Arts Conversations

Olga Kern on the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto Festival

Raymond Jones talks with pianist Olga Kern about her upcoming performances of the complete cycle of Rachmaninoff concertos with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.

Eric Jacobsen on the Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto Festival

Dwight Davis talks with Virginia Symphony Orchestra Music Director Eric Jacobsen about the upcoming Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto Festival with Olga Kern.

Interview with Julia Bullock

Wayla talks with classical singer Julia Bullock about her upcoming Virginia Arts Festival performance of Jessie Montgomery's Five Freedom Songs.

Interview with Elizabeth Blackney

Rebecca Weinstein spoke with Elizabeth Blackney, Executive Director of the Cook Foundation, about the 2023 Gloucester Arts Festival.

The Emerson Quartet and Beethoven

Dwight Davis talks with violists Lawrence Dutton

Rachmaninoff at 150

Dwight Davis talks with pianist Olga Kern about her VAF recital

Interview with Rob Fisher

Rebecca Weinstein talks with Broadway music director Rob Fisher about Virginia Arts Festival's upcoming performance of Chicago the Musical - in Concert, with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra.

Interview with violinist Randall Goosby

Raymond Jones speaks with Randall Goosby about his upcoming Virginia Arts Festival performance at the Attucks Theatre, recent recording projects, and the original dedicatee of Beethoven's Kreutzer Sonata.

Interview with Chuck Woodward, Artistic Director of the Virginia Chorale

The Virginia Chorale will perform a concert called “Lift Every Voice: Music of Black Women Composers" on February 4 and 5. Rebecca Weinstein spoke with Artistic Director Chuck Woodward about the program and what inspired him to put it together.

Interview with Floriana Frassetto of Mummenschanz

Virginia Arts Festival presents the Swiss ensemble Mummenschanz on Saturday, October 29 at Chrysler Hall. Rebecca spoke with Artistic Director and Founding Member Floriana Frassetto.

Conversation with Virginia Symphony Conductor Eric Jacobsen

Dwight Davis talks with Eric Jacobsen about the "Celebration of Water" concert

Interview with Rob Fisher

Renowned Broadway conductor Rob Fisher, who’s a longtime collaborator with the Virginia Arts Festival, was recently appointed its Goode Family Artistic Advisor for Broadway and American Songbook. For the Festival’s 25th Anniversary Season, he’s conducting the Virginia Symphony Orchestra for The Sound of Music, and serving as Music Director for a concert with Renee Fleming and Kristin Chenoweth. Rebecca Weinstein spoke with Rob recently about these upcoming performances and the relevance of cl...

Interview with Scott Jackson

Raymond Jones speaks with Scott Jackson, Director of the Virginia International Tattoo, about the Tattoo's upcoming 25th anniversary performances, which feature a triumphant return to Scope Arena, an all-new international cast, a musical tribute to “March King” John Philip Sousa, and an emotional celebration of the resilience of the human spirit.

Interview with Olga Kern

Raymond Jones speaks with Virginia Arts Festival's Director of Chamber Music, Olga Kern, about this season’s upcoming concerts

Interview with Chuck Woodward

On Sunday, April 10 at 4 PM, the Virginia Chorale presents "A Decade of Song," celebrating Chuck Woodward’s 10th anniversary as Artistic Director. Rebecca Weinstein spoke with him about what to expect.

Interview with conductor Ormsby Wilkins

Wayla speaks with Ormsby Wilkins, Music Director for American Ballet Theatre, about the company's upcoming performances at the Virginia Arts Festival, the relationship between music and dance, and how it felt to come back to performing after the hiatus caused by the pandemic.

Interview with Nadia and Christine DiGiallonardo

On Saturday, December 4, Virginia Arts Festival presents a holiday spectacular featuring sisters Nadia and Christine DiGiallonardo with the Festival Five led by Rob Fisher. Rebecca Weinstein spoke with Nadia and Christine about their musical upbringing and longtime collaboration with Fisher.

Interview with Norman Elton

Rebecca Weinstein spoke with Norman Elton, who runs the Open Door Concert Series in Williamsburg, about what their journey has been like so far and what their plans are for the future.

