Category Archives: Classical

Classical Monthly – April 2024

Reminders

APM Weekly Newsletter

Classical updates are included in the APM Weekly newsletter each Thursday. Forward-promote what listeners can anticipate on APM classical programs and on C24. Subscribe to the APM Weekly here.Spring Fundraising Promos

Spring fundraisers are available on Content Depot. Follow the links below:

Programming News

APM Presents: April Specials

A Passion for Bach and Coltrane with the Imani Winds
Available now – June 30, 2024

Scott Blankenship shared his experience of working on this special with us:

After producing Carols as Home with Imani Winds last winter, I was very excited to continue our partnership with the group to bring Jeff Scott’s Grammy winning Passion for Bach and Coltrane to listeners. AB Spellman’s book of poems “Things I Must Have Known” inspired Passion for Bach and Coltrane, and it explores the musical mastery of J.S. Bach, John Coltrane, as well as religion and mortality. It also asks the inevitable question, what if JS Bach and John Coltrane were to meet?

I’ve never worked on a project like this. Toyin Spellman-Diaz again took the host chair and conducted intimate interviews with group members and her father AB Spellman. My biggest challenge as the producer was to determine what parts of the interviews to keep, because there were so many moments of pure gold in their conversations! Plus, the innovative way they integrate baroque music of Bach with the transcendent jazz aesthetics of Coltrane might seem unlikely, but they make it work in a magical way.

May Specials Sneak Peek…

Folk Classics Across the Globe — never-before recorded folk tunes from three contrasting countries and cultures: Iran, Venezuela and Ukraine/Russia.

Fur, Feathers and Flutes — celebrating the love we have for our special companions and their connection to music.

For more upcoming specials visit our website.

New and Upcoming

Pipedreams Live in Williamsburg, VA
On April 21, Pipedreams host Michael Barone will appear as master-of-ceremonies, commentator and interviewer for an Open Door Concert Series event at Williamsburg Presbyterian Church in Williamsburg, Virginia. Joining Michael will be composer and recitalist Aaron David Miller and three organ students from William & Mary College. This event will feature the 40 stop and 51 rank Buzard Pipe Organ, Opus 32.

SymphonyCast highlights the Oregon Symphony & Berlin Philharmonic
Coming up on SymphonyCast in April, Grammy-nominated composer and percussionist Andy Akiho performs his concerto for steel pan and orchestra with the Oregon Symphony, and legendary pianist Martha Argerich joins Daniel Barenboim and the Berlin Philharmonic for Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto.

And we wish a happy one-year anniversary to Steve Seel as the host of SymphonyCast!

Classical 24 Celebrates
Don’t miss 30 days of musical poetry all April long as C24 celebrates National Poetry Month. Listen for a piece of music about poetry every day at 3 pm CT.

Sir Neville Marriner’s 100th birthday is April 15th and C24 will celebrate by featuring Marriner recordings all day long.

Performance Today’s Classical Woman of the Year
Performance Today recently announced their Classical Woman of the year: Deborah Borda. She spoke with Fred Child about her career and accomplishments on the March 29th episode.

“I’m thrilled that Deborah Borda is our 2024 Performance Today Classical Woman of the Year,” said Fred Child, host and senior editor of Performance Today. “Though much of her career has been behind-the-scenes, some of the most cherished aspects of today’s classical scene wouldn’t be what they are without her guiding spirit and determination. She combines the forward-thinking savvy and intelligent risk-taking of an entrepreneur with the passionate dedication of an artist. As a former violinist and violist, her administrative vision is driven by her devotion to music itself.

“She has created greater access to music for communities, families, and individuals across the country. She has piloted the creation and renovation of some of the most important concert venues of our time. She has envisioned and brought into being some of the most fruitful artistic partnerships and collaborations of our era. She’s steadily laid the foundations for greater stability in several major classical music institutions, which means musicians can focus on making music, and audiences have reliably vibrant and meaningful concerts and events. It is with great pleasure that we recognize Deborah Borda with this well-deserved award.”

