WQXR's 2nd Season Of 'New York In Concert' Launches This Weekend

WQXR, New York City's classical music station, today announced the launch of a second season of "New York in Concert" - a guide to the city's classical scene featuring exclusive, locally-sourced performances, and the artists, ensembles, and institutions that make New York a leader in music.

Originally conceived as a way to bring audiences a concert hall experience in the early days of the pandemic, the second season of "New York in Concert" will recognize COVID-19's impact on the arts, and will devote special attention to the ways New York's art world is rebounding. The 10-part weekly series - hosted by WNYC and WQXR's John Schaefer - will celebrate the city's incomparable stages through thematic episodes that spotlight the living story of classical music here in New York. Organizations highlighted include: Orchestra of St. Luke's, Harlem Chamber Players, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, 92Y, Trinity Wall Street, New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, Bargemusic, The Morgan Library, Caramoor Festival, and The Knights.

"New York in Concert" kicks off this Saturday, April 24 at 7pm ET with "A Tour of New York," taking listeners on a sonic journey to diverse venues around the city, from the Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park, to (Le) Poisson Rouge downtown, and finishing uptown at Carnegie Hall. The episode features music by Ralph Vaughan Williams, Sibelius, and Gershwin, with performances by Ensemble LPR, Maxim Lando, Lang Lang, and the late Chick Corea.

Upcoming Episodes Include:

Choirs of New York (May 1)

Interviews with choral music giant Kent Tritle and Pulitzer Prize winning composer Caroline Shaw. Compositions by Monteverdi, Samuel Barber, Beethoven, Wynton Marsalis, Caroline Shaw, and a newly composed piece featuring words by the late Congressman John Lewis.

Classical Music in Brooklyn (May 8)

Live recordings from Bargemusic, Brooklyn Rider, Simone Dinnerstein, Margaret Leng Tan, and The Knights. Compositions by Mozart, Piazzolla, Halvorsen-Handel, Christina Courtin, and John Cage.

Music in Underground Spaces (May 22)

Featuring underground venues (Le) Poisson Rouge, the Greenwood Catacombs, Subculture, and Zankel Hall. Music from Shostakovich, Haydn, Beethoven, and George Walker, and interviews with musicians that play on New York City subways.

"We are proud to present the breadth and depth of New York's musical scene through New York in Concert, an important piece of our STAR (Salutes The ARts) initiative," said WQXR Chief Content Officer Ed Yim. "As live performances begin to return after a difficult year, this series celebrates the city and the music we love and want to share with audiences near and far."

"New York in Concert" airs Saturdays at 7pm ET on WQXR 105.9 FM in New York and online at WQXR.org through July 10, 2021.