|
|
|
|
|
An Inside Look at CapRadio, Exclusively for Members
|
|
|  | | Composer Aida Shirazi On Music, Success And Her Iranian Upbringing | Iranian musician Aida Shirazi came to the United States four years ago to pursue a Ph.D. in composition at UC Davis. She is part of a new wave of composers with diverse voices who are finally finding a foothold in the classical genre. Lately, she's been getting a lot of national attention not just for her music but also for her role as a co-founder of the Iranian Female Composer's Association — an organization focused on promoting, supporting and mentoring Iranian female composers living and working around the world.
CapRadio classical host Jennifer Reason spoke with Shirazi to discuss how her upbringing shaped her life in music and the secrets to her successful career. | |
|
| |  | | Labor Day Music | Eric Coates: Calling All Workers
From English composer Eric Coates, this piece bears a dedication “to all workers” as well as an inscription that reads “To go to one’s work with a glad heart and to do that work with earnestness and goodwill.” It became the theme of a radio program that started in 1940 called Music While You Work, a show meant to cheer the workers putting in long hours in the wartime factories, as well as to keep up the pace of their production with up-tempo music.
Aaron Copland: Fanfare for the Common Man
It wouldn’t be Labor Day without this piece! Copland’s idea was that it has always been the common man in the trenches, the common man bearing the bulk of the taxes, the common man laboring hard.Therefore the common man deserves a fanfare!
JoanTowers: Fanfare for the Uncommon Woman
If you’re going to include Fanfare for the Common Man, it’s only right to include its response. Written 44 years later, this piece is inspired directly by Copland’s original — even quoting his themes and copying his exact instrumentation. Though, as the title implies, this one is dedicated to the female “risk-takers and adventurers” among us.
Robert Schumann: Happy Farmer
From Schumann’s solo piano Album for the Young, this piece is sometimes also called the “Merry Peasant.” It paints a simple picture of a farmer in the 1800s having a good day in the field and coming joyfully home for dinner in the evening. To add an extra layer of sweetness, it was also presented as a gift to his eldest daughter on her 7th birthday.
Ginastera: Estancia — Los Trabajadores Agrícolas
Perhaps you noticed in the smoke and heat we just experienced that farmworkers all around us were still working hard out in the fields, with hoods drawn tight around their faces to help protect them from the merciless elements. Ginastera noticed the same work ethic in his home country of Spain back in 1943 and decided to write music about it. Estancia is a larger ballet that depicts the life and labor on a Spanish ranch. The movement Los Trabajadores Agricolas is a dance specifically celebrating these “land workers.”
Verdi: Anvil Chorus
This famous chorus from Verdi’s opera Il Trovatore captures the sounds of Spanish Romani working hard in the early dawn, while heartily singing songs about work, women and wine! Verdi even includes the sounds of actual anvil strikes in his score, hence the title. |
|
| |  | | Classical Music Recommendations From | While summer is often a time for music festivals, there was no musical travel to be had this year. So classical host Jennifer Reason decided to take a tour of some of her favorite pieces connected to her previous travel memories. She shares one with chords so fast that they led to an onstage mishap, and another that is forbidden to be played. | |
|
| |  | | Jazz Music Recommendations From | In our current era of political turmoil, pandemic and the continued fight for racial justice, songs of protest, struggle and hope from the 1960s and 1970s find the same relevance as when they were written. This month jazz host Gary Vercelli looks back at some timeless classics from socially conscious musicians who were never afraid to speak their minds, including a song that features the vocals of poet Maya Angelou. | |
|
| | | |  | | Farewell Live From Here, Welcome Contemporary Classical On CapRadio | As you may know, American Public Media has ceased production of the nationally syndicated program Live From Here with Chris Thile. The last Live From Here airs Saturday, September 12, from 6 - 8 p.m. While we’re sorry to see Chris and his innovative program go, we’re very excited to introduce its replacement.
