Center Stage

April Verch Band on Center Stage

2013-05-16T22:16:49Z

Saturday, May 18, on witf's Center Stage

April Verch is from Ottawa Valley, Canada where she grew up immersed in the traditional folk music and dance of the area. She started step-dancing at age 3 and picked up the fiddle at age 6. In her teens she was a student at Mark O’Connor’s fiddle camp. By the time she graduated high school she had won the Canadian Open Old Time Fiddle Championship and released a pair of albums. In 2010, she represented Canada's fiddling tradition by performing in the Opening Ceremonies at the Olympic Winter Games.

Now she tours full time with the April Verch Band, which includes bassist and clawhammer banjo player Cody Walters and guitarist Hayes Griffin. Along the way, April Verch has added songwriting to her list of accomplishments. Her newest album, Bright Like Gold, include both original compositions and traditional pieces.

She performed at a Susquehanna Folk Music Society concert at the Abbey Bar in Harrisburg in January of 2013, which is where our Center Stage live performance was recorded.

We'll also shine our Center Stage Spotlight on the all-female Celtic music group, Cherish the Ladies. When they visited the witf studios in 2011 they brought along 2-time All-Irish National Irish Dancing Champion Michael Holland, who performed with them in the studio.

Check out the video below for some of their in-studio performance with Michael dancing.

Market Square Concerts on Center Stage

2013-05-08T19:16:30Z

Artistic Director, Peter Sirotin

Executive Director, Ya-Ting Chang

Sunday, April 21, 8 p.m.

Schumann Trio & Linden Quartet with Christopher Grymes

Hosted by Ellen Hughes, former Executive & Artistic Director of Market Square Concerts

Schumann Trio:

Robert Schumann: Mӓrchenerzӓhlungen, Op. 132

Rebecca Clarke: Three Pieces for Clarinet and Viola

Max Bruch: Two Pieces for Clarinet, Viola & Piano, Op. 83, No. 4 & No. 7

Linden Quartet with Christopher Grymes, clarinet:

Mozart: Clarinet Quintet in A, KV. 581

Sunday, May 19, 8 p.m.

Philarmonia Quartett Berlin

Hosted by Ellen Hughes, former Executive & Artistic Director of Market Square Concerts

On the Program:

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: String Quartet in D, K. 499, "Hoffmeister"

Ludwig van Beethoven: String Quartet No. 10, OP. 74 in E-flat, "Harp"

Lancaster Symphony Orchestra Broadcasts on Center Stage

2013-05-07T19:16:53Z

Sunday, April 14, 8 p.m.

“Capriccio Espagnole & Angel Romero ” from October 2012

Stephen Gunzenhauser, Music Director, Conductor and Host

On the program:

Lalo Schifrin: Guitar Concerto with guitarist Angel Romero

Alberto Ginastera: Variaciones concertantes

Maurice Ravel: Alborada del gracioso

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov: Capriccio espagnol

Sunday, May 12, 8 p.m.

American Classics: Gershwin, Copland, Bernstein & Chesky from January 2013

Stephen Gunzenhauser, Music Director, Conductor and Host

On the Program:

Aaron Copland: Billy the Kid Suite

David Chesky: Violin Concerto No. 2 with violinist Michael Ludwig

David Chesky is the 52nd recipient of the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra Composer's Award.

Leonard Bernstein: Dances from On the Town

George Gershwin: Symphonic Suite from Porgy and Bess

Cabinet on Center Stage

2013-05-02T21:47:39Z

Saturday, May 4, 8 p.m. on witf's Center Stage

Cabinet is a six-piece, bluegrass-influenced Pennsylvania band with a heart for performing live. Their latest album, Leap, was recorded in the studio, but done in live takes with a live audience. Before that, the band released a live DVD / CD recorded November 11, 2011 at Harrisburg’s Abbey Bar. The CD set is called Eleven and captures Cabinet in the heart of their element.

Cabinet is built of Pappy Biondo [banjo, vocals], J.P. Biondo [mandolin, vocals], Mickey Coviello [acoustic guitar, vocals], Dylan Skursky [electric bass, double bass], Todd Kopec [fiddle, vocals], and Jami Novak [drums, percussion].

