WQXR and WRTI Present “This Week with Yannick”
Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Renowned Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Orchestre Métropolitain of Montreal to Host and Curate a Celebration of Music and Connection
Eight-week radio series debuts Sunday, July 12 at 12pm on WQXR 105.9 FM and WRTI 90.1 FM
(New York, NY — July 8, 2020) — WQXR, New York City’s classical music station, and WRTI, Philadelphia’s classical music and jazz station, have come together to launch “This Week with Yannick,” an eight-week radio series hosted by acclaimed conductor Yannick Nézet-Séguin.
Nézet-Séguin — Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Orchestre Métropolitain of Montreal — has spent his career building connections between orchestras, singers, and audiences. Yannick now brings his passion for building connections through music outside of the concert hall and onto the airwaves..
As host and curator of “This Week with Yannick,” Nézet-Séguin offers listeners an intimate listening experience through music and storytelling. Each episode centers around a singular theme, from love and friendship to spirituality and hope, and explores the myriad ways that the deepest connections in our lives can be expressed through music. Nézet-Séguin will share personal reflections and experiences, linking them with a range of classical performances from his own oeuvre and works that have sparked his own creativity.
The debut episode, launching July 12, is a biographical journey through Nézet-Séguin’s development as a musician and conductor, exploring some of his major influences and collaborations from childhood through the present. This first episode will include performances by the Vienna Philharmonic, Amsterdam Baroque Choir and Orchestra, Orchestre Métropolitan of Montreal, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, and soprano Suzie LeBlanc.
“Communing with an audience has been an integral part of my musical life since I began conducting in Montreal,” said Yannick Nézet-Séguin. “The opportunity to reach audiences virtually is particularly meaningful to me during this socially distant time, and I look forward to bringing music, and personal context, to listeners around the world each week with this new series.”
“I’ve admired Yannick’s work for a long time, so it’s a thrill to be working with him on “This Week with Yannick,”” said Matt Abramovitz, Vice President of Programming, WQXR. “He is such a compelling presence onstage and that same dynamism and passion comes through loud and clear on the radio. I think listeners will feel an instant connection to his voice, his stories and his profound insights into classical music.”
“Yannick’s warm and engaging personality is magnetic and just one of many great strengths he brings to Philadelphia and the classical music world,” said Bill Johnson, General Manager, WRTI. “This special series offers listeners a deeper connection with Yannick — beyond their weekly experience hearing The Philadelphia Orchestra in Concert on WRTI hosted by Gregg Whiteside. Our partnership with WQXR makes this project even more exciting since it’s an example of how public media music stations can work together to create greater value and impact for the artists, communities, and music we champion every day.”
“This Week with Yannick” airs on WQXR in NYC and WRTI in Philadelphia every Sunday at 12pm beginning July 12 through August 30. The series is produced by Merrin Lazyan, producer of the critically acclaimed podcast Aria Code.
ABOUT WQXR
WQXR is New York City’s only all-classical music station, immersing listeners in the city’s rich musical life on-air at 105.9FM, online at WQXR.org and in the real world via live events and broadcasts. WQXR presents new and landmark classical recordings as well as live concerts from Carnegie Hall and the New York Philharmonic, and broadcasts essential destination programs including New York Philharmonic This Week and Young Artists Showcase. WQXR is also the co-producer—along with the Metropolitan Opera—of the critically-acclaimed podcast Aria Code, hailed by The New Yorker as “illuminating …accessible…immediately pleasurable.” As a public radio station, WQXR is supported through the generosity of its members, donors and sponsors, making classical music relevant, accessible and inspiring for all.
ABOUT WRTI
WRTI is the classical music and jazz public media station for Philadelphia and the Delaware Valley, and a leading source of music discovery with expertly curated classical during the day and jazz at night. Special content includes Saturday Classical Coffeehouse, The Philadelphia Orchestra in Concert, over 100 live studio performances a year, and the Philly Jazz channel on NPR Live Sessions. WRTI champions music as a vital cultural resource through its core values of discovery, curation, performance, community, and preservation. WRTI’s listener-supported service is available on 90.1 FM in Philadelphia, 13 additional frequencies in PA, NJ, and DE, 24-hour dedicated classical music and jazz streams at wrti.org, the WRTI mobile app, and your favorite smart speaker.