Sam Wisman
Senior Producer - 91.9 Classical KC / Backup Announcer - KCUR 89.3Sam started listening to jazz on his local NPR affiliate when he was just 13 years old, and his life as a musician and radio guy continues to intertwine. Son of a merchant and a classical musician, he came to Kansas City to attend the UMKC Conservatory. During school, he shelved a lot of records and played “drop the needle” at The Marr Sound Archives, working with KCUR’s own Fish Fry host Chuck Haddix. After graduating Cum Laude with a degree in Percussion Performance, Sam became a versatile fixture in Kansas City’s music scene. He hosted Jazz Afternoon on 90.1 FM KKFI for over 10 years, and currently hosts Jazz Across America - Kansas City on San Diego's KSDS Jazz 88.3. Sam lives with his family in Roeland Park, and has yet to measure the volume of his kids with a decibel meter — but he has thought about it.
Email him at samwisman@classicalkc.org.
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Lord Byron’s dramatic poem "Manfred" inspired Peter Tchaikovsky to write a sweeping symphonic work based on what Byron called a “metaphysical drama.” The result is a massive tone poem that evokes all the emotions that the printed word could only imply. -
Franz Liszt was a piano superstar and a remarkable composer. His over 700 works included many demanding showpieces for his own international piano recitals. We’ll hear three of his very best. -
We have an all-American program for Independence Day including music by Roy Harris, Katherine Ward and Samuel Bates. Plus, no celebration would be complete without marches by John Philip Sousa. -
Kurt Weill is best remembered for his score to Bertolt Brecht’s “Threepenny Opera” which is featured this week, along with his remarkable Symphony No. 2. We’ll hear two sides of this incredibly creative and gifted composer. -
Just like the classical masters before them, Kansas City composers use local landscapes as inspiration for their work. And, as temperatures warm up, local musicians find new, open-air venues for their performances. -
Whether it's admiring fresh blooms or a vigorous weeding session, enjoy an hour of music to be paired with gardening curated by Classical KC Ovation Circle member Alleen VanBebber. We'll hear works by Gabriel Fauré, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ralph Vaughan Williams and more. -
Giuseppe Verdi is one of the greatest opera composers of all time. But urged on by Parisian audiences, he also composed incredible ballet music to include in some of his operas. We’ll hear music from three of his best ballet scores. -
Many compositions originally composed for piano have been transformed into works for full orchestra. We’ll hear two splendid examples, both by Russian composers, including an unexpected setting of Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition.” -
String quartets have been an integral part of the classical repertoire for centuries and were a staple of home music making. Listen to two late-19th century quartets that build on that tradition and incorporate new, original ideas with impressive results. -
Music has always been able to transport us to another place. In the 19th and early 20th century when travel was difficult, people became fascinated with exotic locations via literature, and composers were inspired to write about them and give their musical impressions of these faraway lands.