Performance Today’s Young Artists
Listen for 2024’s Young Artists on Performance Today beginning with Sarah Ma, violinist, on April 17th. Learn more about Performance Today’s Young Artists program and see their impressive list of alumni here.

Performance Today: Request for Music

If you have a strong partnership with your local orchestra, please encourage them to submit their concerts to us- If you have a contact who’d like to start (or continue) submitting to PT, please put them in touch with kslusher@mpr.org for guidelines and a submission account.

Classical APM Presents Specials Spring/Summer 2024

We present to you our new spring and summer Classical specials from APM Presents! This quarter we have an exciting selection of diverse specials for you and your listeners, including a new special from Imani Winds!

Check out the full list of classical specials below and our website.

Looking for News/Talk specials? Subscribe to our News/Talk APM Monthly newsletter or visit our website for the full list of APM Presents specials.

Classical

A Passion for Bach and Coltrane with Imani Winds

  • Broadcast Window: March 29, 2024 – April 30, 2024
  • Duration: Two hours
  • Description: Jeff Scott’s new Grammy winning oratorio is full of inspiration from two giants of music – Johann Sebastian Bach and John Coltrane. Passion for Bach and Coltrane with Imani Winds is an innovative and surprising confluence of classical and jazz. Scott is the founding horn player of Imani Winds, and along with the Harlem Jazz Quartet, jazz soloists, and spoken word by AB Spellman, Passion for Bach and Coltrane offers an intimate perspective on Imani Wind’s most personal recording in their 25 year history.

Folk Classics Across the Globe from YourClassical

  • Broadcast Window: May 1, 2024 – May 31, 2024
  • Duration: One hour
  • Description: An hour special featuring never-before recorded folk tunes from three contrasting countries and cultures: Iran, Venezuela and Ukraine/Russia. These tunes have been composed and/or arranged by composers from these locations, two of which are currently living. They will also be performed by professional musicians from the respective countries/cultures. Exploring the intersection of folk and classical music, while also placing the spotlight on present-day communities.

Fur, Feathers and Flutes

  • Broadcast Window: May 1, 2024 – May 31, 2024
  • Duration: One hour
  • Description: We all know that Classical music can calm us – and our pets! We also know that there’s a special connection we have with our pets. Do our pets have a special connection with Classical music? We think so! On Fur, Feathers and Flutes, you’ll hear stories of composers who loved their pets along with music inspired by their furry friends. You’ll also meet an opera-loving parrot, curious Classical-loving cats, and you’ll hear how Classical music helps train canines, as we celebrate the love we have for our special companions and their connection to music on Fur, Feathers and Flutes!

Proud to Be

  • Broadcast Window: May 31, 2024 – June 30, 2024
  • Duration: One hour
  • Description: Pride Month is a wonderful time to celebrate our unique identities and to reflect on how pride and authenticity show up in our lives. We asked classical musicians in the LGBTQIA community about their thoughts on Pride. The answers we got were incredibly diverse and thought-provoking. This one-hour special brings all of those thoughts to you punctuated with music performed, conducted or composed by these featured artists.

Take Me to the Water – Encore

  • Broadcast Window: May 31, 2024 – June 30, 2024
  • Duration: One hour
  • Description: A one-hour special, hosted by Vernon Neal, focusing on harpist Ashley Jackson’s program Take Me to the Water recorded at American Public Medias studios. Take Me to the Water, is an immersive audio experience that touches on themes from African mythology, the antebellum spiritual tradition and water’s transportive, transmogrifying nature. This will be an encore from February 2024

Classical Monthly: March 2024

This is the Classical APM Monthly. Classical updates are also included in the APM Weekly newsletter each Thursday. Forward-promote what listeners can anticipate on APM classical programs and on C24. Subscribe to the APM Weekly here.

