Poetry and music share the power to convey what words alone cannot. This Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. on WHRO-FM, “A Local Touch – Music with a Virginia Connection” explores that intersection through meaningful conversations and performances rooted in Virginia.
Host Raymond Jones will talk to Dr. Kathleen Decker, President of the Poetry Society of Virginia, about a Veterans Poetry Workshop, an initiative where participants are invited to express their experiences of military service, transition to civilian life, and resilience through poetry.
Two song cycles inspired by poetry form the musical heart of the program: Franz Liszt’s “Three Sonnets of Petrarch” and Samuel Barber’s “Three Songs,” performed by tenor Michael Posey and pianist Ruth Easterling Winters. Both were recorded at the Art Song of Williamsburg fall concert “The Inspiration of Poetry,” back in 2001.
Also joining the program is Alana Carithers, Interim Executive Director of the Williamsburg Symphony Orchestra, who will share details about the ensemble’s upcoming concert, scheduled for October 21st. The program they are preparing bridges the elegance of the Renaissance and the brilliance of the Classical and Romantic eras.
To set the mood before this concert, listeners will enjoy a thrilling performance by the Williamsburg Symphony from 2023: Xavier Foley’s “For Justice and Peace,” featuring the composer as bass soloist with conductor Michael Butterman.
Then it’s up to Staunton to hear “Soldiers of Music," this week’s "Heifetz on Air" segment that offers a meditation on artistry in difficult times, with performances by violist Atar Arad, the Emerson Quartet, and more.
The evening concludes with Ira Hearshen’s “Symphony on Themes of John Philip Sousa,” performed by the U.S. Air Force Heritage of America Band, under Colonel Lowell Graham, a powerful reminder of music’s ability to inspire and unite.
Hear it all this Wednesday evening at 9:00 on WHRO-FM 90.3 and also online through our Media Player or your smart device.
