Popular Classical Radio Program Taped At Baylor To Air Dec. 3 And 7 On KWBU-FM
The episode of "From The Top," the young classical musicians' radio program recorded in October at Baylor University, will air twice next week on KWBU 103.3 FM.
The program will be broadcast at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3, and at 1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7.
Two Central Texas high school seniors were among the talented classical musicians who performed before a sold-out audience Oct. 16 at Mary Gibbs Jones Concert Hall. Amber Welborn, a 17-year-old soprano from Midway High School, performed "Mein Herr Marquis," an aria from the Johann Strauss operetta "Die Fledermaus," while Katie Ward, a 17-year-old organist from Crawford High School, played Félix-Alexandre Guilmant's Sonata in D Minor, Op. 42, on Baylor's McLane Organ.
Joining them were 12-year-old pianist Aleksei Federov from The Woodlands, who performed Sergei Prokofiev's "The Montagues and the Capulets" from "10 Pieces For Piano From Romeo And Juliet," Op. 75; 16-year-old violist Christopher Williams of Fort Worth, who played Sonata, Op. 11, No. 4, "Phantasie" by Paul Hindemith; and 14-year-old flutist Jessica Anastasio of San Antonio, who played Albert Franz Doppler's "Fantasie Pastorale Hongroise."
Christopher O'Riley hosted the "From The Top" program and accompanied the performers on the piano. The one-hour program, which is distributed by Public Radio International, combined performances with lively interviews, lighthearted sketches and musical games. Announcer Joanne Robinson also appeared during the show's swing through Texas.
Ward played the Guilmant piece last year and won first in the state in her division at the Texas Music Teacher's Association competition. She also spends her time playing clarinet in the marching band, playing organ for her church, competing in number sense at UIL academic meets and playing midfield for a nationally ranked club soccer team in Dallas.
Much like Ward, Welborn has grown up around music. Her mother and grandmother are pianists, her father is a vocalist. She performed in the chorus of the Lyric Opera of Waco's September presentation of "La Bohéme." She spent part of this past summer in San Francisco at an opera arts training program. She is a member of the choir and orchestra at her school and has played violin competitively since second grade.
For more on "From The Top," visit http://www.fromthetop.net. For more information, contact Brodie Bashaw, KWBU station manager, at (254) 710-3695.