Toledo SymphonyLAB™
224 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 1 year ago - ★★★★★ - 11 ratingsTouchstone Award Winner - Best Single Radio Report 2022, Best Radio Show 2020, Best Radio Show 2019, Best Broadcast Radio 2018 Toledo SymphonyLAB™ is an award-winning radio podcast series from WGTE Public Media in collaboration with the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, providing a weekly half-hour behind-the-scenes look at the world of classical music. Every week, host Brad Cresswell and TSO personalities explore a theme inspired by a concert or other event from the symphony's season. With lively discussion, quizzes, and even audio "re-enactments" of historical events, Toledo SymphonyLAB™ seeks to bring a pop culture aesthetic to the storied world of classical music. In addition to our regular panelists, the program often features special appearances by guest soloists, members of the TSO, and TSO Music Director Alain Trudel.
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Episodes
Mahler Mania
May 31, 2023 04:00 - 48.6 MBIn our final episode of Toledo SymphonyLAB, we once again dive into the music of Gustav Mahler - whose Third Symphony brings the TSO season to a close. Special return guest (and musicologist) Effie Papanikolaou shines light both on the man and the music, joining conductor Alain Trudel and Mahler enthusiast Zak Vassar (who also happens to be the TSO's President and CEO).
TSO @ 80!
May 24, 2023 04:00 - 49.2 MBWe preview and celebrate the upcoming season of the Toledo Symphony Orchestra as they mark 80 years of serving the community with great music.
Summer Music
May 17, 2023 04:00 - 34.9 MBWe welcome warmer weather with a preview of the Toledo Symphony's chamber program, Summer Music. In addition to seasonal selections from Samuel Barber and Wolfgang Mozart, we learn all about a world premiere on the program, called Mojave Sketches for brass quintet and percussion. The composer, Navdeep Singh Galen, plus one of the performers, TSO Principal Tuba David Saltzman, give valuable insight to the work, which was inspired by the seven magic mountains art installation in California's Mo...
Getting to Know a Kerson
May 10, 2023 04:00 - 43.2 MBWe spend the hour getting to know Kerson Leong, who brings his violin to the Peristyle as soloist for Béla Bartók's Second Violin Concerto. Kerson leads us through the intricacies of Bartók's music, and recounts his early interest in the instrument (that is, after his parents discouraged Kerson's original choice, the double-bass - fearing transportation issues). And for our quiz of the day, we check in with Kerson's updated answers to the Violin Channel's Q&A (available on YouTube) from 2016.
The Art of Art
May 03, 2023 04:00 - 39.5 MBAs the Toledo Jazz Orchestra offers up its final performance of the season, we take the opportunity to examine the complex and virtuosic artistry of Toledo's own Art Tatum. We hear behind-the-scenes stories and marvel at Tatum's uncanny ability to transform simple melodies into one-of-a-kind showpieces for piano. We also uncover some fun facts which you may not know about Toledo's Jazz maestro in our quiz of the day!
Yo-Yo Ma in Toledo
April 26, 2023 04:00 - 39.2 MBWe celebrate the return of superstar cellist Yo-Yo Ma to the Peristyle with a full house of Toledo Symphony personalities, including special guest Amy Chang (who is also a cellist). Hear stories and get to know Yo-Yo Ma through our conversation (and "Quiz"-versation), as he's not only a performing artist, but a driving force in the effort to use music to address global issues. Also, not to be forgotten is Johannes Brahms, whose final symphony pairs nicely with Yo-Yo Ma's rendition of the El...
Cinderella
April 19, 2023 04:00 - 34.8 MBWe highlight the Toledo Ballet's production of Sergei Prokofiev's Cinderella with guest appearances from the show's choreographer Eric Otto and the conductor of the program Jonathan McPhee. Think you know your Cinderella? Find out in our Fairy-Tale Quiz of the Day!
