Sam Wisman
Senior Producer - 91.9 Classical KC / Backup Announcer - KCUR 89.3Sam started listening to jazz on his local NPR affiliate when he was just 13 years old, and his life as a musician and radio guy continues to intertwine. Son of a merchant and a classical musician, he came to Kansas City to attend the UMKC Conservatory. During school, he shelved a lot of records and played “drop the needle” at The Marr Sound Archives, working with KCUR’s own Fish Fry host Chuck Haddix. After graduating Cum Laude with a degree in Percussion Performance, Sam became a versatile fixture in Kansas City’s music scene. He hosted Jazz Afternoon on 90.1 FM KKFI for over 10 years, and currently hosts Jazz Across America - Kansas City on San Diego's KSDS Jazz 88.3. Sam lives with his family in Roeland Park, and has yet to measure the volume of his kids with a decibel meter — but he has thought about it.
Email him at samwisman@classicalkc.org.
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Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center musicians are collaborating with the Friends of Chamber Music Kansas City for a performance at The Folly Theater. Classical KC's Brooke Knoll speaks with Friends co-artistic director and Society cellist, Dmitri Atapine, and Society pianist Gloria Chien about joining forces for this concert. We'll hear music by Johannes Brahms, Frédéric Chopin, Antonín Dvořák and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.
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Opera sensation Joyce DiDonato joined Classical KC to share reflections on the past year and her excitement on returning home to Kansas City to perform with Michael Stern and the Kansas City Symphony. We'll hear Joyce sing works by Charles Ives, Gustav Mahler, Jake Heggie and more.
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'Flying Dutchman,' a Scottish Fantasy, an 'Incredible Flutist' and Dvořák's uplifting Symphony No. 8Join co-hosts Michael Stern and Dan Margolies for a program of fun and dramatic orchestral works. We'll hear Richard Wagner's Overture to "The Flying Dutchman," Max Bruch's "Scottish Fantasy" featuring violinist Stefan Jackiw, Walter Piston's Suite from "The Incredible Flutist" and Antonín Dvořák's sunny Symphony No. 8.
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Since 1982, William Jewell College has partnered with Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral to present "The City Come Again" as a gift in music and word to Kansas City. Dr. Ian Coleman, Chair of the Department of Performing Arts at William Jewell College, hosts this program featuring students, faculty and special guests performing seasonal music, poetry, and more.
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While the exact date of Ludwig van Beethoven's birth in December of 1770 is debated by scholars, what is inarguable was his musical genius. We'll hear the Kansas City Symphony perform his "Coriolan" Overture, Violin Concerto featuring Pinchas Zukerman, and his "Eroica" Symphony No. 3.
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The Kansas City Symphony shines in performances of music by César Franck, Zoltán Koldály and Jean Sibelius. We'll hear Franck's Symphony in D minor, Koldály's "Concerto for Orchestra," and the powerful Symphony No. 2 by Jean Sibelius. Co-hosts Michael Stern and Dan Margolies add depth and color to each performance.
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The husband and wife duo of piano masters Alessio Bax and Lucille Chung love performing together. Brooke Knoll speaks with both of them about the unique piano four hands art form, the family business and performing in Kansas City. We'll hear their recordings of music by Francis Poulenc, Johannes Brahms, Igor Stravinsky and Astor Piazzolla.
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This week, we'll hear an astounding array of soloists. Pinchas Zukerman and Noah Geller play Bach's "Concerto for Two Violins," and the husband and wife team of Jamie Loredo and Sharon robinson play André Previn's "Double Concerto for Violin and Orchestra." Superstar violinist Augustin Hadelich takes a solo turn in a concerto written by Thomas Adés, and local piano hero Kenny Broberg performs Sergei Rachmaninoff's challenging and lyrical second piano concerto.
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You may have heard of a "wind quintet," but what does that term really mean? Members of the UMKC Conservatory’s Plaza Winds quintet were recently in our studios to perform and shed some light for us on the art form.
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It turns out that Ludwig van Beethoven was having a bit of fun during and following the harried premiere of his third piano concerto. Co-hosts Dan Margolies and Michael Stern recount that story and sing the praises of soloist Emanuel Ax. We'll also hear Felix Mendelssohn's puffin-inspired "Hebrides Overture," Frederick Delius' beautiful and foreboding "Walk to the Paradise Garden" and the inner struggle of Peter Tchaikovsky's "Symphony No. 4."