Brooke Knoll
Digital Audience Specialist & On-Air Host, Classical KCBrooke Knoll is the digital audience specialist and on-air host for Classical KC. A Minnesota native, she comes to Kansas City from the Twin Cities, where she received her BSB in Entrepreneurial and Public Non-Profit Management from the University of Minnesota - Carlson School of Management, as well as a major in harp performance. She was the on-air host of Radio K’s all-classical show, Rock Me, Amadeus, during her college years before joining YourClassical Minnesota Public Radio as a digital producer and board operator.
An advocate for arts accessibility, she has previously worked with the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Cuban American Youth Orchestra and Minnesota Orchestra on their initiatives to engage younger audiences and cultivate the next generation of classical music lovers.
When not obsessing over all things classical radio, you can find her hiking, playing harp, starting a new craft, or searching for vinyl to add to her growing collection.
Brooke is the host of the Kansas City Local Feature and can also be heard weekdays from 3-5 p.m. on Classical KC.
You can reach Brooke at brooke@classicalkc.org.
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Hear two 20th century first symphonies born of very different circumstances. One was created under extreme hardship during World War II, the other an affectionate tribute to the composer’s immigrant parents.
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While they’re known as violin sonatas, these masterworks are an equal partnership between the piano and violin. We’ll hear superb examples in two contrasting sonatas by Hugo Alfven and Ludwig van Beethoven.
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This week, hear the Kansas City Symphony perform masterworks by Felix Mendelssohn and Richard Strauss. We'll hear Mendelssohn's Overture to "Ruy Blas" as well as his third symphony, which evokes his time in Scotland. We'll also hear Richard Strauss' depiction of Salome's shocking final dance, plus the composer's inventive showpiece for orchestra: "Don Quixote."
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Located in Kansas City's Crossroads neighborhood, Folk Alliance International has been bringing together folk musicians, fans and industry professionals since its founding in 1989. This work includes an annual conference, often taking place in Kansas City, that brings thousands to the city. Brooke Knoll speaks with Folk Alliance Development and Partnership Director Alex Mallett about the organization, plus we'll highlight some of the classical-crossover artists performing at this year's conference.
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Joseph Haydn and his younger brother Michael created some of the finest music of the classical era and we’ll sample it on this week’s show. We’ll hear a brilliant string quintet by Michael and a miraculous symphony by Franz Josef. What more could a music lover ask for?
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Acclaimed pianist and writer Jeremy Denk speaks with Brooke Knoll about his early life as a self-proclaimed "weird kid," overcoming musical obstacles and coming to Kansas City to perform. We'll hear Jeremy's recordings of music by Johann Sebastian Bach and Camille Saint-Saëns.
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In the final program of this profile, Kertész leads music of Vaughan Williams, Respighi, and Bartok. In music ranging from the sacred to the profane, he demonstrates uncanny ability to draw from each genre characteristic and compelling performances.
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From the fun to the formal, renowned wind quintet WindSync has been entertaining audiences of all ages for 15 years. Ahead of their performance in Kansas City, Brooke Knoll speaks with group members Kara LaMoure and Graeme Steele Johnson about WindSync's origins, innovative educational programs and recordings. We'll hear music by Marc Mellits, Miguel del Aguila and Ivan Trevino.
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Kertész used his experience in the opera house to shape a masterful interpretation of Mozart’s Symphony No. 39. We’ll also hear music by Beethoven and his Hungarian countryman, Zoltan Kodaly.
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The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is one of Europe's great ensembles. Brooke Knoll speaks with Royal Philharmonic violinists Erik Chapman and Sali-Wyn Ryan about the history of the orchestra, its "royal" name and coming to Kansas City to perform with renowned pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason. We'll hear music by Maurice Ravel, Ernő Dohnányi, Sergei Prokofiev and Sergei Rachmaninoff.