Interview with Truly Matthews of Virginia MOCA

As the arts remerge in person this fall, the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art in Virginia Beach offers a chance to peek inside the minds of talented young women through an exhibition called “Emergence,” running through November 28. Rebecca Weinstein spoke with Virginia MOCA's Curator of Education, Truly Matthews, about the project.

Interview with Opera in Williamsburg

Opera in Williamsburg presents Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore (The Elixir of Love) September 10 and 12. Rebecca Weinstein spoke with conductor Jorge Parodi and stage director Benjamin Spierman.

Interview with the team behind the New Musicals Lab

Last month, Christopher Newport University announced an initiative called the New Musicals Lab. The New Musicals Lab brings together writers, directors, composers, designers, and performers from all over the country to create and workshop musical theatre in the safe haven of Hampton Roads. Rebecca Weinstein spoke with Artistic Producer Colin Ruffer, as well as one of the creative teams going through the lab: Ilana Ransom Toeplitz and Shoshana Shattenkirk, who are creating a musical about comp...

Interview with the Virginia Symphony Orchestra's New Music Director, Eric Jacobsen

Dwight Davis speaks with noted American conductor and cellist, Eric Jacobsen, who will step into the role of the Virginia Symphony Orchestra's new Music Director beginning July 1.

The Virginia International Tattoo Returns

Raymond Jones speaks with Scott Jackson, Producer of the Virginia International Tattoo, about the 2021 Tattoo taking place this week at Old Dominion University’s S. B. Ballard stadium.

Olga Kern speaks about performing Beethoven with the Virginia Symphony

Dwight Davis speaks with Olga Kern

Interview with conductor Gerard Schwarz

Raymond Jones speaks with conductor Gerard Schwarz about his upcoming concerts with the Virginia Symphony and more.

Dwight Davis speaks with the Virginia Arts Festival's Olga Kern

Olga Kern discusses upcoming VAF chamber music concerts.

Dwight Davis speaks with the Virginia Arts Festival's Olga Kern

Information on the Olga Kern Trio

Interview with the Stars of Trouble in Tahiti

Virginia Arts Festival and Virginia Opera present Leonard Bernstein's one-act opera "Trouble in Tahiti" the weekend of May 7. Rebecca Weinstein spoke with the leads, mezzo-soprano Marissa Simmons, and bass-baritone Eric McConnell, about the show.

Interview with Ryan Speedo Green

Wayla Chambo talks with bass-baritone Ryan Speedo Green about his upcoming Virginia Arts Festival performance, how he fell in love with opera, and the importance of diversity and inclusion in classical music.

Interview with Karla Donehew Perez of the Catalyst Quartet

Raymond Jones speaks with Catalyst Quartet violinist Karla Donehew Perez about the group's upcoming Virginia Arts Festival performance and their Uncovered project, which celebrates works by artists who have been overlooked and sidelined in classical music.

Interview with Rebecca Gilmore and Daniel Lau

Cellist Rebecca Gilmore and pianist Daniel Lau are featured in the final performance of this winter's WHRO virtual chamber music concert series. Wayla spoke with them about what makes playing chamber music so special, and the challenges and opportunities the pandemic has presented.

Interview with Anna Feucht

We're in the midst of WHRO's virtual chamber music concert series, featuring exclusive performances from local musicians. The next concert features soprano Anna Feucht and pianist Steve Kolb. Rebecca Weinstein spoke with Anna about the music on the program, how life has been during the pandemic, and her love of mad scenes.

Interview with Lee Jordan-Anders

We're in the midst of WHRO's virtual chamber music concert series, featuring exclusive performances from local musicians. The next concert features pianist Lee Jordan-Anders. Rebecca Weinstein spoke with her about how life has been lately, the music she’s sharing with us, and how she wants us to walk away from her performance feeling.

Interview with Debra Cross and Barbara Chapman

Wayla speaks with flutist Debra Wendells Cross and harpist Barbara Chapman, both longtime members of the Virginia Symphony and this week's featured artists in WHRO's Virtual Chamber Music Concert Series.

Interview with Todd Holcomb

We're in the midst of WHRO's virtual chamber music concert series, featuring exclusive performances from local musicians. Our second concert in the series is by guitarist Todd Holcomb. Rebecca Weinstein spoke with him about the recording process for the concert, the music he’s sharing with us, and how he gets in his performance state of mind.

