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Nestled in a neighborhood bounded by Pulaski on the west, Kimball on the east, Devon on the north and Foster on the south, is Northeastern Illinois University. NEIU is a commuter university; and the students reflect this ethnically diverse area. Take a walk in the neighborhood and you’ll see devout Orthodox

I’ve always thought of a piano as a precious thing.  The beauty of shape and sound of the Steinway grand piano in my friend Barbara Ekholm’s living room (which is also her teaching studio).  The usefulness of the good, old-fashioned, upright in the living room in the home where I grew up (where I took my piano lessons and more…

I’m really looking forward to producing TWO live broadcasts on WFMT of the North Shore Chamber Music Festival next week.   On Wednesday, June 6 and Friday, June 8, both at 7.30 PM, you can hear great chamber music live from the Village Presbyterian Church in Northbrook.  Performers include, among others, the Pacifica Quartet, pianist Adam Neiman more…

Can’t stay away from the brilliant singing artist.  Here is Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau singing music of Mahler, with Riccardo Chailly conducting.  It’s one of the four Rückert songs, Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen.  Still great in 1989, at the age of 64!  We celebrate the maestro on 987. WFMT. ]  

We have been mourning the passing of the great German baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, who died at his home last Friday morning just ten days shy of his 87th birthday.  We’ve also been celebrating this great singer, thinker, actor and intellectual. Tonight at 10 on 98.7 we will re-broadcast Jon Tolansky’s 2005 program “Fischer-Dieskau at 80.”  Don’t more…

I spent a wonderful long weekend in the Los Angeles a while ago.  It really was old home week – with a reunion with my oldest friend (from Kindergarten onward…but I hadn’t seen her in 30 years!).  Then off to my Alma Mater – Occidental College – for a great celebration of the Oxy Glee more…

This past weekend my husband and I traveled to Urbana-Champaign for a production of Rossini’s opera “The Barber of Seville.”  We had lived there for 20 years, and during that time Paul had conducted many operas and I had prepared many opera choruses.  This production of “Barber” was probably the finest production of that opera more…

After finishing the WFMT Radio Network series Song of America with Thomas Hampson last October, I’ve had the privilege of producing our second series of concerts from the Salzburg Festival.  WFMT began airing these two-hour programs in early February (other stations around the country began in January and still more will program them throughout 2012).  more…

If you are like me, and tend to look down a bit on Barbershop singing (as a choral musician, I have that regrettable tendency), then take a look and listen to this AMAZING video.  The Ambassadors of Harmony were International Barbershop Champions, and you will see why.  What a great performance in every way!