Week of March 17, 2025: Pastoral Symphonies – This week will feature symphonic music inspired by bucolic nature scenes. Hear Harold in Italy, Richard Strauss in the mountains, Ralph Vaughan Williams in clover, and Ludwig van Beethoven right where you expect him to be, in the Austrian countryside. We’ll also feature the thoughts and writings of American novelists, and environmentalists, John Muir and Wallace Stegner.

Week of March 24, 2025: Merrie England – Ready your passport! We’re traveling to Merrie Old England. Ralph Vaughan Williams, Edward Elgar, and John Dowland all composed music inspired by the folk tunes in country pubs, the pageantry of Royal Albert Hall and Covent Garden, and the stunning countryside. Join us as we walk along England’s pathways, listening to Greensleeves, Turtle Doves, and Dame Janet Baker. Rule Britannia! Britannia rules the waves!

Week of March 31, 2025: Leopold Stokowski (1882-1977) – Leopold Stokowski was a renowned conductor known for creating more than 200 orchestral transcriptions. His works are colorful and varied, spanning a wide range from the organ pieces of Johann Sebastian Bach to the operas of Richard Wagner. Stokowski played a pivotal role in the early development of orchestral recordings, collaborating with Bell Labs and the Philadelphia Orchestra. In 1940, he partnered with Walt Disney and the beloved character Mickey Mouse to produce the groundbreaking film Fantasia. Remarkably, had he lived that long, Stokowski would have remained under contract until his 105th birthday, as no one wanted to miss out on his creative energy!