WRR 101 Focus on the Arts: DSO’s Fabio Luisi makes Pops debut with American Songbook program

“We play for the audience, not for ourselves,” says Fabio Luisi, Music Director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. “The reaction of the audience and the fact to have an audience while we’re playing is very important.” Now entering his fourth year with the DSO, Luisi will makes his Pops debut with the orchestra to lead… Read more »

WRR 101 Focus on the Arts: A French-flavored season opener with the Richardson Symphony Orchestra

“This suite is for very large orchestra – which all the orchestras for the Ballet Russes were – and you’ll see that on the stage with us,” says Maestro Clay Couturiaux, Music Director and Conductor of the Richardson Symphony Orchestra, describing Ravel’s whirling Daphnis and Chloe Suite No. 2. The RSO will perform the work… Read more »

WRR 101 Focus on the Arts: FW Opera’s General & Artistic Director’s vision for the future

“This was an opportunity to come in and help shape the future of my passion project, which is opera,” says Fort Worth Opera’s General and Artistic Director Angela Turner Wilson. In this feature, she chats with WRR’s Nikki Velonis about her vision for the company, plus shares details of how to attend their swanky “Dinner… Read more »

WRR 101 Focus on the Arts: The Orion Quartet set to play in Dallas ahead of the group’s retirement after 36 years

“The mission of the organization is to bring the world’s most renowned (and)the world’s greatest chamber music ensembles to the city of Dallas,” says John Batchelder, Executive Director of the Dallas Chamber Music Society. The organization opens its star-studded season with the acclaimed Orion Quartet ahead of the group’s retirement after 36 years. In this… Read more »

WRR 101 Focus on the Arts: What to expect in Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth’s new season

Every year, the Chamber Music Society of Fort Worth brings some of the world’s most prominent classical musicians to Fort Worth for a series of concerts at the Modern Art Museum. Guests this year include Cliburn medalist John Nakamatsu, the Dover Quartet, Angela Cheng, Inbal Segev, Orion Weiss, and more. In this feature, CMSFW Artistic… Read more »

WRR 101 Focus on the Arts: Catching up with FWSO’s President and CEO Keith Cerny

Not only is he the head of one of North Texas’ largest musical organizations, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra’s President and CEO Keith Cerny is also an exceptional musician! One of the highlights of FWSO’s season includes a concert with Cerny playing a Bartok sonata. He caught up with WRR’s Kurt Rongey recently for an overview… Read more »

WRR 101 Focus on the Arts: The excitement and challenges of conducting a film score live

“It’s a lot harder than it looks,” says Lawrence Loh, who will conduct the Dallas Symphony Orchestra in their season opener, Amadeus in Concert. “The musicians will have to play in a way (that) they can’t let go, and I can’t let go. I have to keep the music going at the exact tempo and… Read more »

Why you love your favorite music

There’s neuroscience behind why you love certain songs or pieces of music. Susan Rogers is a cognitive neuroscientist and professor at Berklee College of Music, as well as a multiplatinum record producer. She joins Krys Boyd from KERA News’ “Think” to discuss why our brains respond to certain music, our music personality types, and how music can shape identity. 

Sarah Cahill: Tiny Desk Concert

The intrepid champion of new music turns her attention to female composers, offering a sampler of works by women across four centuries, including a favorite of Louis XIV and an Ethiopian nun.