Sam Wisman
Production Director - 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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The Polonaise is a Polish rustic dance dating back to the 16th century. It’s one of Poland’s national dances, and has inspired composers for centuries. We’ll hear Polonaises by six different composers, especially the great Frédéric Chopin who mastered the form. -
Nearly every Kansas City Ballet rehearsal, class and performance has live music - something that is increasingly rare in the dance world. Classical KC takes you behind the scenes with some of these flexible Kansas City musicians. -
Conductor Dima Slobodeniouk joins the SLSO for the first time, leading the orchestra in Peter Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4. Wu Wei plays a stunning concerto by Finnish composer Jukka Tiensuu on the sheng, a mouth organ and one of the oldest-known Chinese instruments, dating back more than 3,000 years. Plus, we'll hear Lotta Wennäkoski’s Flounce. -
Among Christoph von Dohnányi’s many posts over his long career, his 18 years as Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra was remarkable. He took this great orchestra to new heights, expanded its repertoire, and took it around the world. In this final show remembering him, we’ll hear studio and live recordings from his time in Cleveland – a tribute to his musical leadership. -
One of the world’s great conductors passed away in September 2025. Christoph von Dohnányi became known to American audiences during his tenure as Music Director of the Cleveland Orchestra, but he had an impressive career in opera prior to that time. We’ll hear music from opera and from the symphonic literature that he knew and interpreted so well. -
The SLSO and St. Louis Dance Theatre come together in an adventurous collaboration to imagine Igor Stravinsky’s Pulcinella Suite in an entirely new way. Ballet music from Claude Debussy and Albert Roussel complete a program that celebrates partnerships between dance and music. -
Composer and UMKC Conservatory student Rodrigo Camargo is working with Classical KC to showcase the best performances from the Conservatory’s archives. -
We continue the series of outstanding recordings from the large catalog produced for 'Reader’s Digest' in the 1960s. Not only were these excellent performances, but the sonics were among the best out there. Hear fine recordings of music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Manuel de Falla. -
There is an abundance of classical music themed by the seasons. This week we have two works by Russian composers, Glazunov and Tchaikovsky, inspired by the season of winter. Come in out of the cold and enjoy the music. -
Music Director Stéphane Denève and the SLSO break out the bubbly for a sparkling New Year’s Eve Celebration, simulcast LIVE on St. Louis Public Radio and Classical KC. Revel in an evening of lively music, from Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Bernstein’s Candide Overture to Bizet’s Selections from L’Arlésienne and more.
