WRCJ In-Studio Guests

2026 is the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence! Composer Karen LeFrak was commissioned to write a piece for the occasion. Christa Grix tells us more about the work "American Promise".

2026 is the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence! Here is a little feature from Christa Grix about Revolutionary Era American composer William Billings.

Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival starts this weekend. Paul Watkins takes a bow as artistic director of the festival...

90.9 WRCJ’s film host Haley Taylor interviews actor, producer, screenwriter and director Bruce Campbell. Bruce has a new movie “Ernie and Emma” which will debut at the Redford Theatre on Friday, June 5, 2026 at 8 p.m. They talk about the new movie, independent filmmaking, and Bruce’s long career in cult cinema — from “The Evil Dead” to today.

Renowned bassist Marion Hayden will return to The Station at Michigan Central with the Grammy-nominated band Straight Ahead for a special Mother’s Day edition of Fridays at The Station, on May 8, 2026. The Detroit-born Hayden was the first artist to perform at the first-ever Fridays at The Station event, in April 2025. She has performed and recorded with a number of leading musicians from the 1980...

90.9 WRCJ's Dave Wagner speaks with organist Fred Hohman who is playing a free concert on Sunday April 26, 2026 at 4pm at Blessed Sacrament Cathedral in Detroit, MI.

Grammy®-nominated harpist Yolanda Kondonassis has released the new album "Terra Infirma" just ahead of Earth Day. In this interview, our very own harpist Christa Grix speaks with Yolanda about the album which includes world premiere recordings of major new works by acclaimed composer Reena Esmail. The album also includes violinist Vijay Gupta, the Interlochen Center for the Arts Orchestra and Chor...

Lisa DiChiera talks with Dave Wagner about opera in Detroit. It began with her father, Dr. David DiChiera presenting "Overture to Opera" which grew into the Detroit Opera company, their theatre in Downtown Detroit and their 30th anniversary.

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Classical Roots concert comes to 90.9 FM Friday morning at 10:40. WRCJ's Cecelia Sharpe speaks with conductor Thomas Wilkins about the DSO's Classical Roots tradition and music by Black composers on concert stages everywhere...

The A2SO brings you an extra special Valentines Day concert this Saturday - and an exciting second half to the 2025-26 season. Peter speaks with A2SO Executive Director Sarah Calderini about this weekend's concert with violinist Danny Koo and Music Director Earl Lee.

Cecelia Sharpe speaks with Kaneza Schaal, Director of Detroit Opera's double-bill production "Highways and Valleys" featuring the music of William Grant Still and Kurt Weill.

Cecelia Sharpe speaks with Executive Director Anna Glass about the Dance Theater of Harlem's performance at the Detroit Opera House November 15-16, 2025.

The harp and vocal ensemble at Detroit's Cass Tech High School is the oldest continuously operating public school music program in the United States. They celebrate 100 years in 2025! The renowned program has been guided by Velma Froude, Patricia Terry-Ross and current Director Lydia Cleaver who have cultivated exceptional harpists. Hear more of the story from our own harpist Christa Grix.

Johann Sebastian Bach’s “The Well-Tempered Clavier” a two-volume collection of 24 preludes and fugues in every major and minor key, is a foundational work in classical music, demonstrating a revolutionary tuning system for keyboard instruments. 90.9 WRCJ's Haley Taylor talks with pianist Christopher O’Riley about his newly-released recording of Book II, where he explores the Japanese concept of Ma...

2025 is the 300th anniversary of the Anna Magdalena Notebook. The lavish notebook was a gift from Johann Sebastian Bach to his second wife Anna Magdalena. Who was she and what did the book contain? Listen to find out! 2025 is also the 20th anniversary of 90.9 WRCJ going on the air.

2025 marks the 150th anniversary of Georges Bizet's opera masterpiece "Carmen". Scandalous when it was first performed, Bizet sadly didn't live to see it become appreciated. In this feature by Christa Grix hear more of the story including some of the famous people who did recognize it's beauty.

The Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra's new season opens September 12, 2025. 90.9 WRCJ's Peter Whorf and orchestra Executive Director Sarah Calderini talk about a few highlights.

2025 is the 20th anniversary of 90.9 WRCJ and would be the 150th birthday of conductor Pierre Monteux. He led orchestras like the Boston Symphony and the Metropolitan Opera but had a unpopular debut in Paris of the Rite of Spring. Hear more in this feature from our very own Christa Grix.

Detroit-born Sheila Jordan passed away Monday, August 11, 2025 at the age of 96. She was a jazz singer, songwriter, pianist, music educator, NEA Jazz Master and pioneered a bebop and scat jazz singing style. Here is a segment 90.9 WRCJ's John Penney put together in remembrance.

Pianist and composer Jason Moran is this year's Artist-in-Residence for the 2025 Detroit Jazz Festival. Get to know him better in this interview with 90.9 WRCJ's John Penney.

90.9 WRCJ's Linda Yohn speaks with engaging and entrancing French jazz singer Tatiana Eva-Marie. She will be performing at the 2025 Detroit Jazz Festival and has a new CD, which covers Disney tunes with fresh "jazz manouche" arrangements.

2025 is the 100th anniversary of the birth of jazz pianist and composer Oscar Peterson. Hear a bit of his story and how he was influenced by classical music in this little feature from our very own Christa Grix. 2025 is also the 20 year anniversary of 90.9 WRCJ going on the air!

2025 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of English Author Jane Austen! Listen to this little feature by 90.9 WRCJ's Christa Grix for a bit of history.

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra's Sosnick Courtyard Series opens this week through the 20th in midtown Detroit. 90.9 WRCJ's Peter Whorf speaks with DSO cellist and composer Jeremy Crosmer who headlines Wednesday's opener...

90.9 WRCJ's Christa Grix tells us a little more about Italian composer Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina, who many of the greats turned to for inspiration and guidance. 2025 would be his 500th birthday!