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Michael Tilson Thomas

Thursday

Charles Ives' 'Concord' Sonata As A Symphony

Composer Henry Brant took 36 years to transform the "Concord" sonata by Charles Ives into a full-fledged symphony. SFS Media hide caption

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SFS Media

Review

Deceptive Cadence

Charles Ives' 'Concord' Sonata As A Symphony

The maverick American composer spent 43 years perfecting his Piano Sonata; it took another non-conformist American, Henry Brant, another 36 years to transform it into a symphony. Hear an excerpt.

'Concord' Symphony -- The Alcotts (Michael Tilson Thomas conducts the San Francisco Symphony)

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Monday

YouTube Symphony: Multimedia Is The Message

Projections on the giant sails of the Sydney Opera House, which served as the venue for the YouTube Symphony Orchestra concert. Chris Phillips/YouTube hide caption

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Chris Phillips/YouTube

Opinion

Deceptive Cadence

YouTube Symphony: Multimedia Is The Message

The grand finale concert, Webcast live yesterday morning, was a satisfying marriage of technology and classical music, mixing old and new works with social media, high-tech projections and an orchestra of fresh faces culled from the Internet.

Tuesday

Thursday

Review

Music Reviews

City By City, A Night At The Symphony

Fresh Air

The San Francisco, Chicago and Boston symphony orchestras have all released new live albums recently; classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz had a listen, and he has a review.

City By City, A Night At The Symphony

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Tuesday

The Pastoral Power of 'Appalachian Spring'
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The NPR Classical 50

The Pastoral Power of 'Appalachian Spring'

In the 1940's, Aaron Copland developed lighter, clearer, more open textures for his ballets like Appalachian Spring. Hear critic Ted Libbey explain how the San Francisco Symphony puts those ideas across best, in a full-fledged recording.

Ted Libbey and Fred Child Recommend Aaron Copland's 'Appalachian Spring'

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Thursday

Music Interviews

Charles Ives' Rambunctious 'Fourth Of July'

Fireworks, folk songs and marching bands are just a few of the disparate elements that Charles Ives dropped into his evocative — and explosive — musical portrait of the national holiday. The festivities end as the town hall goes up in flames.

Charles Ives' Rambunctious 'Fourth Of July'

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Sunday

Music News

'New World' Grads Approach a Musical Bridge

At the New World Symphony in Miami, the challenge for young classical musicians finishing a three-year program is to find a new job in their profession. Ari Shapiro has watched the progress of symphony members over the past year. In the last of a three-part series, he reports on the challenges of transition.

'New World' Grads Approach a Musical Bridge

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Sunday

Music News

At New World, Young Musicians Expand Skills

Miami's New World Symphony offers a unique educational environment for talented young musicians. The artists have all their expenses paid while they play a concert season, build their repertoires and study with veteran conductors. But the symphony fellowships don't just stop at musical training. NPR's Ari Shapiro reports.

At New World, Young Musicians Expand Skills

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Sunday

Music Interviews

Michael Tilson Thomas' New World Symphony

Some of the country's best young classical musicians congregate in Miami each year to participate in the New World Symphony. In the first of a three-part series following the symphony, NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with the orchestra's artistic director Michael Tilson Thomas.

Michael Tilson Thomas' New World Symphony

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Sunday