Classic Ross Amico

Tag: Dan Zhu

Dan Zhu Respighi & WPRB Memories

Here’s a souvenir from my days at WPRB 103.3 FM. Dan Zhu, a superb violinist, dropped by the studio for a chat, prior to his Princeton appearance as soloist in Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with West Windsor’s Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra in 2018.

If you’re interested in rewarding, off-the-beaten path, post-Romantic music, check out Dan’s recording of the Violin Concerto by Croatian composer Boris Papandopulo, on the CPO label. Here’s the first movement:

The night after our conversation, Dan was off to Shanghai to perform music by Bright Sheng (a figure now much in the news), under the composer’s direction. Dan’s recorded several of Sheng’s works for release on the Naxos label, including this one:

I mention all this as preamble to a link Dan was kind enough to forward of his performance of the rarely-heard Violin Sonata by Ottorino Respighi, which took place only a few weeks ago. The work was composed in 1917, making it contemporaneous with the composer’s much better-known “Fountains of Rome.” Respighi was about 38 years-old.

The recital was filmed in the Palazzo Tornabuoni’s Sala delle Muse in Florence, the site of the premiere of the world’s first opera, Jacopo Peri’s “Dafne,” in 1598. The pianist is Julien Quentin, performing on an instrument once owned by Maria Tipo! You can watch it here:

I helmed that morning air shift at WPRB from 2015 to 2018. For a time, I was on three stations at once (WPRB, WRTI, and WWFM), prompting one listener to describe me as “the hardest-working DJ in classical radio.” I don’t know if that’s true, but I sure didn’t sleep very much.

November 3, 2021
Dan Zhu Violinist on WPRB

With my guest, violinist Dan Zhu, this morning on WPRB 103.3 FM. Yesterday, Dan performed the Beethoven Violin Concerto with the Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra at Princeton University’s Richardson Auditorium. Among his other achievements, he was the first violinist to perform in Antarctica! He returns to play for the penguins in December. Check out his recent recordings of music by Bright Sheng (on Naxos) and Boris Papandopulo (on cpo.de – classic production osnabrück).

Bright Sheng’s “Hot Pepper” (selection):

Boris Papandopulo’s Violin Concerto (Movement III):

Thanks, Dan, for dropping by!

March 25, 2018
March Madness on the Radio My Foreign Legion Shift

Why did I join the Foreign Legion? I’ve already forgotten.

Foreign Legion, of course, is a metaphor for “Sunday morning radio shift.”

I’ll be knocking the cobwebs out of my circadian-addled consciousness with my second annual salute to March Madness. That’s right – it will be an all-march morning. Marches for band. Symphonic marches. Marches for piano. Marches for guitar. Light music marches. Military marches. Funeral marches. Coronation marches. Circus marches. I’ll do my best to get your feet moving, even if you can’t find the on-switch to the coffee maker.

To keep it varied, we’ll also hear a couple of larger works (such as Joachim Raff’s Piano Concerto, with its march-like finale), to break free of obsessive 4/4 time. But no Mahler symphonies!

At 9:00, we’ll take a break so that you have a chance to rest your feet and have a sip from your canteen, as I’m joined by violinist Dan Zhu. Zhu appeared as soloist in Beethoven’s Violin Concerto last night with the Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra at Richardson Auditorium on the campus of Princeton University. We’ll chat with Zhu about his career, his love of music, and his passion for environmental advocacy. Zhu was the first violinist to perform in Antarctica, in 2013.

Then it’s back to the punishing sands. March or die, this Sunday morning from 7 to 10 EDT, on WPRB 103.3 FM and wprb.com. Surely I Geste, on Classic Ross Amico.

March 25, 2018
March Madness Music on WPRB

It may be a week before Easter, but this Sunday morning on WPRB we’ll be going as mad as a March hare. It’s our second annual salute to March Madness!

That’s right – it will be an all-march morning. Marches for band. Symphonic marches. Marches for piano. Light music marches. Military marches. Funeral marches. Coronation marches. Circus marches. We’ll even have a symphony written for West Point that incorporates a marching machine.

How could we possibly sustain this over a span of three hours? Well, if we could do it last year for five hours, we can do it this year for three. We’ll be propelled by a variety of moods and timbres, with a couple of larger works (such as Joachim Raff’s Piano Concerto, with its march-like finale), to break free of obsessive 4/4 time.

We’ll have a chance to rest our legs at 9:00, when I’m joined by violinist Dan Zhu. Zhu will appear with the Bravura Philharmonic Orchestra tonight at 7:30 p.m. at Richardson Auditorium on the campus of Princeton University. He’ll be the soloist in Beethoven’s Violin Concerto and then a traditional Chinese piece, “Morning at Miao Ling Mountain.” The program will conclude with music director Chiu-Tze Lin conducting Brahms’ Symphony No. 1. You can find out more at bravuraphil.org. We’ll ask Zhu to talk about his career, his love of music, and his passion for environmental advocacy. Zhu was the first violinist to perform in Antarctica, in 2013.

The rest of the morning will consist of mad marches. It’s the ultimate Face-Palm Sunday, from 7 to 10 EDT, on WPRB 103.3 FM and wprb.com. We’ve been given our marching orders, on Classic Ross Amico.

March 24, 2018

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