Name: WRR 101 Focus on the Arts: Basically Beethoven Fest continues to spotlight amazing local musicians by Classical 101 WRR
Duration: 2 min 32 s
Description: "People are worried about approaching classical music, and I think we try our very best to remove that," says Alex McDonald, Artistic Director of the Basically Beethoven Festival, presented every summer by the Fine Arts Chamber Players. McDonald spoke with WRR's Amy Bishop about this year's lineup, which includes some of DFW's most celebrated classical musicians.

"People are worried about approaching classical music, and I think we try our very best to remove that," says Alex McDonald, Artistic Director of the Basically Beethoven Festival, presented every summer by the Fine Arts Chamber Players. McDonald spoke with WRR's Amy Bishop about this year's lineup, which includes some of DFW's most celebrated classical musicians.

WRR 101 Focus on the Arts: Basically Beethoven Fest continues to spotlight amazing local musicians

“When we’re talking about local musicians, we’re talking about high level local musicians,” says Morgan Vaughan, Executive Director of Basically Beethoven, which is opening its annual summer festival of free chamber music performances in Dallas on Sunday, July 13, 2025. In this feature with WRR's Amy Bishop, Vaughan joins the organization's Production & Education Manager Jeff Tullis for an overview of the festival and the impact they're having on local music education.


WRR101 Focus on the Arts: Why Basically Beethoven is a summer staple in DFW

“These two people lift up the arts ecosystem and they are the ones that deserve recognition," says Mike Dilbeck, Deputy Director of The Arts Community Alliance, commonly known as TACA. "A lot of the times, it’s the people behind the scenes that you don’t see, don’t hear about, but they are the ones that are most deserving.” This year's honorees are Gayle Halperin and Jim Nugent, who have been pillars of the North Texas arts community for decades. In this feature with Amy Bishop, Gayle and Jim share stories of receiving the news - and how they've seen the arts in Dallas flourish through the years.

WRR101 Focus on the Arts: Meet TACA's 2025 Silver Cup recipients

"Twenty five cellists all playing together is a really unusual, beautiful sound," says Joseph Kuipers, Creative Director of Texas Cellos. In this feature with WRR's Amy Bishop, Kuipers gives an overview of the group's upcoming series of concerts, which includes a rousing rendition of Beethoven's "Ode to Joy" and a marathon performance of the composer's complete sonatas for cello and piano.

WRR101 Focus on the Arts: Texas Cellos and their ability to resonate with DFW audiences

The Plano Symphony will perform in the Meyerson with Bernadette Peters on August 30. Here's Kurt Rongey in conversation with the Broadway star to give you a preview. She discusses what it’s like to sing with a large orchestra, her experiences working with Jerry Herman and Stephen Sondheim, and more.

WRR101 Focus on the Arts: Chatting with Bernadette Peters ahead of her Plano Symphony concert

The Waco Symphony Orchestra opens their season with GRAMMY Award-winning violinist Anne Akiko Meyers, who will perform Barber's Violin Concerto in a program that also includes Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances and Dvorak's Carnival Overture. Ahead of Meyers' visit, she chatted with WRR's Brooke Scholl for a deeper dive into the music.
Photo by Dina Douglass

WRR101 Focus on the Arts: Chatting with Anne Akiko Meyers ahead of her Texas visit

Now in its fourth year, the Art Worth Festival has established itself as an annual arts and music destination for North Texas. In this conversation with the festival's founder Greg Belz, he talks about how Art Worth differs from the rest of the arts festivals in the region. 

WRR101 Focus on the Arts: This Fort Worth art fest continues to broaden its reach

Fort Worth Opera opens its 80th anniversary season with a rare stateside appearance by internationally acclaimed tenor Jonathan Tetelman. A Deutsche Grammophon recording artist and jet-setting leading man, Tetelman has captivated audiences with his warm, full-bodied tenor and ardent stage presence. On October 10, he takes the stage at Van Cliburn Concert Hall for a one-night-only event. Kurt Rongey spoke with Jonathan Tetelman about the early development of his voice, the challenges of opera singing and his links to Texas

WRR101 Focus on the Arts: Tenor Jonathan Tetelman previews his Fort Worth concert

Trinidad-born trumpeter Etienne Charles fuses Caribbean melodies with jazz to create his own distinct sound. He'll bring his Creole Soul group to Windmills Craftworks in The Colony October 11-12, 2025. In this feature, WRR's Amy Bishop speaks with the venue's Kira Goidel about the unique concert and dinner experience.

WRR101 Focus on the Arts: Windmills welcomes Caribbean jazz trumpeter Etienne Charles

Cellist Matt Haimovitz has earned a reputation as a musical pioneer in today's classical music sphere. Two albums by the internationally renowned musician were recently nominated for GRAMMYs: "Schnittke Cello Concerto No.1" with the Leipzig Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Dennis Russell Davies, and  "Jacqueline," Luna Pearl Woolf's opera with soprano Marnie Breckenridge. In this interview with WRR's Brooke Scholl, Haimovitz discusses the joys of playing these works, his special friendship with the late Jaqueline du Pre, and more.

WRR101 Focus on the Arts: This cellist has two albums up for a GRAMMY this year

In November 1957, the Dallas Civic Opera (now The Dallas Opera) officially opened with a headlining concert starring Maria Callas at the State Fair Music Hall (now Music Hall at Fair Park).  Audiences have a chance to see Maria Callas once again via a hologram concert at the Music Hall in Fair Park, featuring The Dallas Opera Orchestra on Friday, October 31st, 2025. The event commemorates the 100th anniversary of the venue and is co-presented by Broadway Dallas. Amy Bishop recently spoke with Ian Derrer, TDO's Kern Wildenthal General Director and CEO, about what to expect in this very unique event.

WRR 101 Focus on the Arts: Basically Beethoven Fest continues to spotlight amazing local musicians

Classical 101 WRR

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