Spring Fundraisers

Spring fundraisers are up and ready on Content Depot! Follow the links below:

New and Upcoming

Pipedreams celebrates Women’s History and International Women’s Day
This week’s Pipedreams program #2410, celebrates Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day and is devoted entirely to works by women composers…Fanny Mendelssohn, Clara Schumann, Gwyneth Walker, Sharon J. Willis, Barbara Dennerlein, Margie Griebling-Haigh, Margaret Sandresky, Theophania Cecil, Pamela Decker, Rachel Laurin, and Wang Jie, whose new score for organ and string quartet, “The Night When You See Again,” will be heard in its world premiere performance.

On Saturday, March 23rd, Michael Barone will co-host with Tyrone Whiting Philadelphia Orchestra’s Organ Day, a family-friendly event with lively performances by the Philadelphia Orchestra, Paul Jacobs, the Lucas Brown Trio, the Philadelphia Ballet, Dr. Jay Fluellen, John Walthausen, and much more. This event features the Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ, the largest mechanical-action concert hall organ in the United States with 6,938 pipes, four blowers, 300 levels of memory, 111 stops, and a total weight of approximately 32 tons!

SymphonyCast
Coming up on SymphonyCast in March, listen for a dazzling program from the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra with Michael Tilson Thomas on the podium, including a Liszt piano concerto featuring Yuja Wang, and Mahler’s titanic symphonic debut. Later this spring, we’ll hear Andy Akiho and his steel pan concerto, Beneath Lighted Coffers, backed by the Oregon Symphony.

Performance Today
Performance Today’s 2024 class of Young Artists in Residence opened with Sarah Ma, a violinist recently graduated from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. Sarah’s interview with Fred will air in March, with four more artists lined up to complete their residencies by June. The Young Artists in Residence program has hosted a number of young talents over the years and we are proud of its alumni. Most have gone on to successful music careers. Scroll through the pages here to see past and present Young Artists.

Performance Today will also choose their 2024 Classical Woman of the Year- the winner will be announced on air and online on March 29th.

Performance Today: Request for Music

If you have a strong partnership with your local orchestra, please encourage them to submit their concerts to us- If you have a contact who’d like to start (or continue) submitting to PT, please put them in touch with kslusher@mpr.org for guidelines and a submission account.

APM Presents: March Specials
Check out our special featuring harpist Ashley Jackson.

Take Me to the Water
Available now – March 31, 2024

For more upcoming specials visit our website.

Take Me to the Water—behind the scenes
“Take Me to the Water,” from American Public Media, explores the profound meaning of water across different cultures and different religions, led by Vernon Neal and harpist Ashley Jackson. The program explores water’s historical significance in Black culture, the symbolism in spirituals, and the ripple effect of George Floyd’s murder in 2020. It culminates in a powerful performance of “Take Me to the Water” by Ashley and Twin Cities youth choir, KNOWN MPLS.

Julie Amacher shared, “Vernon and I had a fabulous time getting to know Ashley during these recording sessions. She stretches the limits of her instrument in such a powerful, and beautiful way. Her playing is so fluid, which makes her style a perfect fit for this program. This is the first time we brought an artist into the studios to create a national special with them – creating content exclusively for us to share with stations.”

To learn more about the show, learn more about Ashley Jackson’s music, and watch videos of Ashley performing this music in our St. Paul studio, go to YourClassical.org.

Welcome Additions

Classical APM Monthly – October 2023

October 2023

Reminders

This is the Classical APM Monthly. If you’re looking for updates on our News/Talk programming please, subscribe to our News/Talk APM Monthly here. You will also find past News/Talk programming updates on our blog.

Watch for Classical updates in the APM Weekly newsletter each Thursday. Forward-promote what listeners can anticipate on APM classical programs and on C24. Subscribe to the APM Weekly here. These updates are also posted to our blog.

Content Conference

It was great to see so many of you at the PRPD Content Conference in Philadelphia! Thank you for swinging by the APM booth and for sharing your experiences and ideas in 1:1s and hallway conversations. While it is especially nice to connect in person, we are always happy to continue the conversation (or start a new one!), answer your questions or coordinate a meeting with our classical content partners. Reach out to your rep anytime.

