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Three Great Specials: Friday Evenings on HD-2 and the Classical Stream

Celebrate the start of Spring with three great specials on Friday evenings: A documentary about Zygmunt Stojowski on March 22, a celebratory concert honoring Sir George Solti's 100th birthday on March 29, and a look at the life of Erich Leinsdorf on April 5 and 12 - all on WRTI HD-2 and the All-Classical web stream.

On March 22nd at 8 pm, listen for "A Romantic Master Rediscovered: Zygmunt Stojowski." This is a portrait of the composer Zygmunt Stojowski, who was admired by Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Paderewski, Enescu, Heifetz and many more leading musicians of his day for his colorful, romantic, and sometimes exotic music - now being revived in international recordings and performances after a century of neglect.

For this two-hour documentary, we've captured the memories of Zygmunt Stojowski's two remaining sons, Alfred and Henry, who, with Stojowski's biographer Joseph Herter, the acclaimed young Polish conductor Lukasz Borowicz, the distinguished pianist Jonathan Plowright, the brilliant young pianist Katarzyna Musial, and the distinguished Professor of the Arts at Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts Henry Fogel, reveal the composer's prestigious life-story and unfold the creative imagination and musical inventiveness of his symphonic, choral, concerto, and solo instrumental and vocal output.

"Sir George Solti and the World Orchestra for Peace."

On March 29th at 8 pm, we'll air "Sir George Solti and the World Orchestra for Peace." In celebration of Sir Georg Solti's 100th birthday, a concert featuring The World Orchestra for Peace conducted by Valery Gergiev was performed at Chicago's Orchestra Hall on October 21st, 2012. The concert was broadcast live worldwide, and recorded for later broadcast as well.The World Orchestra for Peace was founded in 1995 by Sir Georg Solti at the request of Boutros Boutros-Ghali for a concert in Geneva marking the anniversary of the United Nations in 1995. Led by Valery Gergiev, the orchestra is an ensemble of the finest musicians selected from more than 60 orchestras in 35 countries (most are concertmasters or section principals in their own ensembles), including several members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. They all give their services freely - coming together only on special occasions - to reaffirm Sir Georg's belief in "the unique strength of music as an ambassador for peace."

The World Orchestra for Peace has given 18 concerts in 13 countries in its first 17 years and in 2010 was the first major symphony orchestra to be designated a UNESCO Artist for Peace "in recognition of its outstanding dedication to promoting, through music, cultural diversity, intercultural dialogue and a culture of peace." This all-star team came together with renowned soprano Angela Gheorghiu, expressive bass René Pape and host Lady Solti for a spectacular celebration in honor of Sir Georg's 100th birthday.

"Erich Leinsdorf: Perfectionist, Pioneer & Pedagogue"

For the first two Fridays in April, the 5th and the 12th, we'll present a two-part look at the life and times of the great conductor and educator Erich Leinsdorf in "Erich Leinsdorf: Perfectionist, Pioneer & Pedagogue." His legacy as a perfectionist conductor of operas, orchestral music and concertos, a passionate educator of performing musicians and a devoted advocate of an enormously wide-ranging arena of composers, is discussed by distinguished artists and others who worked with him.

In this pair of 2-hour programs we'll hear Gunther Schuller, Phyllis Curtin, Marilyn Horne, Joseph Silverstein, Vic Firth, John Oliver, Henry Fogel, Dan Gustin, Anthony Fogg, Deborah Borda, Costa Pilavachi and Michael Skinner, recall Maestro Leinsdorf's powerful impact at the Metropolitan Opera, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Tanglewood Music Centre and the New York Philharmonic. Maestro Leinsdorfhimself is heard speaking about the interpretation and also the teaching of some repertoire for which he became especially celebrated and revered.

Please join us Friday evenings at 8 pm, March 22nd through April 12th, for these special programs on HD-2 and the All-Classical web stream at wrti.org.

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