Parker plays Tchaikovsky
April 12, 2023 04:00 - 51.7 MBWe delve into the wonderful wide world of Dimitri Shostakovich and his powerhouse Symphony No. 5 (which the TSO plays this weekend!). Also, we welcome the star of the show, Canadian pianist Jon Kimura Parker, who makes his Toledo Symphony debut with one of the most beloved concertos of its kind, the "Tchaik I" - a.k.a. Piotr Tchaikovsky's first piano concerto. And Did You Know? Jon Kimura Parker goes by the nickname "Jackie" when offstage. We'll explore some other well-known "Jackies" in our...
Hangin' with Matt Catingub
April 05, 2023 04:00 - 36.5 MBWe spend the hour with arranger, composer, Big Band leader, Pops conductor, pianist, saxophonist, and (whew!) vocalist, Matt Catingub – who brings his talents to the Peristyle with the Toledo Jazz Orchestra. Get to know Matt as he talks about his mother, the singer Mavis Rivers (who signed on with Frank Sinatra's label in the late '60s), tells stories and drops names (George Clooney and Toni Tennille among them). Plus, we uncover some "Frank Facts" in our quiz of the day for the Sinatraphile...
April's Fool
March 29, 2023 04:00 - 39.4 MBIt's our April Fools Day special, as hilarity ensues with special guests Tony Geftos and Derek Emch joining us in the studio. Learn about our favorite pranks, hear some fake news reports (thank you, Tony!), and play "one true, two false" with newspaper headlines. Care to test your trivia knowledge? Try our quiz about the many shades of April. Listen in and celebrate the time of year when we all say, "April Fools!"
Puccini Forever!
March 22, 2023 04:00 - 42.2 MBIt's opera enthusiast time, as we welcome tenor Zach Borichevsky by phone to talk about his upcoming Puccini extravaganza at Rosary Cathedral with the TSO. We also take the opportunity to get to know Zach and his Toledo history, plus we nerd out on great tenors in our "drop-the-needle-and-name-that-tenor" quiz. What makes a singer great? Listen and find out!
Take the "A" Train
March 15, 2023 04:00 - 31.2 MBIt's a one-on-one between TSO Music Director Alain Trudel and WGTE's Brad Cresswell, as they preview the Toledo Jazz Orchestra's concert on March 23rd. The concert throws a spotlight on Jazz at Lincoln Center, with charts from Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn, including some of their most popular songs. We also dig into Alain's dual life as classical conductor and jazz trombonist - and how the two complement each other. And even though it isn't really fair with just one contestant, we do h...
Classical Women
March 01, 2023 05:00 - 35.4 MBGet to know mezzo-soprano Nina Yoshida Nelsen, who solos with the Toledo Symphony in songs by Alma Mahler. We hear Nina's story (that's pronounced NIGH-na by the way), and we learn about her activism and work in creating the Asian Opera Alliance, which advocates for greater representation of Asian voices both on the stage and behind the curtain. And later on, test your knowledge of women pioneers throughout history in our "Female Firsts" quiz!
Flying Dancers
February 22, 2023 05:00 - 40.5 MBClassical and Hip-Hop collide in this episode, which features special guest Jorge Casco, Executive Director of the Fly Dance Company. Fly Dance joins the Toledo Symphony for one performance only, combining the visceral energy of street dance with the most popular tunes from the classical repertoire. Jorge provides a behind-the-scenes look at how the Fly Dance Company does this, and how they pique the interest of young people in a whole new world that is at once familiar and yet unknown to th...
Midori in Toledo
February 15, 2023 05:00 - 51.4 MBAs the excitement builds for superstar violinist Midori with the Toledo Symphony, we offer a one-on-one with TSO Music Director Alain Trudel who gives expert insight into the program, including the piece that Midori brings to the Peristyle: the beloved Mendelssohn Violin Concerto. Listen in, learn all about the music on the concert — and even test your Midori I.Q. with our quiz of the day (spoiler: Alain wins!).
Won't You Be Our Valentine?
