Pacifica Radio Los Angeles Announces First African American Classical Music Show Host

LOS ANGELES - March 13, 2022 - PRLog -- Pacifica Radio Los Angeles announced its first African American classical music show host. Noted classical musicologist Earl Ofari Hutchinson hosts the new show Classical Conductors & Composers with Earl Ofari Hutchinson. Hutchinson notes that it is a singular honor to host a weekly classical music show on Pacifica Radio, one of public radio's oldest radio networks. "While African Americans have made huge inroads in classical music as performers, composers, conductors and orchestra players," notes Hutchinson, "African American radio program hosts remain a rarity."

His show is unique. He plays exclusively live concert performances of the greatest symphonic works of Bach, Vivaldi, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Mahler, Tchaikovsky, Dvorak, and in the Twentieth Century, Sibelius, Shostakovich, Gershwin, and the other greats in their entirety. He provides in-depth commentary, factoids, and history on and about the work and the composer during the works played.

Hutchinson observes, "There has been furious debate in recent years over the question of classical music's future." Many flatly say that classical music continues on a steep downhill slope. Others simply say that classical music will survive and even experience growth. But only if there's a change.

The supposed change entails playing more popular music, film music, and even rock, and R&B laced adaptations of traditional classical music. This is the only way, so the critics say, to get young persons interested in the music, attending concerts, and tuning in to classical music shows. Without this fresh infusion of bodies, classical music will continue its supposed downhill slide with an older and steadily dwindling audience.

"My show spotlights the greatest, and in many cases, the best-known symphonic works of these classical music masters," Hutchinson insists. "It harks back to a time when classical music stations exclusively programmed in their entirety the great symphonic works of the giants from Bach to Beethoven."

"I am unapologetic in my love and appreciation of the works of the old masters," says Hutchinson. "Classical Conductors & Composers will present these works as I believe classical works were in times past presented."

Classical Conductors & Composers with Earl Ofari Hutchinson airs Saturdays on Pacifica Radio 90.7 FM streamed at kpfk.org at 10:00 AM PST and 1:00 PM EST Hutchinson is the author of Beethoven and Me: A Beginners Guide to Classical Music. His new work A Young Person's Guide to Classical Music (Middle Passage Press) will be released in May 2022.
https://www.kpfk.org/on-air/classical-conductors-and-composers-with-earl-ofari-hutchinson/