In the meantime, the Conference Archive is posted on the PRPD website. There, you can revisit the general sessions, including the BBC’s Jatin Aythora’s The Rise of AI and What it Means for Public Media.

Programming News

C24 2023 Holiday Programming

C24 has lots of celebrating planned for the 2023 holiday season, beginning with Halloween and continuing through the end of December:

  • Halloween, October 31st – Creepy Classics on C24
    • Steve Seel hosts music for your Halloween (8-11pm CT)
  • November 8-22nd: YourClassical’s Top Carols (working title, new name coming)
    • Give your listeners a say by asking them to rank their favorite Christmas songs. We’ll tally the results and reveal them in our national broadcast special “as voted by you!” Voting details to be shared soon.
  • Thanksgiving Eve and Day, November 22 & 23
    • Festive music to celebrate family, feasting and the harvest
  • Chanukah 2023 December 7-15
    • From 3pm CT Thursday, December 7th through the 15th, Classical 24 celebrates Chanukah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, with a bit of special music on each day of the 8-day holiday.
  • December 23rd – Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Ballet with Mindy Ratner (4-6pm CT)
  • Christmas Eve, December 24th – The Night Before Christmas
    • Listen for this classic tale, complete with classical music and sound effects, narrated by C24 host, Lynne Warfel, at 6:01pm CT, and 9:01 pm CT (inside the news windows).

As in the past, Classical 24 will gradually increase Christmas programming following Thanksgiving. Here’s what you can expect:

  • November 24 – December 3: 3-5 minutes of Christmas music per hour
  • Week of December 4: 5-10 minutes of Christmas music per hour
  • Week of December 11: 10-15 minutes of Christmas music per hour
  • December 18 – 21: 50% Christmas programming
  • December 22 – 25: Wall-to-wall Christmas music

More Holiday Programming from C24

Round out your holiday programming at no additional cost by taking advantage of these C24 bonus hours. Reach out to your Station Relations Representative for more information.

  • Additional Holiday Programming included in your C24 affiliation
    • C24 offers 8 additional hours of pre-recorded Christmas music hosted by Mindy Ratner. You may use these hours to best suit your needs. They will be posted on Content Depot Dec. 1, 2023.
    • C24 affiliate stations airing any daypart of C24 are entitled to 20 additional C24 hours per quarter without charge. Many stations use this C24 bonus to supplement their holiday programming and offer staff time off during the holidays.
  • Additional Holiday Programming available with your APM affiliation
    • As a holiday gift to classical stations, C24 is available to all APM affiliates (regardless of whether you carry C24 or not) during the following periods:
      • November 23-26th
      • December 22-25th (100% holiday music)

October Classical Specials

Music for the Days of Awe: An Observance of the Jewish High Holidays
Available now – October 31, 2023

Reclaiming the Sound Waves: with Connor Chee – Encore
Available October 1 – November 30, 2023

My Journey, Yours: A Cantus Immigration Special
Available October 1 – November 30, 2023

Check out the full list of specials on our APM Distribution website.  Sneak Peak

C24 recently invited harpist Ashley Jackson into the Maud Moon Weyerhauser recording studio to perform her arrangements of spirituals centered on the hopeful and healing energy of water. “Take me to the Water,” will be an APM special offered in 2024. In the meantime, you and your listeners can listen for these exclusive performances on the C24 stream.Pipedreams 40th Anniversary Concert

Last month, Pipedreams fans gathered at Benson Great Hall on the campus of Bethel University in Arden Hills, MN, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Pipedreams. Guests listened as host Michael Barone, alongside organists Aaron David Miller, Brenda Sevcik and Stephen Self, performed a festive concert of music for organ and orchestra, led by conductor William Eddins, featuring the hall’s 67-rank Blackinton pipe organ.

SymphonyCast

Coming up in the last few months of 2023,SymphonyCast will highlight performances by the Oslo Philharmonic with cellist Sol Gabetta, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra with violinist Randall Goosby, and the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra.

