UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance

Kansas City has long been associated with barbeque, fountains and jazz music — but accordions? Not so much. Still, Kansas City has a rich accordion history thanks to Joan Cochran Sommers, an icon who is still conducting, teaching and playing the accordion.

Violinist Joseph Genualdi, horn player Alberto Suarez and pianist Sean Chen have accomplished a lot individually. Now, they're joining forces as a chamber music trio. We'll get to know each of them, learn about their upcoming April 18 performance and hear their recordings of music by Gabriel Fauré, Alyssa Morris and more.

This upcoming weekend, the Kansas City Symphony will be performing an electric, dance-inducing piece of music by the Argentinian composer Alberto Ginastera. Learn more about this piece of music that showcases the unique sounds of the orchestra and will get your toes tapping.

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.

With his eclectic repertoire and world travels, pianist Thomas Rosenkranz is charting a unique path as a performer and an educator. Christy L'Esperance talks with Thomas about his early days, his current work and what's next — including a two year journey into the music of Olivier Messiaen.

Dean Courtney Crappell joins Brooke Knoll for a conversation about the year ahead at the UMKC Conservatory. We'll highlight some of the many upcoming performances happening at the music school and hear several recordings featuring Conservatory students and faculty.

Violist Victor Diaz and violinist Jose Ramirez stopped by the Classical KC studio to play Colombian music and to talk about life as international music students in Kansas City.

This week on the Kansas City Local Feature, we get to know Classical KC's new Community Engagement Specialist and On-Air Host, Christy L'Esperance. We'll learn about her background as a pianist, her large family, and enjoy her quirky sense of humor. Christy has curated a varied program of music that includes works by Maurice Ravel, Anna Clyne, Henry Purcell and Sergei Prokofiev.

Classical KC's Brooke Knoll speaks with the UMKC Conservatory's Noel Torres-Rivera and Ebonee Thomas about the upcoming "América Festival" which highlights music by composers from North, South and Central America. We'll hear music by Ronaldo Miranda, Astor Piazzolla, José Martínez, Carolina Heredia and more.

Of the many performance outlets for students at the UMKC Conservatory, Musica Nova is one that focuses entirely on new music. Composers, UMKC faculty members and Musica Nova directors Yotam Haber and Zhou Long join Classical KC's Brooke Knoll to talk about the group's mission and upcoming concerts. Hear music from Zhou and Haber as well as Chen Yi and Wang Jie.

A resource and place of discovery for students and the public, UMKC's Music/Media Library is home to over 130,000 scores, recordings, books and other materials. Classical KC's Brooke Knoll talks with Nara Newcomer and Libby Hanssen about the library's "Shining a Light" project, which highlights underrepresented musical voices. Plus, we will hear music by Joan Tower, Libby Larsen, Viet Cuong, Chen Yi and more.

Hear our conversations with three distinguished UMKC Conservatory alumni and find out what it means to them to be honored at this year's "Crescendo" performance.