Yo-Yo Ma talks about the cinecast of tonight's Celebrity Series performance

L to R: Chris Thile, Edgar Meyer, Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan

Tonight's two Celebrity Series performances by Yo-Yo Ma, Edgar Meyer, Stuart Duncan and Chris Thile, at The House of Blues are being cinecast live and recorded for later broadcast on PBS. Yo-Yo Ma talks with MSN Entertainment about performing live and live for cinecast, plus the genesis of The Goat Rodeo Sessions. Yo-Yo Ma's 'Goat Rodeo': Ready for Their Close-Up.

Matthew Polenzani and Julius Drake at WGBH

Here are a couple of candid shots from tenor Matthew Polenzani and his accompanist Julius Drake's taping at WGBH radio last night. Their performance will air tonight (Wednesday) on 99.5 and will feature an interview with WGBH host Cathy Fuller (above, top, center) and the duo perform at Jordan Hall on Thursday evening at 8pm.

Fleming and Hvorostovsky on Great Performances this week

Renée Fleming & Dmitri Hvorostovsky: A Musical Odyssey in St. Petersburg will air on PBS' Great Performances this week. Boston's WGBH will give the performance it's first airing this Thursday at 8pm (repeat airings to follow, check WGBH listings).

Rest in peace, Ray Smith

Ray Smith, host of The Jazz Decades on WGBH since 1972 has died at 87.

Check out Ray Smith in his own words and selections from among the more than 1900 programs he recorded between 1972 and the present, here.

More of Ray

Very sad. Listening to Ray was (is) like hanging out with an old friend; so glad we have the recordings.

Finckel-Han-Setzer concert to go nationwide

The February 21 concert by cellist David Finckel, pianist Wu Han and violinist Philip Setzer will be recorded for rebroadcast on WGBH's classical station at 99.5 FM (formerly WCRB, or rather, probably still WCRB in the eyes of the FCC, but - well, you get the idea) and will get a nationwide airing on American Public Media's Performance Today.

So, really, turn off those cell phones.

Classical WGBH radio to switch to 99.5 FM tomorrow

Tomorrow is DAY 1 of WGBH's classical radio format switch from 89.7 FM to 99.5 FM. Get the details here.

WGBH to acquire WCRB 99.5 FM

There are "wows" and there are "WOWS"! This one gets ALL CAPS.

WGBH, our NPR/PBS colleagues over in Brighton have announced plans to acquire classical music station WCRB, at 99.5 FM on your FM dial. WCRB will become non-commerical, "in keeping with our public mission," as the WGBH web site says.

Read more about this remarkable development here.

UPDATE: And here is today's Boston Globe article (9/21).

FURTHER UPDATES: Dan Kennedy weighs in. And Bob Oakes at WBUR.

WGBH program ad

The Celebrity Series is putting the finishing touches on the program book (you know, that little book they hand you with the names of the pieces to be played in it, among other things) for the new season and I
wanted to share this cute/fun new ad submitted by our friends at WGBH:

Happy to take the stairs, thanks.