February 08, 2023 05:00 - 40.3 MBIt's our Valentine's Day special, SymphonyLAB style! Join us for sweet radio bon-bons and other auditory treats as we swap stories and learn about the many facets of love in our Jeopardy-themed quiz of the day. And as our gift to you, we present a special radio play – but with a twist! For the first time in TSLAB history, we turn to artificial intelligence to script our play: the new ChatGPT from Open AI. In the words of our simulated playwright, "Be sure to get your Love-a-Tron 9000 today!"
Francophiles, Unite!
February 01, 2023 05:00 - 44.8 MBWe take a look at the Toledo Symphony's all-French program, with special guest Mélisande McNabney, who solos in Francis Poulenc's harpsichord concerto at the Peristyle. Also joining us a bit later in the program is the Grammy award-winning conductor JoAnn Falletta, who provides insight into the music on the concert, which she leads with the TSO. And don't forget our quiz of the day as we test our panelists' knowledge of French composer facts! Photo of Mélisande McNabney by Matthew Perrin Pho...
The Juliet Letters
January 25, 2023 05:00 - 50.1 MBIn this episode, we welcome soprano and arts administrator Mickey Emch back to the fold. Mickey is the vocal soloist for Elvis Costello's classical-esque take on one of Shakespeare's greatest plays, The Juliet Letters. We'll examine the music from this concert, including Beethoven's first string quartet and music for brass trio by Canadian composer Elizabeth Raum (who is also a friend and colleague of TSO Music Director Alain Trudel). And taking our cue from Beethoven's "first" in the quartet...
Mary Poppins!
January 18, 2023 05:00 - 34.2 MBWe gear up for one of the most exciting family-friendly events of the season: Mary Poppins in Concert with the Toledo Symphony! Guest Conductor Daniel Meyer provides a glimpse behind the curtain of what it takes to bring this Disney film classic to life on the stage of the Stranahan Theater. We'll get to know Daniel inside and out, and of course, we'll test our Mary Poppins I.Q. with the quiz of the day. Tune in for a jolly 'oliday of a show!
Stewart Goodyear Returns
January 11, 2023 05:00 - 33.5 MBWe welcome dynamic pianist/composer Stewart Goodyear back to Toledo to perform his own music: the Caribbean-inspired dance suite for piano and orchestra, Callaloo. Not only do we hear what went into the creation of this saucy dish, we get to know Stewart himself through personal stories and shared insights. We also talk about two other "dance" works on the program: John Adams' The Chairman Dances, and Sergei Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances. And in keeping with tradition, we have a trivia-fil...
New Year, New Faces 2023
January 04, 2023 05:00 - 36 MBWe continue our 2023 festivities with a "getting-to-know-you episode" featuring two recent additions to the Toledo Symphony family: Emily McCready (Marketing Manager at Toledo Alliance for the Performing Arts) and Georgi Dimitrov (Associate Principal Viola). Hear their stories, play some icebreaker games, and join us for a look both behind the curtain and in front of it from our special guests!
A SymphonyLAB New Year!
December 28, 2022 05:00 - 41.8 MBWe ring in 2023 SymphonyLAB style with our predictions and resolutions — plus our favorite moments from the past year (and what we're looking forward to in 2023). And of course, it just wouldn't be a party without a quiz! Test your movie trivia knowledge with our Twixmas Movie Quote quiz! But most importantly, we wish all of you a Very Happy New Year!
TSLAB at 200!
December 21, 2022 05:00 - 43.2 MBIn the midst of the Holidays, we find yet another reason to celebrate: Toledo SymphonyLAB's 200th episode! Our intrepid panel tests their TSLAB 101 as they take a walk down memory lane and talk about our favorite episodes from the past few years. Speaking of favorites, do you have a favorite special audio effect from the soundboard? Be sure to tune in and hear ours! *crowd cheer with applause*
A Swingin' Christmas
December 14, 2022 05:00 - 40.2 MBIt's A Swingin' Christmas as we welcome not one but two Scotts: Scott Lavender and Scott Potter, conductor and trumpeter/President respectively of the Toledo Jazz Orchestra. We hear the ensemble's backstory and open up the discussion with newly minted Artistic Director of the TJO, Alain Trudel. But wait, there's more... as we test our scottological IQ with our quiz of the day, "Great Scotts in History."
