“This something that I treasure and that I value,” says Maestro Hector Guzman, speaking on his 40-year milestone as Music Director of the Plano Symphony Orchestra. “When I look back and see where I was and where the orchestra was – and now what we have, and what we’ve accomplished, it just fills me with… Read more »

When Gemma New took the post as Principal Guest Conductor with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra about four years ago, nobody could have predicted what those four years would bring. But despite having programming and scheduling rearranged during the pandemic, Gemma and the DSO adapted beautifully and have made it through to the other side with… Read more »

“We tried to make an emphasis on North Texas because we like local and we think it’s really important to showcase the people who live here,” says Greg Belz, director of Art Worth, a new festival coming to the heart of Fort Worth’s Cultural District October 21st – 23rd, 2022. Listen to Greg chat with… Read more »

“Something happens when it’s your family and you’ve grown up together and you share this passion for the guitar,” explains guitarist Pepe Romero, one of the founding members of the legendary Los Romeros Guitar Quartet. In this podcast, WRR’s Amy Bishop caught up with Romero ahead of the quartet’s Dallas concert to talk about the… Read more »

Back in 2019, John Slate and Kristi Nedderman from Dallas Municipal Archives found an old reel to reel recording from 1967 of Van Cliburn performing Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra at SMU’s McFarlin Auditorium. This is the only known recording of the concert, and was only aired once on WRR… Read more »

After two years of virtual performances, one of DFW’s favorite summer festivals – the Basically Beethoven Festival – is back with LIVE performances! This year’s theme is “Music in Wartime.” Dr. Alex McDonald, the festival director, sat down with WRR’s Amy Bishop for an overview of the series, which includes free performances every Sunday in… Read more »

Every 4th of July, WRR joins forces with the City of McKinney for the best Independence Day celebration in DFW – Red White and Boom! It’s an entire day of fun, beginning with a good old-fashioned parade in the historic downtown, followed by a block party, and ending with a huge fireworks display at night… Read more »

“One of the things we really pride ourselves on is programming,” says Mimir Chamber Music Festival founder and Executive Director Curt Thompson, who adds that this year’s festival includes some touching, retrospective performances: A tribute to the late Jose Feghali, a quartet by Jennifer Higdon, works by Florence Price, and more. The festival runs June… Read more »

“I think it really amounts to one word and that’s ‘accessibility,’” says The Dallas Opera General Director and CEO Ian Derrer. “During the pandemic, we wanted to make sure we remained accessible to our audiences here in Dallas – but we also knew that there was an opportunity to engage globally.” In this conversation with… Read more »

“When we perform for them, we see how lit up they get,” says Wil Baptiste (AKA Wil B.) who, together with bandmate Kev Marcus, founded the classical/hip hop crossover duo, Black Violin. “These kids go crazy when we come onstage and from that moment, they see this idea of this thing that has been seen… Read more »

If you’ve visited the Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas recently, you may have noticed a new piece of public art adjacent to the building. The nine-foot bronze sculpture of a crow is a piece by Dutch artist Arie van Selm, who was commissioned by the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. He joined WRR’s Amy Bishop in studio… Read more »

Fifty years ago, a group of parents, educators, and musicians who value music education banded together to create the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra, which today includes nearly 500 students performing in nine ensembles from more than 50 communities in North Texas. WRR’s Amy Bishop sat down with GDYO’s Executive Director Cathy Hernandez to chat about… Read more »

Dallas-based Verdigris Ensemble is wrapping up their first post-pandemic season with a program described as being a roadmap for healing trauma through community. Titled “How to Go On,” the concert includes two works by contemporary American composers, plus visual and interactive elements to heighten the performance experience. Verdigris’ Community Relations Manager Richard Oliver joined Amy… Read more »

Some of the finest members of DFW’s music community are coming together to show their support for Ukraine through a benefit concert for internally displaced people and refugees within (and from) Ukraine. Hosted by St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Plano and programmed by the church’s Director of Music and Worship Arts Taylor Davis, funds… Read more »

Each year, The Arts Community Alliance – or TACA – spotlights two individuals who have made lasting contributions to the cultural fabric of the community through their steadfast support for the arts. This year, it’s Jennifer Burr Altabef and Larry Angelili, who, along with TACA’s President and Executive Director Terry Loftis, joined WRR’s Amy Bishop… Read more »