Pappy and J.P. Biondo are cousins, and are the main songwriters for the group. Along with guitarist Mickey Coviello they sat down to talk with Center Stage hosts Joe Ulrich and Cary Burkett about their music and the band. The concert comes from their live appearance at the Abbey Bar performed in front of a rambunctious sold out crowd.

You can get their music and goodies online at the ropeadope store or on Itunes. And check out their upcoming appearance on May 11 hosting the music festival The Old Farmer’s Ball in the Toyota Pavilion, 1000 Montage Mountain Rd, Scranton, PA.

Also on the progrram a Center Stage Spotlight feature on The Lone Wolf Project. Singer/songwriter Philip Nathaniel Freeman and a number of his friends perform and record under that name. He is from Mount Wolf, PA and his music is rooted in folk and blues.

Jazz Vocalist Jackie Ryan on Center Stage

2013-04-24T15:59:34Z

Saturday, May 25 at 8 p.m. on witf's Center Stage

The reviews for the concerts and recordings of singer Jackie Ryan are numerous and lavish with praise. One example from JazzTimes said that she is

one of the outstanding jazz vocalists of her generation and, quite possibly, of all time. She is the thoroughbred vocal equivalent of the Triple Crown, rivaling the dexterous sass of Sarah Vaughan, the instinctive smarts of Carmen McRae and the scintillating verve of Diana Krall.

Her double-cd set called Doozy stayed at the number 1 spot nationwide on the jazz charts for seven weeks, a record for a vocal recording only matched by Diana Krall’s From This Moment On. Her latest recording. Listen Here, also went to the top of the jazz charts.

Jackie Ryan was a featured artist on NPR, Voice of America, CNN Español, and Primetime A&E.

Her appearance on Center Stage is from a concert presented by the Central PA Friends of Jazz at the Ware Center in Lancaster in November of 2012.

As part of that series of concerts, CPFOJ also presented the legendary bassist Rufus Reid and the Out Front Trio. Reid is an honored member of the CPFOJ Hall of Fame. Our Center Stage Spotlight feature on this program provides an interview with him and a sampling of some of his music.

Hoots & Hellmouth on Center Stage

2013-04-11T15:28:10Z

Saturday, May 11 at 8 p.m. on witf's Center Stage

The rock/roots band Hoots and Hellmouth was recorded live in Lancaster as presented by MOSAIC. Singer/songwriter Sean Hoots brings his own personal blend of influences to create music steeped in folk, soul, blues and rock. To hear some of the music, check out some tracks from the band’s third album, Salt, recently released. You can hear our interview with Sean Hoots below.

Lancaster-based MOSAIC sees itself as much more than a group of presenters. MOSAIC describes itself as “a collaborative network of innovators, pioneers, entrepreneurs, artists and activists that exists to empower and unleash human potential and creativity into the city of Lancaster and the world.” Keith Wilson produced the Hoots & Hellmouth concert for MOSAIC. Nick Francis is Executive Producer for the organization. You can hear out interview with them below as well, and check out the MOSAIC website for more.

Isaac Gill

In addition, the program will include a Center Stage Spotlight on singer/songwriter Isaac Gill and his music.

Hear the interview with Sean Hoots:

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Hear the Interview with Nick Francis and Keith Wilson of Mosaic:

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Center Stage Concert Schedule

2013-03-25T19:53:00Z

Below is the schedule for our broadcasts of full-length regional concerts on Center Stage on witf 89.5fm and 93.3.5fm. All shows start at 8 p.m. and are hosted by witf's Cary Burkett and Joe Ulrich. Click on each entry for information on the individual programs.

Gretna Music Concerts on Center Stage

2013-03-18T18:35:34Z

Sunday, April 28 8 p.m. on witf's Center Stage

Pianist Joel Fan

Monsters of the Steinway, Concert 2

Joel Fan has found an enthusiastic following. His most recent recording hit No. 3 on the Billboard Classical Chart. His past appearances include performances with Yo-Yo Ma with the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic. A graduate of Harvard University, Mr. Fan has been hailed by critics as having “uncanny technical skill…” (Washington Post) and as possessing playing that is “the picture of textural clarity,” and a “probing intellect and vivid imagination.” (New York Times).

