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Classical Classroom

Sep 29, 2014

Take a tour through music history – from chant to present day – through the lens of the motet. What’s a “motet”, you ask? Is it real, you ask? We are not entirely sure. Composer Mark Buller, whose music has been performed worldwide, and who has been commissioned by organizations like Houston Grand Opera, will...


Sep 22, 2014

Lady holding ear trumpet.
A small step in the evolution of the trumpet. “Ear Trumpet 1”. Photo by Eknath Gomphotherium, used with permission.

How did the trumpet morph from a simple horn that announced kings and queens, in to the sophisticated, nuanced instrument it is today? Monumental Brass Quintet trumpet player, public school...


Sep 15, 2014

In this episode, Classical 91.7’s Saturday Morning Music host and contra dancer extraordinaire, Amy Bishop takes Dacia on a journey with Smetana, Strauss, and Gershwin to learn about tone poems, invoking a surprising number of mermaids and mimes.

Audio production by Todd Hulslander with “insightful” suggestions...


Sep 8, 2014

In this episode, conductor Brett Mitchell — Assistant Conductor for the Cleveland Orchestra, man of too many accolades to mention, and former Assistant Conductor of the Houston Symphony — talks about John Williams’ use of leitmotif in the score to the original Star Wars movie. Listen, you must.

Audio production by...


Sep 1, 2014

Think you know your classical tunes? Play along in this host-humiliating “drop the needle” quiz show! Test your skills while listening to quiz master, Opera Cheat Sheet host, and Classical 91.7 program director St. John Flynn point and laugh at Dacia. Good luck! Send us an email to let us know how you do: