A Tempo
With Rachel Katz

A Tempo is a 30-minute public affairs program devoted to issues, challenges and opportunities facing the performing arts.The show examines the impact of the economy, technology, and social and cultural changes on musicians, ensembles, venues and other organizations involved with the arts. It also looks into the importance of music and arts education, and public support and appreciation, including philanthropy. In addition to one or two feature interviews, the show includes a short selection of news headlines from around the arts world.

Past topics:

2012

May 5

The Bach Festival of Bethlehem. Guest:  Bridget George, Executive Director of the Bach Choir of Bethlehem, about this year's highlights and celebring 100 years of its "Guarantor" system, which has brought the community together to support the tradition. Plus: A night of harpsichord music at Infini-T Cafe in Princeton.

            Extra:  Bridget George talks about the Bach Choir of Bethlehem's Bach to School program..

April 28

Guest:  Pulitzer Prize Winner Kevin Puts on his prize-winning opera Silent Night.

April 21

Carnegie Hall's National Youth Orchestra of the United States. Guest:  Clive Gillinson, executive and artistic director of Carnegie Hall.

            Extra:  Extended conversation with Lynda Herndon, executive director of the Queens Symphony Orchestra, about the first annual Queens Symphony Orchestra Festival of Arts and Music.

            Extra:  Extended conversation with Jeff Nathanson, executive director of the Arts Council of Princeton, about this year's Communiversity Festival of the Arts .

April 14

Women Conductors.  Guests: Sarah Hicks, director of pops and presentations at the Minnesota Orchestra, Diane Wittry, music director of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra, and Gail Lee, conductor of Sinfonietta Nova. Also: Valerie Folkes, USC Associates Chair in Business Administration and Professor of Marketing, USC, on a study about audience attitudes toward male and female conductors.

            Extra:  Extended conversation with Valerie Folkes, USC Associates Chair in Business Administration and Professor of Marketing, USC, on a study about audience attitudes toward male and female conductors.

April 7

Women Conductors.  Guests: Sarah Hicks, director of pops and presentations at the Minnesota Orchestra, Diane Wittry, music director of the Allentown Symphony Orchestra, and Gail Lee, conductor of Sinfonietta Nova.

            Extra: George B. Stauffer, dean of Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, comments on the appointment of composer Roberg Livingston Aldridge to head the school's music department.

March 31

Symphony Orchestras and Music Education.  Guests: Ted Wiprud, education director, New York Philharmonic, and Carol Burden, education coordinator, Princeton Symphony Orchestra, on how these orchestras are working with schools and families to nurture a love of music and the audience of tomorrow.

            Extra: Hear additional comments from Ted Wiprud and Carol Burden about using technology in their education programs and funding issues

March 24

Music in Our Schools Month. Guests: Scott Schuler, president, National Association for Music Education, about Music in our Schools Month, and Charles Neidhardt, coordinator of Music in our Schools programs for the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association.

March 17

Guests: Bob Moir, executive vice president of artistic planning for the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, on the orchestra's Concerto Competition, which will let the public vote for finalists via You-Tube, and Jesse Rosen, president of the League of American Orchestras, on various ways orchestras are using You-Tube and technology to expand their reach to potential audiences.

March 10

Guest: Eugene DeAnna, head of the recorded sound division of the Library of Congress, about the LOC's National Jukebox, an online archive of more than 10,000 of the earliest Victor recordings, including jazz, classical and popular music, spoken word and speeches.

             Extra: Hear about the Jukebox's interactive Victrola (Victor) Book of the Opera, including recordings of Vissi d'Arte by Nellie Melba (1907), Ema Destinnova (1914) and Maria Bronzoni (1910).

             Extra: Listen to an extended conversation about the New Jersey Theatre Alliance's Stages Festival with Alliance Executive Director John McEwen.

March 3

Guest: Dr. Daniel Levitin, the James McGill professor of Psychology and Behavioural Neuroscience at McGill University, about research that found a mathematical formula common to much of the rhythms in Western classical music.

             Extra:  Hear an extended conversation with Nina Perlove, executive director of the American Classical Music Hall of Fame.

February 25

Orchestral Innovation. Guests: Jacques Lacombe, music director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra, about the orchestra's New Jersey Roots Project; Alan Pierson, artistic director of the Brooklyn Philharmonic, on the philharmonic's Brooklyn Neighborhoods concert series.

             Extra:  Hear additional conversations with Maestro Lacombe about the Young Composer's Project, and with Maestro Pierson about the Bed-Stuy concert series.

February 18

Guest: Mark A. Miller, a composer, organist and music professor, on what influenced him in his career writing and making music, and bringing communities and traditions together. His work "Let Justice Roll - Letter from a Birmingham Jail" will be performed later this month at a Black History Month celebration at Christ Church in Summit, NJ.

             Extra:  Hear extended conversations with Princeton Junction pianist Angie Zhang, who will appear on NPR's From the Top this Saturday, and From the Top's Executive Producer Gerald Slavet.

February 11

Grammy Preview! Guests:  Linda Kernohan, classical community blogger for The Grammy Awards; Composer Steven Mackey, whose recording of his work Lonely Motel - Music from Slide was nominated in four categories.

February 4

Guest:  Dean Orton, president and CEO of The American Boychoir School and the Princeton Center for Arts and Education.

January 28

One-hour Opera Roundtable. Guests:  Richard Russell, general director of Opera New Jersey, Andrew Kurtz, general and artistic director of Center City Opera in Philadelphia, and Joel Revzen, principal conductor of Arizona Opera and artistic director and principal conductor and Lake Tahoe Summerfest.