Joel Fan is a Steinway artist.

On the Program:

Alexander Scriabin: Piano Sonata No. 5 in F-sharp, Op. 53

Sergei Rachmaninoff: Piano Sonata No. 2 in b-flat minor, Op. 32

Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat, Op. 106, "Hammerklavier"

Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra Broadcasts on Center Stage

2013-03-16T19:03:46Z

Sunday April 7 8 p.m.

“Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody” from October 2012

Stuart Malina, Music Director and Conductor

Jeff Woodruff, Executive Director and Host

On the program:

Richard Strauss: Don Juan

Sergei Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on a Theme by Paganini with pianist Alon Goldstein

Robert Schumann: Symphony No. 3 “Rhenish”

Sunday May 5, 8 p.m.

“Catch A Rising Star” from November 2012

Stuart Malina, Music Director and Conductor

Jeff Woodruff, Executive Director and Host

The HSO is proud to present the winner of the third Rodney and Lorna Sawatsky Rising Stars Concerto Competition with cellist Julia Rosenbaum performing Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme.

On the program:

Franz Joseph Haydn: Symphony No. 102

Piotr Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme with cellist Julia Rosenbaum

Dmitri Shostakovich: Symphony No. 6

Sunday June 2, 8 p.m.

“Chee-Yun's Tchaikovsky” from January 2013

Stuart Malina, Music Director and Conductor

Jeff Woodruff, Executive Director and Host

Guest Artist violinist Chee-Yun makes her HSO debut.

On the program:

Richard Wagner: Prelude to Die Meistersinger

Piotr Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto with violinist Chee-Yun

Carl Nielsen: Symphony No 3, Sinfonia Espansiva

Edna Project on Center Stage

2013-03-11T13:10:48Z

Saturday, April 20, 8 p.m. on witf's Center Stage

Seth Farber and Liz Queler

Liz Queler and Seth Farber are a wife-and-husband musical duo, who both have strong individual music credits as performers and song writers. ( You can read their background bios on the Edna Project website.) Together, they have produced an album called The Edna Project, original music set to the poetry of American poet Edna St. Vincent Millay.

They tour a live version of the program, and performed the music at the Midtown Scholar Café and Bookstore in Harrisburg, which is where Center Stage caught up with them.

Liz is the one who first developed an interest in the work of Edna St. Vincent Millay. She had a book of the poetry given to her by her mother-in-law, but had never read it. One day, frustrated by a spell of writer’s block, she pulled the book off her shelf intending to compose a song to one of the poems just as a writer’s exercise. The result was that she became drawn deeply into the world of Edna St. Vincent Millay, and soon was composing a whole collection of songs based on the poetry.

Husband Seth Farber found the poetry book open one day, and soon started adding his own songs to the collection.

The Edna Project is musically rooted in a folk/rock/bluegrass sound, but also shows a lot of influences from jazz and blues. Check out the video below with one of their tunes based on the Millay poem, The Pond. And the whole album is available from Red Wall Records.

Philip Gulley

This Center Stage Concert also includes a humorous tale told by bestselling author Philip Gulley from the Lititz Storytelling Festival. Check out our interview with Philip Gully and feature on that festival. This year’s festival is coming up on September 13-14.

And finally, the concert includes our very own Center Stage Poet’s Corner, featuring an interview with local poet David J. Bauman, purveyor of the Dad Poet Blog. He reads one of his own poems for us too. You can listen to our Poet’s Corner feature with him below.

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Jazz Guitarist Cal Collins on Center Stage

2013-03-10T18:52:52Z

Saturday, April 27, 8 p.m. on witf's Center Stage

Cal Collins

The career of the late Cal Collins included a stint in Benny Goodman’s band from 1976-1981. That association also led to a long association for Collins with Concord Records, one of the leading mainstream jazz labels for 30 years. He recorded as guitarist for many of the label’s big artists, including Rosemary Clooney, as well as making many recordings of his own.