Interview with New Commonwealth Quartet

This week kicks off WHRO's virtual chamber music concert series, featuring exclusive performances from local musicians. Our first concert in the series is by the New Commonwealth Quartet, and Wayla Chambo spoke with members of the group about their experiences making music over the past several months.

Interview with Malcolm J. Merriweather

WHRO-FM will air "The Ballad of the Brown King," a cantata by Margaret Bonds on Saturday, December 19. Rebecca Weinstein interviewed Malcolm J. Merriweather, who directed this world premiere recording with the Dessoff Choirs.

Interview with conductor James Blachly

James Blachly speaks with Wayla about his recently released premiere recording of The Prison (1930) by Dame Ethel Smyth, why he considers it a neglected masterpiece, and what particular meaning it might hold for us in 2020.

Interview with Adam Turner of Virginia Opera

Virginia Opera was forced to cancel its production of Aida due to COVID-19, but the company is still working to stay connected with opera lovers across Virginia. This Thursday, April 30, Virginia Opera will stream a production of La Boheme from 2015 on YouTube. Rebecca interviewed Artistic Director Adam Turner about how the company is coping during these tough times.

Local Brewery Delivers New Product

Jae Sinnett, host of Sinnett in Session on WHRV had a few moments to speak with Randy Thomas, president and owner The Vanguard Brewpub & Distillery about their mandated shutdown, their opportunity to be part of the distillery team making hand sanitizer for the U.S. government, and the creative ways they are still working to support local musicians during the shutdown. Out of bad, comes good!

Virginia Opera Preview: Verdi's Aida

Dr. Glenn Winters discusses the final Virginia Opera production of this season, Verdi's epic masterpiece Aida.

From Norfolk to the Met: Tenor Frederick Ballentine

Frederick Ballentine grew up in Norfolk and attended the Governor's School for the Arts, where he fell in love with opera. This season, he made his debut at The Metropolitan Opera with the role of Sportin' Life in their new production of Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. Frederick talks with Wayla about his memories of Governor's School, his advice for current students, and what it was like making that Met debut.

Interview with Andrew Greene of the Peacherine Ragtime Orchestra

The Peacherine Ragtime Orchestra will perform in Kill Devil Hills on Saturday, January 25. Rebecca Evans interviewed Andrew Greene, the orchestra’s conductor and founder, about the performance.

Interview with guitarist Raphael Feuillatre

Wayla speaks with French guitarist Raphael Feuillatre, who was the First Prize Winner of the 2018 Guitar Foundation of America Competition and is currently on tour throughout North America. His recently released album on the Naxos label includes a wide range of styles and periods, encompassing both classic works for the guitar and transcriptions of works from composers such as Rameau, Rachmaninov, and Scriabin. He performs two concerts in the area this week, presented by the Tidewater Classi...

Interview with Virginia Musical Theatre: A Grand Night for Singing

Virginia Musical Theatre presents the Rodgers and Hammerstein review "A Grand Night for Singing" the weekend of November 22. Rebecca Evans interviewed Director Lindsay Eure and performer Tyler Sodoma about their backgrounds, the arrangements in the show, and the moments they're most excited about.

Interview with the Norfolk Chamber Consort: Traversing the Americas

The Norfolk Chamber Consort presents “Traversing the Americas” on Monday, November 11. Rebecca Evans interviewed Artistic Co-Directors Andrey Kasparov and Oksana Lutsyshyn about their involvement with the Consort and what to expect at Monday’s concert.

Preview of Virginia Opera's "Il Postino" with Glen Winters

opera discussion

Curiosity and Kindness: A Conversation with Caroline Shaw

Caroline Shaw, an innovative composer, violinist, and vocalist, is a guest artist with the Virginia Symphony this week. She was the youngest-ever recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Music in 2013, and has written for and collaborated with a wide range of artists, from Renee Fleming, to the Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra, to Ben Folds. Wayla Chambo talks with Caroline about her creative process, the many musical hats she wears, and what listeners can expect to hear at these concerts.

Shakespeare’s Macbeth at the Generic Theater

Shakespeare’s Macbeth opens at the Generic Theater on Friday, October 4. Rebecca Evans interviewed the director and two leads about the production.

Preview of Virginia Opera's "Tosca" with Glen Winters