tierra ...

On Saturday’s broadcast, we welcome back 17-year-old violinist Julian Rhee of Brookfield, Wisconsin. Julian appeared on Introductions earlier this year, and we invited him back to the program after being named a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts. This award is perhaps the highest honor for a young artist in the country. In order to be considered for this honor, Julian was selected ...

On Saturday’s live broadcast, we feature 3 pianists from Sueanne Metz’s studio: Derek Chung, Sophia Li, and Colin Choi. These young pianists founded 88Keys to Cure, a not-for-profit organization that is dedicated to enhancing the lives of others through music. The students organize performances to benefit local charities of their choice. 88Keys to Cure has raised $11,500.00 for the Neonatal ...

On Saturday’s live broadcast, we present Trio Keluvaina of Midwest Young Artists Conservatory in Highwood, Illinois. Their members include 17-year-old violinist Rebecca Moy of Naperville, 18-year-old cellist Haddon Kay of Lincolnshire, and 16-year-old pianist Kimberly Han of Lake Forest.

On Saturday’s broadcast, we feature 15-year-old cellist Ifetayo Ali-Landing of Chicago. Ifetayo began her musical studies on violin and switched to cello at age four. Her teachers and coaches have included Lucinda Ali-Landing, Megan Lauterbach, and Martine Benmann at the Hyde Park Suzuki Institute in Chicago, as well as Tahirah Whittington, Oleksa Mycyk, and Hans Jørgen Jensen. She has also ...

On Saturday’s broadcast, we feature the Music Institute of Chicago Academy Orchestra. The orchestra performed at Skokie Public Library on Saturday, March 24 under the direction of Jim Setapen. The Academy of the Music Institute of Chicago was founded in 2006 as a training center for pre-college classical musicians who intend to pursue performance careers. This program features a variety ...

On Saturday’s broadcast, we feature the Asrai Quartet. Their members include 17-year-old violinist Rabia Brooke, 16-year-old violinist Eva Nicholson, 17-year-old violist Margaret O’Malley, and 16-year-old cellist Camille Toubol. Asrai Quartet won first prize at the 2018 Discover National Chamber Music Competition in Highwood, Illinois. The members of the quartet have won awards from the Musicians Club of Women, Society of ...

On Saturday’s live broadcast, we feature the Kairos Quartet of the Academy at the Music Institute of Chicago. The quartet is coached by Rodolfo Vieira, and their members include Joshua Brown (violin/viola), Julian Rhee (violin/viola), Thompson Wang (violin), and Lydia Rhea (cello). Joshua, Julian, and Thompson all study violin with Almita and Roland Vamos, while Lydia studies cello with Hans ...

On Saturday’s broadcast, we feature the winner of the 2017 Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition: 16-year-old cellist Jack Boettcher. We’ll hear Jack in the second through fourth movements of Dmitri Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major, Op. 107 with the CYSO under the direction of Allen Tinkham. On the second half of the program, we feature the ...