Nutcracker 82
December 07, 2022 05:00 - 35.3 MBIt's a full house as we celebrate the Toledo Ballet's 82nd annual Nutcracker! On the phone is the ballet's Artistic Director Eric Otto and in the studio are the Toledo Symphony's Music Director Alain Trudel - PLUS the TSO's Vanessa Gardner, Rachel Schultz and Natalie Frushour. Join us for a (mostly) made-up tag-team retelling of the Nutcracker story; insights into this newly choreographed, inclusive production, and of course, a Pop Up Plié Quiz!
Christmas with Aubrey
November 30, 2022 05:00 - 47.6 MBIt's Christmas at the Peristyle like none other, as we welcome singer and trombonist extraordinaire Aubrey Logan to the show. Fellow trombonist and conductor Alain Trudel is in-house for the panel, as we hear all about Aubrey's formidable talents. And we test our literary knowledge with a Christmas Quotes Gone Wrong quiz!
Thanksgiving with Handel
November 23, 2022 05:00 - 44.2 MBWe preview and celebrate the annual Toledo Symphony performance of G.F. Handel's Messiah at Rosary Cathedral, alongside our customary TSLAB nod to Thanksgiving. Special guest Mickey Emch (who sings in Messiah) joins us for an extended dinner party, with plenty of music, fun, and quizzes – including a healthy dose of Handel and a dollop of Turkey trivia!
The Great American Songbook
November 16, 2022 05:00 - 34.5 MBTSO Music Director Alain Trudel leads us into an in-depth exploration of The Great American Songbook, which is also the theme behind the Toledo Jazz Orchestra's debut concert as part of the TSO family (with Alain at the helm). We also touch on the upcoming concert with singing sensation Ledisi, who brings her Nina Simone tribute to the Peristyle. And, if you're a fan of Jazz and Big Band, you'll want to tune in for our quiz of the day!
Sound Science
November 09, 2022 05:00 - 40.3 MBIt's all about the science of sound, as we welcome special guest Amanda Miller from Imagination Station. We'll talk about their partnership with the TSO, quiz our science knowledge, and try a crafting experiment in the studio - creating our own musical instruments.
All About Awadagin
November 02, 2022 04:00 - 42.3 MBWe welcome concert pianist, conductor, professor, food and wine aficionado and all-around bon vivant Awadagin Pratt for a backstage discussion about his appearance with the Toledo Symphony. Awadagin brings a new work by Jessie Montgomery to the Peristyle, alongside two works that pay tribute to Music Director Alain Trudel and his five years at the helm of the TSO: Beethoven's iconic Fifth Symphony and Schubert's miraculous Symphony No. 8, the "Unfinished" Symphony.
BOO!
October 26, 2022 04:00 - 36.8 MBWe celebrate Halloween as goblins, ghouls, and ghosts rise to haunt the stage of the Valentine Theatre! It's a full (haunted) house as we welcome Alain TROLL-dell, Zak-O-Lantern Vassar, Merwin BOO, and special guest Robert "Bobbing-for-Apples" Clemens. Lots of spooky "treats" await, including our list of Top Ten Phobias, a Halloween Password game, and a deep dive into the TSO's Psycho (film with orchestra) program. As a coup de grâce, we offer up our own SymphonyLAB version of the Henrik Ibse...
Life of Mozart
October 19, 2022 04:00 - 50.6 MBIn advance of her appearance with the TSO, the wonderful pianist Élisabeth Pion joins us on the program to talk about her career thus far and the piece she brings to the Valentine theater, Wolfgang Mozart's Piano Concerto #24. It's an all-Mozart program (and podcast) which includes works written at various stages during Mozart's all-too-brief lifetime. We know about Mozart, but what were we all doing at ages 8, 17, and 29? Tune in to find out, and play along with our "Music in the Minor Key" ...
It's Carl!
