KBACH's Heart of the Arts

Tito Muñoz just concluded his tenth and final season as Music Director of the Phoenix Symphony. KBACH's Greg Kostraba recently caught up with Maestro Muñoz to chat about his tenure, including his favorite moments, the process of setting up a season, how he selects soloists, and the orchestra's response to Covid-19.

Former Phoenix Symphony Concertmaster Steven Moeckel will be on the final concert of the second season of Chamber @ Ravenscroft, Saturday, May 18th at Ravenscroft Hall in Scottsdale. The program, titled "Celebration," will include the Piano Quintet #2 by Antonin Dvorak, plus music by Johan Halvorsen, Arvo Part, and Paul Wiancko. KBACH's Greg Kostraba recently chatted with Steven Moeckel about the program, and his life away from the concertmaster chair.

The Phoenix Boys Choir presents its season finale concert Friday and Saturday, May 10th and May 11th. The program, called "Skyward," will feature the group Simply Three, and the world premiere of Raphael Fusco's composition, "It's a Long Way," the first-place entry in the choir’s 2023 New Works Rising Competition. KBACH's Greg Kostraba recently chatted with the choir's Artistic Director Herbert Washington and composer Raphael Fusco (pictured) about the program and the world premiere.

Pianists Michael Stephen Brown and Adam Golka join Maestro Tito Muñoz and the Phoenix Symphony for performances of the Piano Concerto #10 (for two pianos) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart at Phoenix Symphony Hall, Friday through Sunday, April 26-28. KBACH's Greg Kostraba recently chatted with Michael about the piece, his approach to integrating life and music, and his longstanding relationships with Adam Golka and Tito Muñoz.

Learn more about the concert, and purchase tickets here: https://tickets.phoenixsymphony.org

Guitarist Jason Vieaux will join the Escher Quartet for a performance at Central United Methodist Church in Phoenix, Friday, April 12th. The program, presented by the Phoenix Chamber Music Society, includes guitar quintets by Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco and Luigi Boccherini as well as Haydn's "Lark" Quartet and a set of solo guitar works. KBACH's Greg Kostraba recently chatted with Jason about the concert and his longstanding relationship with the Escher Quartet.

The MusicaNova Orchestra presents "Dead Elvis and Other Gems" Sunday, March 24 at the Musical Instrument Museum. The program includes works by Joseph Haydn, Franz Krommer, and Peggy Glanville-Hicks, and opens with Dead Elvis by Michael Daugherty. KBACH's Greg Kostraba recently talked with the orchestra's Music Director Warren Cohen about the concert, and bassoonist Kristilyn Woods (pictured), who dons a sequined costume to evoke the 1970s-era King of Rock and Roll. 

The Takács Quartet comes to the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts for a performance of Flow, a new work by Phoenix composer Nokuthula Ngwenyama, alongside compositions from Haydn and Beethoven, Friday, March 22. KBACH's Greg Kostraba chatted with violinist Edward Dusinberre about the genesis of the new work, as well as the longevity of the quartet, which is marking its 49th season.

The Phoenix Chorale presents two contrasting yet complementary works for voices and orchestra Saturday & Sunday, March 9 & 10 in Scottsdale: Christopher Tin's reflective elegy The Lost Birds, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Requiem. KBACH's Greg Kostraba chatted with Christopher Tin about his career writing for new media, and about this Grammy-nominated piece.

Learn more about the concert, and purchase tickets here: https://phoenixchorale.org/concerts/

The Phoenix Chamber Music Society (PCMS) presents its 15th annual festival from March 2-8 at various locations throughout the Valley. KBACH's Greg Kostraba chatted with the festival's Artistic Director David Shifrin about his history with the PCMS and the variety of performers and music during this year's festival.

Learn more about the concert, and purchase tickets here: https://www.phoenixchambermusicsociety.org/festival15.

The Arizona Bach Festival presents its 15th annual festival from February 25 through March 17. KBACH's Greg Kostraba chatted with the chairman of the festival's board of directors Don Morse about the origins of the organization, as well as this year's festival, which consists of chamber music, concertos, orchestral suites, and an opening organ recital.

Learn more about the concert, and purchase tickets here: https://arizonabachfestival.org/2024-festival.