On Monday, September 9, at 8 p.m. the Young People's Chorus of New York City conducted by its Artistic Director/Founder Francisco J. Núñez will give the broadcast premiere of the four newest compositions in Radio Radiance, its ground-breaking commissioning series for young voices.
Radio Radiance employs technologies and acoustic properties of radio in the context of musical art, pushing sounds beyond listeners' expectations. The two-hour program will air on WWFM, The Classical Network as part of its popular "Celebrating Our Musical Future" series and will be hosted by WWFM's Marjorie Herman and David Osenberg.
Radio Radiance was created by Francisco Núñez in 2009 to expand the influence of YPC's acclaimed Transient Glory commissioning program and has been funded since its inception by the National Endowment for the Arts. Through broadcasts on such radio outlets as American Public Media's Performance Today and WNYC, New York Public Radio, Radio Radiance has introduced millions of listeners to this fresh and innovative choral music, while at the same time invigorating the repertoire for young people.
The four new Radio Radiance compositions to air on September 9 were recorded before a live audience this past April in a concert at the 92nd Street Y hosted by WNYC's John Schaefer and are Celestial Fire by Thomas Cabaniss, which includes live looping technology; The City by TED Fellow Susie Ibarra to a poem by Yusef Komunyakaa; Colors by Kevin James, in which a palette of digital audio tools enables YPC to accompany itself; and WICBM by Toby Twining, recalling a historic mishap in radio's Emergency
Broadcast System in which the voices themselves recreate the technology. The program will be streamed worldwide at www.wwfm.org and can also be heard in New York City and surrounding areas via an HD Radio partnership with Columbia University-WKCR at 89.9HD2 and in Philadelphia via HD Radio at 89.5HD2.
Shortly following the September 9 broadcast, podcasts of each of the four works, will be available for streaming on the YPC Web site at
http://ypc.org/radioradiance/ where additional information about Radio Radiance can be found.
Concurrently, in an unusual collaboration between YPC and select regional youth choruses across mainland
America and Honolulu, Hawaii, YPC is providing this music to them so that young people can feel intimately connected with all aspects of creating a piece of music for local premieres. In the process of creating their performances, these choruses will receive encouragement and advice from YPC, as well as access to the composers themselves. In previous years, youth choruses have not only premiered this music locally, but have taken the music to perform in international choral competitions. This past June, composer Michael Harrison flew to Bellevue, Washington, to work with the Forest Ridge School on the West Coast premiere of his Hijaz.
Previous Radio Radiance commissions are Eve Beglarian's Machaut in the
Machine Age VI: Liement me deport, Picaflor Esmeralda from Two Mountain Songs by Gabriela Lena Frank, Things Heaven and Hell by Meredith Monk, Crosstown M42 by Rob Kapilow and Fred Newman,Tembandumba by Paquito D'Rivera, Hijaz by Michael Harrison, as well as Exalted by Michael Gordon and Another Secret eQuation by Terry Riley, both of which were co-commissioned by YPC and the Kronos Quartet.
The Young People's Chorus of New York City was founded 25 years ago on a mission of diversity and artistic excellence by its artistic director Francisco J. Núñez. Today, YPC is in residence at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center and has become one of the most celebrated and influential youth choruses in the world. YPC receives invitations to perform from presenters on four continents and has received the nation's highest honor for youth programs, a National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award, from First Lady Michelle Obama.
Francisco J. Núñez, a MacArthur Fellow, is a conductor, composer, visionary, leading figure in music education, and the founder of the award-winning Young People's Chorus of New York City. Mr. Núñez also leads the University Glee Club of New York City and is sought after nationwide as a guest conductor, a master teacher and advisor, and a keynote speaker on the role of music in achieving equality and diversity among children in today's society. His music and arrangements are published by Boosey & Hawkes.
WWFM The Classical Network is a full time, 24-hour classical station, now celebrating 30 years of innovative programming of great music. The Classical Network serves Central New Jersey and the Jersey Shore; eastern Pennsylvania, including the Lehigh Valley and parts of Colorado. The Classical Network is streamed worldwide 24/7 at
www.wwfm.org.
Monday, September 9, at 8 p.m.
Radio Radiance
Two-hour broadcast featuring
Young People's Chorus of New York City
Francisco J. Núñez, Artistic Director/Founder
Celestial Fire
Thomas Cabaniss
The City
Susie Ibarra
Colors
Kevin James
WICBM
Toby Twining
Recorded and broadcast by WWFM The Classical Network
Streamed worldwide at www.wwfm.org
Also heard:
In New York City area in an HD Radio partnership WKCR (Columbia University) at 89.9HD2
In Philadelphia via HD Radio at 89.5HD2
Photo Credit: Jennifer Taylor
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