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REVIVING CLASSICAL MUSIC

Program 09-08-09-A

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Classical musicians don't come with better pedigrees than violinist Anne Akiko Meyers. She's been wowing audiences since she was four, performs all over the world and has commissioned many new works. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, Meyers talks about why she chose to record popular songs for her new album, from Charlie Chaplin's "Smile" to the tunes her Japanese grandmother used to hum to her.

SEGMENT 1:

Anne Akiko Meyers is an acclaimed concert violinist. She tells Steve Paulson about the difference between playing traditional western music and Japanese or other Asian music and we hear her play popular music from a variety of cultures.

SEGMENT 2:

Jade Simmons is a classical pianist who's equally happy to play music by Samuel Barber or hip hop master DBR. She tells Anne Strainchamps about the music on her "Revolutionary Rhythm" CD and what she'll do to make serious music interesting to kids. Also, Rita Dove, former Poet Laureate of the United States, talks with Jim Fleming about her book-length verse narrative, "Sonata Mulattica," which tells the story of George Bridgetower, the mixed race violinist who first performed and bore the original dedication of what we now know as "The Kreutzer" sonata.

SEGMENT 3:

The iconic violinist of his generation, Joshua Bell tells Steve Paulson about his involvement with composer John Corigliano for "The Red Violin" film and subsequent concert pieces. They also discuss Bell's instruments and career.

CD copies are available at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 09-08-09-A.

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Books & CDs:

Rita Dove, Sonata Mulattica: poems (Norton)
Anne Akiko Meyers, violin Smile (CD)
Joshua Bell, violin The Red Violin Concerto (CD)
Jade Simmons, piano Revolutionary Rhythm (CD)

Music:

• during Meyers: selections from SMILE; Anne Akiko Meyers, violin; Akira Eguchi, Piano Koch KIC CD 7762
  
• during and around Simmons: selections from REVOLUTIONARY RHYTHM E1 Music KIC CD 7760
  E1Music, 22 Harbor Drive, Port Washington, NY 11050
• around Dove: Beethoven,Kreutzer Sonata
• during Bell: John Corigliano, The Red Violin Conerto; Baltimore Symphony Orch. SONY;
• after Bell: Death by Triple Fiddle, from The Essential Joshua Bell Sony Classsical, 88697-07416-2, CD 2, Tr. 14 with Edgar Meyer, bass, Joshua Bell, violin, Sam Bush, violin and Mike Marshall, violin

Distribution dates: week of 07/11/2010 - hour 2 week of 08/09/2009 - hour 1 click HERE for timings and cues

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Questions and comments can be addressed to: flemingj@wpr.org

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