Each year, we broadcast 3,300 hours of locally programmed and hosted classical music. By the year’s end, we will have hosted 50 performances from Midstate chamber musicians on Live in Studio C.

We also broadcast roughly 150 full-length concerts and operas each year. That includes nearly twenty from Music City’s own Nashville Symphony and Nashville Opera, plus great performances from around the nation by way of The Metropolitan Opera, the New York Philharmonic and SymphonyCast. 

This year also brought us the opportunity to grow and try some new things, including our first podcast, Keeping Score.

Below are just a few of the highlights from 2018. All of this was possible because of the ongoing support of our listeners. Thank you for a great year! 

The Violins of Hope in Nashville 

This year, Nashville became the temporary home of the Violins of Hope, a collection of restored instruments played by Jewish musicians during the Holocaust. Nashville responded with a city-wide initiative of performances, lectures and events, culminating with the Nashville Symphony performing Verdi’s Requiem with the instruments. The performance was broadcast live on 91Classical, and you can revisit all our Violins of Hope coverage below:  

Composer Jonathan Leshnoff on Jewish Spirituality, Tenacity and Writing for the Violins of Hope

Nashville Symphony’s Final Performance With The Violins of Hope to Feature Verdi’s ‘Defiant’ Requiem

Celebrating Will Griffin’s 33-year Nashville Public Radio Career

After 33 years on the air, Will Griffin retired in June. He left a legacy of sharing music with 91Classical audiences, hosting local musicians for Live in Studio C, as well as one last playlist. You can listen to Will’s final Live in Studio C with Tantsova Grupa here.

Welcoming a New Voice 

Colleen Phelps joined the 91Classical team after Will’s retirement, taking the helm of Live in Studio C. Here’s Colleen’s debut this past July, with guest Béla Fleck.

91Classical’s First Podcast, Keeping Score

91Classical’s first podcast debuted this year! Keeping Score, hosted by Colleen Phelps, is Nashville’s backstage pass to classical music. Season one, which includes in-depth interviews with composer Christopher Rouse, pianist Yefim Bronfman, and conductor Giancarlo Guerrero, is available to stream now.

Getting Spooky on Halloween 

Hopefully you tuned into hear our first-ever Halloween special, hosted by the ghoulish Baron von Nachtmusik (voiced by our own Ed Lambert). It was part retro radio drama, part Halloween classical music favorites, and 100% silly fun.