2023 BBC Proms Programming

For all stations:
American Public Media is thrilled to showcase the most memorable performances of the 2023 BBC Proms, the U.K.’s annual celebration of classical music. Share up to eight weeks of memorable performances from London’s Royal Albert Hall.

SymphonyCast will broadcast eight concerts in their entirety, including the last night of Proms. All concerts will follow the standard SymphonyCast clock (1:59).

Hosted by Steve Seel, these eight programs are available to all APM affiliate stations, free of charge via ContentDepot, regardless of SymphonyCast carriage. These are regular weekly feeds, and open for all Proms concerts.

View our detailed list of weekly broadcasts beginning Monday, July 31 through Sunday, September 24.

If you would like to carry this programming, please contact your Station Representative.

For BBC affiliates:
The BBC World Service will broadcast four specially selected highlight programs of Proms concerts, featuring one each week from Saturday, August 5 through Friday, September 1, with repeats each Sunday. You can view the BBC Proms schedule here.

Highlights of the 2023 season features a Proms debut by South Korean violinist, Bomsori, playing Bruch’s First Violin Concerto, a tribute to Bollywood legend Lata Mangeshkar from the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, an exploration of German Romanticsim from celebrated pianist, Sir Andras Schiff, and a meditation on night and stillness in a stress-busting concert from Grammy-nominated vocal group VOCES8, pianist-composer Ola Gjello, and the Carducci String Quartet.

NOTE: These programs will be broadcast on the BBC World Service – so news stations will hear this classical music programming during the regular World Service schedule and there will be NO POSTS at the bottom of the hour.

These highlight programs make great complements to the full concerts from SymphonyCast and are available for broadcast to all current BBC World Service affiliate stations through APM.

Details and downloads for all seven programs are coming soon to the BBC Media Partner Centre: Broadcast time: Saturdays, 2-3 p.m. ET; repeats Sundays, 7-8 a.m. ET

Length: 53 minutes

Clock: Proms programs will not follow the BBC World Service clock; there are no breaks at the bottom of the hour.

Questions about BBC Proms programming? Please contact your Station Representative.

2021 BBC Proms Programming

For all stations:

American Public Media is thrilled to showcase the most memorable performances of the 2021 BBC Proms, the U.K.’s annual celebration of classical music. Share up to eight weeks of memorable performances from London’s Royal Albert Hall.

SymphonyCast will broadcast each concert in its entirety, including the last night of Proms. All concerts will follow the standard SymphonyCast clock (1:59).

Hosted by Julie Amacher, these eight programs are available to all APM affiliate stations, free of charge via ContentDepot, regardless of SymphonyCast carriage. These are regular weekly feeds, and open for all Proms concerts.

View our detailed list of weekly broadcasts through Tuesday, September 27.

If you would like to carry this programming, please contact your Station Representative.

For BBC affiliates:

The BBC World Service will broadcast six specially selected highlight programs of Proms concerts, featuring one each week from Saturday, August 7 through Saturday, September 11, with repeats each Sunday.

The 2021 season features leading British orchestras as well as international soloists and conductors. Highlights include a performance from the UK’s first professional orchestra with a majority of ethnically-diverse players, a musical journey through the sights and sounds of two continents and two centuries featuring Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, and winner of the 2016 BBC Young Musician competition Sheku Kanneh-Mason’s performance of Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B minor.

NOTE: These programs will be broadcast on the BBC World Service – so news stations will hear this classical music programming during the regular schedule.

These highlight programs make great complements to the full concerts from SymphonyCast and are available for broadcast to all current BBC World Service affiliate stations through APM.

Details and downloads for all six programs are coming soon to the BBC Media Partner Centre:

  • Broadcast time: Saturdays, 2-3 p.m. ET; repeats Sundays, 7-8 a.m. ET
  • Length: 49 minutes 30 seconds or 59 minutes including News Update, billboard & promo
  • Clock: Proms programs will not follow the BBC World Service clock; there are no breaks at the bottom of the hour.
  • Promos: Promo spots will be made available via the BBC Media Partner Centre.

