The Midday

Elissa Lee Koljonen stops by the Midday to share some thoughts about Max Bruch's Scottish Fantasy, which she's performing with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. She also tells us about performing the great Wolfgang Korngold Violin Concerto and the delights of playing miniatures by Chopin and Elgar.

Norman talks with Orli Shaham about her upcoming performance of Frederic Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 in f minor with the Milwaukee Symphony, her affinity for Chopin's music, working with husband conductor David Robertson, and her recordings of the entire Mozart piano sonatas.

Norman Gilliland hosts the Naughton twins, Christina and Michelle, who return to their hometown to perform Max Bruch's Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra with the Madison Symphony. They share the strange story behind the concerto, how the pandemic has changed the way they perform, and how they communicate during their performances.

Host Norman Gilliland welcomes pianist John O'Conor to the studio. He performed Beethoven's "Emperor Concerto" that night with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra.

Host Norman Gilliland welcomes harpist Johanna Weinholts and flutist Stephanie Jutt to the studio. They played music by Joseph Haydn, Nino Rota, Maurice Ravel, and two contemporary composers, New Zealand's Gareth Farr and Mexico's Eduardo Angulo.

This weekend, March 6, 7 and 8, the Madison Symphony Orchestra performs at the Overture Center in Madison. Blake Pouliot performs the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto, Kenneth Woods leads the orchestra presenting Haydn’s Symphony No. 96, the "Miracle," and then closes with the orchestral tone poem by Richard Strauss — Ein Heldenleben. Norman welcomes Blake Pouliot and Kenneth Woods to the studio. They discuss and play several excerpts from the performances.

Norman talks to members of the UW Opera company including their director David Ronis with conductor Oriol Sanz, soprano Julia Urbank, and soprano Cayla Rosche. They will be performing Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte on February 28, March 1 and March 3 in Music Hall on the UW-Madison campus. They discuss and play several excerpts from the opera.

Norman welcomes violinist and conductor Pinchas Zukerman and his wife cellist Amanda Forsyth to the WPR Studios. They'll be performing the Brahms Double Concerto with the Madison Symphony Orchestra in several concerts from Friday, February 14 through Sunday, February 16 at the Overture Center in Madison.

The Ancora String Quartet performs several pieces in our Madison studios. The quartet includes violinists Wes Luke and Robin Ryan, cellist Benjamin Whitcomb and violist Marika Fischer Hoyt.

Harpist Jennifer DeRoche visits The Midday. She maintains a private studio and has performed in the area with the Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra and various other groups. She's also the harp program director for the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra . Ms. DeRoche performs several pieces for us.