Category Archives: For Fun

Black and White Photo of Mike Alston sitting at a piano

The Magic of Radio: Behind the Scenes with Chief Engineer Mike Alston

National Radio Day crackles to life on August 20th every year in the United States for us to celebrate the miracle of sound waves travelling to our ears from far and wide. The history of National Radio Day is about as fuzzy as an untuned radio though, with rumors of its beginnings lying somewhere in …


Bach family

Classical Music Inspired By Young People

Some of classical music’s most charming repertoire has been music for, or about, children. Some classics, like Schumann’s Kinderszenen and Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, are familiar favorites with audiences of all ages. In this list, we’ll explore a few familiar children’s pieces, as well as some lesser-known gems inspired by young people.


painting of circle with illustration of the seasons

Composers on Nature

Countless musicians have been inspired by nature, and many have left us quotations describing their feelings for the natural world. Here is a collection of seven quotes about nature from classical composers, paired with compositions that reflect their love of the natural world.


photo of walt whitman

Seven Instrumental Pieces Inspired by Poetry

“Music and poetry have ever been acknowledg’d Sisters, which walking hand in hand, support each other; As Poetry is the harmony of Words, so Musick is that of Notes; and as Poetry is a Rise above Prose and Oratory, so is Musick the exaltation of Poetry. Both of them may excel apart, but sure they …


christmas tree and music notes

The Stories of Twelve Famous Carols

When it comes to traditional Christmas carols, separating history from legend can be as tricky as detangling holly and ivy. Looking forward to our Festival of Carols, which will run from 7PM on December 21 through December 25, we’d like to share some of the true stories behind our favorite carols.


brown paper present

Classical Composers’ Holiday Gifts

What’s more meaningful than a homemade gift – especially when the giver is a composer and the gift is music? Here’s a list of five classical compositions that were given as holiday gifts!


list of composers and drawing of an elephant

Classical Music Inspired By Young People

Inspiration for classical music comes in endless forms. Here’s a look at five classical music pieces inspired by young people.


Sampling Classical Works in Modern Songs

To some, classical music may seem like something of the past, yet many artists have sampled classical music, bringing the music to the present. Yet, the issue remains of where one song ends and another begins. It is always smart to give credit to musicians for inspiring a song. Sampling is the process of taking …


Danse Macabre

Boo! A Halloween Special

With Halloween approaching, it seems only relevant that we shed light on some of the spookier aspects of classical music. Though no well-known composers or performers had superstitions around Halloween day itself, many had obsessions and superstitions surrounding curses, death, and other macabre topics. Arnold Schoenberg was well-known for his superstitions, suffering from triskaidekaphobia, or …


Less Respite, More Ruckus: Re-examining Classical Concerts, Past and Present

It’s a Friday night, and I’ve found myself in a dimly lit room packed wall-to-wall with people, some tapping away on their cell phones, others chatting, all eager for the set-up to complete so the featured musicians can come onstage and start the show. I notice that the man in front of me sips from …


Categories

Our Sponsors

Albina Holdings logo
Logo: Roseline Coffee
AniChe Cellars

Meet all of our sponsors  |  Become a sponsor

  • KQAC 89.9 Portland/Vancouver
  • KQOC 88.1 Newport/Lincoln City
  • KQHR 88.1 Hood River/The Dalles
  • KQHR 96.3 Columbia Gorge East
  • KQMI 88.9 Manzanita
  • KSLC 90.3 McMinnville
  • 95.7 FM Corvallis/Flynn