Collins was from Indiana, where he began his career by playing bluegrass mandolin. He switched to jazz guitar after hearing recordings by Django Reinhardt and became one of the most widely respected jazz guitarists of his time.

He spent a good deal of time in Central PA, often filling in for pianist Steve Rudolph, one of the founders of Central PA Friends of Jazz. The two made a recording together called That Was Good shortly before Collins’ death in 2001. Our Center Stage concert with Cal Collins was recorded at the Harrisburg Hilton in 1993 by Russ Neff and John Uhl. Cal Collins is joined by bassist Hassan Shakur, who has performed with many jazz greats.

Steve Rudolph was good friends with Cal Collins, and spent some time in our studio reminiscing about the guitarist and their many performances together. You can listen to our feature with Steve below:

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The Stray Birds on Center Stage

2013-03-02T14:27:07Z

Saturday, April 13, 8 p.m. on witf's Center Stage

The Stray Birds are Oliver Craven, Maya de Vitry and Charlie Muench, all raised within a few miles of each other in Lancaster County. That common background may play a part in how they achieve such incredibly tight vocal harmonies when they perform as a folk trio.

They have performed a lot throughout the area and a lot of people are starting to take notice of their unique sound. Their CD, titled The Stray Birds, was chosen as one of the top ten folk/Americana albums of 2012 by NPR. Definitely worth checking out.

When they performed in an intimate house concert at Live from the Cellar in Lancaster, their concert was recorded by Keith Wilson of MOSAIC, and you can hear the result on witf’s Center Stage on April 13, staring at 8 pm. Though they play a few covers of other artists, most of the concert is made up of their own original material. And throughout the concert, the Stray Birds share conversation about their music with Center Stage hosts Cary Burkett and Joe Ulrich.

Also, we shine the Center Stage Spotlight on singer/songwriter Suzi Brown for a feature on her music, and hear from Jason Mundok from Wood Stove House about the Live from the Cellar venue.

Darrell Scott SFMS Concert Launches Expanded Programming

2013-03-01T12:47:29Z

Saturday, April 6, 8 p.m. on witf's Center Stage

Award-winning singer/songwriter Darrell Scott performed in a Susquehanna Folk Music Society concert in Septermber of 2012.

You can hear the concert on witf's Center Stage Saturday evening, April 6, starting at 8 on witf 89.5 and 93.3.The concert launches a new, expanded version of Center Stage, with classical concerts on Sunday evenings and folk, rock, jazz and indie music on Saturday evenings.

Included in the concert is a Center Stage Spotlight feature on the local group Voxology, who opened for the live SFMS concert featuring Darrell Scott.

Darrell Scott grew up in Kentucky, as part of a family country band led by his father Wayne Scott. His recent album, Long Road Home, pays tribute to those country roots and includes a duet with his father. Wayne Scott died in 2011 in an automobile accident. The event led Darrell Scott to write these words at the time:

"this morning"

my father died this morning...

car accident

his first his last

helicoptered to trauma center

his end begun

& ended

all

in 4 hours

eyewitnesses say he ran

a red light

in front of a semi

impact

and the car drove half

a mile before resting inside

a wendy's on 25E

corbin, knox county,

kentucky

march 2, 1934 to this morning,

this morning,

november 18, 2011

i feel certain

he was listening

to music

darrell scott

Wheatland Chorale Concerts on Center Stage

2013-02-10T19:42:19Z

Sunday, March 31, 8 p.m.

"Masterpieces for Lent" from 2011

Robert J. Upton, Conductor

Arlen Clarke: O bone Jesu

Felix Mendelssohn: Christus, Op. 97, first eight sections

Franz Jospeh Haydn: Selections from The Seven Last Words of Christ

Felix Mendelssohn: Christus, Op 97, final chorale

Arlen Clarke: Pie Jesu

Eric Whitacre: Five Hebrew Love Songs

Traditional: Calvary

I Want Jesus to Walk with Me

This Little Light of Mine

Ride on, King Jesus

Irish Blessing