The Los Angeles Philharmonic returns to the radio airwaves on Sunday, January 6, 2002 [most cities – see local listings for further details] after a three-year absence. From California and Hawaii to Maine and Massachusetts, classical music listeners will once again be able to hear the Los Angeles Philharmonic on the radio in a 13-week series of concerts, broadcast to 156 stations across the United States. A result of a partnership between the Philharmonic, Los Angeles classical music station KUSC, WFMT Radio Networks and the Los Angeles Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (LACVB), the syndicated broadcasts will be heard locally on 91.5 FM KUSC at Noon on Sundays. Accompanying each concert will be a different intermission feature highlighting the city of Los Angeles, produced by the LACVB. Click here for complete listings of concert programs and intermission stories.

The Philharmonic’s return to the airwaves is particularly notable, as it becomes one of the nations’ few major orchestras to be heard regularly, both locally and nationally. “This opportunity is remarkable in a number of ways. Not only is the Philharmonic returning to the radio and broadcasting to hundreds of thousands of homes across the country, we are ambassadors for the city of Los Angeles,” comments Deborah Borda, Managing Director, Los Angeles Philharmonic Association.

George D. Kirkland, president and CEO of the Los Angeles Convention & Visitors Bureau and member of the board of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, notes the importance of the broadcasts in Los Angeles, "The Philharmonic is an symbol of cultural and artistic excellence. Esa-Pekka Salonen and the musicians of the Philharmonic give our City a voice that speaks in every language. That voice reminds every listener that L.A. is a City rich in talent, passion and creativity."

The weekly program will be heard in Los Angeles each Sunday at 12 Noon on classical station KUSC. “KUSC is honored to broadcast concerts of our hometown orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic,” said Brenda Barnes, General Manager of KUSC Radio. “And since our hometown orchestra is also one of the finest in the nation and in the world, we are thrilled to share the productions with other stations that value live performance of classical music.”

The programs are broadcast on over 133 station nationwide and the series includes programs from the Philharmonic’s 2000/01 concert season; the January 6 broadcast will be of the performance that took place on January 19, 20 & 21, 2001, with conductor Emmanuel Krivine and pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet in a program of music by Liszt, Prokofiev, and Debussy. "Our radio station affiliates have expressed their excitement and enthusiasm in offering broadcasts of the Los Angeles Philharmonic to their many listeners across the country. The broadcasts will enable those listeners to enjoy a wonderful concert hall experience from one of the world's finest orchestras," comments David Levin, Vice President, WFMT Radio Networks.

The intermission segments, which feature conversations with noted Angelenos, focus on trends in LA, and the uniqueness and diversity of this city in its cultural offerings. Guests include noted visual artists, authors, educators, chefs, film directors and musicians, as well as administrators and producers. Robert Barrett, LACVB vice president of domestic marketing, adds, "The listening public will be fascinated to hear why more artists live in L.A. than any other city, why L.A. is the largest book market and why L.A. has more live theater than New York. With these questions being discussed by such luminary Los Angeles County cultural leaders as composer John Williams and artist Betye Saar, listeners will grow in their appreciation of L.A.'s vast cultural resources."

Syndication of the Los Angeles Philharmonic broadcasts can be heard on at least one station, often more, in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Many stations offer web streaming of their programming and can be heard online as well. Click for a complete list of stations from distributor WFMT.