October 13, 2022 04:00 - 46.9 MBWe welcome the man, the legend, the conductor Carl Topilow to the show as he prepares to face the Toledo Symphony once more in a special program of favorites far and wide. We hear testimonials about Carl from his colleagues, and Carl recounts his work with the TSO and others over the years. Also, we talk up Carl's book, The Orchestral Conductor's Career Handbook, which provides a truly behind-the-scenes look at the responsibilities of the symphonic conductor. AND don't forget our quiz of the ...
Welcome Eric!
October 10, 2022 04:00 - 38.3 MBWe welcome Eric Otto, the new Artistic Director of Toledo Ballet to the SymphonyLAB crew, along with TAPA Business Manager, repeat TSlabber (and former ballet dancer) Natalie Frushour. It's a getting-to-know-you episode, with games, quizzes and more!
The Taskin/Hubbard Harpsichord
September 28, 2022 04:00 - 44.3 MBToledo Symphony Principal Keyboardist Valrie Kantorski joins us for a look under the hood of the TSO's new Taskin/Hubbard harpsichord, which is the focus of this program at the Toledo Club. Also, the TSO's David Dyer takes us to harpsichord school for some interesting historical facts (guillotine, anyone?), and we make up some new harpsichord-ish instruments in our quiz of the day!
The Music Of John Williams
September 14, 2022 04:00 - 34.1 MBTake a ride through the magical film scores of John Williams, as we take the Toledo Symphony's Music of John Williams concert as our point of departure. Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale... what famous TV show did JW write for? Tune in for our quiz of the day to find out!
Romeo And Juliet
September 08, 2022 04:00 - 46.8 MBAs the new TSO season begins, we follow suit and embark on our own sixth season with all things Romeo and Juliet (musically, at least). We play some season roulette and preview what's to come. And don't forget to try your luck at our quiz of the day!
Composers' Corner
June 01, 2022 04:00 - 45.2 MBTSO Music Director Alain Trudel puts on his composer hat for this episode, along with composer Christopher Dietz for a conversation about their music which is being premiered by the Toledo Symphony on June 3rd. Alain's new work is for piano and orchestra, called Alter(e), with star pianist Charles Richard-Hamelin, while Chris Dietz premieres his explosive work for orchestra, Origin Story. As Alain tells us, his piece took shape mostly during the pandemic (when he had time to write). As for Ch...
Salute to Sousa
May 25, 2022 04:00 - 39.9 MBLooking to Memorial Day 2022 and this TSO program, we welcome special guest Rodney Miller - revered conductor and John Philip Sousa authority. Rodney tells us his story and all about Sousa. Be sure to test your Sousa IQ with our little quiz, Sousa or Barnum?
America in the Key of Gershwin
May 18, 2022 04:00 - 33.6 MBWe offer a deep dive into the life and legacy of American icon George Gershwin, who dominated (and still does to a certain extent) the American Songbook - as well as classical music through his symphonic works like the Piano Concerto and Rhapsody in Blue. His opera Porgy and Bess still stands as a landmark work in the genre of opera, and is regularly performed by major opera houses around the world. The symphonic suite Catfish Row captures many of the opera's famous tunes, and is featured on ...
Romantic Rhapsodies
May 11, 2022 04:00 - 48.6 MBAll roads lead to Sergei Rachmaninoff in this concert from the Toledo Symphony that pairs his Symphony No. 2 with Canadian wunderkind André Mathieu's Piano Concerto No. 3 (starring guest pianist Jean-Philippe Sylvestre). Joining us for the hour is composer Evan Williams, whose a ghost wandering in a world grown alien receives its world premiere from the TSO. What does Evan have to do with Rachmaninoff, you may ask? Listen and find out!
The TSO Strikes Back!
May 04, 2022 04:00 - 48.1 MBMay The Fourth Be With You! We celebrate Star Wars Day with trivia, quizzes, impressions, and much, much more – all inspired by the Toledo Symphony's live performance of John Williams' iconic score, accompanying The Empire Strikes Back on the big screen at the Stranahan Theater. Special guests include WGTE's Haley Taylor and 13abc's Tony Geftos (who – as you'll hear – not only does a killer Jar Jar Binks impression, but is also a master Elmo impersonator!).
