Special Programs: Upcoming Community and Cultural Programs

Airs Sunday, December 17 at 8:00 p.m.  These are public radio stories made over many years, by producer Jay Allison -- working together with Christina Egloff, and friends, colleagues, neighbors, strangers and whoever would take the loan of one of his tape recorders. They are are stories about life as we find it, and record it. Hosted by Alex Chadwick. In this hour: Beginnings - A chorus of artists recalling the moment they began.  Jack Murdurian Sings - The sound of art and memory fused on an audio cassette. How many songs can he sing in 45 minutes without stopping?  Jungles of Memory - A story of war and sanctuary, of beasts and obsession, the story of James McMullen and the Florida Panther. Cypress Knees - The 70-year-old King of the cypress swamp has trouble remembering exactly where he is, even as he scampers barefoot along a single board catwalk suspended above the slough. Ghosts - Even though she's not sure there are, writer Carol Wasserman hopes there are ghosts next door.

Airs Monday, December 3 at 11:00 a.m.  This week on Summer Stages, The Simpsons, Dolly Parton and Rachmaninoff. It's not the most obvious mix but the Westminster Choir makes it work. Hear them performing from the Spoleto Festival USA on Summer Stages from Classical Public Radio! Some of the featured works include Weelkes' In Excelsis Deo;   Esenvalds' The Long Road;   Kreek's Taaveti laul Nr. 104 (Psalm 104);  Elder's Seven Last Words from the Cross;  Crabtree's From Five Romantic Miniatures from the Simpsons;  and the Westminster Choir with Christopher Costanza, cello perform Tavener's  Svyatí.

Air Saturday, December 1 at 12:00 noon  The ultimate blend of action, music, scene and dramatic expression was Richard Wagner's goal in his "total work of art." Deutsche Welle brings you another performance from the Festspielhaus, which Wagner designed explicitly for his music dramas. This year the festival, still in the hands of Wagner's descendents, currently led by his great-granddaughters Eva Wagner-Pasquier and Katharina Wagner, begins with a new production of Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman) as staged by Jan Philipp Gloger and conducted by Christian Thielemann.  Deutsche Welle's Rick Fulker is there, introducing you to the production team and soloists and looking forward to sharing the Wagner fun with those who can't make it to the festival. With the demand for tickets exceeding the supply by a factor of ten, they are not lacking in numbers and have responded warmly to the radio transmissions, which convey the sense of event.

Airs Thursday, November 29 at 8:00 p.m.  Bassist Edgar Meyer and banjoist Bela Fleck had collaborated for nearly thirty years, but in 2008 when they formed a trio with tabla master Zakir Hussain, they created a small group in which each member offered up original compositions based upon their virtuosity and shared musical ideas. Tune in for part two of a 2011 Savannah Music Festival concert featuring Fleck, Meyer and Hussain live at the Lucas Theatre for the Arts. 

Bill Beckett talks with John Howe, President of the American Federation of Musicians Local 116 and Bill Causey, owner of Band House about their annual Jazz Concert and Clinic which takes place tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Parkway High School auditorium. The concert and clinic are free for any students who wish to attend and $5.00 for adults. The concert and clinic feature Mike Williams, a Shreveport native and lead trumpet player for the Count Basie Orchestra for over 20 years; Gary Meggs, former alto and tenor saxophone player with the Glenn Miller Orchestra and Director of Instrumental Music at the University of Arkansas and C. E. Askew, drummer with the renowned U.S. Air Force Airmen of Note Jazz Ensemble for 26 years.  More info at 868-0522.