Questions about BBC Proms programming? Please contact your Station Representative.

From YourClassical: Minnesota Varsity Showcase

An annual showcase for high school musicians is an opportunity to build awareness of your station, engage with your audience to help create content and support local school-age talent. This guide was developed by YourClassical MPR, and is available to APM affiliates through their affiliation fee.

The showcase provides a way to engage with new and existing audiences, with many features that can be utilized to customize the experience to suit your needs . This resource guide aims to provide a framework for building your own youth-focused performance event. Each expression will be unique, and we hope this guide is helpful and expands your understanding of what might be possible.

Download the resource guide.

Performance Today Overview as shared by Fred Child

We spoke with Fred Child, host of Performance Today, to learn more about the popular classical music program including its origin, mission, and the processes applied in selecting music and artists to highlight. Fred has hosted Performance Today since 2000 and is a lifelong lover of music. 

Fred Child has hosted Performance Today since 2000

What is the origin of the show? Performance Today was founded in 1987 by NPR, National Public Radio.  It was initially conceived as a bridge between the morning news program, Morning Edition, and midday music (then in vogue on many stations that carried both news and music.

How has its mission/focus evolved?  Performance Today is a music program with a clear focus on classical music and those two words:  Performance Today.  In the beginning, and still, the focus is on music in PERFORMANCE – i.e., the presence and vitality found in concert recordings.  And TODAY: the current state of the music scene – contemporary music, diverse talent and the most inventive and enthralling of today’s interpreters of the great works of the past. 

What is your philosophy as host?  To convey a true love of music, to share that joy in an accessible way with listeners and to be an exclusive home for recordings and concert highlights not heard anywhere else – all while providing a certain degree of musical insight and occasional education tidbit for those interested, while not hectoring those who aren’t.

Share the talk:music Ratios:   9.5 minutes of talk and 49.5 minutes of music each hour. (1/0 billboard; .5/4.5 cutaway; 3/18 seg003; 0/1 seg004; 2/18 seg005; 0/1 seg006;  3/9 seg007) Episodes that include a performance interview typically have more talk, but the talk segment in those cases does not exceed 3.5 minutes.

How much “new/contemporary” classical is played per program/per year?   Generally, a new piece of classical music broadcasts on Performance Today once per program, a couple of times each week – or roughly 100-150 contemporary pieces annually of the approximately 1600 featured pieces of music on our show each year (about 5-10% of our music).


How are the new pieces introduced on PT selected?  Our producers listen to live concert recordings after the year 2000 that we receive from around the world.  From those we chose compositions that are musically interesting, have fascinating stories behind them and fit in our programming principle to ‘delight and surprise.’

How are the traditional pieces played on PT chosen?  Producers choose familiar classical pieces to broadcast on the show when the performance is exceptionally outstanding or inclusive or rare performance nuances.

How are the artists/composers highlighted selected?   We feature performers and composers whose artistry we find captivating.

Tell us more about the available ::30 Imaging Spots:  These ::30 second daily promo spots are available to stations to help to encourage listeners who aren’t familiar with PT to familiarize themselves with the show.  In addition, the spots also work to promote specific pieces of music or stories coming up on the next program so as to underscore the program’s capacity for discovery, access and the storytelling within the genre of contemporary classical music.

Specials for summer holidays, milestones and appetites

The latest specials from APM Celebrates honor our nation’s independence, first Moon landing and favorite foods, and the 200th birthday of a classical music prodigy.  

Promote your broadcasts with digital ads for your website, social media and newsletters. Available now in the ‘Marketing Tools’ section of APM Celebrates program pages.

Arts & Culture

Witness History: The Race to the Moon

One hour. Available July 1-31, 2019.

Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing with this moving and memorable new special from the BBC World Service, featuring highlights from its Witness History programs and presenters.

“The Race to the Moon” presents stories and recollections of key moments from diverse voices – all of whom recollect the Moon landing with fondness and pride.