Dancing Wheels and Spanish Stories
April 27, 2022 04:00 - 45.8 MBWe bring two special guests into the studio to talk about two TSO concerts: Toledo Ballet Gala Featuring Dancing Wheels, and Historias de España (Spanish Stories). Toledo Ballet's Ann Heckler talks about her teaching and her work with adaptive dance, and introduces us to the Dancing Wheels Company (which appears on the program). Also, TSO Percussionist Keith McWatters makes a return podcast appearance to talk up the Spanish Stories program, which employs an encyclopedia's worth of percussion ...
Glass City Chamber Music
April 13, 2022 04:00 - 33.2 MBWe visit with the fantastic young cellist and musical entrepreneur Loa Cho, who, along with Dr. Jason Stumbo from University of Toledo, and the Toledo Symphony's Merwin Siu, tell us all about Loa's upcoming chamber music competition. Loa used her proceeds from the 2020 Toledo Symphony's Young Musician Award to create and fund the organization, which is found online at glasscitychambermusic.org. Also, WGTE's Spring fundraiser is underway – so in keeping with the theme, we present both an NPR a...
Brahms and Bernadette
April 06, 2022 04:00 - 41.3 MBWe welcome special guest Megan Amos, principal horn of the Toledo Symphony. Megan is playing Johannes Brahms' horn trio in the TSO's chamber concert Brahms Trios. We not only launch into a detailed discussion of Brahms and his remarkable music, but we tip our collective hats to the great Bernadette Peters, who comes to the Peristyle this weekend.
Talking Bartók
March 30, 2022 04:00 - 47.2 MBTaking our cue from the upcoming Bartók and Brahms program, we focus on the extraordinary music of Béla Bartók – especially his spooky and tension-filled Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta, which has been sampled in TV and film ranging from "Dr. Who" to Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining." As a sidebar (no pun intended), we test our "bar talk" (pun intended) IQ in our quiz of the day!
A Stravinsky Tale
March 23, 2022 04:00 - 37.1 MBIt's an Igor Stravinsky extravaganza for this episode of TSLAB, inspired by the TSO's A Soldier's Tale concert. Music Director Alain Trudel and Principal Second Violin Merwin Siu come together to talk about Stravinsky's chamber masterpiece, which involves a septet of musicians as well as actors. A Soldier's Tale isn't the only piece on the program, however – we also hear about American musician, author, and educator David N. Baker's jazz-infused Hommage a l'histoire, which counted Alain Trude...
A Date with Judy
March 16, 2022 04:00 - 44.8 MBWe welcome the celebrated vocalist Joan Ellison to the show, who presents an evening hit parade of Judy Garland songs in the TSO's A Date with Judy Garland program. Also joining us are two guest panelists from the TSO marketing department: Allie Dresser, and TSLAB "newbie" Natalie Conklin. Join us as we put our guests through their paces and test their Judy 101 knowledge with our Wizard of Oz trivia quiz (spoiler alert: Joan wins!).
Composer Readings
March 09, 2022 05:00 - 47.7 MBWe get a backstage glimpse at what it takes to make a piece of symphonic music in this episode. Every year, the Toledo Symphony does a series of readings of new works by young composers from Bowling Green State University, and two of them join us today: Corey Brodack and Connor Gibbs. We're also joined by the composer Christopher Dietz, who is also on faculty at BGSU and runs the readings program. Rounding out the panel are the TSO's Merwin Siu and Alain Trudel, who conducts the TSO in the re...
Ben Beilman and Tchaikovsky's Fifth
March 02, 2022 05:00 - 46.6 MBWe take our cue from the TSO's Masterworks series concert Tchaikovsky's Fifth, which features, well, Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony. The concert marks a return to Toledo for the conductor Giordano Bellincampi, and star violinist Benjamin Beilman (who plays the concerto by Samuel Coleridge-Taylor on the concert) joins us by phone for a getting-to-know-you session (including a Twitter smackdown quiz!).