Saturdays at 6 is not so much a program as it is an aesthetic. Each week CapRadio will present two hours of contemporary classical music, handpicked and hosted by CapRadio personalities, featuring new artists and composers, new recordings, music with classical, folk, jazz and world influences, and local performers. It’s all part of Saturdays at 6. Join us starting Saturday, September 19th for a weekly excursion into contemporary classical music discovery! |
|
| |  | | A Tour To Remember | In the summer of 2004, midday classical host Jennifer Reason traveled to Eastern Europe to sing with the Sacramento Choral Society and Orchestra. It was the first-ever tour for Jennifer and for the SCSO. Fortunately, the tour’s stop in Budapest, Hungary was professionally recorded. CapRadio will present excerpts from that concert, featuring works by Haydn, Dvorak and living American composer Morten Lauridsen, on Friday, September 25 at noon.
The one-hour special will also feature remembrances from SCSO founding conductor Donald Kendrick and several vocalists who took part in the tour. Jennifer says it was a magical time, “and since none of us are able to travel or make music together right now, we’d love to present you with the memories of that magic now, on the 16th anniversary of that tour.” Keep an eye on CapRadio’s classical blog as we near the date for more details. |
|
| | | Music Station Schedule & Streaming | | |
| Looking for classical music during the 7-11 p.m. jazz programming? Check out our 24-hour classical stream. |
| | |
|
| | | | | |  | | Announcing The 2020 Print Radio Winners | We're excited to share with you the winners of this year's Print Radio design contest. This year's competition culminates in a 12-month calendar featuring artists from our coverage region. In each submission, artists illustrated their vision of public radio’s service to the community.
The 2021 Print Radio Art Calendar will be available through CapRadio's fall fund drive. Contribute to receive this unique gift and support our arts community.
Many thanks to our Print Radio 2020 sponsor Bonney Plumbing, Heating and Air. | |
|
| |  | | Save The Date: Virtual Author Interview With Gretchen Sorin | On October 15, join host Donna Apidone and author and historian Gretchen Sorin to discuss her new book Driving While Black: African American Travel and the Road to Civil Rights.
Sorin's deeply researched book makes clear the magnitude of injustices and dangers faced by African-Americans while traveling. However, the invention of the car brought in a new period of independence to many, allowing Black people to hit the open road on a quest for freedom.
Sign up for CapRadio Reads emails for the latest author interviews and podcast information. | |
|
Latest CapRadio Reads Podcasts
Alka Joshi’s The Henna Artist:
Joshi takes readers to 1950's India, where 17-year-old Lakshmi escapes an arranged and abusive marriage to start a new life in Jaipur as a henna artist — and confidante — to the city's upper-caste elite women. In this complex society, she must work cautiously to build and protect her reputation from the "gossip-eaters" who spread humiliation like oil.
Devi S. Laskar’s The Atlas of Reds and Blues:
Inspired by the terrifying experience of a police raid on her own home, Laskar tackles what it means to be the daughter of immigrants in America and all of the prejudice and bias that comes with it. |
|
| |  | | Share Your Story With Us | Listener testimonials are great for generating enthusiasm and support for CapRadio's music programming, especially during fund drives. That's why we want to hear from you, our loyal listeners. Let us know what do you listen to? Why do you listen? How, where, and when do you do most of your listening? What role does CapRadio play in your life?
How to Share Your Testimonial
- Record your story on our Listener Testimonial Line 916-877-4888 or
- Record your story on a smartphone using Voice Memo or similar app, then email the audio to: [email protected]
If you do submit, listen closely during our next on-air campaign and you just might hear your story! | |
|
| |  | | Listen To CapRadio On Your Smart Speaker | CapRadio and NPR are accessible any time you want through your Amazon Alexa, Google Home or Apple Homepod smart speaker. To help you out, our digital products team put together a guide so you can easily stream the news and music you love. | |
|
| |  | | Signal Status Indicator | In order to better serve our listeners, we now have a web page where you can check the status of our broadcast signals across our coverage areas. You can also report problems you're having and easily access other listening options through our online streaming, mobile app and more. | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
