WRCJ In-Studio Guests

John Penney’s conversation with Peter Whorf completes a three month series of insights on great music with WRCJ’s local jazz hosts. In this interview, John shares some of his early memories of classic jazz recordings, starting with his father’s collection of swing era giants…

Musician, composer, and educator Kris Johnson joins C# to discuss his journey through the Civic program, our rich Detroit Jazz culture, his online music course, and more.

Cecelia Sharpe's interview with two dynamic women on Live with C#. Karla Hall Retired VP of the DTE Foundation and Margo Hall, actress, playwright, director and newly appointed Artistic Director of the Lorraine Hansberry Theater!

Linda Yohn hosts The Swing Set on Sundays at 7pm on 90.9FM. In a series of WRCJ jazz host conversations with Midday Music’s Peter Whorf, Linda recalls her family’s early influence on her musical life…

Violinist Hilary Hahn has just released her newest recording of music by Ernest Chausson, Sergei Prokofiev and Einojuhani Rautavaara. She begins her conversation with WRCJ’s Peter Whorf explaining why her latest disc is entitled Paris…

The all-female band Artemis transfixed listeners at the 2018 Newport Jazz Festival, and were soon signed to Blue Note Records. But in the 1940’s The International Sweethearts of Rhythm were among the first to break the gender barrier on the jazz bandstand.

Marian McPartland hosted National Public Radio’s Piano Jazz for over 30 years. Throughout her lifetime, she was known for her support of jazz education and other female jazz musicians.

Maxine Michaels hosts jazz on WRCJ’s Maxology every Friday at 7pm. She speaks with Midday Music host Peter Whorf about the top musicians and broadcasters who have influenced her throughout her radio career, leading off with a Motown legend…

This year’s Sphinx Organization concerto competition took place in the virtual space. You can still see the exciting performances by this year’s artists at DPTV.org. Sphinx Organization President Afa Dworkin speaks with WRCJ’s Peter Whorf about this year’s event…

Daniil Trifonov’s last two discs have focused on great Russian music of the past century. Trifonov is up for a Grammy for his Rachmaninoff release, and his newest recording, Silver Age, delivers the best of Prokofiev, Scriabin and Stravinsky. Daniil spoke with WRCJ’s Peter Whorf last week…

Tyshawn Sorey has found his voice, drawing upon all kinds of music, from the classical avant garde, to jazz and traditional classical music, to express himself as a contemporary black American composer. Photo Attribution: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation

Cecelia Sharpe speaks with Kenneth Thompkins, Principal Trombone of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in this extended interview originally from her February episode of "Live With C Sharpe".

In a historic concert in Genoa Italy, Detroit native Regina Carter was the first African American and jazz musician invited to perform on Nicolo Paginini’s 200 year-old Guarneri violin. Photo Attribution: Brianmcmillen, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

BEA 2020 Community Involvement - Detroit Memorial Day by 90.9 WRCJ

BEA 2020 Marketing - Jader Bignimini Promo 3 by 90.9 WRCJ

BEA 2020 Marketing - Musical Guests by 90.9 WRCJ

BEA 2020 Musical Programming - Beethoven Week by 90.9 WRCJ

BEA 2020 Feature/Use of Medium - Kaleidoscope by 90.9 WRCJ

Like all musicians, Chicago-based violinist Rachel Barton Pine isn’t doing the things to which she is most-accustomed these days. But her new digital project, 24 in 24 is exploring her favorite masterworks in new ways. Rachel speaks with WRCJ’s Peter Whorf…

WRCJ remembers the late Mike Whorf, longtime Detroit radio host of the award-winning series “Kaleidoscope.” This holiday edition from 1997 explores the life of George Frederick Handel and the writing of “Messiah.”

WRCJ’s Peter Whorf speaks with International Symphony Orchestra executive director Anthony Wing about their new digital series. Wing begins their conversation recalling the ensemble’s initial post-Covid response...

After a decades-long career with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Detroit Symphony Orchestras, violinist Joseph Striplin recently retired from the DSO. WRCJ’s Peter Whorf speaks with the current Grosse Pointe Symphony Orchestra maestro about the next chapter in his musical life, and the beginning of his path to the violin...

Nearly 200 years after Beethoven (1770-1827)wrote the Grosse Fuge, his fiendishly difficult masterpiece for string quartet still sounds fresh and contemporary. Photo: Ludwig-beethoven.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Mack the Knife by Kurt Weill (1900-1950), one of the most popular songs of the 20th century, has its origins in The Beggar’s Opera by John Gay (1685-1732), one of the most popular plays of the 18th century. Photo of Kurt Weill: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/05/Bundesarchiv_Bild_146-2005-0119%2C_Kurt_Weill.jpg Bundesarchiv, Bild 146-2005-0119 / CC-BY-SA 3.0 / CC BY-SA 3.0 DE (htt...

The composer/pianist Dave Brubeck (1920-2012) was mentored by French composer Darius Milhaud (1892-1974), who taught Brubeck to take creative risks, and encouraged him to play jazz. Photo: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bc/Dave_Brubeck_%281964%29.jpg Jac. de Nijs / Anefo / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0