Front Row Washington

Mondays at 9:00 pm on Classical WETA 90.9 FM

Tune in on Mondays at 9:00 pm for classical performances by top local musicians and ensembles, recorded at venues throughout the Washington area.

This month we celebrate the National Gallery of Art and their concert series that began in World War 2. Now in their 78th season, they have presented more than 3,000 free concerts featuring some of the most prominent names in classical music in the United States and abroad.

Upcoming Broadcasts

Taipei Chamber Ensemble

Presented by the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art

Monday, February 1, 2021 - 9:00pm

Founded in 1969, the Taipei Symphony Orchestra TSO) is one of the leading orchestras in Asia. As late as 1969, when thirty-odd musicians got together in a concert hall in Taipei, the city could still be characterized as having a relatively desolate music scene. Now, more than 40 years later, that small group of musicians has grown into a hundred-plus orchestra, adding a brilliant chapter to the history of classical music in Taiwan. The Chamber Ensemble is made up of musicians from the TSO.

Featured performances:

Felix Mendelssohn - Octet in E-flat Major for Strings, Op. 20

Francesco Fullana and Tomomi Sato play Debussy and Chausson

Presented by the Phillips Collection

Monday, February 8, 2021 - 9:00pm

Spanish-born violinist Francisco Fullana, winner of the 2018 Avery Fisher Career Grant, has been hailed as a "rising star" (BBC Music Magazine), an "amazing talent" (conductor Gustavo Dudamel) and "frighteningly awesome" (Buffalo News). His Carnegie Hall recital debut was noted for its “joy and playfulness in collaboration ... it was perfection” (New York Concert Review).

Japanese pianist Tomomi Sato enjoys her diverse career as a highly sought-after solo and collaborative pianist of various genres, ranging from classical to jazz to global popular music. A prize winner of the 2013 Seattle International Piano Competition, Tomomi has performed in the US, as well as in Europe, Asia, and South America.

New Zealand String Quartet

Presented by Dumbarton Concerts

Monday, February 15, 2021 - 9:00pm

Celebrating its 30th season in 2017, the New Zealand String Quartet has established an international reputation for its insightful interpretations, compelling communication, and dynamic performing style. The Quartet is known for its imaginative programming and for its powerful connection with audiences of all kinds.

Over the decades the Quartet has cultivated a rich repertoire, including a wide variety of New Zealand music, composers' cycles from Beethoven to Bartok, Mozart to Berg, in addition to theatrical presentations on musical topics ranging from Haydn’s “Seven Last Words” to Janacek's "Kreutzer Sonata".

Goldstein-Peled-Fiterstein Trio

Presented by the Phillips Collection

Monday, February 22, 2021 - 9:00pm

Bound by their Israeli roots, pianist Alon Goldstein, cellist Amit Peled, and clarinetist Alex Fiterstein formed the Goldstein-Peled-Fiterstein Trio in 2005. Today, the ensemble’s performances reflect both the special gifts and originality of the three artists as soloists as well as their marvelous sense of ensemble and love of chamber music.

Performances in recent and upcoming seasons include appearances at the Interlochen Center for the Arts in Michigan, Peoples’ Symphony Concerts in New York, the University of Chicago, Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, the Schubert Club International Artist Series in St. Paul, Pro Musica Joplin, the Saint Cloud Chamber Music Society, and at the Rose Theatre in Lincoln Center. The New York Times praised the ensemble for displaying “the kind of spotless technique that keeps the attention focused on the score rather than the vagaries of the performance.”

Recent Broadcasts

Inscape Chamber Orchestra plays Hindemith

Presented by the National Gallery of Art

Monday, January 25, 2021 - 9:00pm

Founded in 2004 by Artistic Director Richard Scerbo, the Grammy nominated Inscape Chamber Orchestra is pushing the boundaries of classical music in riveting performances that reach across genres and generations, and transcend the confines of the traditional classical concert experience.

Trio con Brio Copenhagen

Presented by Dumbarton Concerts

Monday, January 18, 2021 - 9:00pm

The Trio con Brio Copenhagen was born out of an idea of the coming together of ‘musical pairs’ – of the two Korean-born sisters, Soo-Kyung Hong (cello) and Soo-Jin Hong (violin), with Soo-Kyung and her husband, Danish pianist Jens Elvekjaer. They quickly gained a reputation for their fresh and contemporary approach to the core repertoire.

National Philharmonic plays Mozart

Presented by National Philharmonic at Strathmore

Monday, January 11, 2021 - 9:00pm

Led by dynamic Music Director and Conductor Piotr Gajewski, National Philharmonic is known for performances that are “powerful” and “thrilling” (The Washington Post). They continuously strive to create remarkable educational opportunities in the community while promoting diversity and representation in classical music. National Philharmonic is an accessible, enriching component in the Greater Washington DC Metropolitan Area, believing that music has the power to spark imagination and shape the world around us.