Let’s Be Frank: TBTL Salutes The Great American Hot Dog(Encore)

One hour. Available July 1–September 30, 2019.

Join hosts Luke Burbank and Andrew Walsh over a sizzling grill as they celebrate one of America’s most beloved and most ridiculed foods: The Hot Dog.

Perfect for Independence Day, Labor Day and the entire summer grilling season, this lighthearted encore special takes audiences from the grill to the ballpark, and shines a funny, mouthwatering spotlight on an American favorite (and veggie alternatives), with special guest Francis Lam, host of The Splendid Table.

Classical Music

To Honor and Inspire: U.S. Military Bands Special

One hour. Available July 1-12, 2019.

Andrea Blain hosts this uplifting, patriotic new special featuring performances by the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine bands, including marches by Sousa, Jewell and Gould, and classical works by Copland, Saint-Saens and Holst. 

Let Freedom Sing (New for 2019)

One hour. Available July 1-12, 2019.

Join Julie Amacher for this new Independence Day celebration with traditional, patriotic choral music performed by the world-renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra.

Clara Schumann: ‘A fallen, abominable, wicked girl’

One hour. Available September 1-30, 2019.

September 13, 2019 is the 200th birthday of world-renowned performer and composer Clara Schumann.

Classical concert pianist and storyteller Jade Simmons hosts this celebration of Schumann’s extraordinary life and inspiring musical achievements, and the challenges of being a female prodigy in the 19th century.

New spring fundraising tools

As you look forward to warm spring days and member drives, we’re here to help with new fundraising assets to raise your audience engagement and revenue.

Segments are available now on ContentDepot. Subscribe to individual fundraising program pages now to receive all future updates.

New for spring 2019:

 All programs

  • Updated talking points for your live pitches are available now on ContentDepot (following each rundown on fundraising pages) and on our website (under ‘Fundraising’ on program pages).
  • New fundraising promo options (excluding BBC World Service and The Daily) include general, sustainer, sustainer upgrade, and thank you messages from our hosts; new spots are between 0:25 and 0:59.

 Live from Here

  • Fundraising episode with 13 interchangeable segments featuring Chris Thile and a variety of artists: David Crosby, Jon Batiste, Lindsey Buckingham, John Prine, Meshell Ndegeocello, Emmanuel Ax, St. Vincent, Jonathan Biss, Dessa, Cory Henry and the Funk Apostles, Vulfpeck, Tuneyards, Jeff Tweedy, Sylvan Esso, Snarky Puppy, David Rawlings, Willie Watson & the Fairfield Four, Parker Millsap, The Knights, Rachael Price, Gaby Moreno, Sarah Jarosz, Aoife O’Donovan, Sara Watkins, Punch Brothers, Tracy K Smith, The Sklar Brothers, Jim Gaffigan, Chris Gethard, Joey Ryan, and Tom Papa.

 Performance Today

  • Long-form, in-studio segments with a variety of classical artists.

Visit the ‘Episodes’ section of the pages below to find new fundraisers, with suggested pitch points following each rundown:

News

BBC World Service (generic promos and pitch points)

The Daily (generic promos, pitch points and listener testimonials)

 Marketplace

Arts and Culture

Live from Here (fundraising episode, pitch points)

The Splendid Table (6 promos with Francis Lam, pitch points)

Classical Music

Classical 24 (11 promos with C24 hosts, pitch points)

Performance Today (7 promos with Fred Child, 5 in-studio segments with guest artists, pitch points)

Pipedreams (6 promos with Michael Barone, pitch points)

SymphonyCast (6 promos with Alison Young, pitch points)

Custom Promo Requests

We encourage you to use our new fundraising promos, but we’re here to help if you need a custom spot. Please complete our custom promo form.

Due to ongoing production schedules, please allow 3-4 weeks for custom promo delivery, and up to 6 weeks for BBC World Service spots. Note: BBC World Service is prohibited by British law to make direct asks to listeners for monetary support.